It was on a winter's month when Maveria was born.
The weather outside was cold but it could not compare to the warmth her family surrounded her in. Although King Tiberias the Sixth hoped for another prince, having a princess was also a joyous occasion. It meant an addition to the royal family and most importantly, another child for him to care about.
Cal was the most excited about the sibling he had. Though he was only two, the nursemaids used to comment about how Cal would quiet every time he saw his sister. These were remarks Cal heard from his father as he grew up. "Your sister would always be there to quiet you down after every tantrum," Tiberias VI would say casually when discussing his childhood. To this Cal would respond, "Say no more, you embarrass me" before sharing a good laugh with each other.
Maveria's childhood was carefree and enjoyable. Despite Elara's absence during her early years, due to her disappointment that she was a girl, she always had Cal and her father, the king. Tiberias, her father, seemed his wife had missed out on their wonderful daughter. He used to joke around saying that Maveria was a boy at heart, a lady in the skin.
Being the only princess called for countless gifts and pampering. As Maveria was the only current princess in the family, it was only natural for her to be treated with great love among her family. The periodic visits to the Dowager Queen proved useful in her growth as a child. It was Anabel who took the role of her surrogate mother, the only elder female present in her life.
Despite her being a girl, it didn't mean Maveria was any less useful than her brother. Although men were prized more simply due to their gender, women served their uses as well. They could be used as bargaining chips for neighboring countries. From a young age, Maveria knew that if the Lakelands (their long-time enemy who lived just across from them) wanted a peaceful alliance, she would be handed over without a second thought. Yet this didn't stop her from devouring ancient texts and writings, subjects males were pushed to learn more. She was constantly training in the ring with her brother to hone her fighting skills. These skills Maveria learned just as well as feminine arts, if not better. She much preferred showing off her intellect rather than her sewing or singing. playing instruments. Time had molded her into a cultured lady who surpassed all expectations.
Just as time had shaped her into a woman, time had also forged her face into a thing of beauty. Even at a young age, Maveria possessed a high degree of allure which only increased as she aged. Her skin was as clear and white as snow, her hair a dark colour of ebony. However, it was her eyes that were the best. They were a delicate shade of blue, like ice but warmer touch to it.
Queen Elara found her daughter's temperament to be a little too delicate for her liking. As a result, she resented Maveria more and more due to nothing more than her personality. And she was a girl, something else, the opposite of what she so wanted to have. Daughters were soft and useless, incapable of doing great things. Maveria was nothing more than a failure in her mother's eyes.
As they aged, Tiberias and Anabel had to distance themselves from their children. As such, Cal viewed it as his duty as his older sibling to continue caring about his younger sister. From a young age, they had established an unbreakable bond and due to her brother's influence, Maveria grew up with a pure mind and heart. Cultured, and beautiful she was, but also virtuous and kind. To her brother, Maveria was a loved sister. To Norta, she was their beloved princess, one that came every hundred lifetimes.
As per their royal duties, the siblings would tour their country often. And those who saw the two together complimented them both calling them the perfect duo. But those who saw the princess would fall deeply into a trance. They would fall onto their knees almost worshipping her like a goddess. They began writing poems, immortalizing her legacy in nothing more than song. Rumors began to spread across the kingdom like wildfire. And in a turn of fate, some had spread outside the kingdom and into the ear of the newest Lakelander king.
Kano Cygnet, the new King of the Lakelands was an intelligent, cunning, and highly ambitious individual. His early childhood had forced him to grow up early and with the death of his late father, he took the reins of his kingdom torn by war. Within the first month of his reign, he received praise and support from society for his great feat. His early years of a starving, weak kingdom had begun to flourish again. It's just like water, he would think to himself. Water, it being an essential ingredient to make dead crops grow again. And I will never see them burn again under Norta's flame.
Kano had a vast network of spies in Norta, possibly larger than King Tiberias did in the Lakelands. His information came from his "little birds" as he liked to call them. They would listen and then fly back to him, chirping whatever they could. Most secrets were of no use to him, nothing more than chit-chat from Norta herself. That was until his trusted bird came to him, twittering the little messages into his ear.
"I hear the princess of Norta will be touring the country again."
Kano turned around to face the messenger. "What did you say Blue?"
"I said the princess of Norta will be touring the country again," repeated Blue. "She will be going with her brother and the rest of the royal family."
"Go on."
"Her name is Maveria Calore," the bird begins, placing down a picture of the princess. "That's how she looks like."
Kano picked up the picture tentatively, his fingers spreading over the image. The outfit she wore told him she had a sense of style. Yet this wasn't what he was most interested in. His eyes stopped on her own eyes printed on the picture. They were like icy gems, perfect yet so cold.
He threw the picture back down on the desk. "I'm interested. Tell me more."
