by CS Patra
“All right, let say we do get in. I’ll be kicked out the moment they look at me.” Silas pointed out. “I’m not wealthy enough to be in that castle. I don’t have any clothes that were made to be worn in balls. In fact, I don’t have much at all.”
“Neither do I.” Kian added. “We’re going to stand out even if we don’t do anything.”
“Face it, Vinnie. We’re not meant to be around wealthy people. I was telling Kian about the Petal Kingdom and how out of place I felt at times. It’s a beautiful area with all kinds of flowers and plants but it’s hard to live there if you don’t have money. The things that you find in the stores are expensive. A few strawberries alone will cost about five silver coins, forget about other fruit. That’s part of the reason I don’t have a home; I can’t afford to live there.”
“Is that so?” Lavinia didn’t know how to feel about this. She didn’t get much time to shop in the Frost Kingdom but the strawberries certainly weren’t worth five silver coins. “Have you tried to find a home outside of it?”
“That’s a lot easier to say than do, Vinnie.” Kian pointed out. “Yes, you could probably find land and build a home but that doesn’t mean you can live there. The Petal Kingdom isn’t just filled with flowers and leaves but living creatures made out of them. Silas said that one of the most beautiful things you can find are insects and birds made out of flowers. They blend in so well in the background that it’s hard to tell they’ve alive until they move.”
“Not only that, the King and Queen won’t let you make a home just anywhere. You have to get their permission to do so. The thing is that they won’t always give you the permission. You have to prove yourself worthy of it.” Silas went on. “Let’s be honest, I haven’t done a thing to prove myself. For middle-class people you have to be lucky to see the King and Queen. Anyone below that has no chance.”
“That’s not fair,” Lavinia murmured. “You’re all part of the same kingdom and you should get the same chances. At the very least, your King and Queen should make time to see what you need. How else will they know what is wrong with their kingdom?”
“You would think that but that’s not the case. They only hear what they want to hear and listen to those they want to listen to. That’s why I’m not sure why you want to go to the Petal Kingdom. It might be nice on the outside but it doesn’t feel that way inside. The animals are far nicer than the people are.”
“Well, I have business there. I do need to see the King and Queen.”
“Good luck with that. They don’t see anyone without good reason.”
Lavinia was frustrated with that answer and couldn’t keep it to herself anymore. “How about war? Would that be a good reason?” Before Silas could say anything, she went on. “There is a war on the horizon between the three witches. The thing is that no one really knows about it so they will attack when no one is prepared. They all want control and won’t stop until the last witch is standing. It doesn’t matter who dies in the process. They want war.”
“Vinnie…” Kian began but she wouldn’t let him say a thing. Silas needed to know the real reason and she needed his help.
“I have my reasons to see them and I know they will. Regardless of what kind of rulers they are, they need to be there for their people. They need to protect them, if nothing else.”
“You’re talking a lot like someone who has done this before.” Silas said. “Have you ever been in a war or had to protect anyone?”
Lavinia almost said yes but stopped herself. She had never been in a war herself but she had seen times when Themasa was sent into battle. She had overheard her father talking with soldiers and sending them off with well wishes. She knew that a lot of them would not return before the war was over. Her parents wouldn’t tell her what the war was for but she didn’t need their explanations. She could see it in the faces of soldiers and their families. She could see how upset her parents would get when they had bad news. She could feel the fear all around Themasa. She knew enough about war to know that it was never a good thing. One way or another, people were going to suffer.
“I may not have fought in a war but I have seen the destruction it can cause,” she began. “It doesn’t just hurt the people on the battlefield but the ones at home too. They are always waiting to hear news and sometimes that news doesn’t come quick enough. They’re waiting for someone to come home but they never do. Now imagine if war comes up without warning; there will countless innocent lives lost and homes destroyed. At the very least, people need to be prepared for the worst.”
“So you truly believe going to this ball will help?” Kian asked.
“It’s the best way I can reach the King and Queen. At the very least, I might be able to spread the news to one of their confidants. Whether they believe me or not is another story,” Lavinia sighed. “Who would want to believe a seventeen-year-old girl over something like this?”
They would if you told them who you really were. How long do you think you can keep running, Vinnie? Someone will recognize you and figure out who you are. Kian wanted to reply. He held off as he could see that Lavinia still wanted to keep her identity a secret to most. If anyone in the Petal Kingdom learned the truth that she was the runaway princess, they would have everyone from Themasa on her tail. Also, he could tell that Silas had no idea who she was. That look of curiosity was all over his face. He only knew her as ‘Vinnie’ and nothing more. For everyone’s sake, he was going to stay quiet.
“Then if that’s what you want to do, we should plan what to wear there and how to get to the castle,” he said. “I don’t suppose you know a tailor that can make a costume in three days, do you?”
