A/N: Hey, everyone. Sorry, I disappeared again, but I have my reasons. Currently, I have some issues with my mental health and personal life. Covid is kinda ruining everything, and I'm constantly worrying about my future. The truth is, I'm facing a very important decision and a difficult challenge right now that will have a huge impact on my life. I have no other choice but to take a break. I'm not going to give up or anything, but this will take a while. Matura calls. Some Europeans might understand. So please, be patient until around...well, July. Gotta get that education.

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. It's short but better than nothing.


For a lover's heart, being far away from their beloved is one of the biggest pains. The distance makes it ache and suffer endlessly until they find themselves in their other half's arms again. Cassandra is feeling exactly like that. The terrible feeling of being so far away from Elsa continues to shatter her heart into countless pieces. She's not sure how long she can endure this pain that makes her want to scream and destroy everything in sight. There's no way she can exist without her soulmate, her lover, her Elsa, but the torture seems ceaseless. How long is she supposed to wait like this? In bed, longing with a heart full of pain and sorrow. Will she ever see her lover again? Cassandra is not sure anymore, but she remains hopeful. Maybe something magical will happen, and Elsa finds herself falling for the princess.

Princess. A sigh escaped Cassandra's lips as she stared at the wall across the room. How unusual, she thought as she sat on the edge of her bed. She finally managed to get used to being called a queen, and now she's a princess again. But she must admit, her current title makes her life more comfortable. Being a queen means a much bigger responsibility, and it's more complicated than what one can imagine. It's not like in fairy tales and books where the royals organize balls and parties. At least not for her. She genuinely cares about how she rules, and nothing is more important to her than her people's well-being. And her mother, the beloved Queen Zara has always been her role model. Zara is everything that makes a woman the perfect queen. Her kind and well-meaning spirit are known across the lands of Ovrilon. She's incredibly smart, regal, polite, even beautiful, and most importantly, a perfect mother to her children and her people. Her caring nature definitely makes the Queen appear more sympathetic, and Cassandra hopes that she's at least somewhat like her.

Cassandra kept gazing at the wall, countless thoughts running through her mind as she heard a knock coming from the door. It's been hours since she spoke to her mother, and the sun is already saying its last goodbye. She wondered why anyone would disturb her, the princess, who probably has no other duties than deciding what to wear. Or perhaps she has other things to do. When her father was the king, Cassandra did most of the paperwork. But she was so young when her mother died. She never had had a chance to prove herself as the crown princess. Regardless, she shall let the person enter and listen to what they wish. "Come in." She said in a stern tone.

Her head turned towards the entrance's way as she witnessed the person enter. Cass gulped, her heart began to beat faster and her body tensed by the sight of her brother stepping into the room. Since her mother's death, Cassandra never in her life would have expected to have a sibling, let alone have one this close. Thankfully, just like Cassandra herself, Anatoly resembles the Queen. His hair is dark as a fateful night, and his eyes, those cold orbs, are like the morning fog that could make anyone feel lost. If Cassandra is twenty-four years old at the moment, then Anatoly must be fourteen. Knowing his age made a tremble rush through the princess' body. Fourteen wasted years, all just an illusion, nothing more. And despite that, she still dares to wonder what kind of person her brother might be. He looks like their mother, but does he behave like their father? That would be most unfortunate considering Wulfacar's fate. But blood doesn't turn into water, and the two siblings must share a thing or two with the person who fathered them.

Anatoly sheepishly stood by the door as his eyes met with his sister's. He didn't say anything for a moment, which Cassandra found very strange. "Can I help you with something?" The older sibling asked as she gave the young boy a questioning look.

"Mother told me to tell you that dinner is ready. You don't have to, but she'd like you to come." He paused for a second. "It seems like she wants to speak to you after it is over. But that's not the only reason I'm here." The prince added quickly, making her sister wonder. He took a few steps closer to Cassandra's bed while kept her gaze locked on him. "Something must be wrong. This is the second time today when she wished to speak to you in private. Is she hiding something? Or you will have to do something, unless you've already done it, of course. Either way, you two are keeping a secret."

