Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
NISSA
Every Fae knows the story of the origins of Castara and Vaylor, our first king.
Thousands of years ago, when Apollyon betrayed the human’s god, Elohim, a war broke out between the two.
Asteria, the Goddess of the Stars, and Gaia, the Mother of Earth, condemned the demon god’s actions and assisted Elohim in banishing Apollyon and his vampires to their own world of Alhena.
The goddesses’ betrayal enraged Apollyon so much he swore retaliation.
So, to protect their people, Asteria and Gaia left the human world for new homes.
Each created their own divinely designed world, each made to amplify the energy and powers of their peoples.
Pollara for the witches, and Castara for the Fae.
Gaia built out the Fae world, Castara, with two kingdoms ruled by one king. The Two Kingdoms—Solevara and Varethiel—each surrounded by elemental lands. The lands – Terrania, Aquaria, Ignaria, and Aeronia– were created to forever feed our energy, providing the Fae with immense power and protection.
Gaia placed our first king, Vaylor, on the throne and decreed that his queen would not fall pregnant until it was time for a new king to be raised up to rule.
Prophecy and history show that on each prince’s date of birth, a female baby – the Daughter of Gaia – would also be born, providing a betrothed for the prince.
Prince and Princess were to be trained side by side and would replace the current monarchs on their majority birthdate.
The same day that they would come into their magic.
When Queen Isolde was preparing to give birth to the next king, our goddess decided to shake things up a bit. Instead of one son being born to the royal Vaylors, there were two. And instead of one female baby, there was Nova and me.
The Fae’s first two sets of twins. Both born on the same day.
In the following weeks, the High Priestess of Castara consulted the Goddess Gaia to determine what this could mean for the new generation of royals.
The priestess’s answer was one I have always been thankful for.
Caspien and Nova were the first born, so they were who Gaia intended to rule.
Cillian would be second-in-command, and I was there to assist Nova in anything she needed.
Well, at least until they decided it would be easier just to send me to the outskirts of Solevara to live at the Homestead, my family’s farm before we were born.
But no one foresaw this. No one expected the Daughter of Gaia to die just weeks away from becoming the queen.
Leaving me, the forgotten daughter to fill her shoes.
A sharp breath fills my lungs as Caspien and Cillian approach.
Unlike my entrance, the crowd falls back instead of pushing forward, heads dipping towards the floor.
I guess I don’t have the same reverence and fear of the princes as the rest of the room.
I’ve been around them often enough during my required yearly visits.
Nevertheless, I don’t truly know them. Not any more. And I have had no desire to.
After I was sent away, it was clear that Nova didn’t want me anywhere near Caspien, her betrothed, and Cillian has ignored me for years.
So just like my sister, the two males in front of me are essentially strangers.
Strangers that are held on a pedestal just because of their birthright and birthdate.
Unfortunately, it seems they’re now about to become a big part of my life. For a moment, I consider continuing my exit and brushing past them out the door. Instead, I pull my shoulders back, taking them in with my new reality.
Both Caspien and Cillian are on the taller side, even for Fae, giving them an intimidating presence.
Even from across the room, their elemental energies are permeating the air.
No one could question how powerful these males are, despite most Fae’s powers waning and the full extent of the twins' powers suppressed until their birthdate in a few weeks.
I wonder if they’ve even been affected by the destruction in the elemental lands.
The Goddess obviously created the Vaylor twins to appeal to every female in the Two Kingdoms. As usual, Caspien is put together and polished, his face clean-shaven and his midnight hair slicked back.
Thick with packed muscle, he strides forward, his deep crimson suit and black shirt tailored to fit him flawlessly.
The clothing accentuates his dark features and represents the element of a Fire Fae.
And Cillian is… well, Cillian is frustratingly perfect. I have no doubt he’s just as strong as his brother, but he has more of a long, lean body. Wide-shouldered and narrow-hipped, to me, he always looks ready to cleave into the water. Which makes sense for a Water Fae.
Tonight he has a scruffy-jaw look that is annoyingly tempting.
I take in how his light brown hair is slightly rumpled from his habit of running his hands through it and the way his dark navy suit compliments his ocean-blue eyes.
They’re brighter than normal, with a hint of a sparkle like sunlight shining off rippling water.
I shift uneasily as he moves closer and continues to stare at me.
The Goddess really should have pulled it back a little on these two.
But they’re Vaylors—the ruling family—and the royal heart stones hanging on each of their chests identify them as such.
The chosen family of Castara. The two stones dance with their elements over their hearts, burning fire and swirling water.
“You look stunning tonight,” Caspien says in greeting to me, the deep timber of his voice as warm as Fae fire. “You look just like her…” he adds, shaking his head slightly.
His expression is tinged with sadness and something else I can’t place. I don’t know him well enough to decipher how he intended the words, but it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. His betrothed—my sister—just died.
