Chapter 1 – Princess Saga
PRINCESS SAGA
Ileaned far over the edge of the good ship Trana, reveling in the sea spray as the early morning mists swallowed Avaldenn. I exhaled.
With Frostveil Palace and all the gossip and fanfare that came with my home finally behind me, I had time to breathe. It might only be for two days, and I was here in a royal capacity, but none of that mattered. I savored every moment I was not under my father’s thumb.
“Should we go to your cabin, Princess Saga?” asked Sir Yagril, my favorite Clawsguard. He stood a respectful distance away, brown hands clasped in front of him. He was always careful to give me space and allowed me to daydream and think, my favorite pastimes.
“I’d like to stay out here.” I gazed out at the Shivering Sea, undulating beneath the eerie mist. “Maybe all day.”
“Your father insisted you get your reading done.”
Of course he would. Father hadn’t picked up a book in many turns, but he expected his children to study.
Only Vale, who favored the sword, received leniency, and that was because he was often on patrol or leading the army to battle orc tribes.
Vale’s twin and the heir to the crown, Rhistel, and I had no such excuse.
“Feeling seasick yet?” a voice called out, saving me from pushing back on Father’s wishes.
My heart fluttered as I caught a whiff of golden apple on the salty wind. I turned, already knowing I’d find my oldest and best friend, Lady Sayyida Virtoris—or rather, Captain Sayyida—swaggering my way.
“You’re going to lose that bet,” I retorted with a playful smirk.
“We’ll see. The sea has a mind of its own. Especially as we near Lord Armenil’s lands.”
A thrill ran through me. I’d left the capital of Winter’s Realm before. I’d traveled all the way to the Warden of the South’s black and gold palace, as well as to the lands of the Warden of the East. But I’d never been north.
The territory that Lord Armenil oversaw was said to be even more rugged than the mountains of the south, which I found difficult to believe.
I was itching to see such land for myself.
In the pocket of my trousers, my diary sat heavy, begging me to pull it out and document my thoughts on the journey.
“No writing. It will only increase your chances of becoming ill.” Sayyida joined me in gazing out into the gray-blue waters of the sea. We hadn’t gone too far from land, but the fog already seemed thinner, and we could see farther than when we’d lifted anchor in the port.
“How’d you know I was considering writing?”
“You always get this far off look in your eyes when you’re about to write. What do you put in that thing, anyway?”
Everything. Tales of court. What I could see of Avaldenn out the palace windows and the lives I devised for the fae of the city. My thoughts. My dreams. Sometimes, I even wrote of epic romances I wished to experience one day.
“Silly stories.” I shrugged.
“With a name like Saga, no story you wrote could be silly.”
“Most would beg to differ.”
“Most people at court,” she corrected, “and many of them are fools.”
Though Sayyida did not spend as much time as me at the Winter Court, as a daughter of the indomitable Lady of Ships, she could not avoid the court entirely.
I suspected my peer had joined the Royal Nava to get out of as many feasts, balls, and celebrations as possible.
Though I wasn’t in love with the water like her, sometimes I wished to follow in her footsteps.
Out here, atop the lolling waves and standing in the riotous wind, one felt so free.
Anything could be real, even the most ludicrous dreams of one’s soul.
“I can’t deny that most at court are not my cup of tea.” I shot her a grin.
Sayyida returned the smile. How her black curls blew in the wind and her shoulders rolled back drew me in. She’d been confident all her life. Each and every one of the Virtoris children had an air of self-assuredness, but somehow, the sea made Sayyida even more charismatic.
Heat flushed my chest. Since I’d been old enough to recognize such a thing, I’d known that there was a spark between Sayyida and me.
However, as we were the daughters of a highborn family and a princess respectively, nothing could come of it.
Common fae, even those of lesser noble houses, could, and often did, embrace same-sex unions for their children.
Alas, among the Sacred Eight families of Winter’s Realm and the Royal House of Aaberg—my house—that would never happen.
I was not destined to be queen, but as far as my father was concerned I was a powerful pawn in the game of influence and might.
“I’m surprised your father allowed you to wear that.
” My friend gestured down at my royal blue trousers over which an asymmetrical half-skirt of gold flowed, exposing the front of my hips and legs.
The dress was unique in that it allowed my legs to be shown and provided enhanced mobility.
And yet, the back half flowed to my ankles and the entire skirt was attached to a bodice, so it was still, technically, a dress.
“He wouldn’t have if Mother hadn’t approved it first.” I shrugged.
“Truth be told, she didn’t like the style much, but humored me.
She thinks that all young ladies must make their own choices and mistakes,” I raised an eyebrow the same way my mother had when taking in the dress, “at least, when it comes to personal style.”
“Who made it?”
“Are you actually interested?” Normally, Sayyida cared little about dresses.
“It’s pretty and not constraining like normal dresses. I might try it. Perhaps I’ll wear it to one of those balls that Mother is insisting I attend.”
“How the courtiers will talk! Lady Sayyida, wearing half a dress to formal events!” I replied, my tone playful. “I’m sorry to say that you’ll have to wait. I had six others custom made. They take a half-moon each to create.”
My friend snorted. “Such a pampered princess.”
I swatted her shoulder, only for her to catch my hand and squeeze. As she did so, she turned to me and the light shone on her necklace, a locket displaying a gold dragon. It was lovely, and if I wasn’t mistaken, new.
“When did you get that?” I gestured to the necklace but didn’t let go of her, relishing the warmth of her skin against mine.
Her thumb rubbed over my hand. “When I last sailed to the Kingdom of Flame.”
She’d only returned from that southern court a few days ago. “It’s unusual.”
She nodded to my legs. “When you’re done with the seamstress, tell me her name before anyone else, will you?”
“Consider it done.” I winked at her as I reclaimed my hand and brushed a wind-tossed lock of pink hair from my face. In the action, I didn’t miss when Sayyida’s eyes dipped and landed on my lips. My heart fluttered and, for a moment, the salty sea air electrified.
“Captain Virtoris! A moment?” a sailor called from behind, breaking the current pulsing between Sayyida and me.
I blinked as my friend pivoted and waved at the male.
“I’ll be right there.” Sayyida turned back to me and shrugged. “Duty calls, but I meant to ask earlier, do you need something special to perform your royal function? This is my first time in charge of a blessing.”
While only eighteen like me, she’d already captained many ships in the Virtoris fleet.
The Trana, however, was a brand-new royal vessel on its symbolic maiden voyage.
During such voyages, a member of the royal house or a member of the religious community was always on board to bless the ship.
Usually a Staret or Staretess sailed with the new ships, but most often my mother’s brother, army Captain Vagle, did so. My mother even sailed once.
After much begging, I was finally blessing a ship.
“My mere presence is enough.” I twirled my hand in the air. “Isn’t that obvious?”
She rolled her eyes. “Pardon me, Princess, I should have known.” A smirk grew on her lips. “I’ll see you soon. Stay away from the edges, and remember, no writing. If word gets back to your mother that you became ill, you’ll never be allowed on my ship again.”