"The law is just, but it's not equitable."
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Ancient Laws, Volume 1.
These are the laws that have been around for centuries. Our Kingdom's foundation. These laws should never be changed.
1. The Oceanian Kingdom's law of fratricide is a free-for all.
2. All oaths must be made through Sealers.
3. …
Closing the worn-out book, I sigh. These old laws are so archaic, but we still stick to them since they're already tradition. We need a better Kingship system, but I doubt Father will do anything to change it. After all, the seven Kingdoms hide the most horrific secrets ever. There's no way he'd want any of them to escape into the Kingdom. And so, we must find ways to make the new laws more efficient, while keeping the old laws like these.
I pick up a newer book. One with different paper and ink. This one looks more modern, but it still has some pretty obsolete laws from at least fifty years ago. The problem is, these books look like they've been rewritten since this specific paper has only been in circulation in the past ten years.
Law Expansion, Volume 7.
This is an expansion on the laws in Ancient Laws Volume 5.
1. Women of different standings have different roles.
2. Commoner women must do the housework and cooking.
3. …
When I look up from the book, it's already past noon. I close the book with a quiet snap, stand and stretch. Sitting like this is not doing any good for my posture. It looks like I'll have to get some swordsmanship practice in so I don't feel too rusty. Taking off my glasses, I move to put them on the table, only to see it filled with books. I want to eat, but I also need to set my glasses down on the table. I need to clean up first.
I sigh in frustration. When I'm hungry, I get especially impatient, even when faced with things I like doing, such as packing away the books in the library. Now, the question is, should I just go to lunch, or should I pack away these books first so I have space for my glasses? Let's run through the pros and cons. Lunch first means I'm not irritated while sorting the books later. Cons, I still don't have space for my glasses and I will have to sort the books later anyway. So that means, lunch first has one pro and two cons. Books first has two pros and one con.
My stomach growls once more, but I ignore it. Sorting the books first it is. I place the glasses back on my face and sift through the piles of books. This one goes over there, while that one goes here. I spend one hour just sifting through the piles of books, before finally putting them back on the shelves. Now, I'm past starving, but I finally have space for my glasses. Setting them down on the table, I leave to get something to eat, when I hear a strange noise.
Tap, tap, tap.
Huff.
I tilt my head to hear better, as I follow the sound.
Scrape.
Tap, tap.
'Nearly there,' a strained voice whispers. 'Got it!'
'Got what?' I ask with a frown, my arms folded.
Standing before me is a young child that looks no older than ten, standing on a chair, a book in her hands. She turns to look at me and I notice her midnight blue eyes, a tell-tale sign that she's my sister. Isn't she supposed to be twelve?
'Aaah!' she cries out in shock, nearly jumping out of her own skin.
The sudden jolt tips the chair over. I catch her just before she face-plants into the floor. Dangling from my hand, she clutches the book tight in her hands, staring up at me with wide eyes. I set her down gently before crossing my arms once more.
'So, what're you doing here?' I ask.
'I just wanted a book,' she says, looking away.
'Do you have Father's permission? You're not allowed in here without it.'
She doesn't look at me.
'…No…' she mumbles.
'So you're trespassing. According to Law 325 in the King's Laws, Volume 20, if you're caught trespassing, you are to be executed immediately. Fortunately, you're a female, so your punishment is lessened to service for 2 years.'
'But I'm a princess,' she frowns.
'It doesn't matter if you're a princess. You're not above the law.'
'Are you above the law?' she challenges.
'Only the King is above the law,' I state calmly.
'That's where you are, Big Brother!' a voice calls out from behind me.
'Sandor,' I acknowledge, turning to my younger brother.
His midnight blue eyes shine as they look up at me before turning to our sister.
'Adira?' he asks, a cheeky grin on his face.
'Yes.' I look back at Adira.
Right. That's her name.
He notices her frown and his smile fades into a frown.
'What happened?' he asks with concern.
'Apparently I'm trespassing,' she spits lightly, her nose wrinkling in disgust.
'Big Brother's at it again, huh?' he sighs, looking at me.
'At it again?' I ask, a little confused.
'You're so stuffy with all of those laws!' He pulls a face, making Adira laugh.
'The law is the law.'
'But it's not like anyone keeps to them.'
'I do.'
'And? Not everyone who enters the library has permission.'
'That's why I'm here to stop them.'
'Like I said, stuffy,' he whispers loudly to Adira, winking at her.
She laughs louder.
'How do you deal with him?' she asks, her giggling tapering off.
'With immense pain,' he sighs dramatically. 'It's hard getting him to have any fun. His idea of fun is spending hours poring over those law books he loves.'
'Sounds boring,' she sighs.
'Right?' Sandor cries, perking right up. 'Someone who finally understands my pain! High five!'
The two high five, before turning to look at me. I blink slowly, my mind still processing what's happening right in front of me. Are they… becoming friends?
'Look at that crisply ironed shirt! He's never seen in anything less crisp,' he whispers.
