Date: Yithi 6th, 1590 - Before The Long Stillness
Myron and Roselynn were nice, and the cookies they gave me were warm. The sweetness coated my tongue.
After the long journey from Paesuna to Arynthia, the sweetness was a welcome change.
We sat in the kitchen.
“So what is Paesuna like?” asked Roselynn, leaning on her elbows. The girl looked only five winters old but talked like she understood more than she should.
I looked down at my hands, missing the sands of home running through them and missing chasing Antron lizards.
Missing my parents.
“Paesuna is a desert; it’s all sand and heat,” I told her.
“Oh, that sounds amazing!” she bounced up and grabbed a sketchbook. “Can I show you my drawings?”
A throat cleared behind us, and I turned to see Kathera standing in the doorway. Her curly red hair flowed around her, untamed.
“Hello. Can we try our introduction again?” she asked, her hands clasped in front of her.
If I'm going to protect her, I may as well start now by staying alert. “I am sorry for offending you,” I said, bowing slightly. “I will watch my tongue in the future.”
“Why are you bowing to Kathera?” Myron snickered.
Roselynn began to laugh loudly. “Yeah, Kathera is just Kathera.”
Kathera’s face was serious, her brows knitting together in frustration. “You don’t need to do that. Please don’t do that. Can we talk? Just us?”
I nodded and followed her out of the kitchen.
She led me to a large garden. Roses grew everywhere, their blue petals glistening in the sun.
The trees surrounding the courtyard glowed slightly in shades of green, orange, and pink.
Kathera stopped before a large rose bush. She studied its petals, lost in thought.
“Empress?” I asked, unsure which title to use.
She sank to the ground. “Please don’t call me that. My name is Kathera.”
“Okay, Kathera.” I looked down at her as she began to cry.
I slowly lowered myself to the ground next to her.
For a moment, we sat in silence while her tears fell.
The wind whistled through the glowing trees.
She sniffled, straightened, and rubbed her nose. “I am sorry,” She paused. “I didn’t know until the other day that my destiny is to…” Her voice faded.
“To rule Celentra?” I finished for her.
She met my gaze. Her turquoise eyes were bright with tears as she nodded.
“My Pa brings me here every time we get done training. I always used to wonder why. Now I know. He was preparing me,” She looked up at the roses.
“This is the Rose of Hynitha,” She reached up and touched a rose. “My Pa says it is a flower that only blooms in hard times, to remind us that beauty and hope are always around us.”
She looked at me again, her face growing stiller than a child’s should be. I drew a sharp breath, uncertainty settling in my chest. What would she say?
She nodded slowly and said, “I need to introduce myself properly. I am Kathera. I am ten winters old, and I have to prepare to rule an Empire,” She held out her hand.
I grabbed her hand in return. “I am Amiranthia. I am ten winters old, and I am supposed to protect you while you rule this Empire.”
“Hello, Amiranthia. I guess we have a lot of work to do,” she said, shaking my hand.