Of Heirs And Games

By Jaymie Vaz

A fair while ago… not so far away, was a beautiful land known as Svarg. There were many wild rivers, trees big and small, meadows that would have been perfect for frolicking fairies, and dramatic giant cliffs. The people there were healthy and prosperous.

Svarg was divided into 2 kingdoms. Hoyson was in the west, nestled within the mountains, with a towering castle that overlooked the valley. To the east was Carvel, which had a beautiful limestone palace built on the cliffs. They were very proud of how the glass windows reflected the morning light and would tell everyone they met, ‘that they needed to take a boat ride and watch the castle during the sunrise.’ Which I think defeats the purpose of a sunrise.

Anyway, like all people of happy Kingdoms, the people of Hoyson and Carvel were proudly patriotic. (not that patriotism is exclusive to happy people, happy kingdoms definitely help). And while not enemies, the Kingdoms had a slightly unhealthy rivalry. Something inspired by their Princes who always sought to one-up each other, from when they were children. Like the rulers before them, these princes had studied in each other’s courts, sparring with each other in word and deed. When the time came for the young princes to be wed, they fought over the same princesses. Although, thankfully, they both fell for different women. That could have been interesting and this story would have been very different.

They went out of their way to defeat each other in technological advances, palace decoration, fashion… in food. It was never-ending. Both their wives decided to join in the fun too, although, they had a good laugh at their husbands when they took tea. Like the one time, both Princesses decided to host a topiary competition where their husbands drove the gardeners insane to create the biggest one. But you see, bushes will grow as they want to grow, and you can’t really rush nature. And one gardener really enjoyed sculpting goats. Or perhaps he sculpted goats in panic.

The Queens believed that since this rivalry remained in jest, and their kingdoms grew from strength to strength with the princes’ silly competition, what did it matter?

When the old Kings stepped down, irritated from having to control their sons, the princes stepped forward as Kings. And at the Coronation for both (the fathers decided to have their fun as well and force a ‘joint ceremony as a symbol of our alliance’) a seer came forth.

She announced to all attending that she had seen the future.

“Here comes the time of change,” she intoned, as sudden lightning flashed, and a storm gathered. “For there shall be an Heir, and the heir shall unite both Kingdoms into one, under one flag! And we shall be ushered into a time of peace like no other! This is the One Being’s blessing to thee, the people of Svarg!”

The new Kings, both surged to their feet, asking…. Nay demanding to know who was going to have this blessed heir. But the seer smiled mysteriously. And when the storm wind blew and the candles guttered, she disappeared with the next lightning flash. Mysteriously, that storm simply passed them by. Not that the newly coronated Kings noticed, they were too busy arguing over who would have a son first. All while, the now Queens struggled to hold in their laughter and the royal parents collectively stared in confusion.

Personally, I like to think that they facepalmed

The Kings charged back to their wives. King Aran of Hoyson, simply threw his Queen over his shoulder and ran for the nearest carriage. Queen Elset did give up and laugh then, too hard to even protest. While King Tiber grabbed his Queen, Aria, and tried to regally drag her away. He failed. At the regal part.

When the people of both Kingdoms next saw their Queens, it was with rounded bellies and big smiles. With the promise of a united Kingdom, both people got more competitive, wanting it to be their flag. Both waited to see which Heir it might be. They waited to see what their Princes would be like, wondering what kind of men they would grow into.

And on a stormy night, almost a year after the coronation, a falcon flew from Carvel to Hoyson, announcing the birth of a bouncing baby boy, glowing with good health. Not even a day later, King Aran held his squealing angry daughter and wept. For she was the most beautiful child he had ever seen. He was instantly in love. But by the One Being…. She was not a son. It was all very confusing, for him and his people. Do they celebrate this healthy child? Do they mourn that the united Kingdom of Svarg would not fly the flag of Hoyson?

King Tiber crowed with victory…. Dancing around with his son till Queen Aria snatched her child to safety and smacked her husband upside the head for unintentionally shaking the infant. “Do you want your Heir to be injured, my lord…. Calm yourself!”

In another bedroom, in another castle, Queen Elset smacked her husband for another reason altogether. “Quit your moping my royal idiot. Or did you forget that in Svarg, you can crown a Queen Regent?”

To say that King Aran was overjoyed is an understatement. For, after all, the Heir could be male or female. A King or a Queen.

On the first moon after, it came time for the naming ceremony. Both royal families made their journey to the ancient temple of the One Being in the sacred meadow, to lay the babes on the altar and receive their names. There the retired monarchs drank their wine and Kings Tiber and Aran glared at each other, while their wives exchanged babies to coo at them. There the priests looked on with concern. When suddenly the storm wind blew and the seer came again. Let me tell you, the royal parents were really not happy to see her trouble-making face.

“The second child shall defeat the heir in this game of crowns. And win the hearts of the people. While a single flag shall hold, that who must sit on the throne remains undecided!”

I guess you can tell what happened after. The Queens were barely able to get the names of their children. Princess Asuki and Prince Maven. And it was off to the races again. The retired royals decided it was high time they took a holiday to a neighbouring kingdom.

Although our story has begun, it doesn’t truly start until our young rulers get older. So, allow me to fast-forward a little bit for you.

A year and a half after the naming ceremony, in a beautiful summer week, the second children were born. King Aran had another daughter, Leonora, who was even spunkier and more active than Princess Asuki. King Tiber had another boy, Roy. An old soul who stared solemnly at his parents and took the whole world in quietly.

The young royals had a happy and loving childhood. Filled with laughter and mischief. They had partners in crime with the entire staff, who watched out for their safety but enjoyed letting the children explore and learn. Doting grandparents, who taught them all the things their fathers did not want them to learn. Mothers who sang them songs, danced with them and laughed with them. Like the time all parties allowed the princesses to sneak in a bunch of goslings into the private gardens. King Aran was not amused when he was chased out of his own garden by a protective mother goose.

Strangely enough, the princes did something similar, with aquatic lizards. But they thought the royal bathroom, with the unique tub that kept the water warmer for longer, was a good place to settle the hatchlings. And somehow, everyone forgot to warn King Tiber. He had just returned from a late ride from one of the smaller towns and decided a nice long bath was in order. When his yells echoed through the palace, suddenly no one was to be found. They would keep finding terrified hatchlings around the bathroom for a week after, and the king decided to build a terrarium for his own sanity.

Despite these adventures, the children were well-loved by their fathers too. They were often told that they were perfect and that they would change the world. They were encouraged to learn courtly things to be the best they could be. Dance… to make them better fighters. Games… to make them better strategists. They were challenged to defeat their fears as they were going to be the protectors of Svarg. But every time, whether the children succeeded or failed. They received hugs and love and affirmation.

___

The first time they faced negativity, was actually the first time they met each other. When Prince Maven and Princess Asuki turned 10. As per the traditions of Svarg, the children were formally presented to their Kingdom and other courts. Until now, they had been protected. But going forward, they would be more involved with the people so that they could come of age with their people in mind. There was a week of festivities, where the children met the ministers of the court, the generals, and the advisors. Then, they were presented to the people.

When Prince Maven got too nervous, his father reminded him that he was the perfect soldier. That he simply needed to follow along and all would be well. Prince Maven perfectly executed everything his father told him to do, impressing the entire court. Worried his brother would get a big head, Roy snuck a frog into Maven’s coat pocket right before he had to visit a girl’s orphanage.

It was chaos.

There was screaming. The prince got kicked in the shins. The frog somehow got into the matron’s skirts. Someone threw flour everywhere. Pretty sure that was one of the girls though. While angry, the King did start laughing when the matron fell over the bed while squealing like a tea kettle. And once the frog was removed, the matron just hugged the terrified prince and told him to never stop playing. Wasn’t that some good advice?

Princess Asuki however had a perfect week. She floated around charming everyone and making them laugh, her pretty eyes sparkling. She made one of the generals a flower crown, that he happily wore when she blinked up at him. She acted out her favourite story for the orphanage in her city, bravely fighting her shadow and saving the damsel in distress (her father). Both Kings were convinced at the end of the week, that it was their heir that would be the one of prophecy.

The last event was a grand dinner at a border palace in Hoyson. For generations, the 2 kingdoms had hosted and trained the young Royals in each other’s courts to improve their alliance. This is probably one of the reasons King Tiber and King Aran had such a fierce rivalry, as they grew up with each other and both were very competitive. It had served the Kingdoms well in the past and neither family was going to flout tradition, even if the rivalry saw the Kings cling to the prophecy.

The reality of the children meeting each other made the prophecy seem even more real. So, both fathers took their heirs aside the day before. To prepare them, to meet their enemy!

King Aran looked into Asuki’s giant, solemn eyes and was overwhelmed with a need to smile. Even solemn she looked like she might be thinking of a story or coming up with some mischief to make them all laugh. In another world, she really might have been a fairy. He pushed his whimsical thoughts away and frowned down at her so that she knew he was serious.

“Asuki…. Tomorrow is a big day. Do you know why?” Asuki simply tilted her head and somehow her eyes became bigger. Despite his attempts to look serious, Aran’s face cracked, and he gave her a smile which got her giggling and she hugged him.

“Of course, daddy. Tomorrow, I have to go show Prince Maven why I am better than him.”

Aran pulled up to his full height and gave her a solemn nod and then pulled her up into a bear hug. “Good girl…. You just do what you are good at and charm them all!”

In a Palace not that far away, King Tiber was having a similar chat with his son. Maven stood as tall as he could, trying to copy his father’s stance and bearing. After yesterday’s fiasco with the rogue frog, he would do anything to ensure his father was proud of him. King Tiber gave a grunt of approval, there was no question, with his instincts and bearing, Maven would make a fine warrior one day. A good trait for the King of Svarg to have.

“Lad! Tomorrow you are going to meet your enemy. Princess Asuki. And her family of course. You must show them, without question, that you are going to be the King. Be polite and charming to the family. And when you get a chance you have one very important task!”

Maven nodded in excitement. Orders made things easy. Orders he could follow.

‘You need to put that girl in her place. Firmly beneath you! The key to any war is an early and strong victory. So find a way to show her that you are the best and that one day you will be her King. That she has to bow to you.”

Maven frowned in confusion. “But how father?”

Tiber patted his son on the shoulder. This earnestness to do what is needed is good, even if the lad needed guidance. “You will figure it out! Look for weakness and strike!”

Maven nodded, even if he was unsure about the orders.

The next day, the families loaded into their carriages and began their journey to the palace. They arrived around the same time and the chaos of moving a household meant that the children only got a glimpse of each other before they were rushed away to wipe the mysterious streaks of dirt they managed to accumulate in a closed carriage. All they could hear as they were hurried away by their grandmothers and nannies were the laughter of the Queens as they embraced each other. And the more menacing rumbles the Kings utilized in place of civilized conversation.

That was until Queen Aria complimented King Aran on the fit of his jacket, and said that he was looking ‘particularly statuesque this day.’ King Tiber may have squawked in surprise at his wife’s comments and the conversation devolved into the men showing off different musculature. Further aided by Queen Elset stating that Tiber’s new beard was very flattering to his jawline. That distraction technique always… always worked. The Kings had just not caught on yet.

When dinner rolled around, thanks to the silliness of the interaction outside, it was to high spirits and a lot of good-natured ribbing with the occasional grumpy harrumph. Maven and Asuki received gifts from the other’s families (the glowering kings were just ignored when they tried to intimidate the children and ask questions). In fact, Asuki refused to get intimidated and simply talked off King Tiber’s ear, asking him about palaces and Carvel’s fairy tales and world-famous theater troupe. Asking if she could one day come to hear the great cliff organ. Before anyone knew it, she had taken over the table and had everyone charmed and laughing as she flitted between the adults, singing, complementing, showing off her pirouettes and doing her best impression of the Holy warrior as he defeated the evil dragon to save Svarg.

