It is just as I succumbed to the words of Vespertite that memories of the past flowed inside my mind. The one which I remember the most, is from when we were little.
It was 10 years ago? I don't know. We were so young, it is all fuzzy.
It was probably our first experience with magic. It was extraordinary. We both loved it. Me and Vespertite, I mean. Me and my sister weren't always like this, you know. I mean, with me trying to murder her, and her just hating me for doing so, and rightfully to tell the truth.
We were siblings. I mean, yeah, we were having fights between each other, but nothing we wouldn't resolve in the mere span of an hour.
I remember, when she held Mother's Surger...it was when she surprised everyone. A rainy day it was. We were all inside the Palace, as always, and we were playing in one of the Halls with Mother and some servants. Father used to work constantly, so we almost never got to play with him...
She held her wand, flickered around with it, until a dark reddish ray of light, burst out of Mother's Surger. Vespertite had just cast her first spell at the tender age of 4.
It was majestic. It burst through the ceiling, with debris coming down at the floor. It was such a spectacle, with some much power and emotion. I haven't seen anything like this before, and I never will, unless she does it again.
Vespertite has always been a genius. She mastered Sorcery at the age of 5, and constructed her Surger at the age of 6. She enrolled in " The Academy of Urgish Editification and Inculcation" at the age of 8, when I was still playing with a girl's toddler games.
She had this refinement around her. No matter how hard I chased after her, she seemed to achieve something much greater, leaving my chasing all the more pointless.
But I really admired her, you know? She was kind of like an older sister for me, even though we are twins. I looked up to her. I wanted to become like her. Master Magic, become as smart as she is, as athletic as she is, follow after her.
Until, at one time, it became frustrating. Vespertite, as we grew older, she became more cold. She started referring to me as "Dear Sister" instead of just "Aristea" or just "Aristoula", which was my nickname, a diminutive of mine, used by Vespertite herself.
She stopped teaching me magic, as her hobbies and homework piled up one after the other. She never had enough room for me. I was also pretty horrible at magic myself, so she must have thought I was a lost cause, which looks like it was true, judging from what she said from her hologram.
Although we were and still are twins, she just defied everyone's expectations. Everyone's, except Father's. What she saw in Vespertite, was just an annoying, hyperactive nuisance that would spend her time in trivialities instead of being a princess, like I did.
At first, I was mad at him. I was jealous of my sister, of course, but I never stopped admiring her. Until my Father started taking care of me.
He showered me with praises, he became my teacher in Magic, he became my teacher in how to be a princess because he had raised two younger sisters of his, all by himself, and he thought he could do the same with me.
He fed me and my ego, so much in fact that at one time, I believed I was the best Magician in the world. I deep inside myself don't believe that, but I just cannot help but hide my insecurities by telling myself exactly just that.
He constantly ridiculed Vespertite in front of me, he belittled her. As time progressed, and saw Vespertite time and again, together with my ego and newfound spring of power, Father's constant belittlement and Vespertite's cold but sisterly attitude, it didn't take very long to snap at her.
And so, my rivalry with her began. I took it as some sort of duel, a healthy competition, to prove to her I was on equal footing with her, hell, even surpass her.
Despite my best efforts, she beat me every time. And I grew sick of it. She just kept on avoiding me ever since. She must have thought I wasn't worth her time. After a heated argument with her, with me arrogantly and aggressively belittling her just as Father constantly did himself, she talked back, and argued with me.
From then on, we were on each other's throats all the time. Especially when Father announced, much to the surprise of everyone, that i would be the Crown Princess, the heiress to the throne of the Empire.
My sister was taken aback, but Father wouldn't really negotiate with her, let alone talk with her.
My alienation with her happened at that time. To me, she was but a simple courtesan, a rival who battled me for the Holy Throne. I tried to get her out of the way, of course, but she neither would budge nor listen.
Finally, I took my measures. I conspired against her with her Fiancé, and gave Father the pretext to kick her out of the Palace. Without hesitation, Father put her on exile in the land of Gelida.
I hoped this would be the last time I would see my sister. The last time I would see this nuisance in front of me. But I guess that's just wishful thinking.
And here she is. She's here to bite my ass. Rightfully so. I tried to kill her, so she will come for revenge. First Ylva, then my allies, then the entirety of the Palace...
Father hasn't got much to live. If I can just hold on until then...all the power will be mine, and only mine. Something that Vespertite cannot become. Something that only I can be. Something that only I can achieve.
