Time:
Morning
Age: Elira – 6 years, Kael – 3
years
The palace woke earlier than usual.
Elira noticed it at once.
Servants passed her room more often. Their steps
slowed near her door. When she walked through the corridors, bows came
quicker—but their eyes no longer slid past her.
They lingered.
She sat in the small study room assigned to her,
hands folded neatly on her lap. The window was open, but she felt no breeze.
Kael sat across from her, arranging wooden
pieces on the table. "They're counting," he said quietly.
"Counting what?" Elira asked.
"Who looks at you. Who avoids you. Who reports."
Elira swallowed and looked down.
A maid entered with tea, her movements stiff.
"Second Princess," she said, bowing. "By order of the Inner Court, your lessons
will begin today."
"Lessons?" Elira repeated.
"Yes. Reading, etiquette, and history. You
will attend them with your elder sister."
The words settled heavily.
Kael's fingers paused for just a moment.
Elira nodded. "I understand."
When the maid left, Elira whispered, "They
want to see if I fit."
Kael nodded. "And if you don't… they will decide what to do with you."
Later that morning, Elira was led to a larger
study hall.
Her elder sister was already there, seated
straight-backed, her expression calm but distant.
No greeting came.
The tutor began the lesson without delay, his
voice smooth and formal. Elira answered carefully, choosing her words slowly,
afraid of standing out.
Too clever would be dangerous.
Too slow would be worse.
During a pause, she felt her sister's gaze.
Not angry.
Not kind.
Measuring.
By the time the lesson ended, Elira's
shoulders ached from holding herself still.
That evening, as lanterns were lit across the
palace, Kael spoke softly.
"This is how it begins," he said. "Observation
dressed as care."
Elira lay back on her bed, staring at the
ceiling.
"Will it ever stop?" she asked.
Kael did not answer at once.
"No," he said finally. "But we can survive it."
Outside, whispers followed her name through
the halls.
The empire was watching.
And it would not look away again.