"Sorry! Excuse me!" I say bumping into a few members of the mansion staff as I clumsily make my way down the hall. What even just happened? I closed my eyes for one second and it's two hours later. Not to mention I'm still having those weird dreams, but they've never been accompanied with time moving that way.
I run to the basement where the conference room is. As I run down the hall I see Ms. Patricia, head of the mansion staff. She practically raised Elijah, Brianna, and me.
"Alyssa?" She says as I run toward her.
"Can't talk! I'm late, bye!" I stop momentarily to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Stop running in my halls!" She yells out. To her dismay I continue running toward the room, I can hear Father speaking already, damn it. I come to a halt as I reach the door. Taking a moment to compose myself and wipe the sweat from my forehead. Looking down I notice that I'm still in pajamas. Amazing.
My hand shakes as I grab the door handle but I swing it open and walk in with confidence. Chairs creak, and clothes shuffle as the entire room turns my way. It's depressingly quiet right now. And the conference room is quite big. It's an all-white room with a large stage and four golden pillars supporting the ceiling. To the right of the room, the council members are seated. On the left, it's just Brianna, Elijah, and the knight squad.
I spot a seat open next to Elijah and make my way over to him. He looks at me confused, tapping his wrist to gesture the time. I go to speak but trying to explain what happened won't get me anywhere.
Instead, I just shrug as I take a seat. I look over to the podium where Father's giving me the evil eye."As I was saying," he utters. "Lauriel was stationed in District Two when the attack happened. She was able to escape via train and thanks to her we have information on the situation."
What did I walk into? "According to her report," he continues. "There are two multi-seal beings. One a witch, the other a child warlock. The witch was able to create ice fixtures in whatever shape she pleased. The warlock is able to turn the ground into magma. It seems they're making their way through our districts, one by one, destroying everything in their path."
Two multi-seal users at the same time? They aren't necessarily rare on their own. Children are born with multiple element seals every day. Giving them the ability to control two elements at once or more. Civilians don't use seals though. It's forbidden to do so in any district. When my grandfather, Charles, was king, he made a treaty with the other four royal families. Vowing to kill any multi-seal that show any ability by age twelve.
They're looked at as an absolute threat to the safety of the people and royals. So, hearing two multi-seals being able to use their ability to that level isn't normal. The treaty still stands, only the Hazel family doesn't abide by it any longer.
Instead of searching for and killing multi-seals, the Hazel family actively recruits them for their army. Making them our rival in terms of power. While the Valentine army only employs single seal users, they're trained to exhaustion to become to most proficient with their seal.
They teach this history in our schoolbooks, making it sound noble but in reality, they pushed the agenda of multi-seals being dangerous. Labeling them as "witches" and "warlocks." It was Ms. Patricia who told me and my siblings the truth when we were younger. Brianna chooses not to believe it, and Elijah doesn't care.
"My plan is fairly simple," Father continues. "I'm sending the general's squad alongside Brianna and Elijah. I have no doubt that they'll be able to handle the situation.
"Excuse me," a councilwoman says standing up from her seat. "Council member Hughes, your highness...They've been able to defeat whatever forces we had stationed in the first two districts and you believe sending only six is enough?"
She has a point, and just for that, I like her. Normally the council is more worried about filling its own pockets. It's not much of a 'kings council' anymore. Today they're just used as a ploy to keep civilians happy. A king with a council is seen as more favorable to the masses.
"Thank you for your concern," Father chuckles. "But you underestimate my general and his squad. Not even mentioning my children. This team is more than capable. And while it is unusual to see this type of mastery in a witch and warlock, I see no cause for panic."
"Of course, your highness. I apologize for doubting," she bows and takes her seat.
"The team will leave by train tonight at 11 pm and reach their destination in district three by 7 am. That'll give them enough time to set up base alongside the soldiers already stationed there. I've also placed a ban on travel across the districts until this situation is resolved."If there aren't any more questions, that'll conclude this meeting."
He pauses for a moment, waiting for anyone to speak and when no one does he leaves the podium. And so, even though I'm sitting right here, I'm still left out of things.
As everyone is getting up to leave, I head to where Father walked off too. I spot him talking with Thomas in the back room behind the podium.
"Father," I say greeting him as I walk in.
"Alyssa," he smirks, "do you intend on disrupting all of my conversations today?"
I ignore his question."Why is everyone excluding me from everything? You said you're sending your children to help, am I not your child?" I ask instead.
"You're sixteen, Alyssa. I'm not sending you into a dangerous situation. Just because you're my child, don't assume you're entitled to things as well."
"How am I supposed to grow if everyone treats me like a kid?" I ask.
"If I may," General Thomas steps in. "This is just us trying to protect you."
It's like no one understands how I feel. I don't feel like I'm being protected, I feel like I'm being held back. I understand them not wanting to put me in danger but I lose experiences that shape a queen. Experiences that Brianna gets regularly. I used to wish I was stronger, or more like Brianna in general. She's simply better at everything and always got Father's approval. But as I got older, I realized that it's our minds that don't match.
Bri follows in Father's footsteps in terms of her ideals and her vision for the Valentine. This is why I believe I'll make a better queen. Elijah gave up his claim to the throne when he was only nine years old. He never cared for anything outside of drinking and women. The first step I'd take as queen is to end this fear of multi-seals.
Maybe I rely too much on their opinion and what they think. I need to begin doing things for myself, without asking. I take a deep breath and sharp exhale. It's decided then. "I'm sorry for wasting your time," I say heading for the door.