Yes, that's right, Aristea. Where's the viciousness you had in you before? Where's all this passion, this thirst for power? Why are you sleeping? Because of Vespertite? Because of someone exiled in the Far North?!
What can she do?!
I slowly breathed in and out, opening my eyes. Glad to see she wasn't there. All of this is a bad dream. Just a nightmare, that I can weed out.
I stood up, laughing a little at my pitifulness. I cannot believe I passed out from hyperactivity. The next time I see Vespertite, I'll kill her myself.
A knock was suddenly heard on my door.
"Your Highness? Your Highness?!"said a worried maid.
I ran to the door, opening it.
"For the love of God, can't you see I'm resting, Maid?!"I snapped at the servant.
"I-i deeply apologise, my Lady, but this is an emergency. His Excellency and Her Excellency are already downstairs, meeting with the guests."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Guests? Who might that be?"
"I don't know, I wasn't able to get close to them. An entire company of men is downstairs, your Highness, and obscured my vision. They looked like they were members of the Porphyroi."
"The Porphyroi?!"
These are the guys I sent to get rid of...!
I sped through the servant, grabbing with my two hands the ends of my skirt so that I won't trip, and passed vulgarly in front of courtesans and maids.
"Your Highness! No running in the Hall!"shout the Archmaid from behind. I didn't comply.
I was just then at the Great Hall, this gigantic place where you could fit an entire army in. It was the South Entrance of the Palace.
What I saw, was countless of men with the Porphyra, this bordeaux cape and their weapons, kneeling in front of the Emperor.
And in front of them...was her.
"Oh, hello...Aristea."
My heart froze. I think it skipped a beat. Cold sweat showered my body.
"I'm glad you accepted my invitation, Vespertite. Although you are in exile, we all think that your subjugation of the Far Northern tribes of Gelida is an exceptional feat."
No way. Father is...praising her.
She bowed elegantly.
"Thank you, father."
The Emperor turned his head to her right, to a girl that was still bowing. I know her from the Odeon. It's the girl the Headmaster sent, probably. The snake...how dare she defy the orders of the Crown Princess! I'll cut her tongue!
I walked next to Father, and sat with mother on a throne next to her, reserved for the Heir to the Throne, looking down at Vespertite and the traitor.
"I'm honoured you asked my oh so insignificant self, her name. My name is Aurelia Taliesyn, Your Excellency. You might know my father."
My father's eyes lit up, and cracked a smile.
"Oh, yes, Taliesyn, the Wall of the Empire. How could I not remember our Digenes Akritas* (=a mythical hero from the Byzantine Empire, the legendary protector of the Byzantine borders). So, you're his daughter."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"She's the one who protected me from danger in my campaign against the Barbaric tribes. Her army is comprised of the bravest soldiers, so she and her companions proved to be a vital tool for our operations."said the calculated Vespertite, shooting a glance at me.
Tsk. She probably accepted the fact that I passed out earlier as a defeat.
"Good, good...you may remain at the Palace for the week, to celebrate your success, before you return back to your exile."
"Wh-what?! Father! You can't be serious...!"
"Silence, Aristea." My father's sharp tone of voice shut my mouth immediately.
"I appreciate it. It wasn't easy to carry so much plunder."
"500 tonnes of gold, am I right? It should be enough for a new coin to get into circulation."
Five-! How many?! Impossible! I refuse to believe that!
Father is giving her a week! If she conquered the Barbarians in a week, imagine what she can do in a week in here! I'll be murdered, and they'll never find my body!
Ok, ok, Aristea, calm down, alright! She cannot do anything inside here. The Palace is my own personal playground. She cannot do as she pleases. I control the game here.
I wish I could just blast her inside here and get this over with! Get rid of her once and for all!
"Well then...let the celebrations begin."
The Imperial Trumpets sounded in the sky, in a majestic kind of way. This was the start of an Imperial Celebration, or a Triumph. This is insane. In this gigantic building, in which the ceiling was kilometres above the ground, rained confetti and all kinds of polychromic papers.
I stared in awe. This is the first time in hundreds of years since someone earned themselves a Triumph by the Emperor.
Vespertite just looked at me, with this devious smile on her face. You can look all you want at me, but you cannot beat me, you fucking coward. There's nothing you can do inside!
This is it; the best chance I have at finally eliminating her! That's it, Vespertite! Your quest for your petty plans of reigning on terror stop right here!