Assassins of Amrynn

Escape the Palace

The Next Morning (1 Astris, 13077)

"Wake up," My servant Keliana yells at me. "You lazy girl,"

It's barely past dawn.

I wrench my eyes open. "I am not lazy. I was up writing. I couldn't sleep,"

"Yes, because you have a hard time falling asleep," I can hear the distaste in her voice.

Keliana is a whore. Last week I found her snuggled up with the new stable boy when I returned from my afternoon ride. I assume she had a good ride too. She was all giddy for the next hour. "I have other things on my mind aside from stable boys,"

Keliana rolls her eyes.

"Don't be prissy. You were the one who got caught," I swing my legs over the edge of my bed.

Keliana helps me into my red and gold dressing gown. She ushers me to sit at my table. A platter of food awaits. As I eat, she lists off my day. A bath is in order, studies after, then I go into town to shop for dresses with Mother.

Great. Just what I wanted. To spend a whole afternoon with my Mother. I love the female to death, but she's so hypocritical. That is the last way I want to spend my afternoon. Besides, I don't need new dresses.

On second thoughts, I may be able to sneak away while she's not looking and check the mail. On the other hand, I may not be able to. But on my third hand, I welcome the challenge.
_____

"Stop fidgeting," Keliana says.

"It's too tight," I growl back. My damn corset is so tight. It's hard to breathe. Mother says it adds to my figure. I'd rather not pass out. I like living even if it's counterintuitive to my side profession. What fun I have at night.

"It is not,"

"How would you know,"

Keliana sighs. She picks up her pace. I have little choice but to take longer strides to keep up with the shorter female. "You're late,"

Hardly. Late isn't in my vocabulary. I'm never late. If we take the quick way, we'll arrive three minutes before my tutor. The long way we'll arrive at the same time. And he will say it's not acceptable.

"Take the short way. It's faster,"

"What short way?" I give her a pointed look. Keliana sniffs and walks faster. "We are not going that way."

At least we will arrive at the same time.

Today I'm presenting my paper on the so-called spirit king. He's not our spirit king. Ours is a spirit queen. She was more renowned than her husband. The spirit king I'm talking about was once a lord from Thavisea. He travelled across the sea to a distant land. From there, he gave birth to a new kingdom. He named the land Seraphina.
_____

"Lyra, enough fidgeting. Stand still," Mother chastises. Twice in one day. I'm not that fidgety. Lyall's worse. Far worse. She should see him in court meetings. The ones I'm not supposed to listen in on. Oops.

Ow!

I glare at the seamstress fitting me for a new dress. Not even a flinch. Good for her. She must have seen something in her youth.

Why does the dress have to be white of all colours? It's not even a colour. It's a damn shade. Why buy it? We all know I'm going to ruin it. And to be honest, the skirt is absurd—near double the amount of skirt I wear.

"There, all done,"

"Give us a spin, Lyra,"

"Mother, I'm not 5," Mother swirls her hand impatiently.