At first, Maven was swept up too. Till he caught his father glowering at him. He was supposed to be the highlight, not Asuki. But he didn’t know what to do. The longer she charmed the table, the more thunderous Tiber’s glares at him were. Maven tried to cut in and tell a story but couldn’t catch the attention of everyone even though his mother gave him a quick hug. And so he sat there getting desperate and sad and guilty that he couldn’t follow his father's orders. That his father was getting unhappy. His father had never become truly unhappy with him before and he knew this was important. Very important to his father. Even if he wasn’t sure why.

Soon the last course was cleared away and dessert was brought out. His favourite ice cream as a matter of fact. But he didn’t feel like eating it, not with his father looking at him with disappointment and anger. On the other side of the table, Asuki dropped ice cream on herself but instead of getting embarrassed, giggled and giggled some more when Queen Elset helped her clean it up. Maven was so upset that he did not even notice when Roy reached over to steal his ice cream. He could only stare at this girl stealing all the attention and approval. Under the calm dignified façade, he was trying to hold on to, so that he could look like his father, he was getting embarrassed and so so mad. Because he was supposed to be perfect and he had simple orders to follow but she was spoiling everything. His fists clenched into the cushion of the chair and his eyes and ears burned with his desperation.

When they were done, they all rose to head to their various post-dinner activities. The men were headed off to do whatever mysterious things the men did. The women, the same. And the children were pointed to a nearby playroom to keep each other entertained until it was time for bed. As they were all getting up, Tiber called Maven over and took him out to the balcony. Maven began to apologize, tears pooling in his eyes because of his failure. But before he can even make a sound, Tiber grasped his arm roughly, unintentionally pinching him hard and spun him around to glower down at him.

‘What are you doing!” his voice was pitched low, an angry growl that Maven had never heard before., “You are the Crown Prince of Carvel, how dare you let that silly chit steal all the attention today. Sure she was amusing but did I not tell you, you had to make a good impression.” Maven tried to tug his arm away, the underside burning where his father’s fingers dug and stammered out an apology.

“Don’t just give me meaningless words lad. This world runs on action! Or maybe you don’t want to be King.” Tiber yanked Maven back as he was slipping out of his father’s grasp. He tightened his grip, pulling Maven up on his toes as he glared at the boy's tears. “And what is with these silly tears? Men don’t cry. I am not even doing anything to you, you useless child. Stop it!” Tiber shook him in mild irritation, irritated at being shown up at the dinner by Aran’s charming butterfly of a daughter. Maven hurriedly wiped his tears away and stared up apologetically, still not making a sound about being hurt.

King Tiber just sighed, and set Maven down, straightening out his sleeves and hair. He suddenly realized how silly it was that he was jealous of a charming girl. He didn’t know what to say to his son, even though he knew he might have scared the boy, so he just awkwardly patted him on the head. All while Maven just stared sightlessly at his father’s belly.

Tiber said something more and then nudged Maven towards the other children. But Maven did not hear any of it. He was scared and angry and sad. His ears were buzzing and his arm ached. And it was all Asuki’s fault. He pulled his shoulders back and marched off to the room where his brother and the princesses were gathered around a book laughing at something. When he closed the door behind him, they all looked up at him and gave him big smiles. In his mind, he thought Asuki was making fun of him and he just got angrier when she got up and skipped up to him, talking a mile a minute again. It was just noise in his ears. Then she reached out to give him a hug and somewhere he watched in detachment as he stepped towards her and just shoved her hard.

When she landed on the floor, Asuki could only stare at Prince Maven in shock. His face was red and he was snarling at her. She was only coming to say hi, and Roy had been talking about how he was the best big brother and she had been looking forward to becoming his friend. But then Maven was yelling at her, screaming about how she was dirty and how dare she come and touch him. That too with a dirty dress. He leaned over her, gesturing wildly at the ice cream stains down the front of her dress and told her that she shouldn’t think she can do anything she wants just because she knew stories and made the adults laugh. Couldn’t she see they were laughing at her? All she could do was talk and talk and talk when all she was good for was to be stomped under his boot. Even as he yelled, she tried, she tried to ask him what he was doing. But then he kicked her and stamped on her dress and she got really scared and started to cry. No one had ever been mean to her and she did not know what to do. How to deal with this boy who had seemed like the perfect prince but was now yelling at her, spit from his mouth landing on her face, so she just curled up and cried.

At the table, both Roy and Leonora just stared in confusion. Roy was so confused because he didn’t understand why Maven was behaving like this. He just ran over to Princess Asuki and hugged her trying to pull her away from Maven. But it was Leonora who put a stop to it. She began to yell and charged like a bull, throwing all of her weight into Maven to get him as far away from her sister as possible.

It was perhaps the shock of falling that broke Maven's detachment. And he suddenly realized what he had done. He could hear his mother calling out to them and then all he saw was a fist come flying at his face. A perfect little right hook to his cheek as Leonora pronounced that he was horrible and mean and to stay away from them. Then she got up and ran to her sister.

When the mothers charged into the room a minute later, it was to see Leonora hugging Asuki as she cried, and Roy sitting next to them awkwardly patting her shoulder. Maven was just sitting in the corner staring at the wall. Aria took her sons away and listened quietly as Roy told her what happened. When she went to sit with Maven, he threw himself into her lap and started crying. But for the first time, she sat him away from her and gave him a stern talking to. When she asked him why he did what he did, why he thought behaving like that was ever ok, Maven just looked at his mother and said that he didn’t know. “I was just so angry amma. Father told me that I needed to show her I was better than her and I was going to be king and all of you really liked her. I don’t know.”

This time when he started crying again, she pulled her baby boy into her arms and rocked him. “Maven, to be King, is to look after your people, the way you look after your brother. It is to be kind and good. Not to ever put anyone down. But to help them up. Did doing any of that make you feel better? Make you feel like you were winning over Princess Asuki?” When Maven shook his head, she gave him a little squeeze. Because he really did not feel good. Maybe for a second he had but then he just felt worse and he didn’t know why he was feeling like this.

“What are you going to do now Maven?” Aria asked gently. From somewhere in her armpit, between sniffles and hiccups, she heard, “say sorry.” She just laughed and said, “Good. But tomorrow. Now change into your pyjamas. You might as well head to bed and sleep off all your bad feelings. Tell them to go away because you are better than this, you both are my golden boys. And I am going to go check on the Princesses ok?” She gave Maven a kiss on his forehead and then gave a very traumatized Roy a big hug too. Then she swept out of the room.

When they were changing into the pyjamas, Roy saw the bruises forming on Maven’s arm and just stared at him in fear. He didn’t know what happened but this is probably why Maven went mad. So when they went to bed, Roy climbed in with Maven instead and gave him a hug and announced that today, he was going to read them a book. Maven nodded and took the love without question and they both dozed off before Roy could make it through a chapter of the fairy tale.

On the other side of the palace. Queen Aria joined Queen Elset and started to apologize. Elset simply shook her head and so Queen Aria sat on the floor next to the bed and talked to the Princesses instead. She offered them a song from her homeland as an apology. Soon, her voice floated through the room as she held Asuki’s hand, singing a song about family and bravery. Of heroes and love. Until Asuki was smiling again and trying to sing along. Leonora was a lot harder to comfort, although she did grudgingly accept the hug from her mother. When they were finally falling asleep, both Queens left, and Leonora climbed into the same bed as her sister. “Suki,” she whispered to her sister, who simply hummed in response, “don’t worry Suki… I will always keep you safe.”

Outside, both the Queens talked. Elset knew her friend, knew from all the letters they exchanged of the kind of child Maven was. So it didn’t take much to guess that the boy got overwhelmed and felt like he needed to meet some expectations. All children make mistakes, and as long as they learn from them, they were allowed to. Elset also knew that Aria wouldn’t allow Maven to simply walk away from it. So she put a stop to Aria’s guilty apologies and simply gave her a hug. When Aria went back to check on the boys, she found Maven’s bruises. But by that time, everyone had fallen asleep and didn’t hear her harsh words to Tiber.

The next morning, King Aran and his family left early, in response to a summons of a mining accident. And a guilty Maven didn’t get a chance to apologize.

___

The next time the children met was 2 years later, when Roy and Leonora were past their 10th birthdays, and getting officially presented. Throughout dinner, Asuki was more subdued, as was Maven. Roy had a lot of questions about the garden, his new fascination, questions Queen Elset and her mother-in-law were more than happy to answer. Through each course, Leonora glared at Maven, who simply tried to ignore her and be the perfect prince. But the longer they sat, the more embarrassed he got as he remembered his last interactions with Asuki and Leonora. The few times Asuki would become animated, she would stutter to a halt and glance at him fearfully. Which only made everything worse. Maven was so caught up in his thoughts he didn’t see the silent conversation the Queens seemed to be having. Or the encouraging pat the princess got when it was time to retire after dinner. He did notice however when Queen Elset came and gave him a one-armed squeeze before nudging him towards the playroom.

But before you ask… I know you thought about it. Was there ice cream for dessert? Unfortunately, not this time. There was cake. Trust me, everyone was disappointed. It is pretty well known that Hoyson had the best ice cream in all the lands.

Roy was in active conversation with Leonora and Asuki, something about their favourite heroes and who would win when Maven hesitantly entered and shut the door behind him. Immediately they all became silent, although Roy was standing behind both princesses with a giant smile making encouraging gestures. Asuki remained sitting, looking at him with a wariness that made him feel guilty. But Leonora had surged to her feet, still very small for her age, and was glaring at him. She even cracked her knuckles which almost made Maven smile because she was so tiny and he was so much taller now. But he did not. The last black eye she had given him had lasted for 2 months and no doubt she still hit as hard.

Maven stepped forward to make his long overdue apology when Leonora’s voice cracked across the room, “Are you going to be mean again Prince Maven? Do I need to hit you?”

Maven blinked in surprise. When he wasn’t paying attention, she had flown across the room and was now on her tiptoes, fists on her waist, glaring up at him, making him take a step back. He quickly shook his head in denial, raising his hands in surrender, wondering if that was steam he could see wafting out of Leonora’s ears. But then he looked up and saw that Asuki was still wary but was now looking at Leonora in worry.

“I am sorry Princess Asuki!” Maven blurted out quickly…. It all seemed to be going out of control quickly. “What I did when I first met you was very horrible. I was just very upset!” He desperately caught her eyes, willing her to see that he was being genuine. Which Asuki did see, and slowly, she felt the wariness melt away. Happy to see the princess relaxing, Maven also relaxed and couldn’t help blurting out, “I really am sorry. I was told to…”

“Why? That is stupid” blurted out Leonora, stepping into his line of vision again. She still did not seem convinced that he wasn’t a threat.

“I was told….” Maven began. And Leonora just waved her hand in impatience, her whole 10-year-old self bristling with impatience. “But why? What do you get from being mean or making someone cry? Why would you do that even if someone told you? It's stupid. Are you stupid?”

Maven just stared at her in confusion. Of all the ways he thought this chat might go. This wasn’t it. He thought he might have to hide that his father gave him the order. Or that they may not accept his apology. He had not thought of this and didn’t know what to say.

Next to Asuki, Roy laughed at his older brother’s confusion and helpfully added “Maven always follows the rules and any orders!”

Now both princesses looked surprised. They rarely followed rules. Where was the fun in that? Unless they knew they would get into trouble of course. Then they followed it. But where Asuki simply looked surprised. Leonora looked slightly disgusted. And she repeated herself… “but…. Why?”

Maven looked at her in confusion, “What do you mean, they are the rules. They are made to be followed. Just like orders! Don’t you always follow orders?”

“Not when they are stupid!”

“But how would you know? Our parents know best.”

Leonora just laughed. “I am not stupid. I just ask them. Why? If they have a good reason and it is dangerous, of course, we follow the rules. But adults are strange. It's like they sometimes forget to have fun. So if they say, ‘just because I said so’ or ‘I am the adult’. We go make up our own minds. Sometimes it is not so good. Most of the time it is a lot of fun”

Roy just laughed from where he was sitting, more interested in his book now that his brother had done the right thing. “Leo, Maven never ever breaks the rules. He won’t even climb trees with me because we were told not to.”

