I entered the drawing room, the air heavy with the scent of rich fabrics and anticipation. Lucilla stood in the center of the room, her small frame engulfed in a sea of fabric as a seamstress darted around her, measuring tape in hand. She giggled and squirmed, clearly enjoying the attention as she twirled in circles, the fabric billowing around her like a miniature whirlwind.

"Javier!" Lucilla squealed with delight as she caught sight of me, her laughter echoing off the ornate walls. She bounded towards me, her arms outstretched in a bid for a hug, but the seamstress intercepted her before she could reach me. The poor woman looked panicked, and I struggled to hide my laugh as I closed the door.

"Careful dear, we don't want any accidents with the pins," the seamstress managed to breathe, carefully moving Lucilla back to the middle of the room. As I turned my gaze around the room, I spotted Empress Nisha standing by a table draped with bolts of fabric, her slender fingers trailing over the various textures and colors. Azriel sat on a couch nearby and I sat next to him, almost immediately feeling awkward. Azriel almost never spoke to me, so I didn’t know much about him and his interests.

"Azriel, how are your studies going?" I asked, hoping to initiate some semblance of conversation. He had still seemed excited to see me my first morning in the palace, so maybe I just needed to show him I was approachable. Azriel glanced at me, his expression guarded as if weighing whether to engage in conversation. After a moment's hesitation, he replied.

"They're... fine, I guess.” His voice was soft but tinged with a hint of curiosity, and I did my best not to frown. It seemed that my own lack of interest in him had led the boy to believe I didn’t like him and I made sure to seem interested as he continued. “I've been working on my swordsmanship."

“Oh? Maybe you could teach me then,” I smiled, noting the way Azriel’s eyes lit up. So, he liked sword fighting. Azriel's demeanor shifted slightly at my offer, his initial reserve giving way to a flicker of genuine interest. 

“Father hasn’t had your start lessons yet?” he asked, his tone betraying a hint of surprise.

“Not yet, I’ve been focusing on studying with Arlathan. Unfortunately, you got a pretty dumb demon for an older brother,” I joked, enjoying the laugh my words pulled from the boy. It was easier to pretend the Empress wasn’t in the room as I joked with Azriel, but as soon as I thought of the Empress, my heart sank.

It’s… strange. I thought to myself, glancing back up at Lucilla as the seamstress seemed to finish taking her measurements and was discussing fabrics with Nisha. I had a sister and brother in my old life too, but I was the middle child, not the oldest. My brother was basically a hikikomori and never left the house, living off our mother’s disability with her. He did chores sometimes, but despite the years I was there, I almost never saw him leave his room.

As soon as my sister saw how much more our mother favored our brother, she cut ties all together, refusing to let our mother trample all over her. Last I had known, she was married with two kids, excelling at life in every way. Only I seemed unable to find my way, forced to retreat back to the abuse I had escaped from.

“I’m sure Father will have someone more talented teaching you,” I was pulled from my thoughts as Azriel spoke, his voice bringing me back to the present moment. He glanced towards his sister, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "But once you learn, maybe we can spar."

“I’d like that Azriel,” I answered, my smile coming back as Lucilla finally bounced away from the Empress and seamstress, wasting no time as he hopped into my lap.

“Your turn, Javier!” She cheered and I shook my head as I chuckled.

“Well, how am I supposed to get fitted if you are sitting on me Lucy?” I teased, tickling her sides lightly as she squirmed in my lap, her laughter filling the room like music. Lucilla giggled uncontrollably, wriggling even more as she tried to escape my playful assault.

"Javier, stop!" she gasped between giggles, her tiny hands flailing in a futile attempt to fend me off. I relented, letting her catch her breath before gently lifting her off my lap and standing up myself.

"Now that you've had your fun, it's time for me to get measured," I said with a grin, ruffling her hair affectionately before glancing at Azriel who observed the scene with a small, enigmatic smile. It was clear he found amusement in his little sister's antics, but there was something else in his eyes too– jealousy. Did Azriel wish he could spend more time with me too? “And don’t forget to go easy on me when we spar, okay Azriel?”

“What! You’re gonna train with Javier? No fair, no fair!” Lucilla pouted and I chuckled as Azriel nodded eagerly, the jealousy in his eyes disappearing. I walked up to the middle of the room, doing my best to ignore Empress Nisha as the seamstress bowed.

“Crown Prince Javier, it is an honor to dress you,” she began and I nodded my head as she stood up. “I understand that we are fitting you for the grand ball, as well as for a full wardrobe.”

“Yes, I guess so,” I shrugged, still doing my best not to glance at the empress next to me. It was harder to ignore her now that I no longer had the children to distract me, but I kept my focus on the seamstress. She started taking measurements, her hands moving swiftly and surely as she recorded each detail with meticulous precision. I couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious under her scrutiny, but I tried to relax as best as I could.

“Do you have a preferred fabric, Javier?” My heart pounded as I heard Nisha’s soft voice and I struggled to look into her amber eyes. I froze, my limbs suddenly feeling like lead even as I held them out for the seamstress who continued to move around me, unaware of the tension. My throat suddenly felt dry, and I could feel my breathing increase as I tried to speak.

“I-I don’t know,” I stammered, feeling the weight of Nisha’s gaze on me. “I... I suppose something comfortable would be nice.”

“Of course, comfort is important,” Nisha’s lips curved into a gentle smile, but it did little to ease the knot of apprehension in my chest. The seamstress nodded in agreement with Nisha's statement, her hands still deftly working around me as she made notes on her writing paper. I couldn't shake the feeling of being under a microscope, every movement scrutinized, every word analyzed. “Your appearance should make you shine in almost any color.”

From her words the night before and what Kozani said, I knew that Nisha saw me as an important aspect of her visions, but it didn’t tell her much about how she felt about me. Everyone seemed to think the empress was simply a beautiful, quiet woman who suffered from terrible headaches and that’s why she hid away from everyone most of the time. But seeing her in the corridor told me there was a lot she was hiding from everyone else and with her being a woman with power, my body simply couldn’t relax around her.

"I think a silk blend would suit you well, Your Highness," the seamstress suggested, her voice breaking through the heavy silence that hung in the air like a shroud. "It's lightweight, breathable, and drapes beautifully."

"That sounds perfect," I replied, forcing a smile despite the unease that gnawed at the pit of my stomach. As the seamstress finished taking my measurements and made her final notes, I couldn't shake the feeling that Nisha's gaze still lingered on me. But before I could dwell on it further, Lucilla bounded over, her infectious laughter once again filling the room as she threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Javier, you're going to look so handsome at the ball!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Can we go out to the garden? It’s going to be too cold soon!”

"Of course, Lucy," I answered with a smile, glancing up to Azriel as he stood from the couch. “Why don’t you join us, Azriel? I’m sure father won’t mind if we skip lessons today.”

“Yes, Azzy! Come with us! ” Lucilla beamed and I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, grateful for the respite from the heavy atmosphere that had settled over the room. With Lucilla's infectious energy leading the way, we made our way out of the drawing room, leaving Nisha and the seamstress behind.