“I don’t but I’m sure there is one around. I could ask Lora where I could find one or find a store that sells them,” Lavinia said. “I have enough to buy something for both of you. You will have look as nice as possible.”
“And in my case, that means I may have to change my hair. I’m not sure what to do with it now.” Silas realized, running his hands though his long silver locks. He untied his ponytail and let it all fall down to his shoulders. It was then that Lavinia saw how long that hair really was. It had to have taken him years to grow and it was a little unruly. Despite that, it reminded her of moonlight when it came down. “I don’t suppose I can go like this, can I?”
“Probably not unless you comb your hair well. I think your ponytail or a braid might be just fine if you want to keep it out of your face.” Lavinia said as she stared out the window. The winds had picked up and snow was falling faster. “I doubt I’ll be able to go anywhere far but maybe there’s a tailor nearby. I could step into the shop and see what they have.”
“Vinnie, no!” Kian shook his head. “You spent far too much time already just to get me some medicine. Go out when the snow stops. Besides, you don’t need to spend money on me. I will manage to find something.”
“Same. We need to make our way to the Petal Kingdom first. I was thinking maybe we could get a ride over there and find a way to bypass the harder parts of the forest. I was hoping maybe someone would have a dragon we could borrow for the journey.” Silas said. “It’s a shame we don’t have one.”
“We did have one,” Lavinia murmured, still thinking about Alice. The messenger they had sent didn’t come back yet but she figured it was because of the weather. If Alice was smart and she was, she certainly wouldn’t stay in a place that was so cold. She would go for a warmer area and try to stay safe. “I don’t suppose the horses can make the trip over there, can they?”
“Probably not as fast as a dragon would but we can try. However, they are creatures made of ice and the Petal Kingdom is warmer. If they stay out too long in the sun, they will melt. I guess I could try and ask if someone is going in that direction. Maybe they will be willing to take us.”
“If you do find someone, that would be fantastic. In the meantime, I’m going to plan everything else out.” Lavinia decided. “I don’t want to waste any time.
”
“In the meantime, I’m going to get some rest. I think that might help me get well quicker,” Kian said. “I promise I will make it up to you, Vinnie. I never meant to slow you down.”
“Don’t worry about that. Just take your medicine and get well soon. That’s far more important.”
For the next two hours, Lavinia waited on Kian and made sure that he took his medicine when needed. The one thing that she knew was that it was going to make him feel very sleepy and that’s why he had to take it at nightfall. That was also when it was supposed to stop snowing and all the stores would be closed. She wouldn’t be able to buy anything tonight but it would be a good time to look through the windows and see what she could find. She had to be careful with the coins she spent. Being around two thieves was already nerve wracking and she was keeping the money hidden. They had proven that they could keep their hands off jewels so far but she wanted to be cautious.
In the corner, she could see Silas staring out of the window and watching as the snow piled up on the windowsill, cold air fogging the glass. It was like he was looking for something but couldn’t find it. The more she stared at him, the more afraid he looked. She decided she needed to find out more about him before letting anything move forward.
“Are you doing all right?” She asked, taking a seat close to him. He nodded but didn’t look at her. “It’s cold tonight. I was thinking of getting some tea. Would you like some as well?”
He shook his head. “Tea usually keeps me awake at night so I only drink it in the morning.”
“I see,” Lavinia murmured, trying to change the subject. She followed his gaze out the window. “I take it that you want to go outside and play in the snow? I don’t blame you if that’s the case. It’s just so beautiful.”
“Yes, it’s beautiful and I do want to go out but not for the reason you think. I want to find the people who left me behind. I want to believe they panicked and retreated because of fear but maybe they came back for me. What if they’re out there looking for me?”
“You really think they would look for you?” Lavinia asked. “Were you very close with them?”
“Well, I guess we were close in the way that you expect thieves to be close. I’ve only known them my whole life so I want to believe they were like my family. I want to believe they care about me and are looking for me. I did send them a messenger bird too when I sent yours but I have heard nothing. I’m guessing the weather is keeping them away.”
“Maybe,” Lavinia murmured. “Do you really want to go back?”
“I don’t know. I want to help you out. My plan was to help you and eventually go back but... I’m not sure anymore. I feel like you’ll be doing too much by getting me a place to live. I wouldn’t know how to take care of it. I’ve never done that before.”
“It’s not that hard. Most people who get houses learn how to take care of them in time. You do not have to pay me anything for it either. Just promise me you’ll stay safe and keep out of trouble.”
He smirked at that. “I can only promise one of those things for now. I still don’t understand why you would do this for me. I’m nothing in this world. I don’t have any titles or money. I’m not an important member of society. No one knows who I am or cares to know. I’m alone and I know nothing about where I came from. After this, what happens to me? What comes next?” He shrugged at that. “That’s part of the reason I wanted to find the lost princess of Themasa. The reward would certainly help me out a lot and I would be able to get by. Granted, if I found her, I wouldn’t hurt her at all. I would convince her to come home.”
