~.✧ Ethira ✧.~ [COMPLETE]

~.✧ nineteen ✧.~

Correspondence between my father and Varien began that same evening and within a day, they'd agreed to call a Summit Meeting at the Ethira-Austora Border Palace in three days' time. It'd not even been half a week after Kes and my attempted kidnappings and things were already being set in motion. This relieved me. Yet at the same time, it made me scared to know how much this war was escalating.

On the morning of the beginning Summit Meeting date, long before the sun had risen, Varien and I climbed down the stairs arm in arm and were met with a quiet group of encouragers in the front hall to send us off. Queen Mirellia, Keiva, Anarie, and Kes all stood by the grand front doors to the palace, sad, exhausted smiles on their faces.

As Varien broke off toward his mother, I went straight to Kes and pulled her into a deep hug. She immediately embraced me back and we stood together quietly, not needing words to say goodbye. Since the attack, I could sense our bond morphing and growing in a completely different way than how we were friends before. I almost felt like I was leaving behind one sister to go see another.

"Stay safe," she murmured as she pulled away.

"I'll try." I shot a weak smile at Anaria over her shoulder. "I have great guards going with me."

She tried to take this light heartedly but I regretted bringing up the fact that her brother was going with us. Freshly fifteen not three weeks ago, he'd signed up for the royal guard. He'd excelled in training and while Kes was riddled with worry, I'd seen Anarie practice some; even though he still had several weeks of instruction left to be declared an official soldier, the commander had done right to put him on this assignment. It would be relatively safe because of protection in numbers—there were over a hundred guards attending to our travel to the border—and Anarie was not the least skilled in the group. His eagerness to serve only added to his dependability.

Kes rubbed under her nose and wiped at her cheek, ridding it of the single tear that had escaped her hold. "Be back quickly, okay? Both of you."

Anarie hugged her then and I knew she'd want to say a few things to him before they left. So I turned to Keiva.

Though her smile was subdued, it was still warm and comforting like any mother or grandmother's smile would be. "Don't worry, dear. This will all pass like a quick storm. I'm sure of it."

I wasn't so confident but I didn't say so as I gave her a small embrace. When she peeled back, she pulled a cloth bundle from her apron pocket and held it out to me. "For you to enjoy on the ride. Even if things are dim right now, there is always something a little sweet to remember."

I took the parcel and by the smell of it, it was filled with some sort of pastry she'd baked up. My heart warmed from the small offering, her thoughtfulness touching in a way I couldn't put into words. So I simply squeezed her hand and said, "Thank you, Keiva. Truly."

With sparkling eyes she squeezed my hand back in farewell.

I turned to Mirellia, wishing to speak with her as well before we left. She was in deep conversation with Varien and as I stepped over, she pulled out a little leather pouch from her pocket.