Nova and I were identical in many ways— but outside of how we look, my twin and I could not be more different. Not that anyone would know that since all they ever saw when they looked at me was Princess Nova’s sister. The thought of Caspien replacing her with me trails an icy finger down my spine.
“Very original,” I mutter. It’s the best I can manage. “You would think being a twin yourself you could come up with something a little more creative.”
Cillian’s low chuckle pulls my attention towards him. “Something funny?” I demand.
“Not at all, Nis.” His lip quirks up at the corner. His eyebrows make a quick jump, his eyes swimming with stifled amusement. “It's a nice dress.”
“Don’t call me that.” I narrow my eyes on him. “And you don’t have to rub it in.” I throw my arms out, letting them fall into the massive pile of tulle heaped unflatteringly around my waist. “I didn’t pick this thing.”
Caspien’s mouth thins as he takes us in. The playfulness on Cillian’s face drops off.
Goddess, I wish I was back at the Homestead, and it’s barely been an hour since I’ve been announced as the princess.
Cillian and I were friends when we were younglings. Best friends. More than best friends. Until we weren’t.
I used to look forward to visiting Solevara for Beltane each year.
Cillian and I would send wisps to each other, counting down the days, filling me with the same child-like anticipation as waiting for my seedlings to break through the soil.
Until that excitement withered and died.
His wisp stopped coming and he stopped responding to mine.
And the next time I visited it was clear why.
I may not have had time to process being the princess yet, but what I do know is that he doesn’t get to treat me like tree fungus for years and now suddenly act like we’re friends when it suits him.
I was able to handle it when I was paraded around for a couple days and sent back home, but now… We’re going to have to set boundaries.
I open my mouth to tell him exactly what I think when someone links their arm in mine and begins to pull me away. Instinctively I pull back until I realize who’s by my side.
Queen Isolde Vaylor.
Like her son Caspien, she’s a Fire Fae. Short brown hair hangs in soft waves framing her face.
If I didn’t know that the seamstresses had been banned from weaving magic into the dresses I would have thought this was alive with fire.
The ebony fabric of her dress flows down her body like liquid, making the fire in her eyes glow.
We’re both on the shorter side, but she holds herself like she is the tallest woman in the room.
I instinctively straighten my shoulders as she pulls me along. Every head turns our way as we pass, each Fae subtly taking notice of her.
Isolde has always kept her distance during my visits to the Elite City. Almost like I was one of the servants, which was fine with me since she’s kind of terrifying. It’s clear where her sons get their superior attitudes. A spark always remembers the fire that gave birth to it.
To the rest of the room, we probably appear like perfectly normal acquaintances, linking arms, sharing a quiet conversation.
But she squeezes my bicep with her other hand, making sure I continue to walk with her.
There will undoubtedly be a reminder of her blood-red manicured fingernails when she lets go.
Gliding us away from her sons and through the room, she gracefully smiles and nods at the Elite, while she talks under her breath to me.
“Princess,” she says, voice low, “I regret that you have to be pulled into this so quickly. But it could not be helped.” Her tone leaves no room for question or challenge.
“With such a direct attack on Solevara, the Fae are unsettled. The loss of your sister is regrettable. But when we announce the incident to the rest of the kingdom, we must avoid panic. Especially with the coronation so near.”
I open my mouth to ask the details of what happened to Nova, but her fingers tighten even further, effectively cutting off my words.
“As the royal family, we must assure the Two Kingdoms that this loss will cause no problems. Gaia’s will is clear.
You are your sister’s twin. Therefore, you are one of the Daughters of Gaia and will now be announced as such.
This will pacify all fears. It is your job to put your feelings aside and simply smile. ”
One of the Daughters of Gaia. Yes, I was born the same day as the Prince but they have never considered me as such. Nova was the decided Daughter, the Princess. I snort at their new opinion of me and she shoots me a sharp look.
Gaia can be quite volatile. When she’s happy there’s great peace through Castara, but when she isn’t…
she makes it known. I don’t actually remember much of that peace.
The destruction of the elemental lands started when I was just a child.
Attacks on the very lands that she created to provide us with power, essentially cutting us off from our natural source of energy.
Everyone has their opinion on why the Goddess is weakening the world she blessed. Many of the theories are more murmurs of concern about the royal family being unable to fix whatever has upset Gaia. I can only imagine how much yesterday’s storm increased those concerns. And Nova’s death…
Queen Isolde’s appraising eyes move from my toes to my face with a disapproving curl of her upper lip. As if I didn’t already hate how this dress makes me look, she just set it in stone.
“Be sure to stand up straight. It will give the Fae in the room more confidence in you.”
I realize she has led me to the stage, and she is ascending the steps towards King Kiel.
A moment later, the king makes the official announcement about Nova’s death. When he motions to me, his solemn expression is replaced with a benevolent smile. His declaration telling everyone I’m the Daughter of Gaia. The Princess of Castara.
Then the wisps go to work, sending word through each element to every Fae in the Two Kingdoms.
And all I can think is- this isn’t how I imagined joining the Vaylor family.