Raising an elegant eyebrow, Cassandra gave her brother a questioning look. Anatoly is definitely not like Wulfacar. He's much smarter than that. "What makes you think that we're hiding anything?"

"It's simple, Cassandra." Hearing him say her name caused the princess something that she has never felt before. Even such a simple thing as that sounds different coming from her bother. He's a stranger, and yet he's so familiar that it makes the princess' head spin with confusion. "You're both behaving differently. Mother is worried, and you're not quite yourself." In Cassandra's opinion, the kid must be extraordinary at observing things, but she can't quite judge him yet. "That's what makes me think that you're keeping a secret."

Cassandra felt amazed and terrified by her brother's knowledge. Surely, it could have been that Cass or Zara made a little oopsie that Anatoly managed to find out. Regardless, he still managed to make his sister feel impressed, which isn't something that happens every day. Cass had to remind herself that nothing that happens here, not even the people are real, and no matter how much she might enjoy the presence of her relatives or specific activities, she must leave this place as soon as she can. "The problem is, you are not wrong." She saw no point in hiding the truth from him. It's better to tell Anatoly now, not like it would change the princess' life in any way. "There is a secret, a quite interesting one that you might not believe. I'm afraid I can't tell you the whole truth."

"Then give me the brief truth without telling me too much," The boy demanded. "It's not like I'll tell anyone. Okay, maybe uncle Zander, but no one else." He added with a shrug, making his sister think for a moment.

Unsure whether to reveal anything to Anatoly, Cassandra bit her lip and then released a sigh. "Alright, but make sure Zander doesn't tell anyone. He's worse than a village full of grandmothers." She said half-jokingly, and that made Anatoly smile a little. "Look, it's not going to sound normal at all. But..." Taking a deep breath, she mentally prepared herself for the conversation ahead. She lowered her gaze to her hands resting on her lap and confessed the truth. "I don't know you, Anatoly. I have no idea who you are or what kind of person you might be. Forgive me, but I didn't even know you existed until I woke up this morning. To me, you're a person I had anticipated for years. Someone who never showed up. I know that our mother was pregnant but in my memory, my brother died right after he was born, without a name. And our mother followed."

When Cassandra raised her head to look into Anatoly's eyes, she found him staring at her with a ghostly expression. His face was frozen with no emotions, and Cass immediately wished she could take back everything she said. Anatoly's lips trembled by the harsh truth, and he found it hard to speak. "But if we both died..." He managed to begin saying. "Then what happened to you? Who ruled Ovrilon?"

"Our father did." The older sibling shook her head. "King Wulfacar of Ovrilon." Her voice slowly turned cold and tense as memories of the tyrant flooded her mind. "He made me his heir, his crown princess, and then sent me away from home. I traveled the world and learned what it takes to be a true monarch, something our father wasn't. And yet, he used my knowledge for his selfish plans, to conquer the lands of our neighbors, to shed the blood of his enemies. I fought in battles, watched my soldiers die so that I could escape and shake the pillars of King Wulfacar's empire. The good people of Ovrilon suffered under his rule, and that's why I had to bring him down."

Cassandra could tell that Anatoly was shaken by the news. Perhaps he doesn't believe her and thinks of her as a fool. Either way, that doesn't change the current situation. "I'm not sure if I believe you, Cassandra, but you carry great magical abilities. Something we don't share." Could that mean that Anatoly has no powers? Or perhaps less significant ones? "I know that there must be some truth in your words because anything's possible with Cassandra Cordelia Reeve."


A/N: Some of you might be wondering why Anatoly seems so mature. Well, I have no clue about kids of any age, that's why he's like that.

I hope you still enjoyed this chapter. What do you think about it? Or the story in general.

Once again, sorry because I won't be posting for a while. That goes for all of my stories. See you soon!