Whisper of Blade | ✓ (Crimson #1)

Chapter 31: Death of a Dream

Minerva once had a dream.

In the spring, the season when the sakura bloomed—their paper-thin petals drifting on the wind like butterfly wings—she and her family had a picnic on the palace lawn. Her mother and Auntie Dina chatted while sipping expensive Aeron wine. The Emperor dozed in the shade, his upper lip and long mustache twitching whenever a petal managed to land on his face.

She and Vren had crouched at the edge of the koi pond, pointing at the fish with their small fingers and discussing which one was prettiest.

"I like the black and white ones," Minerva said, sucking on her thumb.

"My favorites are the red and white," Vren answered. Then he called to Auntie Dina and asked which ones she liked best.

"They're all beautiful. Come and help us eat the cake!"

They scrambled back to the cloth set on the ground and watched their mother slice the fluffy, fruit-filled dessert.

"You should give the biggest piece to Min-min," Vren said. "She's small, so she needs to eat more to grow strong like me."

"Ah, you're such a thoughtful brother, Vren," Auntie Dina praised. She picked up a bit of strawberry that had fallen off the cake, gestured for Minerva to open her mouth, and popped it in.

Minerva had chewed on that strawberry and looked at Vren with eyes full of hero-worship.

"Between the two of you, Min will be spoiled rotten," Kovine chided, but she gave her a generous slice regardless.

Since she filled herself on cake and the food that had come before, Minerva had no appetite left for her favorite bean bun pastries. Later on after bedtime, Vren snuck into her room and unwrapped a cloth to reveal one that he'd saved. They tore the bun into two and ate it with quiet giggles and whispers so their nurses wouldn't hear.

"I learned about Korlana's son and daughter today," Vren began. Minerva always listened to Vren's recitations of his tutors' lessons with rapt attention, waiting until she'd grown old enough to have lessons of her own. "Korlana ruled one big empire, but they split it between them and that's why we have the Pyro and Draco Empires today."

"They split it like" —Minerva's brows furrowed in intense thought— "like we split bean buns?"

Vren laughed and had to put her blanket over his face to keep from being heard. "Yes, but splitting empires isn't smart like splitting bean buns. You don't eat them." He got that faraway look in his eyes when he talked of grand things and Minerva wished she could see what he could and think his thoughts with him. "Mama says it would be better if the empires were united again. And I think instead of me splitting my half with you, we can rule it together."

Minerva played with her last bite of bean bun, not looking up. "I don't think ... I wouldn't be good at it." An old woman's insults rang through her ears. "My skin is too light."

"You have Korlana's blood as much as me, don't you?" Vren countered. "You could at least be a general and lead armies, or a peace talker like Auntie Dina and have people join our side."

The bean bun fell to the floor, forgotten. "You really think I could be like Auntie Dina?" Minerva asked, crawling across the bed. There couldn't be anything better than following in the path of the person she loved most. If in doing so, she could help Vren too, then she would want no higher goal or aim.

"Think? I know you could. We can do anything we want to do and be anything we work to be," Vren said, smiling. He stuffed the rest of his pastry in his mouth and put his arm over her shoulder to pull her into a rough hug.

Minerva knew he was their mother's golden boy—the favored child and heir. She didn't care. The real sun did not deign to shine on her, but Vren did. She would be the moon to his sun, and didn't mind at all if he eclipsed her with his brilliance.

It was a beautiful dream while it lasted.

It was more than a dream. It was a memory.

She just didn't know when it was that everyone else had decided to wake up without her.