'How stiff,' she whispers back.
'I can hear you,' I remind them. 'And I'm standing right in front of the two of you.'
'So what?' Sandor challenges me. 'We're not talking behind your back, so it's all good!'
'That's not how things work-'
'That's exactly how it works! You're a stuffed shirt!'
'I am not a stuffed shirt,' I say forcefully, feeling indignant.
How am I a stuffed shirt?
'You don't smile,' Sandor counts with his fingers.
'You're always crossing your arms,' Adira adds.
'So true!' Sandor cries. 'You speak in short sentences.'
'And anything longer has to involve a law!'
'Plus you're always in the library.'
'With those crisp shirts.'
'That makes you ~'
They glance each other before looking back at me.
'A stuffed shirt!' they chorus.
'So why are you here, Sandor?' I ask, feeling annoyed.
I start tapping my foot.
'Look! He's fidgeting now,' he whispers to Adira.
'Sandor,' I warn.
'I was looking for you because you're one hour late to lunch with Mum and I.'
'I was busy.'
'Busy my foot! You probably just thought organising those books of yours took priority over lunch!'
'Well, there were more pros than cons-'
'Aha! There it is! The stuffed shirt coming out! Anyway, Mum's waiting for us.'
'First we need to finish with the trespass-'
'You're going to make Mum wait longer?' he asks, an eyebrow raised.
'Bu-'
He stares at me, and I contemplate the pros and cons. Nabbing Adira for trespassing has no pros or cons, but letting Mother wait longer has a long list of cons.
'Fine,' I sigh.
'Good. And you're coming with us,' he says, turning to Adira.
'Me?' she squeaks.
'Yes. You. Look at you, all skin and bones. Mum will want to fatten you up, and since she's going to get a full report of what happened, she'll want to see you.'
'But-'
'Now you're starting to sound like Big Brother. Enough with the buts. We're all going. End of discussion,' he says loudly, covering his ears.
Adira sighs, glancing at me before looking away. Looks like she can also be exasperated by Sandor too.
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As we head towards the Eastern Wing where Lady Violet and Lady Rita reside, I can't help but think of how utterly screwed I am. To think I was caught by Brother Clement of all people! I've heard rumours of him, and he's impossible to sway. No one escapes his crackdown on the laws, and he knows them all. When I say all, I mean all. He's read every single book in the library, and he still re-reads them. He's that invested in law!
Brother Sandor on the other hand, I know very little. He's a mystery to me, and that makes him dangerous. Just as dangerous as Brother Clement, maybe even more so. All I know is that everyone loves him and no one dislikes him. Not even Brother Brutus or Brother Leod, and they're hard to please as soldiers. That says something and nothing.
So colour me surprised when Brother Sandor is able to divert Brother Clement from my trespassing charge. Hopefully, Brother Clement will forget about it completely, along with the book in my hands. There's no way I want to do service for two years as a female. If I do it, those servants will make my life a living hell, even more so than now.
And here I am, heading into enemy territory. I don't even know if Lady Violet or Lady Rita are involved with Lady Kaitlyn and Queen Satine. I'm terrified of them finding out about me knowing magic, especially Clement. What if he reports me to Father? That would be bad. I'm pretty sure Uncle Nox said that any female who's seen using magic is put to death…
That's another no go. I don't want to die so soon after my rebirth. I need to survive. I need to get revenge on the ones that killed Mamma, and I need to be Queen or I become Asmodeus' bride again. So many things to do, yet so little time to do it in. I cannot be caught.
We arrive at the Eastern Wing quicker than I realise, Brother Sandor leading the way.
'By the way, Adira, you're close with Xander, aren't you?'
'Brother Xander? I guess…'
'I guess? He goes and visits you at least once a week for breakfast, but what is he feeding you? You're still so tiny!'
'…He gives me too much food…'
'What's too much food?'
'…Two or three sausages… an egg, some bacon, veggies and bread…'
'That's it?'
Brother Sandor looks horrified and somehow, Brother Clement looks unimpressed.
'That's such a small amount!'
'No it's not. I don't need much…'
I don't usually eat that much anyway. Just one of the slices of bread, some veggies and bacon is enough for one sitting. Any more, and I'm overfull. The rest I keep for another day, or dinner that night. Yes, it's the only full meal I usually have in the week, but that doesn't matter. I can survive on that and a little bit of stale bread for the rest of the week. I don't need that much food. I'm a girl, after all.
Brother Sandor knocks on the impressively large doors.
'Come in,' a sweet voice echoes from behind them.
A butler opens the doors for us, and we step into the tastefully decorated dining room. Full of extravagant flowers paired with simple vases, the room doesn't look over the top, but still impresses the grandeur of royalty. Sitting at the head of the table is a slender blonde lady with sparkling blue eyes, lighter and brighter than our midnight blue ones. She still looks young, yet charming at the same time.
'Welcome, my sons,' she smiles.