Both Asuki and Leonora just stared at Maven until he began to get uncomfortable. After looking around the room and trying to figure out what to do next, he looked at Auski and hesitantly asked her, “are we ok? I really am sorry I pushed you…”

”and kicked me”

“and kicked you”

“and stamped on my dress…”

“yes, that too. I stamped on your dress… sorry”

“And you called me dirty.”

Maven plunged his hand through his hair, messing up the perfectly combed hairstyle he had been sporting. He was slowly beginning to look less and less like the perfect princeling and simply like a hesitant 12-year-old. He looked at his feet, glanced up at Asuki who had come closer to him, cringed and then stared back down. “Yes… I am so so sorry.”

Then he squeaked when she suddenly enveloped him in a giant hug and squeezed as hard as she could like she was going to, 2 years ago. Although now, he was more of her prisoner, with his arms trapped. She just grinned up at him, blinking her giant eyes. “Am I dirty now?”

Maven just shook his head in denial, completely confused with both sisters. Asuki grinned at him, squeezed him again and then dropped her head on his shoulder, laughing at how terrified he seemed. “Don’t worry Maven… you are forgiven… we are now going to be great friends. Aren’t we Leonora?”

A few feet away, Leonora just looked at Maven skeptically. “I am not sure I can be friends with someone who can’t be fun. Roy…. Let's have fun. I know Cook made ice cream. We should sneak into the kitchens tonight to get some.”

Around him, Asuki, Roy and Leonora nodded in enthusiasm. Maven just stared at them.

True to their word, a few hours later, Asuki and Leonora knocked on their door. Roy ran to join them. But Maven freaked out and refused. He just couldn’t do it. They would get into trouble! They weren’t allowed into the kitchens. The others just giggled at him and left, promising to eat ice cream for him. Then they snuck down to the kitchen. They thought they were being very sneaky until both their mothers and grandparents joined them. Everyone wanted ice cream.

Seriously… Hoyson has the best ice cream. You heard it here first.

And Maven… well he certainly was very upset when he found out that they had an ice cream party without him. And there was none left the next day for lunch. That was until Asuki and Leonora snuck him a bowl later in the gardens. And he realized… that yes. They were going to be friends. No matter what his father said.

___

The next time the royals met was 6 months later, for a festival in Carvel. While all of them maintained their decorum around their parents, the minute they were alone Leonora asked Maven if he was going to keep being stuffy. They were going to climb a tree, to see the lights of the city. Maven was immediately hesitant. He could hear his father instructing them not to do so, and the gardener stopping them because they might fall.

“We might fall! And get hurt and the gardeners don’t like it.”

“We might,” said Asuki, while she nodded seriously. But then her face split into a giant grin as she poked him in the stomach. “But we might not. And we will be able to see the lights and the ships as they leave and all the stars. It will be amazing. Roy is coming!”

“Are you scared,” challenged Leonora with a grin, “It’s just a tree”

Roy agreed, even though he had never climbed the tree they wanted to. It was the biggest and hard to do. He was really excited and suggested that they could use ropes like the gardeners did. And he also pointed out that they were only going to do it because the moon was full. Which made Maven feel better. But as the time came to sneak out, he got nervous again and when Roy was busy with his book, he snuck off and found his mother.

Queen Aria smiled at her boy when he snuck in. He had that face, the guilty face. The face he had when he knew Roy was up to something he shouldn’t. He usually accompanied Roy to make sure he wouldn’t get hurt but never broke any of the rules himself. “Hello, you,” she reached out for a hug, worried that someday he might not want to hug her as much anymore, in his attempt to copy his father, “can’t sleep?”

Maven shook his head, worry filling it. He didn’t want to be stuffy, but he didn’t want to get into trouble. But if he told his mother what they were doing, the Princesses may not want to be his friend anymore. And he thought back to Leonora challenging him about asking ‘why.’

“Amma… Is it good to ask questions?”

Aria leaned back in her chair and looked at Maven. She had a feeling she knew where this was coming from, based on Roy’s summary of how the apology had gone. Now she looked at Maven’s solemn face and thought that maybe some rule-breaking might be good for her very serious boy. So that he could learn his own limits.

“Some questions can be dangerous. But yes… it is always good to ask questions.”

And Maven immediately took her up on it and asked, “Why?”

Aria stifled her urge to laugh since she knew he was being serious. “Some day my love, you will lead this country. You will have to make decisions that will affect everyone, not just yourself. But even if you weren’t a prince or leading anyone, you will never be able to make a good decision, if you don’t understand the problem or situation. And so, that is where questions come in. They help you learn more. They will tell you what someone is trying to hide, they can open people's eyes, and they can help you see past bias. And yes, they can help you sate your curiosity. The biggest challenge is to know when you shouldn’t ask questions. When you are interfering or delving where someone doesn’t want you to go in their personal lives. Something that you will only learn with questions too.”

Maven just blinked. That was a lot to take in and he felt his mother was, like him, talking about something else altogether. He frowned as he thought about it and then decided to get to the heart of what was bothering him. “What about the rules you or father set? What Pop and Ma say? Can I ask questions about that too? Father says that we should just follow the rules because it is the right thing to do.”

Aria leaned back forward, her eyes now twinkling with mischief. “With those, you should definitely ask questions. We are your parents. We want you to be safe and happy. So, we tell you what to do based on what we think is right. Sometimes we are right. Sometimes we think we are right. So, asking for our reasons is never a bad idea and then you can see why I ask you to do something. Although, your father might not be too happy with getting his orders questioned. You are now old enough, you know what you can do, what is safe, and what isn’t. It is why I know I can trust you to watch out for Roy. And I can try to give you my reasons rather than just a straight order so that you don’t have to ask me ok?”

Maven nodded, “Amma, I am asking this because…” But Aria cut him off with a delicately raised hand.

“Is it dangerous?”

“Maybe”

“Can you be safe?”

“Yes”

“Will it hurt anyone?”

Maven looked offended at that and just blurted out, “No”

“Then go have fun. I trust you. Be safe, be careful and listen to your instincts. And if something goes wrong, send for help. Deal?”

Maven just grinned at her, gave her a hug and started running out of the room

“Maven!” Aria called out softly, “You are smart… you don’t always need my permission. Figure it out!”

They climbed the tree. Maven nagged them all to be careful and insisted on climbing last so that he could catch them. He made them tie their ropes well so that the tree could catch them if he couldn’t. He saved Asuki twice when her foot slipped. And by the time they reached the top, he was very anxious and terrified. It took him a while to settle and see Carvel lit up. And he wondered why they never climbed the towers for this view. From the tree, they could see into a nearby Amphitheatre where dancers twirled and fire flashed. And in the distance, the ships rode the tide out into the ocean. Asuki, Leonora and Roy were already swept up in the sight but they all noticed when Maven started grinning. From the branch near him, Leonora punched him in the arm and smiled at him.

After an hour, they carefully made their way down and snuck back to their rooms. None of them noticed their parents watching them quietly from the gardens. Or the couples splitting up to explore the empty quiet gardens. Or Aria’s giggles as Tiber reminded her of the days of their courtship.

__

On their 13th birthdays, both Asuki and Maven began their training.

‘It was time,’ their fathers declared. ‘Enough goosing around.’ They had to now prepare to be the rulers they were going to be. Prepare for whatever it was that was going to have them unify Svarg.

At first, they were both very excited. But it got very hard very quickly. In the beginning, the Kings were both indulgent with their children. But when Roy and Leonora began their training too, it felt to Maven and Asuki that they could do nothing right. Everything became a challenge. And every failure was harshly dealt with. They would get letters from other monarchs and would be held up against the success of other young royals. They had been training for 2 years now, they should be further along. Why aren’t they?

After every meeting, where the kings met, they would come back firmer about the prophecy, going over the training and lessons with a fine-tooth comb. Combat training quickly became showcases with the kings often stepping in to put the children right because they weren’t getting a concept. They were called often and quizzed about the material they were studying. Asked to name allies and treaty deals. Detail the industries that helped run their country. Or plot strategic offence and defence for hypothetical battles. Both Kings had very high expectations for their children and weren’t shy about showing their displeasure when they were disappointed.

Maven struggled with a lot of the theory. He excelled at physical activity, and when he had things explained to him, he could find ways to use them. But he couldn’t find the patience to sit and study. As he felt the pressure building he found it harder to make decisions and questioned everything. He tried to make up for it by emulating his father, developing the same confident stride and similar mannerisms. He figured that if he could pretend successfully, maybe it would eventually carry over and he would be able to be as decisive as his father. To the world, and even his father, he looked like the perfect prince. His daily physical activity made him uncommonly strong for his age and he was quick to help, around the palace and in the city. He was able to hide his concerns behind a stoic façade and kind smile until only Roy could pick up that his brother was struggling. And that Maven was afraid to ask, afraid to look less than, in any way, in front of his father.

So, when he could get away with it. Roy, who had never had problems with books, would discuss what he was reading, using it as a way to quietly explain concepts. And even if they never addressed it, Maven was grateful. It made their bond as brothers stronger, and Maven would quietly help Roy out with the more physical things when he could.

In Hoyson, Asuki was having her own struggles. She was always graceful, and now was growing into a fantastic dancer, quick and light on her feet. She was excellent in court, charming and attentive and had a way of grabbing attention when she spoke. But she struggled with combat. She wasn’t aggressive and would quickly find herself struggling to defend. Not to mention that all the weapons felt wrong in her hand. She had little to no interest in battle or strategy or a lot of the different serious elements like diplomacy or negotiation. She struggled to remember what she had to do and had to often resort to weaving tales around them to remember some elements. She didn’t see the point of it. Plenty of rulers had made it by without being a warrior. And they had strong allies and peace. Why would she need to learn any of it?

The more she was forced to be the perfect princess, the more she struggled. When she was 15, King Aran insisted on a combat showcase. The reports from the training master had been unsatisfactory and even his few lessons hadn’t gone well. So, he thought that If he forced her to take it seriously, Asuki would fall into line. After all, she had the potential and loved putting on a show. She was strong and fast, all her dancing masters had nothing but praise for her. She just had to see that she could apply the same principles. He ignored her hesitation, telling her that she could do it. Her dancing abilities proved it. And if he could indulge her love for the arts, she could indulge him and prove that she was worthy.

What she thought was going to be a showcase only for him turned into something bigger. King Aran was determined to make her perform, so he invited some dignitaries and guests. When she protested, Aran told her to see it as motivation. That this was important. Asuki needed to prove that she had what it took to be Queen. That she could take on any mantle and thrive. But the closer it got, the more stress she felt. Every morning she was awoken with reminders of the showcase. At every dinner, she was asked how training was going. Some of her dance lessons and painting lessons were put on hold. Asuki was told to attend more war council briefings. And she felt herself cracking. Leonora was astoundingly good at combat and would try and help her sister practice. To learn a few tricks. But it was like a block was up in Asuki’s mind.

On the day of the showcase. She couldn’t think. She could only see everyone looking at her. And was barely able to react when the soldiers her father had chosen attacked. Thankfully she was able to react enough to dodge. But she panicked, fell, and got hit a few times. Every time the soldiers tried to back off, her father angrily told her to get up and fight. Everyone got uncomfortable as he lost his temper and started yelling about her not even trying. How could she even fail at dodging? That obviously indulging her in the classes she had wanted was a mistake. He stopped the fight and stepped into the ring himself. Forcing her, saying he would only stop the showcase when she could get at least one successful strike in. Asuki had completely given up and was just crying. But her tears angered her father further. He felt humiliated that she wouldn’t even try in front of the court.

Horrified, Leonora ran off to find the only people who could stop things, her mother or her Pop, her grandfather, who had returned that day from a long pilgrimage.

A few minutes later, Pop Michel strode into the ring and blocked Aran’s practice sword as it swung towards Asuki’s legs. Pop Michel simply grabbed the sword, towering over his son and stared at him. Then he looked around at the audience and quickly, they all rose and ran off.

“Aran!” His voice cracked like a whip, “ You need to go before I test your sword skills. And we both know how that will go because you were never a match for me. Go! Now! Because this stopped being a showcase or even a lesson the minute it started to become about your ego. And if you were paying attention, you would have seen your daughter is no longer in this fight.”

