𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙙𝙮

1.

1. First Lesson

the very first lesson they teach you at the academy, is that a proper lady doesn't slouch, doesn't curse, and doesn't express their emotions loudly, but after almost a full two weeks of carriage rides and terrible fire cooked meals, my teachers would simply faint at the words I wanted to say, and how I was sitting. There is no way a woman can sit perfectly straight for more than six hours, I refuse to believe it. Especially when you are trapped in a small box with your family, including a drunk older brother who had motion sickness..

It took four days to reach the end of Polis, and another two just to go past the outside villages without causing a huge ruckus, mother and father were kind to the villagers, maybe a little too kind. The six days away from my bed back home were excruciating, and the six days I was stuck with my brother constantly singing about alcohol and woman pressed against his sides wearing nothing but their undergarments was even worse. Leon had managed to piss off every person in and out of our carriage, including the horses.

The rest of the travel to Tartarus from the outskirt villages was relatively calmer than the previous days, Leon ran out of alcohol, and complained for three whole days straight, but other than that, it wasn't all too bad.

But by the time we reached Tartarus' gates, the high, beautiful walls surrounding an even prettier village, I was about to cry out of pure happiness. I could take a lovely mid-day nap that didn't include my family talking right in my ear the whole time, and I didn't have to worry about weather or not a spider was crawling on my back, well, maybe just little worry. Couldn't be too safe, I would never know what little creatures were crawling around those old castle walls, nor did I really want too.

"Leon," my mother scolded, nudging her son's shoulder with her hand, though, I'm sure it didn't feel like a nudge to my brother. "Leon wake up." Mother's voice was stern, and adding that onto the bright sky and a borderline punch to his shoulder, my brother was awake within seconds.

He was a drunk, but he knew when our mother wasn't messing around.

Elera giggled from her seat beside me, her book closing softly as she laid it on her lap, the grey cover blending in with her muted dress. Her eyes crinkle at the edges as she stares at our brother, his messy hair falling in tight curls around his face. He looked like a total wreck.

"Nice nap?" I say, watching as Leon whips his head around to face me, blue eyes meet (y/e/c) as we lock into a staring contest that I would ultimately win. His eyes were too dry to be kept open for too long anyways.

"It was splendid (y/n), thank you for asking," he grumbles, earning a scoff from mother again. She hated it when we didn't speak up or clearly, she was the embodiment of every academy teacher ever, I guess it was from all of those extra classes she took. She made the terrible decision to stay an extra three years in that terrible place, with the 'no slouching in the hall' signs posted at every corner. It paid off in the end though, my mother is now seen as one of the most intelligent Queen's to ever rule Polis.

I take that as a compliment.

Father wasn't with us, he rode ahead a few days before we left, saying he wanted to make sure everything was set up correctly, and that there was some business to look over. So, it was just me, mother, Leon and Elera inside of the carriage with the occasional guard asking if we needed anything. I missed my father, it was boring without him making terrible dad jokes.

"We are almost at the castle Leon, would you at least appear to be sober?" Mother asked, her voice softening ever so slightly. She was the type of person to sympathize those who will end up with a hangover, even if they weren't even drunk.

"I am sober, mother dearest," Leon stated with a frown, his hand running through his black hair, snagging on the many knots. "Sadly." Elera scoffs.

"I'm surprised you haven't died yet, how long ago has it been since you stayed sober for more than three days?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Leon grumbles, turning his head away from our sister. He must not remember, or just didn't have a good time with it.

"Elera, we both know he will stock up at the ball," I say with a laugh, my sister joining in as well. I even heard mother's quiet giggle, Leon was not impressed.

I hear trumpets sounding outside of our carriage window, the beautiful melody ringing through my ears. I've heard it every time I've attended this celebration, and I would never get tired of it. It wasn't loud enough to cause a headache, and wasn't quiet enough so you couldn't hear, but just right. And the progression of the sound was elegant, even if it was on a trumpet. I didn't enjoy those things, weren't my favorite instrument to play; I enjoyed the piano most.

My siblings and I leaned forward to gaze at the castle, the light grey, stone pillars reaching as high as the clouds, lush green vines trailing down the sides, spiraling down onto the lower towers. Huge glass windows along most of the walls, I could see the servants and over nobles gathered in them to watch as we arrive.

Elera points to the sky, seeing an eagle fly between the blue roofs of the towers, watching with amazement in her eyes. She was always a fan of nature, always loved the animals. I did too, but I enjoyed reading and practicing my piano more.

"Look my children," mother says lovingly, gesturing to the court plaza where the King or Tartarus waited with his wife, dressed in deep orange and white, their crowns settled on top of their heads. But that wasn't what my mother was talking about, she was talking about the man dressed in navy blue and gold, brown hair streaked with gray, I could remember braiding his hair as a child. Golden crown with muted blue sapphires embedded into the shining metal.

Mother wasn't talking about the rulers of Tartarus, she was talking about my father, who waited patently for his family at the castle walls.

The trumpets quieted down, and the applause of the nobles began. Mother pulled out mine and Elera's tiaras from her bag at her side, and helped us smooth out our dresses before stepping out of the carriage. She fixed the small nots in my (h/l), (h/c) and placed the tiara on my head, coping the movement for Elera as well. She always did this, it was comforting in a way.

Leon wasn't obligated to wear his crown, so mother held on to it, knowing he wouldn't wear it anyways. Elera grabbed her book in one hand, took a deep breath in and sat up straight, forcing me to do so as well. Because the first lesson they teach you in the academy, is that a proper lady doesn't slouch.

March. 10