"They call her Songbird of the North," Blue continues. "Or Rose of the North. Their Golden Princess. She clearly outshines her brother, Norta's heir."
The king fell into deep thought. "I knew Tiberias had a princess, but how come I haven't heard about her much until now?"
"They were rumors circulating," Blue replied, "but they didn't seem like anything of use so I never reported them to you."
A flash of rage flickered through Kano's dark eyes. Though quick, it didn't go unnoticed by Blue who pleaded for the king to spare him for which of course he was granted pardon.
It was this network of spies that made Kano a formidable opponent to go up against. Such an opponent was what scared King Tiberias the most. The possibility of him losing everything was frightening enough. But he didn't need to fight at all.
Life continued as normal. Either side resumed their usual business. The only change was Kano's new obsession with Norta's princess, her every action intriguing him greatly. But Maveria didn't have a clue. She went about life as she wished to do.
After a few months had passed since his enthronement, an unexpected letter arrived for King Tiberias. It was from Kano, asking for an end to the war. It was great news for Tiberias who no longer had to send his own citizens (even if they were Red) to die. And to have his greatest rival write the letter to him was an even greater success.
They were scheduled to meet at the Choke where the negotiations would be discussed and finalized over. "To resolve things peacefully," Kano wrote, "is the ideal solution for both of us. I hope to see you there."
Tiberias planned to go. He would rather not take the risk of fighting with the new king. Yet as the day grew closer, he grew more unnerved. What if it was a trap? What if it was all a lie? Still, he had to do it for his country.
After a few days, they both arrived at the Choke as planned. There Kano stood, tall, handsome, and very much unfazed by his surroundings, unlike Tiberias who was large, with a drooping belly, and intimidated by the war zone around him. Whatever it was, Kano was determined to go through with whatever plan he had in mind.
They both met at the center of the pavilion at a plainly decorated wooden table. If both felt nervous, they didn't give a single sign to the other.
"I'm glad I arrived here on time," Kano begins, sitting down. Tiberias mirrored him, taking a seat on the plush chairs for them. "There were many . . . disturbances on my way here. Thankfully I remained undeterred and it looks like my effort has paid off."
Tiberias shot him a weak smile. "I'm sincerely glad for you or else there would be no opportunity to end the war."
The king of the Lakelands mirrors Tiberias and smiles. "Of course. After all, we only have our country's best interests at heart."
A long stretch of silence passes between them. Both size each other up. One end is occupied by a young, promising ruler and another by a fumbling, old, but experienced leader.
The moment is broken by Tiberias himself. "Shall we begin?" he suggests quietly.
Kano's smile widens. "As you wish."
It didn't take long for them to lay down some terms between the two. The Choke was to be divided evenly with each country sustaining the other's needs. The Lakelands were plentiful in terms of harvest. Norta had lots of electricity. Everything seemed to be going well, that is until Kano brought up the final piece of his plan.
"I've heard that you have a younger daughter," he says lightly. "Maveria was her name?"
King Tiberias stiffens. "Yes."
"Well then," Kano waves a hand, no longer needing to feign ignorance. A servant comes timidly and places a scroll on the table. Kano passes it over the old king who furrows his brow. Without a second thought, Tiberias unrolls the paper to reveal neat handwriting outlining a-
"It's a marriage contract," Tiberias muses. "You wouldn't mean-"
"My dear neighbor," the Lakelander king begins. "This treaty could work but your word isn't enough. I need insurance that you'll be serious with this."
The Lakelander was unafraid of saying his wants plainly. In fact, it seemed as though he wanted the other to know his desires. It scared Tiberias. No Silver would state their wants boldly unless they had a plan. "You see," Kano says. "It will be the strongest bond between countries while also preventing conflicts within the future generations. You kill two birds with one stone."
"I don't . . . is there any other way?" King Tiberias asks, his voice quiet. All he could think about was being separated from his only daughter. "What about my son-"
"An alliance may not need to be made with your son," Kano answers, already having prepared a response. "Although I only have a female cousin at my dispense, your son is too precious. Princess Maveria will suffice."
Incomparable beauty. A kinder heart beyond one's imagination. Those were the few rumors that Kano was given but they tempted him enough. In fact, Kano had a bit of an obsession with the gossip about her. He was fully prepared to accept that she was not as others said she would, but he had an inkling that she was what other's described her as. Still, Kano would have to wait and see.
In this situation, Kano's proposition was enticing and something King Tiberias could not refuse. One person for the lives of many. It was his daughter but . . . these are the duties of a princess right? Perhaps he needed to put some thought into it. What if she didn't consent.
She must as a princess, one voice said. She must contribute somehow.
But she is my daughter! Another voice replied, panicking. How can I bear to part with her?