Lavinia felt her stomach turn but she kept calm. “How would you convince her? What would you say that would make her go with you?”
“Um…” Silas thought about this for a second. “I would tell her that I don’t want to harm her and that her family is worried about her. They want her to come home and they want her to know that she isn’t in trouble of any kind. They’re just worried about her. They’re sorry for whatever they might have done or said to her. They want her home.”
“Is that what they really said?” The more Lavinia heard about this, the worse she felt. She never wanted to make her family unhappy but this was necessary. She needed to leave them to see what she had been missing all along.
“Maybe not those exact words but I’ve heard similar things. I’ve seen them posted on the walls. They really seem worried for her. They feel like they must have done something wrong. They apologized to the people in Themasa and are hoping that their words reach her eventually.”
I’m not surprised. I never meant to hurt them but they were hurting me and they didn’t realize it. She thought, missing her family and home all of a sudden. The words had reached her but she wasn’t ready to go back. There was a lot left to do and she hadn’t done half of it yet. I’m sorry for what I’ve done but I needed to do this. If they want me to be a Queen, I need to learn more about the world I’m leading. I need to be a Queen that isn’t cursed.
She looked down at her hands and felt terrible that this was the power she had been given. No one needed a Queen that destroyed things with her touch. She had to be someone they could lean on. Perhaps in search of someone to remove her curse, she could also prove she was a leader. If she could protect others outside of Themasa, then she could rule anything. The only one who could understand how she felt wasn’t even here. Alice was not by her side now to assure her that they would get by. She could only trust Silas that Alice was fine and would survive. She was strong enough to survive.
I wish you were here now but don’t worry. I’ll be there sooner than you think.
She decided to change the subject when she saw Silas running his fingers through his hair. “How did it get so long?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Your hair is so long. I’ve never seen anyone with hair of that length. How do you handle it?”
“It’s not that hard. If I pull it back and keep it out of my face, I get by without a problem. As for how long it took, I’m not sure. I started growing it when I was younger and never got it cut. No one ever suggested that I should get it cut short. They said having my hair long was beneficial to me. People would mistake me for a girl and would go looking for a girl instead of a boy.” He twirled his hair in between his fingers. “Well, if I’m no longer stealing and hiding from the law, maybe it’s time to cut it.”
“You can worry about that later. First of all, I need you to be my guide in the Petal Kingdom. Surely, you must know how the people act around there and what is and isn’t appropriate to do. You must know of the laws in the kingdom.”
“I do, but that doesn’t mean I always follow them. I doubt you’ll have any problems fitting into the Petal Kingdom. It is definitely the prettiest of three kingdoms, always filled with flowers and trees. The people, for the most part, are very friendly. I’ve heard that some of the business have come down on hard times and it’s hard for any store to stay open. Other than that, it should be fine. You know how to get along with people. From the short time I’ve seen you, you carry yourself like you are wealthy and dignified. You will be just fine there.”
“So I don’t need to do anything special?”
“No, you’re the one that will make it through fine. I’m more worried about myself. The poor stand out a lot more out there. They dress like me, a complete mess and struggling to get money in any way possible. While the Petal Kingdom looks pretty on the outside, there are parts of it where poverty thrives. I should know. I’ve been in those parts before. They’ve got so many people in them.”
“Is it that bad?”
“A lot worse than some people want to admit. I want to believe that the King and Queen know about this. Maybe they do have a plan on fixing things. It’s just taking some time.” Silas rubbed his forehead. “Then again, they haven’t helped much after the last war. People are still poor and suffering. They are still struggling to get by.”
Lavinia was cur
ious about this. “What do you mean they haven’t done much?”
“Oh, you have seen it, haven’t you? The rich only get richer and the poor get ignored. The poor people are the ones who fight the wars but get little in return. It’s sad when you think about it. War tears people apart and sometimes you don’t get what you want.”
She swallowed. “I know it’s an awful thing but sometimes fights happen. To make a change, you have to fight for it.”
Silas chuckled at that. “I’ve heard that before. I know what you want to do and you are brave for trying. The truth of the matter is that it won’t be easy. You cannot convince people with words. They won’t stop a war because you said so.”
“They can!” Lavinia insisted. “If they listened to reason, they can stop fighting and come up with a solution! That can help solve a lot of problems! We fix it all!”
“It’s naïve to think that. You can’t save everyone in the world, Vinnie. War or not, people will continue to suffer down here. Some places are having drought, very few people are able to feed their families... yes, you can try to stop the war. That doesn’t mean the problems will go away. How are you going to fix it all?”