"Alyssa," Father calls. "Believe it or not. This is what your mother would've wanted as well. It's not for nothing."
I hold myself back from scoffing. Instead, I smile and continue walking. As I walk back into the main conference room I see Brianna speaking with some council members.
"Princess Alyssa!" One of them calls me over. I take another quick deep breath in and out before walking over. "Yes, hi everyone," I adorn a fake smile.
"Your sister here was just telling us her plans for the kingdom once she becomes queen. She actually credited you with a lot of the ideas."
"Oh, She did?" I say taking a quick glance over to Brianna. She nods her head. "Your idea to use witches in our military like previous generations was especially interesting," A council member says.
I can feel the smugness in the air. They're trying to mock me. Some are even visibly drunk. Councilwoman Hughes gives me a sense of acknowledgment though. "I think the treaty is a bit outdated is all," I say.
"Yes, and we should lower our family name to depths of the Hazels, right?" Brianna asks.
"Maybe they're onto something," I say just to get under her skin. She doesn't bite.
"If we let them roam free to do as they pleased, we wouldn't have a kingdom any longer," she says. "They can form a group and overthrow us, like that," she snaps her fingers.
"You're living in fear," I reply.
"Fear?" She scoffs. "How about calculated caution? Not everyone makes decisions because, 'oh, it makes me sad.' she says making a pouty face.
And with that, I think I've had enough of my family today. I politely excuse myself before I try punching anyone. I step outside and lean my head up against the door. I am not enjoying today.
"What's going on with you today?" I hear to my right. Ms. Patricia is holding out a cup of milk. I grab it and take a sip, "the usual family stuff," I say.
"Come, walk with me. I have some more work to do in the kitchen." She says. We walk down the hall and into the kitchen. The first-floor kitchen is the biggest in the mansion. It accommodates the many conference rooms on this floor.
"So, talk to me," she says walking to the sink.
"I can do those for you," I say. "I don't want to talk about my problems while you're doing dishes."
She looks at me blankly before smiling, "I said talk. Not do the dishes."
Okay, where do I start? "It feels as if I'm fighting for respect I'll never have with this family. I just want them to listen to me. Strength is the only thing that seems to matter to them, that and this hateful way of thinking. I need to become stronger. I'm nowhere near the level Brianna was when she was my age."
She picks up a plate from the sink and begins washing them. "Is power your goal or becoming queen?" She asks.
"Becoming queen, of course, but how can I do that If I'm too weak?"
It's not even like I'm really asking her. I know it's something I have to find out on my own. Being a princess isn't something I'd say I actually enjoyed in the first place. I never cared for the theatrics of it all. It's just a title. Valentine's are seen as the apex royal family. Our kings and queens are expected to be tough, cold, natural-born leaders. I'm none of those things. But I won't stand by and let them continue to rule the way they do.
"You have a good heart, Alyssa," She replies. "And that's a leader's best quality. Not how strong you are. You're being heard whether you realize it or not."
"That's great and all, but Father still won't choose me over her at the end of the day."
"Maybe that's true. But I wouldn't stop trying. I've been working in this mansion for sixty-two years. In all that time, one thing I've seen is that power makes people fear you. Compassion makes people want to follow you. Build with compassion and you'll find like-minded people. You don't have to be anything but yourself, and that's the first step you need to take in order to become queen. Brianna isn't trying to be you, stop trying to be her."
I feel warmth in my stomach all of a sudden. She always says the right thing. I feel hopeful….for a second until it's pushed away by my thoughts. I'm not sure how far compassion is going to get me with Father.
She stops rinsing off the plate in her hand, rinses the soap off of the sponge, and her hands before turning the faucet off. I get nervous as she suddenly turns to face me. She's frail now but she still has that scary parent aura about her. "You know I love your sister," she says placing her hands on my shoulder. "But I see a lot of your Father in her, his younger self. Time has made your father wiser and he's not the same person he was twenty years ago."
She takes a moment as if she's finding her words. "What I'm trying to say is that I have a little hope your father can see those same qualities in Brianna. Would she make a good queen? Probably, but those qualities that they both share always come back to haunt them. You worry about standing out in your own way, you don't need to compare yourself to your siblings. Did I make it clearer this time?"
"Yes," I smile and nod with tears in my eyes. "Well...when you say I should stand out in my own way. I was sort of thinking earlier of sneaking onto a mission with Brianna and Elijah. I don't know all the details, and it's stupid...I know."
"I don't think it's stupid. Dangerous, yes and if it were up to me I would say no, but as I said, you have to make your own decisions."
I throw my arms around her and squeeze tightly, "thanks, Gram."
"No problem," she squeezes back. "Oh, your dreams." She continues. "Are you still having them?"
"Oh! Yes!" My mood suddenly shifts to that of nervous excitement. "I had one today and it was so…vivid. I still haven't seen her face but I saw her hands and she spoke to me. Only two words: my darling."
"My darling?" She asks, seems she's just as confused as I am. My excitement fades, I was hoping she'd immediately recognize those words. "Is that something she said often?" I ask. She shakes her head, "not that I can recall. That sounds terrifying though."
Very much so now that I think about it. It's stupid of me to think she's somehow sending me messages from the beyond. How can I even be sure it's her…I've never heard her voice.
I take a deep breath in and out. "I better get going if I want to do this thing." She smiles and gives me another hug, "good luck, and show them what you can do."