Pop Michel glared at his son and watched as somewhere Aran realized what he was doing. Suddenly he could see Asuki and what he did to her. He tried to step towards his daughter but Michel stepped in front of him. A silent, angry wall. When Aran left hesitantly, Michel let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping. He wasn’t sure what was going on, except that Asuki needed him right now. So he went to where she was curled up in Leonora’s arms, joined them on the floor and pulled Asuki into his lap like he used to do when she was a toddler and just held her. Next to him, Leonora began running her fingers through Asuki’s hair to calm her down. He looked to Leonora to find out what he had seemingly missed in the last year. And quietly, Leonora told him, bluntly, the pressure Asuki had been put under to be the perfect ruler. That they don’t know when it got so intense.

Michel just sighed. He remembered the day the prophecy was made but thought that Aran and Tiber weren’t serious about it. Evidently, he was wrong. He just held Asuki until she began to hiccup and tell him that she did not want it, she did not want to be a ruler. She just wanted to dance. Michel let her pull away and go back to Leonora and looked at his granddaughters solemnly.

“Asuki… look at me.” He waited till she reacted to his quiet command and then smiled at her. “Did you know I have an older brother?” He chuckled at their shocked expressions. “Where do you think I go when I go on my pilgrimages? I go to meet my brother, who chose to become a monk. But obviously….I should have been here and I am sorry.”

He reached out and took their hands. “My beautiful girls, you can be whatever you want to be. But I would recommend you take the time and think about it. If neither of you wants the throne, that is ok. Your father is young yet and he can sit on that throne longer than I did. I wanted to dance with your grandmother in the rain and visit my brother and travel to other lands. So, I gave up my throne. Perhaps I should have waited huh? But I am here now. And how about I take over your training?”

He chuckled as they both threw themselves at their gentle giant of a grandfather. A few hours later, Leonora hugged her sister and repeated a promise she had made years ago. That she would protect her. And now would fight for her if needed. Whatever she needed to feel herself. That night, they snuck out of the palace and watched Asukis favourite play at a nearby theatre. Leonora looked at her in concern as the play barely helped her sister even crack a smile.

A few months after Maven turned 16, Carvel was visited by King Suraj from across the ocean with his son. Prince Arun immediately created a stir. Not far from his 18th birthday, he was dashing, with an easy charming smile and sharp wit. He was incredibly impressive with the sword, had impeccable manners and charmed everyone in court, including King Tiber. King Suraj boasted to everyone who would listen, that Arun was an active part of the court and had been since he was 15. That he already had a victory in battle from a few months ago, when one of their cities was hit by mercenaries. For every possible situation, the king had a story of how Arun had conquered it and soon the comparisons began.

Roy told Maven not to bother. That for all his prettiness, Arun was just a boy like them and would soon be far away again. But Tiber would call Maven forward, putting his expectations on Maven to outshine Arun. It helped that in the past year Maven had grown taller and leaner, and all the girls tittering every time he walked past gave him the confidence that he could match Arun in looks. But with a kingdom at peace, he couldn’t match any of the other stories. And he was struggling to participate in court. All his combat had only happened with the troops. And he wasn’t as quick of wit or as clever with his words, preferring instead to be stoic and speak only when he had something to say. Roy was the one with the quick wit.

Queen Elset was sent, to ensure that Maven looked better than he usually did, and she apologetically replaced his favourite clothes with what was considered more fashionable. Although Roy did save some of them from being donated. Maven was called forward to partake in discussions and debates and he always got a disapproving look when he wasn’t quick with inputs like Arun. Then one day, 3 months after Prince Arun had arrived, a short week before they were due to leave, they were all summoned to the war room to discuss the real reason for the court visit. Aid in strengthening King Suraj’s Navy, and military aid to strengthen their borders temporarily as they faced down a conquering despot.

King Suraj suggested trade and other forms of payment, as well as a new treaty to strengthen their alliance. When asked how the troops and ships would be used, Suraj and Arun laid out their strategy against a map. Then King Tiber looked at Maven and asked him what he thought. And Maven just went blank.

It was too many details. He was still trying to absorb all this new information. When he hesitated, King Tiber lost his patience and coldly told him to leave. “Obviously you have little care right now for how our kingdom’s resources are to be used since you can’t even offer an opinion.”

It stung but the dismissal was clear. His father was upset that he wasn’t engaging as quickly as he should have. And it hurt further to see the sympathy in Arun’s eyes, as he stepped forward to try and distract King Tiber, offering alternative strategies. It wasn’t that Maven did not have ideas. It's just that he wasn’t sure of them, whether it would work and he wanted to think about it. Later Prince Arun found him and was exceedingly kind. He told Maven not to worry. That he had needed to learn all this quickly because their kingdom faced war every day. But that Maven was lucky to have peace.

It unfortunately only made Maven feel worse.

That evening, he was summoned by King Tiber, who curtly asked Maven why he wasn’t trying to be the ruler Tiber knew him to be. Maven cut in, saying that he was trying!

“Bullshit son. You are smart and perhaps an even better warrior than I ever was. But this, the conversation, the politics are just as important. But you absolutely refuse to apply yourself. Don’t think that I don’t know. That you aren’t reading the books I told you to. That you instead wait for Roy to read them for you. All I can think is that you are lazy. You aren’t trying. How you will ever be a respectable ruler at this rate, I do not know. And you don’t even know if your skill with a sword will actually carry over to war. You are supposed to be the one. The heir that will unite Svarg under a single banner. But honestly, I cannot see it at this moment. I am very disappointed in you. You have made me look bad to King Suraj, and do not think that this will not carry to other courts. Fix it!”

___

From when they had started their training, the young royals met every few months. A visit was usually spurred by their mothers who were great friends. These trips were something they all looked forward to because for those few weeks, they got to run around and play and there was never any expectation to be anything other than teenagers. Except that they couldn’t return with torn clothing and had to be clean for dinner. The latter proved to be much easier to do.

Every evening was filled with laughter and dancing. In fact, after Asuki had healed up enough, Pop Michel had put together one such trip and he gallantly danced with all the ladies, including his granddaughter. And showed them all the dances that had been popular when he was courting his wife. With his interference, Maven’s grandparents also started coming. Asuki was soon encouraged to put on plays for everyone and Maven always ended up in them, usually as a stoic tree or monster because he was too shy to do anything else.

Asuki, Roy and Leonora were always off doing something with Maven only trailing behind to keep an eye on them. He was usually too hesitant to join them, although Leonora would tease and rib him to join more times than he might have chosen to do so by himself. Together, they were more themselves rather than the Princes or Princesses they were meant to be.

In those gardens, at the border palace in Hoyson, Roy became completely enamoured by the plants and the various ways to grow them. The nutritional and medicinal applications of the various herbs that Queen Elset and her Mother-in-law, Nina, had collected and cultivated. With active encouragement, Maven learned to loosen up and be silly and ask questions. Leonora dragged him to everything, threatening to punch him in the eye again even as he began to tower over her. Asuki got to be frivolous and find new and different ways to express herself. And Leonora had a chance to try softer things, experiment as she embraced all the things she was interested in without fear of being called out.

Noticing the change, Pop Michel started campaigning to train the Princes too. After all, it was tradition. And who better to teach them than their grandparents, rather than any old teacher? It took him a year to get Aran and Tiber on board, to not just have the now teenagers travel back and forth. But instead, have them train at the border palace. The Kings agreed on the condition that they came to see their progress in 6 months. And a few months after Asuki and Maven turned 17, they moved to the border palace.

Pop Michel was a fair but stern teacher. Willing to take suggestions and to allow Maven, Roy, Asuki and Leonora to choose their own paths. Maven was encouraged to take maps and consider strategic ploys he wanted to explore and he would have long conversations with the grandfathers as they rode around the estates. Roy got to dig in the dirt and began to put together a record of all plants along with experiments to find new ways they could be applied. He really got into the industry of both countries and would then regale Maven, Asuki and Leonora with the information, teaching them by extension.

He also found some of the more interesting applications for some of those plants. But that is a story for another day.

Maven noticed Asuki’s love for dancing and her fear of regular combat. So he hunted down a book he had seen long ago, of fighting styles from the far north, with much smaller weapons and faster movements. He asked Michel if styles like that wouldn’t work better for her. Michel agreed and sent out a request for a teacher from all allies in the region. He also asked Maven not to say anything to Asuki or Leonora till they got a response. In the meantime, Michel adjusted Asuki’s training to include gymnastics and carnival tricks to help her get stronger and find more aggressive ways to use her talents. He also began to encourage Leonora to come train with the male soldiers more. Despite her smaller stature, she was fierce, fast and strong.

Finally, all of them began to enjoy their training. Even when they struggled, it was easier.

And then the 6-month mark came around. Michel was confident, but Maven, Asuki, Leonora and Roy couldn’t help but feel tense. And on the day of the first combat showcase, Asuki began to have panic attacks.

Out in the garden, the staff had set up a small combat ring. Maven knew that Asuki was nervous about it, even if he did not know why, so he strode out first to try and take up as much time as he could. But when he geared up and waited for the soldier who would be his opponent to appear, his father casually mentioned that they wanted to see him paired against the Princess. It took all of Maven’s self-control to not immediately protest. It wasn’t fair to Asuki. But one look from his father and it felt like his tongue was shrivelling up. So, he just watched in dismay as she walked up, in full armour, her hair and face hidden by a helmet. He was going to have to hold back. Figure out how to make her look good when he saw Pop Michel wink at him from behind the Kings. And it was only his years of training that helped him easily dodge the first confident strike from her.

It was Leonora, of course, it was. Even as he parried her attacks relatively easily, he couldn’t help his small relieved smile that seemed to spur her on, eyes glittering in the helmet. She smoothly feinted to the right, something he almost fell for, causing him to stagger backwards when he had to quickly block her actual attack from the left. And she quickly put him at a small disadvantage when she used her size and smaller sword to get closer to him, forcing him to change his hold on his sword and his style altogether.

He did win. But he had to work for it. And all through it, he felt a strange rush. That spunky Leo could challenge him here with a sword just as she did with every other aspect of his life. Tiber was happy that Maven won of course. He had been slightly worried, he wasn’t expecting the chit to be good. His informants had made him believe that it would have been an easy victory. But Michel was the greatest swordsman of Svarg and a fine teacher.

His joy had nothing on Aran, who was incredibly excited and relieved. Aran had been very guilty after the last showcase but never said anything because he firmly believed that Asuki needed to master this. He rushed out of the seat and began to charge at his daughter when Michel deftly stopped him under the guise of speaking to both Kings. So, Aran simply gave his daughter a giant smile. Maven quickly grasped Leonora’s elbow and walked her away as calmly as he could, making jovial congratulatory conversation.

When they were out of sight. He stopped her, looked her straight in the eye with a grin and said, “You are really really good Leonora. We should train together more often”

She just started laughing and pulled off her helmet, her face flushed and glowing, her hair cascading down her back. “When did you realize? That it was me.”

Maven just raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head, “We are all in training together even if we do separate things. You could have been caught!”

“Ah but we didn’t and this was fun” giggled Leonora as she rested her helmet on her hip.

“What happened?” he asked. He knew that Asuki had a lot of anxiety about combat. But he figured that those were questions that he probably shouldn’t ask. But now, if he was going to help and he wanted to help, he had to. “Why is Asuki so scared of combat?”

Leonora just shook her head and her face was just so sad for a moment that Maven couldn’t help himself. He put his arm on her shoulder and gave her a light squeeze, even if she couldn’t feel it past the chainmail. “Never mind. Just know I want to help ok. Next time warn me so that we can figure out something and I don’t have to make guesses about what is happening.”

The smile that crossed Leonora’s face blinded him for a second. Even tired, flushed and sweaty, she suddenly became radiant. Clearly a princess and not the kid who went around getting into trouble. He was even more surprised when she threw herself up, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck to pull him down and plant a kiss on his cheek. “You are amazing Maven. And don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Now come meet me in the library after lunch.”

