A Princess' Tale

Chapter Eight

I leaned over and grabbed Edward's face, pulling him closer. He didn't appear to be pale or any sickly shade. Regardless, I asked him if he was feeling alright.

Edward removed my hands from his face and rolled his eyes. "Tati, you wound me."

I laughed. "Your words confuse me."

It was a few days later. We didn't have much of a chance to elaborate on Warrior Angels when he first asked me. Mother needed my assistance shortly after. I had tried to seek Edward out the following day, but he had disappeared again.

Finally, here we were in the library once more with the doors locked. My mind couldn't make sense of anything Edward had just told me. It'd all sounded like a comedic tale one would hear by a storyteller at a festival.

"You are telling me about angels and magic," I said. "Those are two words I've never heard in my life."

"You have heard about magic," he assured me.

"When?" I smiled, still believing he would quit his game and laugh with me. Any moment now.

Edward squinted at me instead. "Do you not remember learning about the strange occurrences surrounding Queen Anita? Have you never wondered why only she and Queen Beatrice were the only ones with brown eyes? And do you not find the way the Interlopers War ended a bit... fabricated?" He sat up straighter, and I saw something different in his eyes. I couldn't decipher whether it was fear or excitement.

I swallowed hard. "Eddie, you're frightening me. Why are you asking me all of this?"

"I don't want to scare you. That is why I'm being honest with you now. I've discovered our kingdom has more secrets than we could've ever imagined."

"How did you conclude that?"

"I have my ways." Edward furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm informing you now because you are going to be queen someday, and I need you to know the kingdom you'll be ruling."

This continued to feel like a jest. Quite a horrible one now, but a jest, nonetheless. I couldn't bear the idea of shutting him down and pushing him away. He was trusting me with this information. Whether false or not, I owed him the chance to speak his mind. He was my brother. More than that, he was my twin and best friend.

"I'm going to assume everything involves angels and magic?" I asked. "Brown eyes, the war..."

"The angels were once known as the Great Holy Deity's soldiers. I'm still unsure why people quit believing in them, but they exist."

"You sound confident."

"It's the eyes, Tati. Why is such an ordinary color not the norm?" He gestured between us. "Why do we not have brown eyes, but our great grandmother did? She was the first since Anita. That was centuries apart. Both times, there was intense conflict between our family and the Interlopers."

"Yes, the Interlopers were formed during Anita's time. They remained on their side until they rebelled again during Beatrice's reign."

"During the next brown eyed queen's reign." Edward smiled with such child-like wonder in his gaze. "See, I believe a person with brown eyes has magic. It is the mark of magic."

"Where do angels come into this, then?" But I widened my eyes, answering my own question. Even so, I let him speak.

"Angels grant the magic," he said, mirroring my thoughts.

"How are you so certain about this, though? How did you even learn about angels?"

He groaned and shook his head. "Fine, I'll tell you. I know all of this because I met a group that calls themselves Inferum cantivat. They are the last believers in magic and angels, and some of Queen Beatrice's biggest supporters. They informed me that one of Beatrice's closest companions was part of their group during her reign. They assisted Beatrice during the war, helping her awaken her magical abilities and use them to end the battles."

I stayed silent a moment, allowing this information to settle. It sounded like something from a novel—a made up tale from the most creative author. Perhaps Edward was writing a story?

"How can you believe everything these people tell you?" I asked. "What are their sources, anyway?"

"I know it is difficult to believe. I wanted to laugh in their faces when they told me everything. It wasn't until they told me to check behind Queen Beatrice's portrait that I started to believe." Without me asking what he meant, Edward reached into his doublet and yanked out a purple rag. He tossed it at me, and I simply stared at it when it landed in front of my hands.

"A note was attached to it," he explained. "Beatrice wrote that it belonged to Maribel, the only best friend she had ever known. These people carry these cloths with them as a symbol to other members. Tati, their mission is to remind our people about the Warrior Angels and to expose the horrible secrets our family hid. Beatrice was not an awful person like most would believe. She knew everything, and she was forced to stay quiet. Such a heavy burden would blacken anyone's heart."

I pursed my lips and picked up the cloth, spotting the initials M.S. on a corner.

"I want to be useful to you," he whispered.

My heart dropped, and I released my hold on the cloth as well. Then I faced my brother, and I nearly didn't recognize him.

Since we were children, Edward had been the brightest light of the room. He was the one to make everyone laugh or—in the case of unsuspecting noblewomen—fall in love. He had that natural charm, and he used it well. I could count on my fingers with one hand how many times I had seen my brother upset. Even during those times, he managed to recover quickly and return to his jests.

Right now, however, I feared he'd truly lost his ability to smile.

"Why do you say thar?" I asked. "You are not a tool, Edward. Anyway, you have helped me in so many times, so many times."

"Yes, I've helped you sneak off with that prince. That is not exactly helpful with the duties you will have soon enough." He scratched his head and looked away. "I know I have always said how grateful I am to not be in your position. The truth is, I'm still grateful." The right corner of his mouth twitched.

"I know you are likely not even thinking about giving me any title or responsibility because of the way I've behaved. I am not asking you to give me anything now, but I want to help you in the best way I can. In case you ever do need me, I want you to feel you can depend on me for the more important issues. Therefore, I need you to know everything about Aristol. I need to gather all this information, so you are prepared for anything. I want to help you be the great queen you are destined to be."

I felt the gooseflesh rise on my arms and felt the tingle of my heart racing. Although I never denied Edward could be so passionate, I found myself astonished.

But most importantly, I was proud.

I lifted the purple rag and smiled at the initials. There was no harm in accepting something so beyond my imagination, especially if it came from someone I trusted.

Therefore, I nodded and smiled at him. "Angels give magic to those with brown eyes. I want to learn more about these angels and how magic works."

Edward's face lit up. He leaned back in his chair and exhaled loudly. "Allow me to happily explain everything I've been told, then."

Despite the strange way my stomach kept twisting, I did my best to remain calm and encourage him to continue. Who was I to be skeptical, anyway?