King Tiberias smiles to disguise his discomfort. Tiny beads of sweat begin to dot his brows that he desperately tries to hide. "I'm sure we only have our country's best interests at heart," he says through a forced smile. "But Maveria is still young and mischievous really. Are you sure-"
"I am sure," the Lakelander king replies with such finality and strength in his voice. "Would you believe me if I said I desire her?"
"You have not even met her."
"I'm sure you are more familiar with your daughter's personality better than I am," Kano says. "If the rumor of her virtuosity, kindness, and beauty does not exist, would you be so proud of her as you are today?"
The king of Norta finally breaks out in a cold sweat. Maveria was his treasured daughter. Even if he did not love her mother, he could not bear to marry her off to some monster. It was risky, too risky.
Finally, Tiberias nods his head. "I will send you my response soon."
"I'll be waiting," Kano says quietly. There was an air of deadliness in his voice. "I'll give you two days."
Tiberias gaped. "Two days?"
"Fine," Kano replied, clicking his teeth. "One."
"I'll need more time than that."
"I'm already being generous," he replies, eyes glinting. "Two days and I hope to see you back here on the third. Unless you wish to send your response before then. I'll be glad to receive it."
Both locked eyes and walked off the pavilion in a slow manner. As soon as they reached their carriages, they departed as quickly as possible from the war zone. Kano was pleased with himself; he had pushed King Tiberias in the direction he wanted him to go in. The king of Norta on the other hand was worried. Objectively speaking, the treaty was balanced in Norta's favor. But in order for it to come into play, he had to give away his only daughter. To make matters worse, he only had two days to make his decision.
As soon as he reached Whitefire, Tiberias locked himself away with both Queen Elara and Cal to discuss what Kano had proposed. Elara did not care for her daughter and pushed for it. She did not need this child. Maveria was too delicate and too hard to manipulate because of her pure heart. Her whispers could hardly penetrate her strong morals and her own headstrong, opinionated self. Cal, on the other hand, opposed the idea vehemently. He even offered to fight on the frontlines to keep his sister in Norta.
"That's my sister!" Cal says, his teeth clenched shut. "She's more precious to me than anything. And you want to send her off to a foreign kingdom?"
"Do we even have a choice?" King Tiberias replies, sweating profusely. This entire ordeal has made him stress more than he had in years. "I don't want to make enemies with the new Lakelander king."
"Still!" The Calore prince fumes. "I will fight on the frontlines to keep her safe. If you even dare suggest selling her off again-"
"No need," a voice says at the doorway. "Cal, you wouldn't need to do that."
Both the prince and king turn their attention toward the person at the doorway. It was Maveria, looking as regal as a princess should. There she stood, her beauty as evident as her resolve.
"I heard that Father went to the Choke to meet up with His Majesty Kano of the Lakelands," Maveria says, walking into the room. "Father shut himself in his room so quickly. I wonder what the matter is."
"Our father," Cal begins, fuming, "met up with the Lakelander king to end the war. A treaty was made but at the cost of someone's life."
The princess raises an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Yours," her brother replies, clearly enraged. "This treaty will save millions of lives in our country but you will be marrying off your own daughter to that monster of a king-"
"It's a 'one-for-many' trade I'm making here son-"
"DON'T YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE?" Cal yells. "THEY LOVE HER. HOW CAN THEY BEAR TO PART WITH MY SISTER, YOUR DAUGHTER?!"
The king remains silent, clearly at an impasse. As much as he loves his daughter, he might be forced to hand her over to the Lakelands either way. If they win, their lives might even be spared because of Maveria. Tiberias could not even imagine it . . . what if his country was conquered? His family would kneel in defeat in front of Whitefire where perhaps their lives would be spared. And Maveria . . . he could not spare to think what could happen if she was taken forcibly then to save her family and dragged to a bedroom where the most unspeakable things could happen to her . . .
Cal opens his mouth to scold his father more but he is never granted the chance.
"As much as you care for me Cal, you never once asked me what I thought," Maveria says, cutting his thoughts off. "I am no longer a little girl you need to protect. Let me make my choices and let me retain my autonomy."
Turning to them both, she smiles. "If Kano desires me then I shall give in," Maveria continues. "No more lives will have to be wasted on a useless war."
"But- " Cal splutters before slamming a fist onto the table. "No," he says finally. "I won't allow it."
"You cannot control what I decide for myself Cal," Maveria replies. "This is my choice."
"If you leave," he begins, "I will drag you right back as Norta's heir acting on behalf of our country's integrity."
"Father," Maveria begins, curtsying lowly. "I plead with you to let me take on this myself."
Time stands still. Then the dreaded answer comes out of King Tiberias' mouth.
"I'll let you."
Hello everyone.
It's my birthday today! I just wrote this really quickly, but it's an idea I had for a long time. I'll update it and finish this story soon, but until then I hope you enjoy whatever I have written so far haha ^^