And with those words she ran off, leaving him stunned, still bent over at the waist. With a little bit of a blush warming his cheeks. He was used to hugs and physical contact from Asuki. She was free with it. But Leonora was only ever physically comfortable with her sister. He suddenly did not know what to do with himself. Then he registered that he could hear his father’s voice getting closer, probably the reason why Leonora ran away, and he wisely took off too.

After lunch, he found Roy and Leonora hunched over some books in the library, debating about the pros and cons of different war tactics. They both only grinned at him when he came in and he looked at them in suspicion.

“I noticed that you always step away from conversation where you have to make detailed strategic suggestions. I thought that maybe it would help to have someone to practice with rather than just our grandfathers.” Leonora looked excited by her suggestion and Roy’s sudden hesitation told Maven that he did not know why Leonora had grabbed him.

Maven sat at the table with them and pulled the book they were looking at, towards him. It was a book that both Michel and his father had mentioned as being one of the most important records of tactics. He had struggled to make it through that book for a few years. Maven closed it and stared at the cover and then around at all the tools he should be a master of. The chess set, and the maps on the wall. Sighing, he ran his hand through his hair. He was almost 18. The same age as Prince Arun had been and he was still struggling. Every time he remembered his father’s disappointment, it still drained everything from him. He couldn’t get it. He didn’t understand why books were so hard. His first instinct was to walk out. To keep it hidden and stay stoic. But if there was anyone who would not judge, who he could be himself with, it was these two. And Asuki, who he just noticed was softly snoring by the window.

“It's not that I need the practice. It's that I am still unsure of all of these… things. Books are hard. I can read them. But somehow nothing I read seems to want to stay in my brain. Roy, you don’t even know how much you have helped me by just talking about all the other books you have read. Once I understand them, I can remember them well. But I can’t do it from a book. I don’t know why.” Maven sighed and closed his eyes, worried he would see laughter or pity on someone’s face. He dropped his head and clenched his fists in his hair. Somehow saying all this aloud made it seem heavier.

Then he felt warm hands gently tugging at his. He opened his eyes to see Leonora kneeling at his feet looking at him calmly. She suddenly grinned when she saw his hair standing all over, no longer in its neat, overly combed hairstyle. She reached up, started smoothing his hair, wrinkled her nose and then messed it up further. “Yes!” she announced. “I like this much much better.”

She pushed at his shoulders to make him sit straight and then stood up, stepped back to make a frame of her fingers and looked through them at him. “Being messy,” she laughed, “suits you… very very dashing. Right Asuki?”

When she called out to Asuki, Asuki sat up with a grunt, almost falling out of her chair. She looked around her in a daze till Leonora repeated her question. At which point Asuki narrowed her eyes at Maven, and her eyes started sparkling, “My my Maven. Straighten out your hair before you give a girl a heart attack!” She then blew him a kiss, settled back into her chair, now that she was certain there were no adults around and was snoring again in a minute. Roy just started laughing. And despite himself and his insecurities, Maven found himself laughing and patting his hair self-consciously. These girls never behaved the way he expected.

He had just about smoothed his hair down again when Leonora reached out with a laugh and messed it up again. Roy was simply sitting in the background watching the whole thing unfold with a lot of interest. Leonora dropped back down to her haunches in front of Maven and took his hand.

“I don’t know why you didn’t just say something silly. If you can help us climb giant trees safely, we can help you with this. If we won’t help each other, who will? Our fathers are too busy with their Rivalry and their Kingdom. And our families are too busy managing them. Why don’t we all just study together? And figure it out together. After all, it's something we all must learn.”

Maven stared at her in amazement and then looked up at Roy who just nodded at him. It seemed so simple now, to ask for help. To not fear these friends he had made.

From then on, that’s what they did. After their regular training, they worked together. They explored each book together, with Asuki, Roy and Leonora taking turns reading it out. Asuki set up elaborate maps for them to plot out each tactic and discuss it. Something that helped Maven a lot. Soon he was able to lead those discussions confidently. When they were outside, he would help Asuki and Leonora practice, both combat and tricky gymnastics because he was strong enough to catch them and handy enough to build the random gear Asuki wanted to try. They all continued to learn of the Kingdom’s industry from Roy. Those months flew and their friendships became stronger as they became more comfortable with each other. On one cloudy day, after Asuki had a really frustrating and upsetting combat session, he gave in and told them what Pop Michel and he were doing. Of their attempt to find new instructors to train Asuki in combat styles that more suited her. That gained him kisses from both sisters and a fully red face. Behind them Roy protested, asking why he wasn’t getting any kisses when he helped them discover so much every day. And then he started begging for help when both Asuki and Leonora threw themselves at him. Asuki tickled Roy while Leonora grabbed him around his neck and rubbed his head.

It was a great year. And just before the storm season came, Pop Michel walked into the library one day during one of their discussions. To say that he had found Asuki a combat trainer.

They would have to travel there, close to the court of her maternal grandparents. As a part of their training, he wanted Roy and Maven to travel to the kingdom of their maternal grandparents too. That they might as well get a chance to learn more things and challenge themselves within the structures of a different kingdom. He had already convinced King Tiber of the wisdom of this, and the Princes would travel after the storm season. But Asuki, Leonora, their mother and grandparents would be leaving in a few weeks.

It was exciting. But they were sad too.

Asuki made Roy and Maven promise that they would write to her and tell her of everything they were doing and which girls they were flirting with. She was very excited and kept flitting about the palace in excitement. Despite all the improvements she had been making, she felt worthless because she still struggled with the basics of combat. She was excited about the opportunity to actually prove herself to her father. And in her excitement, she didn’t notice that Leonora had become more subdued. in the evening, the day before they returned to their homes, Roy was making Asuki promise that she would send him drawings and information on different plants. Maven couldn’t find Leonora, she hadn’t come for dinner. So, he went looking for her. He finally found her at the top of the palace, sitting on a windowsill, with her feet hanging outside.

Instead of asking her to come back in or what she was doing, Maven quietly joined her. They sat together in silence for a long time, until he finally took her hand in his. That is when she looked at him. Leonora looked scared and sad and so unlike herself that he put his arm around her, “What’s wrong Leo? Do you not want to go?”

“Asuki needs to do. She needs this, to prove she can rule.” And even though she sounded calm, he caught the slight hitch in her voice.

“That isn’t what I asked you, Leo?”

“What if I don’t fit in Maven?” Maven just looked at her in surprise. Leonora was so confident and sure of herself that it was surprising to even hear those words from her mouth.

“Leo…”

“I am not an easy person to get along with. I know that. I am opinionated and stubborn, and I am always getting into trouble. I don’t have any friends Maven, you all are it. You and Roy and Asuki. What if she goes off and I am left alone in a place I don’t know and I don’t have any friends and no one to make me smile… what do I do then?” Now that she had started talking, she didn’t know how to stop and she turned to bury her head in Maven’s chest, wrapping her arms around him.

He could hear her sniffling, and he just rubbed her back lightly as he gathered his thoughts. In another part of his brain, he was rather glad that there was a rather big ledge under this window in case they lost their balance.

He leaned back so that he could catch her chin and tilt her head up. Some things needed to be said when the other person could see your face. “Leo…. You are the best person I know. Do you know why so many of us call you Leo? Well, I don’t call you that very often, but in my head, you have been Leo for a while.”

She looked up at him in bewilderment. This conversation had taken a weird turn and she wasn’t sure what to do with it. “Leonora is quite the mouthful…” She started to say but stopped when Maven chuckled and shook his head.

“No, it's because like the name suggests, you are a lioness. You take care of all of us. Protect all of us. Force us to grow. You make me a better person. You have made me question and think about a lot of things and you make me try new things. But more than all of it, you are kind, and you give without thinking. Just like your sister but in different ways. Trust me, you will be fine. And if no one else will be your friend, then good, you will only come back faster, and I could definitely benefit from having my friends with me“

Maven just grinned down at her as she blinked up at him in shock. Maven was usually very stoic, so impassioned speeches of any kind were surprising. And the fact that it was about her stunned Leonora. Maven leaned forward again to give her another hug and then scooted away to give her the appropriate space and poked her in the arm. “Shall we go down now, before your grandfather sends guards looking for you?”

He was suddenly very aware, just like she was, that they were completely alone for the first time.

They may have also been some fluttery feelings. But one must always take all fluttery feelings with a grain of salt when you are a teenager. Trust me.

The next day, they all left to go back home. Two weeks later, the Princesses began their journey North. And a few months later, Maven and Roy climbed onto a ship to visit their grandparents. They both had wanted to work the ship to understand how it worked. Tiber watched with pride as Maven gladly removed his cloak to climb the rigging, while Roy was ushered off to talk to the navigator.

___

They were away for almost 3 years. Their mothers stayed for the first 6 months and then returned to their husbands when their children had settled. And while the young royals missed their families they loved this new experience.

For the first time, they had the chance to be who they were outside of their small group. Both of their maternal grandparents were just happy to have their grandchildren around. They were much too far away for more regular visits since the sea and land could be so treacherous. So yes, while they were still expected to be Princes and Princesses, their grandparents were more interested in learning about their grandchildren than insisting on any kind of specific behaviour.

And no matter what, Asuki, Leonora, Maven and Roy were always polite and well-mannered to a fault. Even if Leonora could get too protective, Asuki be swept up in fantasy or Roy get distracted by some subject he found fascinating. Away from each other, they grew and blossomed and tried to tell each other of their adventures through letters. Letters they read with a lot of excitement when it was able to make the long journey.

Far in the north, in another set of mountains, Asuki was introduced to a monk who was unfailingly patient. He watched her dance and then showed her how to use similar body movements to move quickly and dangerously. Under his tutelage, she became a master of throwing knives and thin long swords, of staffs, spears and whips. She remained petite but was soon all lean muscle and coiled energy even as she flitted around being the life of every party. Her success gave her back the confidence she lost as she learned how to defeat enemies much bigger than her and learned how to look at a battlefield in new and different ways. Through smaller strategic fights that did not require the sacrifice of many. As she practised, Leonora learned too. How to merge what she learned in her father’s court, with what Asuki was learning.

Not long after they had reached, Leonora had a growth spurt, suddenly becoming taller than her bigger sister she still looked up to. Suddenly she was no longer a skinny waif and was attracting as much attention as her sister, if not more, as she grew into her long arms and legs. She was always good at strategy and planning, but at a court where she was free to create a new impression, she got very good at diplomacy. With some guidance, her sharp tongue got finessed into clever sarcasm. That, with her innate goodness, made her charming and effective in dealing with courtiers and commoners alike.

They actively became a part of the court and made a positive impression as they proved they were both leaders. But every week, Asuki still woke Leonora up to sneak out to the theatre, to catch the last show of a say. She still found more joy in dancing and singing and telling stories. When she got the chance, she would enthral the entire court with just her voice and make her audience dream of different worlds as she danced. It was a rare gift, one that brought Princes from all the neighbouring kingdoms, hoping for a chance to court her.

Across the ocean to the west, Maven and Roy were having their own adventures. Roy got access to a lot more plants and took the opportunity to apprentice with the healers and apothecaries. When not studying the applications of his beloved plants, he was working with the navigators to create updated maps of the region. He got access to a lot of new things to learn and he loved it. Sometimes Maven wouldn’t even see him for days as he hustled from library to library carrying more books than any man should be able to. He grew into a leanly muscled man with a lot of laugh and squint lines.

Maven on the other hand got the opportunity to see strategy and tactics, the things he was most hesitant about, in a whole new way. His grandfather’s kingdom had a lot of problems with some warring tribes along the border. He travelled with the army to see them use the tactics he had only read about and learned new forms of combat, becoming just as formidable in the cavalry. But he also saw unique methods of diplomacy come into play and was able to help, brokering an uneasy peace along large stretches of the border.

Somehow, he got taller and travelling with the army he packed on enough muscle that he had to trade for simple soldier garb till they could make it back to the city. He reckoned that he might be as big a Pop Michel now, if not bigger. And with Leonora and Asuki’s teasing in mind, he stopped worrying about looking perfect all the time, allowing his hair to grow out from its severe cut till it curled around his neck and picked up golden highlights from the sun. When he returned, Roy couldn’t stop laughing at all the girls swooning, trying to fall where Maven would have to catch them. Both brothers grew more confident and relaxed and every now and then, they would climb to the top of the nearest theatre to watch plays from the rafters in Asuki and Leonora’s name. Something Maven preferred so that he wouldn’t be bothered by anyone.

As word of their success reached home, their fathers rejoiced. Asuki was a warrior and charmed everyone she met. Leonora was a fierce diplomat and strong leader. Maven was the very picture of a prince from a fairy tale. And Roy was wise beyond his years. They received letters of pride and joy. Their fathers were sure that finally, they had become the heirs of prophecy. But every time Maven and Asuki were asked when they were coming home, there was always a reason to stay. It’s a horrible feeling, to want to go home but wanting to stay away.

Then the request became an order. ‘They were missed. And their Kingdoms needed them.’ So they packed up their bags and went home.

___

Maven and Roy returned the day before Maven’s 22nd birthday. Both Tiber and Aria teared up when they saw their sons walk off the ship. In many ways, they had left boys even though Maven had been almost 19, and they had returned men. Both had a confident stride that was actually a result of confidence and not of them trying to emulate their father. They both hugged their mother freely but were more reserved with their father, keeping their distance and nodding respectfully. Tiber had to actually step forward and envelop them in hugs.

Over the next few months, he became happier and happier as both Maven and Roy seamlessly took over the court. Roy started looking into the health and safety infrastructure of the city to see if he could help in any way. He visited hospitals and clinics, ordering changes and new techniques decisively. Maven had learned ways to communicate with courtiers even if he preferred the barracks. He began to mingle and could add easily to any conversation. He still favoured silence and only talked when he had collected his thoughts but he now had a presence that made him seem like an active part of the conversation.

As he joined the war room briefings, he asked good questions and immediately spotted a few flaws that had developed in the city’s security. A result of the years of peace. He was able to recommend some upgrades for the Navy based on his experience as well as recommend different methods to strengthen the border. King Tiber was incredibly proud.

One fine day, a hawk brought a message from Elset. Asuki and Leonora were back, and she wanted to invite them all to the winter festival at the border castle. Like old times.

The response was immediate. Yes!

Because of their travel, they hadn’t exchanged letters in almost a year. Roy and Maven were excited to meet their friends again and were in a great mood once dinner came around. Aria happily informed Tiber of the invitation and he rubbed his hands together in satisfaction.

“Excellent! We can show that fool Aran just how impressive Maven has become. He has turned out to be the ideal heir and will be the best protector Svarg has ever seen. Better than Michel, don’t you think so my love?” Tiber hummed to himself in happiness as he poured himself some wine. “You will need to challenge Princess Asuki again I think. There is no way that she will be able to defeat you in combat. You are even a war hero now. Aran will have to bow to us.”

He didn’t notice Maven and Roy stiffen. Maven’s face froze, and he stared firmly at his plate. He didn’t even react when Aria reached out to pat his hand. Roy caught his eye and both of them just ate in silence as quickly as they could and then excused themselves while Tiber happily talked about how the prophecy was finally coming true.

Across the continent, in a mountain castle, Aran was gushing over the fine women his daughters had turned out to be. Just like Tiber, he was sure that Asuki was going to show up Maven and he didn’t notice the anger glimmering in Asuki’s eyes either.

___

The border castle at Hoyson was exactly as they remembered it. Just with more Ivy. Maven and Roy had reached a day later than originally intended as they had all gotten held up to resolve a trading dispute. They then travelled through the night. Both Tiber and Aria headed to get some rest before tea and dinner. But it was a beautiful day. The sun shone bright, warming the skin even with a chill in the air and both the Princes knew that the Princesses were going to be somewhere in the gardens. They wanted to meet their friends, without the distraction of the ‘adults’. To see if their friendship was still the same. So they both leapt off their horses, pausing long enough to give Queen Elset a kiss on her cheek and have her gasp at what handsome men they had grown into. And of course, to say hello to Pop Michel. Even with his hair now completely grey, he still stood strong and proud. Maven was right, he was now as big as his mentor, and he could look him straight in the eye. While Elset was calling them in, Michel gave them brief hugs and told them he would see them later.

They found Asuki and Leonora in a tree. Or rather, the princesses found them. One moment Maven and Roy were walking along looking for any sign of them and the next Asuki swung down from the tree and wrapped them both up in her arms. Which was an amazing feat since she was at least half a foot smaller than both of them. It was a huge tree and Maven and Roy barely had a moment to wonder if Asuki had jumped the 12 feet down before Leonora popped out from the foliage, hanging upside down to grin at them.

“Are you still too stuffy to break the rules Prince Maven or are you coming up here?” she chirped down winking at Roy. And just like that, it was like no time had passed. Maven and Roy looked in amazement as Asuki flew up the trunk and then they followed her up. As Maven cleared the branches, he got his first proper look at Leonora and completely missed his grip, almost falling. Roy and Asuki lunged forward and caught him. When he didn’t immediately hold onto another branch they started urging him to get a move on. Did he forget he was a giant and they couldn’t carry a giant? Which made Leonora burst into laughter. As he got onto a branch, even Maven started laughing as Asuki and Roy began debating if ‘giant’ was the right term, or maybe they wanted the name of some mythical creature, maybe a Yeti.

“Are you hairy enough then… to be a yeti?” giggled Leonora.

“One can really hope not, but you are better placed to tell. Am I?” asked Maven. He held out his arms and took his chance to look at her. If it wasn’t for her voice and that same look in her eye, he would have thought that he was looking at someone else. If he admitted it to himself, Leonora suddenly took his breath away, as she casually lounged on the branch. Her face had filled out, she had filled out… she was beautiful. He couldn’t even string his thoughts together. She was staring at him too, shaking her head while she laughed. It took him a second to realize that Asuki was saying something and he turned his head to see her sitting, leaning against Roy.

Asuki seamlessly got up and hopped over onto Maven’s branch and crouched down. She looked at him with that same mischief in her eyes and then touched his hair and nodded approvingly. “By the divine Maven… I see you really went and embraced your prince charming look. And it’s a fabulous look if I say so myself. If you had told me, I would have gotten all the servants out to swoon at you, with your flowing white shirt and tight breeches. I approve!”

She laughed at his blush and gave him another hug as he covered his face with his hand. Both Roy and Leonora were laughing too. “You always do find a way to keep teasing him. My poor brother… but please tell me how you are so comfortable jumping around this tree. When did you go from dancer to Monkey?” Ask Roy between chuckles.

Asuki made herself comfortable and elbowed Maven to get him to look up again, her voice filled with gratitude when she told him, “It's all thanks to you.” Then her gaze jumped to Roy, “ But Roy…. What is this I hear... you are now the remaker of hospitals?”

They spent the afternoon in that tree, laughing and catching up. Talking about the stories that had gone missing with some letters. Getting reacquainted. Through their chat, Maven kept finding his eyes drifting to Leonora.

Dinner that night was incredibly jovial. Both grandfathers regaled them with different stories from their trips. Any mention of accomplishments made by Maven, Asuki, Leonora or Roy was avoided as if to prevent any competitiveness or mention of the prophecy. They talked of the festival and food, of music and plants. The Queens told them stories of their courtship days and the many ways the Kings impressed them or failed.

After dinner, they all separated, but before Maven and Roy could head off with Asuki and Leonora, they noticed that the kings were waiting for them. “Come now,” boomed Aran, “do hurry up lads, I can hear the whiskey calling my name.”

“Well… I guess you are men now,” whispered Asuki behind them, before she poked them in the back to get them moving. They glanced back to see her giving them a little wave, Leonora standing in the background talking to Aria and Ma Nina. Where dinner had been jovial, this after-dinner ritual was uncomfortable. As the alcohol flowed, the kings got boisterous, some of their rivalry showing. Then they praised Maven and Roy for growing up into good-looking lads and asked them if they had gone about to sow any wild oats and began sharing tales of their youthful conquests. That was the point where both Roy and Maven begged to be excused, claiming tiredness from the journey. Roy ran off to the library and Maven trudged up to his room.

He removed his coat, flinging it onto the bed and dropped onto the armchair in front of the fire when he heard tapping on his bedroom window. He looked over and then stumbled to his feet when he realized it was Leonora, hanging onto the wall and grinning at him from outside. When he opened the windows, she leaned forward on the windowsill and grinned up at him.

“Well hello, handsome… I have come to invite you for some late-night shenanigans!” she crooned.

At first Maven’s thoughts spiralled in all different directions before he realized he was likely wrong. Then he remembered, she was outside the window. It was a kick to the gut and he almost grabbed her to drag her inside. “What in the name of Svarg are you doing? We are on the 3rd floor! Why are you climbing the walls? How are you climbing the walls?” his voice was a little frantic and his brow was all creased as he looked past her and down the wall. Actually, now that he looked at it, the wall was rather scalable. He should probably mention that to King Aran, it could be a safety issue.

Almost like she could hear his thoughts, Leonora laughed lightly. “We have all learned things Maven. And…” she kicked out a leg behind her to make her skirts poof, “I did it in skirts which I am sure is better than you could do.”

Maven looked at her incredulously, but since he knew how these conversations went, he didn’t say anything other than, “You are probably right… that is way too much fabric. Give me my breeches any day.”

At his words, her eyes flicked down to his legs and then back at his quickly. He couldn’t be sure but it looked like she was blushing. She tsked quickly, straightened and moved back towards the grooves in the bricks on the wall. “Are you coming then, my Prince? Asuki should have found Roy by now. Honestly, I am surprised she didn’t want to climb the wall or take the chance to ogle your legs.” Suddenly she shut up and turned her face and Maven felt his face warm ever so slightly, especially when he heard a stifled breathless giggle. “Grab your coat Maven. Adventures calls us!” she ordered.

He got his coat and in the few seconds it took him to come back, she was already making her way down the wall carefully. Her skirts really were coming in the way. He pulled himself through the window and made his way down much faster, catching up to her in the moonlight. “But why the wall? Why not the corridors”

She looked at him in mock scandal, “Why Maven… how can you say that…. Where is the fun in that when you can climb walls like you are headed to a secret dalliance instead.” He blushed again and tried to pay attention to the handholds instead of looking at her. “And anyway…. There are way too many people awake and we really did not want to end up with our mothers again. The things they started to talk about.” She shuddered and then paused to flap her hand at her face. Her chest heaved and her skirts floated about her legs and Maven decided that it was probably a good idea to make it down quickly before the woman said something that made him lose his attention.

A few minutes later, he looked up at her. He knew she could do it faster and was just being careful and would in fact be on level ground with him in a minute or two. But he still thought it would be funny to egg her on. “Oh do hurry up Leo… by the time you make it down here, I shall turn into a popsicle.”

She twisted to look at him and the glint in her eye was his only warning that she was going to run with his comment. “Oh, these skirts are mighty cumbersome and not at all ideal to climb walls. And you had to choose the highest room. It’s totally your fault and since you are a mountain anyway…. Catch me”

With a big grin, she leapt off the wall and he scrambled to catch her. He was successful but then he stepped back, tripped and the next thing he knew, he was sprawled on the grass with Leonora draped across his chest laughing uncontrollably.

“What did you think was going to happen,” he muttered dryly, “You are far from a shrinking violet my lady and nowhere as delicate as your fair sister.” Although if he was going to admit it, it felt a bit too nice on the ground with her.

Leonora grinned down at him, her eyes sparkling, and then ran a teasing hand down his arm, “Ah my Prince, then you are definitely doing something wrong and wasting all of these magnificent muscles if you couldn’t handle little old me.”

In a blink she hopped up onto her haunches and tapped a finger on his nose, “And I really must warn you. If you are going to take swipes at me…. I am definitely not above punching you again.” She leaned forward and winked, her voice filled with laughter but somehow a bit husky, “And this time I know of better places to aim.”

As she straightened, she gave him a hand and yanked him off and then strode away, still smiling. Before following her, he had to take a deep shuddering breath.

Asuki had found a troop of travelling performers and they all snuck out of the palace grounds to go watch their performance. As the drums and voices filled the air, the dancers twirling around the fire throwing shadows everywhere, they all relaxed. Asuki loosened up next to Maven and sighed in happiness, her feet tapping to the rhythm. As always, this was where she felt truly alive and her entire body called to her to join the dancers.

The next morning, King Tiber and King Aran asked for a combat showcase.

There is only so long you can avoid something when it has been a driving thought for years.

Both Kings were keen to show off their children’s abilities to each other. Maven groaned when he received the note and headed off to search for Asuki or Leonora to see if they had a plan.

When he couldn’t find them fast enough, he grudgingly made his way to the garden. When he got to the ring, he was surprised to see Asuki, in armour waiting for him. On the sidelines, Leonora smiled at him while the Kings and their fathers talked. Asuki didn’t look panicked, but she did look sad and she offered a hesitant smile to Maven, although her body language seemed very confident.

Of the others, Tiber noticed him first. He clapped his hands and stood up. “Excellent, you took your time son. I was about to send a search party for you! Come, come… we were all just discussing the rules and the first combatant to get 3 touches seems fair. Rather than a fight till someone taps out. We are all here for the festival after all and are just having some fun.”

His words were jovial and his body language confident but Maven could see the glint in his eye, the caution that he needed to win this. Maven looked around and quickly studied the rest of the audience. Aran had a similar look that seemed to be aimed at Asuki, with a further tightness around the mouth. Michel just looked proud of both of them. And somewhere behind Leonora’s smiles, there was a hint of worry. A quick glance from Asuki to her father made him realize there was more to this than had ever been said.

He stepped into the ring, not knowing what to expect. He had seen enough fighters to have noticed the change in both Asuki and Leonora. It didn’t take a lot to realize that they had been trained well and Asuki would likely fight well. But this was something he excelled in and he had also trained with a lot of teachers. He didn’t know when he decided he was going to lose. Now he just needed to figure out how to put up a good fight and also lose. Of course, he could be wrong and Asuki could totally decimate him. And wouldn’t that be wonderful?

He didn’t have to try putting up a good fight. Asuki had figured out what worked for her. Between her teacher and her grandfather, she knew how to approach bigger opponents with bigger weapons and take them down. She was fast and deadly but Maven was her friend making her hesitation to strike stronger. Maven got the first touch easily, the flat of his sword tapping against her thigh because of this. On the sidelines, Michel and Leonora called out encouragement, while Tibercheered. But Aran hissed and Asuki actually flinched even though that was the softest sound. Maven found himself getting angry for her. At whatever it was that had scared her. So he started murmuring to her as they fought. He first treated his movements like a dance, leading and projecting ever so slightly so that she could respond and parry.

He encouraged, he goaded, he cracked jokes about how he was too big for her itty bitty weapons to actually hurt him. He told her to fight because she could. Not because she had something to prove but because she had to fight for herself. That until she could, they would all fight for her. She listened, she responded, and she pushed. She got past his guard and he suddenly had the tip of her dagger pricking the skin on his chest, while her sword was at the back of his knee threatening to take out his leg. Since his back was to their audience he gave her a fierce grin full of pride and nodded. He didn’t give her this lead and they both knew it. Asuki smiled back at him happily.

Behind them even Tiber clapped in admiration. 2 touches at once. Asuki was no longer the fairy girl, flitting around being charming. Somewhere she had turned into a warrior. Leonora was on her feet jumping in excitement and Aran finally had a genuine smile on his face. The boy was just much too big and could use a few falls.

Little did he know, his other daughter had already made that giant fall.

Back in the ring, Maven and Asuki both burst into movement again. Maven cautiously pushed her harder and Asuki keeps taking him by surprise, keeping him on his toes. They got into a rhythm. Maven had to actually work hard to get his second touch. Somehow, Asuki only seemed to be getting faster, dodging his sword but every now and then, she couldn’t help but add a flourish to her movements, leaving herself open and he took advantage of it to slap his sword against her arm.

Now that they were even, she became a lot more careful. Both of them tuned out the chatter from their audience and paid close attention to each other. Maven was enjoying the fight so much that he almost forgot he wanted her to win. It happened very fast. He suddenly saw his sword plunge past her guard, and even as she started to block him, there was dread in her eyes because she knew his sword would break her defence. At the last moment, Maven adjusted his hold ever so slightly, twisting his blade. A move no one, except Asuki and maybe Michel would notice. Asuki’s eyes widened as she tried to pull back but didn’t have the control yet to do what Maven had done. His sword ricocheted off her block rather than pushing through it and she watched in horror as her sword slipped up his to slice into his bicep.

She dropped her sword in horror and clamped her hand on his arm, looking around desperately for any help. Maven put his hand on her shoulder, “It’s ok Asuki…. It's just a scratch.” He pulled her into a swift hug with a big smile and then stepped back to bow to her. “The victor, my Kings. With an excellent block.”

Leonora rushed in to give Asuki a hug before she ran off to fetch Roy, or any other healer, even when Maven told her to not worry. Aran strode forward with a proud smile and kept praising Asuki and even though she seemed very happy, she seemed hurt too. Her father began to tug her away but she ran back and gave Maven another hug, whispering a quick ‘thank you’ which he responded to with a small squeeze.

Tiber walked up to him, the disappointment in his gaze clear. “Good fight… but she is such a tiny chit.”

Suddenly Maven realized that he wasn’t bothered at all about this disappointment. He would happily throw this fight any day. Somewhere on his journey, he had found who he was, a version that everyone was proud of. A version he was proud of. A loyal friend, a good leader, and a kind person. He was the best version of him, of Maven. He didn’t need to be the version his father wanted.

He had earned his place in another army and knew he had nothing to prove. That he had no reason to try and make his father feel happy about a small loss. If Tiber’s pride, his vision of his son was going to be shaken by a show fight on a wonderful winter morning, it was inconsequential, to begin with. So, Maven just shrugged, “It’s a fascinating fighting style. Very fast and quick. We should consider asking Asuki and perhaps Pop Michel to train some of our soldiers. It could be very advantageous.” As he talked, he glanced down at his arm and when he looked back up, his father was looking at him in shock.

Tiber suddenly couldn’t see the boy who looked for his approval all the time. Instead, he saw a soldier who was just happy about a good fight. And a general who saw an opportunity. He wasn’t sure how to address it. He also wasn’t sure what to make of the closeness Asuki and Maven exhibited. They were, after all, supposed to be rivals. Not friends. He was even more shocked when Maven gave him a short nod and then seemed to dismiss him, to instead look and engage with Pop Michel who had walked up to them. Not knowing what else to do, Tiber walked away locked in his thoughts.

Michel just stood and studied this wonderful quiet boy who had turned into a confident man. All the shyness and insecurity and need to please had been replaced with a King, and he was incredibly proud.

“You didn’t need to do that. But I think you for it anyway.” He said quietly, his voice fading quickly in the cooling air. “Asuki still has some more to learn on her journey. Although I see you are there. You are a good man my lad and you will make a fine king.” Michel gave him a short formal bow and then slapped him on the back. As he did, Roy and Leonora came running up with a healing kit. “Now let’s see to that scratch shall we.”

It was a little more than a scratch. But Roy and Michel made quick work of it while Leonora pretended to fuss and swoon and made them laugh. It was a great distraction from the few stitches Michel put in. Then Roy slathered on a salve and handed Leonora a bandage while he and Michel marched off to wash their hands.

Leonora wrapped the bandage around his arm and tried to ignore the fact that he sat shirtless in front of her and was looking at her with an interesting glint in his eye. To distract herself, she joked, “Did you throw the fight?”

He coughed and then choked out, “What… no!”

Leonora glanced up sharply. Maven was now studiously looking anywhere but at him. She had really been joking. But then she thought about it, all her lessons with Michel and Asuki and even Maven. And suddenly saw the odd way he adjusted the fingers on his sword hilt. So she grabbed his face and stared at him till he looked her in the eye. He tried to maintain his poker face, but the answer was clear to her, in the little pump of his eyebrow, the quick shift of his eyes.

So she sat back on her heels. Even now. He was helping. He had seen Asuki’s fear. Even though he had not known why he had helped without question. Maybe he deserved to know. Before she could really make up her mind, the words tumbled out. “He beat her you know!”

Maven’s eyes flashed to her, igniting with anger and his face and neck got ruddy. His voice was a growl, when he whispered, “What?”

“Not ‘Beat’ really. He was angry with her for failing at a showcase. Father thought that if he put enough pressure, her instinct to put on a show would kick in and she would fight. But she couldn’t. you saw how she still is, she isn’t aggressive. So, he got into the ring with her and kept swatting her with the sword trying to get her to get up and fight. It was humiliating, with everyone looking on and she just got hurt. Pop Michel put a stop to it.”

“That is why he took over your training. Ours too?” asked Maven.

“Father was so angry that she couldn't pick up a skill that he believed she needed as a ruler. Something that you were doing well with. He kept after her about how she needed to be the best and that she was failing. That she was useless if she failed. I heard Pop mention to Nani that if father was this swayed by the prophecy, it was likely your father was too.”

“That damned prophecy!” roared Maven, surging to his feet. He paced angrily for a few moments and then stopped and glared down at Leonora. “You need to tell Asuki something for me. We make our own destiny. Our fathers can wish and hope and compete as much as they want. But we became friends even though they wanted us to be enemies. We will do what is best for us and for our people. Not what they want. You tell her that. And you tell her that I will say that to her every day until she believes it. Asuki is amazing and doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. Not me. Not you. Not our parents. She just needs to fight for herself. And you… you need to fight for yourself. For your happiness.” He began to pace in agitation again and stopped suddenly when Leonora stepped into his path. Quietly, she put his arm in a sling so that he would stop waving it around and then took his hand to pull him back towards the palace.

To help him calm down, she took him the long way around, past the fountains and into the maze at the back of the palace. They walked in silence for a bit, both lost in their thoughts. In a change of roles, Maven had pushed Leonora again to think about things. For so long their life had only been about Asuki being the best ruler. Leonora had spent her entire life committed to protecting her sister, to keeping her happy so that she could be what their father wanted Asuki to be. She hadn’t even thought of what she had wanted. Where Asuki seemed to dislike court, Leonora liked it and was good at it.

“I came looking for you both in the morning!” mused Maven. She stopped to look at him. Well, up at him. Even though she had grown tall too, she still only came up to his shoulders. “I was very keen to be part of whatever subterfuge you and Asuki were putting together to pull a fast one on our fathers. I could have used some gratitude and it would have been fun.”

He grinned down at her. His eyes had that glint again, like she was all he wanted to look at. And his air of mischief curled around her. So she pursed her lips and planted her arms on her hips and tartly told him, “Well if you were so desperate for a kiss of gratitude, maybe you just need to go find a delicate shrinking violet.”

Maven’s heart skipped a beat and he stepped forward. With the sun beating down on her, she really was the prettiest thing in the garden at the moment. Leonora watched with fascination as his eyes darkened and his grin turned wicked. This was a completely different Maven. And she liked it. She stepped back as he stepped forward again and found herself pressed up against the hedge behind her, her hands splayed across his chest. “I do believe that a shrinking violet might be too small.”

Leonora couldn’t help herself. She laughed. Then she slid her hand up and around his neck and stole lightning in the form of a kiss.

___

Their small trip to the border palace ended sooner than they would have liked. A court visit from another kingdom called Tiber and his family back. Maven stepped forward and took control of their concerns and ask for help. It seemed like the whole world was slowly facing war except for Svarg.

As reports flooded in from various allies, Tiber and Aran started thinking about the prophecy. A united kingdom would be safer. It would be easier to handle security and they would have stronger defences on both sides as well as a larger army if they were united. They began to drop hints at their children and would ask them if they had ideas or thoughts on how to unify.

In the beginning, Asuki would avoid the conversation. She would leave the room and Leonora would parry for her. In the dark of the night, Leonora would comfort Asuki and repeat Maven's words to her. But more importantly, Pop Michel’s words. Until finally, on one of those nights, Asuki admitted what Leonora suspected. That she did not want to be Queen Regent. She didn’t want to be the heir. She wanted to dance. She liked Maven’s idea of training soldiers. She wanted to work for her people but not as a Queen. She wanted the freedom to be whatever she felt like.

And Leonora wanted to blankly support her but was left wondering. Did she want to be Queen Regent?

In Carvel, Maven treated these questions with unfailing humour, dismissing the conversation even before it started. When Tiber got angry, he just smiled it away, aware of his mother and brother trying not to laugh.

Once when he was looking at some reports, he simply snapped the papers in his hands and calmly said “They are our oldest allies. I am sure we can ask to see their border protection plans and we can come up with something together.”

Once over dinner, he baldly stated that if it had to be to only one leader, he would happily pledge allegiance to Asuki. When Roy agreed with him, Tiber stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. Aria just told Maven to ‘stop teasing your father so’ as she calmly sipped at soup.

The next time, when it was just the two of them in the war room, Maven reminded his father that they couldn’t talk yet about improving security for all of Svarg as they still had to fix the issues in their navy.

After dinner, one day Tiber snapped and demanded to know why Maven wasn’t taking this seriously. That all of Svarg depended on him.

Maven took a deep breath and simply stated what he was coming to believe. “No father, it depends on us. The four of us. We are the keepers of Svarg as are our people. Not a flag or a throne. I have faith in my friends to watch my back as they have faith that I will watch out for them.”

“If that is the case and you are such friends, then why don’t you just marry the chit? It's not like she is prone to putting up a fight anyway. You can take over like that!”

Maven looked at his father with disdain. “Why father, are you so keen on me being the ruler of all of Svarg? Why can’t you trust our alliances? And no… I will not just go and marry the chit to cow her. Asuki and I deserve better. We are ready, we are prepared and we will handle an enemy if they decide to brave the seas and mountains.”

As Tiber huffed in irritation, and at the fact that Aria wasn’t taking his side again, Roy muttered next to Maven, “there is also the fact that Maven is totally enamoured by the chit's sister.” Roy began laughing as he dodged the quick kick to his shin and they both ignored their father while Maven tried to hide his blush and Roy chuckled into his tumbler of whiskey.

In Hoyson, Asuki finally snapped and asked her father if he was that keen on war. Aran stopped in his tirade and just blinked at her. It was the first time this topic had come up since she had made her admission to Leonora. And suddenly she felt freer.

“I am trying to avoid war, you silly girl!” Aran yelled.

“No father,” retorted Asuki, “We are at peace. Carvel is our ally, our neighbour. They are our friends even if you like to try and be better than King Tiber. We have all kinds of treaties with them to protect us both. However, by trying to force this, force me into becoming ruler of both, you are trying to instigate a war. Which we will lose. Or have you forgotten that Pop Michel trained Maven, which means he knows our army and then he went off and won other battles?”

She smirked at her father, ignoring Leonora’s proud smile or the furtive thumbs up her mother was giving her behind Aran’s back. “The fact is father, that in a one-on-one fight Maven will always win. My last victory with him was just a fluke. In fact, the only one who might be able to match him is Leonora. Not me. He is the better soldier and the better diplomat and you know what. And you know what, that is ok! Because I am a better dancer and can connect with our people better. I trust Maven to take care of me and he knows I will take care of him. So no, we will not go to war with them. War will only bring us all pain and I like this alliance instead. We are however going to Carvel to celebrate our 23rd birthdays. I haven’t seen the limestone palace in a while and I would like to celebrate with my friends and my family and talk to Maven more about his idea of training a special combat regiment. Mother, we should pack. I know Leonora is really looking forward to this trip too”

Asuki gracefully got up, winked at Leonora and floated out of the room happily. Leaving her father in shock behind her. Even though he did not want to go, they all did go. No one else in the family seemed to agree with him about the prophecy. His children seemed to look down on him for wanting a strong heir. It was all rather frustrating.

Aria put together a marvellous party. She invited dignitaries and Nobels. All kinds of performers and musicians. When they reached the city, They found Maven and Roy waiting for them with separate horses. Together they went around the city, meeting people, and doing things that Asuki had read about and wanted to try like visiting the giant cliff organ. When she got a chance, Leonora dragged Maven into the shadows to steal a kiss while he took every opportunity to touch her.

They were happy and everyone fell in love with them. These were fine rulers for anyone to have. They gasped when Asuki climbed a building to save a cat. They cheered when Roy stopped to help an old sick vagrant and guide him to one of the new Hospitals. Everyone laughed when Leonora played hopscotch with the children. And all the ladies swooned when Maven held up a cart that had a broken axle.

When they reached the palace giddy and laughing hours later. It was to get rushed off and not be as dirty. ‘They weren’t children anymore’, admonished Aria before she got a kiss from Asuki. Roy went ahead and hugged Queen Elset and dirtied her gown and made her laugh. They were all late for dinner.

In another part of the palace, King Aran and Tiber met. While they disagreed on who should take the crown, they both agreed that the prophecy had to be resolved before an enemy forced it. They looked on in worry as their heirs seemingly turned into teenagers, no longer hiding their friendship or their penchant for getting in trouble together.

So at the beginning of the party, a week later, they gathered the families in a salon and announced that Asuki and Maven had to figure it out now. What they were going to do and how. The Kings fully intended to give their heirs a deadline but before they could bluster any more, Asuki rose gracefully, looking like a fairy in her gauzy peach flowing dress and began to walk away.

“Asuki,” roared Aran, “What are you doing? Come back here!”

She just turned and continued walking backwards with a serene smile. “You want us to resolve the prophecy. That is what I am doing.”

Maven glanced at Leonora to see if she knew what was going on. When Leonora avoided his gaze, Roy elbowed him to point out Queen Elset who looked like she couldn’t decide if she was going to be happy or sad. They all walked out behind Asuki and as Maven passed Leonora, she grasped his hand as if she was looking for reassurance and then let go.

Asuki marched out into the crowd, the consummate performer. It was the most confident Maven had ever seen her. With little effort, she commanded the attention of everyone in the room. The music died and all that was left were whispers of awe at her beauty, black hair shimmering, diamonds glittering from the folds of her dress.

She bowed to all of them, with all the flourish and drama she held within her and gave them all a beautiful smile.

“I am Princess Asuki. Heir to King Aran and Queen Elset, Regents of Hoyson in this, the great land of Svarg.” She didn’t raise her voice, but yet, it seemed to roll across everyone in the room. “I thank you, King Tiber and Queen Aria for hosting us, to celebrate Prince Maven and my 23rd Birthday.” Everyone cheered. Asuki folded her hands in front of her and looked around, seeming to make eye contact with every single person. They were all welcome, they were all her friends. And she waited till silence reigned again.

“We have spent our entire lives preparing for the day we have the honour to lead and protect you, the people of Svarg. To help guide us all to more years of prosperity and peace like our fathers and our grandfathers before them. In our training, we have learned about you and fallen in love with you and this land. But frankly…. It is an honour I do not deserve because I am not up to the task.”

Everyone gasped. King Aran began to stride forward but was stopped by both Queen Elset and Leonora. In the clearing, Asuki put her hand to her heart and turned to look directly at her father.

“I can only do a good job, which is the least our people deserve if I am happy. And I am not. This is not my strength. I can help our land in different ways. In connecting with our history, in connecting with our neighbours. That is my strength. My happiness lies with the stories of our people. And in looking to the past. I cannot guide us to the future. I can just remind everyone not to make the same mistakes as our ancestors. A person who craves freedom cannot thrive in the structure of responsibility.”

Asuki winked at Maven and mouthed to him, that she was going to fight for herself. “But my father has 2 heirs,” she announced, her mischievous smile back on her face, “One who would make a perfect Queen. Thus, it is with a heavy heart but much happiness that I announce that I will be abdicating from my role and releasing my responsibilities to my sister, Leonora.”

In front of them, Asuki seemed to glow and float. Looking happy and relieved. Roy and Leonora charged into the clearing to give her a hug while everyone buzzed around them. They were all looking at King Aran and King Tiber to know how to react. As the whispers grew, they became audible. Everyone wondered about the prophecy. Maven was the firstborn. But Leonora was a second-born. Was she going to take the crown? Next to Maven, Kings Aran and King Tiber seemed lost.

From within the hug, Asuki’s voice ran out again, “What was the phrasing of that prophecy again mother? That it is a game of crowns.”

Leonora began to laugh. She turned to face Maven and called out “Prince Maven!” A wicked grin began to form on her face, “Let's finish this… let’s set a wager over a game!”

Maven realized that Asuki had found the way out. For all of them. So he stepped forward to bow in agreement, accepting this duel, before asking.“What are we playing?”

“How about a game of chess,” she chirped, “and we write our wager on a piece of paper for the victor to enforce.”

“Seems fair,” he announced, striding forward, removing his cloak to hand it to Roy and calling for a chessboard and a piece of paper. Leonora was the one who had taught him how to play chess. As he strode past his father, Tiber latched onto his arm… “You would wager your kingdom on a game?” he snarled.

Maven looked down at his father and shook his hand off, “Why father? You were willing to wager it, and more, on the words of an old woman.” He then grinned at his mother. It seemed like everyone had an inkling of what was happening except the Kings.

The servants dragged out a giant marble chessboard and brought paper and quills. When Leonora was done writing hers, she stuck her tongue out at Maven and then slipped the paper into her bodice. While Maven stuck his down the side of his boot. Then they began to play.

I am not good at chess, so I couldn’t actually tell you what they played. What their strategies were or what moves they were making. I can tell you that when Maven got a chance he reached out a foot to rub Leonara’s leg. No one noticed as they were very engrossed in the game. Each piece taken off the board was like a cannon shot, eliciting gasps. The Kings tried to give advice but were pulled back by their wives. Asuki yawned and then went to flirt with a nearby soldier. Roy went to join her and they confused everyone, including the soldier.

As the game continued, the room became completely silent, and tension rolled along everyone’s shoulders. The silence would be punctuated by the curses from the kings, and the clicks of the pieces being moved. There were fewer and fewer pieces until finally, Leonora cornered Maven’s king and her quiet voice echoed through the room, “Checkmate.”

Maven smiled at her, “Why are you nervous now Leo? We both knew I can’t defeat you at chess! What is your wager?”

Everyone gasped. Someone fainted. Aria laughed. Tiber roared. But Maven ignored them all, his smile wicked.

Leonora blushed and said, “Why don’t you see?”

Maven leaned across the table, reached into the side of her bodice, purposely letting his fingers trail across her skin and pulled out a piece of paper that said the same thing his did.

Marry me.

He reached across the table again and pulled her towards him, over the table and kissed her, forgetting about the whole world around him as it blew up into chaos. King Aran sat down, right there on the floor unsure if he was going to have a heart attack. And unsure if it was from anger or happiness for his daughter. It was clear the young fools were in love and he wasn’t sure how he did not see it.

Tiber was just confused. So he looked at Aria and asked her if this was why Maven got so upset at the suggestion of marrying the other chit. But he is marrying this chit anyway. But hey Carvel’s flag would fly.

Suddenly there was a strike of lightning and the seer of old appeared. But this time Asuki appeared in front of her like magic and clapped her hand over the seer’s mouth. The Queens were right behind her.

“No,” exclaimed Aria.

“Yes,” added Elset, agreeing with Aria not disagreeing, “you have caused enough trouble!”

The seer was able to pull her head away and intoned, “You cannot stop the hands of fate!”

“Maybe so…” said Aria

“But we can bloody well deal with it on our own terms,” said Asuki.

The seer smiled at them, nodded and then the candles guttered and she vanished. Leaving Asuki gaping at her hands.

And that my friends is how Carvel and Hoyson ended and the Kingdom of Svarg began. Much to their father’s bewilderment and mild pride, the heirs didn’t take any one flag, choosing to create a new flag and a united people with it. They ruled as equals, balancing each other's weaknesses and changed the land with the help of their siblings. Not long after, they rode into battle together, against the enemy to look for peace again.

But that my friends, is a story for another day.

Preferably a day when there is ice cream.

By Jaymie Vaz