Chapter 1
Hidden within the shadow of a pillar, Alyvia began to crept quietly along the marble floor, trying to remain unnoticed by the dozens of people who had surrounded the buffet table. She had her sights set on one thing as she kept her head down, dodging the curious eyes of the reception guests as best she could.
The plate of food had been stashed behind the massive sculpture, set aside especially for her by one of the cooks. She knew there wouldn't be much time for eating as the royal family greeted every wedding guest that came into the ballroom, so she had to make it worth it.
Sneaking away had been easy, only being caught by her father, who gave her a slight nod and smile after he rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the guests. Why she was the only one of the king and queen's four daughters present for the welcoming of guests, she didn't understand.
Not until she grabbed her plate in one hand and held her skirts, dodged around a few more wedding guests and sculptures, and quickly and quietly opened one door off the ballroom to slip inside the shadowed storage room.
Instantly, she was caught.
"Well, if it isn't the little sister we all knew would be sneaking off within the first hour of the party."
Lyv paused, still facing the now closed door, and frowned. She'd been expecting peace and quiet, not...
Turning, she spotted all three of her sisters and their husbands, grinning at her. Ada, the Lady of Ceron, had a few tendrils of her blonde hair falling from its pins, her plate balanced on her large stomach, round with her third child. Her husband, Gyver, was in conversation with the Lord of Oria and Sora's husband, Bridger.
The lords were speaking about their shared border along Kesyn Lake and the Orobridge Mountains at the northern part of the continent, which was under Ceron control. Though Ceron had a smaller population, it had the most land because of the mountain range. Oria's more flat, grassy lands were used for farming and transported the produce all across Escarral. Whispers had drifted through both territories about movement in the mountains, though nothing was ever known about what kind of movement it was. Even the southern land of Inder, with vast forests in its eastern parts and rolling hills to the west, caught wind of the whispers.
The lords and ladies had uncovered a sofa and a few chairs to situate around a low-lying table they used to prop their feet up on. The sheets that had covered them were tossed over the stacked chairs against the wall by the door. The small area of the room was lit by a dozen candles pulled out of a random crate.
Rhea, the bride, was sitting by her new husband Davon, Lord of Inder, her half-eaten plate sitting on her lap and still in her wedding gown. "We were wondering how long it would take you to come."
"Guess I'm not the only one who persuaded the cook to leave me something to eat before it was all gone," Lyv smiled as she walked to sit down on the sofa beside her. "Where have all of my nieces and nephews disappeared to?"
"We stole Tulia and had her take them up for bed," Sora sighed with relief. "The boys were getting too rowdy sitting through the ceremony."
"I wasn't the one who wished it to be over two hours long," Rhea said to her. "You know how Mother is." She turned to look at Lyv. "You're next, Lyv, so be prepared for the whole wedding fiasco."
Lyv smiled sweetly as she stabbed a piece of seasoned beef with her fork. "The three Lords of Escarral have now been taken after you married my last chance at a happy marriage."
Davon snorted out a laugh, leaning forward to look at her across his wife. "We all have brothers, you know. And your mother has been approached by others vying for your hand. We may all be taken now, but you are the last available princess of Escarral and the most sought-after maiden in the land."
"Thank you for making me sound like a prime mare going to auction. They'd have to catch me before marriage happens. I enjoy my freedom too much."
Just that morning, she'd snuck away from her lady's maid Tulia as she went to retrieve her gown. She was gone for hours on a ride through the forest trails outside the palace walls before coming back, her riding tunic and pants covered with sweat and her boots with mud and leaves. Tulia's face had turned a bright shade of pink at the frustration the youngest princess gave her. Lyv's mother, Queen Guinevere, was the one to yell mostly, asking her what she was thinking, going off for a ride when the wedding was to start in an hour.
"Mother might try to tame you before anything comes of it. I heard her and Father arguing about it the other night. I do not miss those fights of theirs," Sora admitted.
"You know Father will want to wait as long as he can before you're married off, Lyv. You're the baby of the family..."
"And don't forget his favorite," Lyv smiled brightly.
Rhea rolled her eyes and laughed. "He's going to want to keep you around for as long as he can, but marry you off before you can be considered a spinster."
"Or maybe I'll run off and live a normal life in Dalcaine or even Ethran."
All three of her sisters paused, looking at her. Even Davon sucked in a breath.
"Don't joke about Dalcaine," Ada said quietly. "Most of the people here, including all of us, lived through that war. You weren't born yet and Mother disappeared just a few weeks before she found out she was pregnant with you. Had she not fought her way back to us, you wouldn't even exist. She might not treat you as she treats us, but seeing as to all she went through to get both of you back here, I think it's to be expected. You don't help yourself when you rebel against every little thing she tries to have you do either."
Lyv's smile turned into a scowl. For all her sisters had told her about her mother coming back to them after the end of the war, a baby in a sling on her chest, her mother didn't act as though she loved Lyv enough to have endured all she did during her pregnancy and labor. The story of Queen Guinevere's trials during her pregnancy with her daughter Alyvia were of legend now – the queen of Escarral taken in the middle of the night, only to be held in Dalcaine for over a year, before she was finally able to bargain for her safe passage back to her own lands, her infant daughter in tow.
Rhea reached over to tuck a fallen strand of Lyv's hair behind her ear. The dark brown hair was the only thing they shared, though Lyv's almost had a burgundy tint to it in a certain light. "Let's not talk about this any longer as it won't change anything."
Though their conversation turned to how long Rhea and Davon would be gone on their honeymoon and potential names for Ada's new little one who was due to be born in just a few short weeks, Lyv still thought about her strained relationship with her mother, which never seemed to change. She had always been closer with her father, but still yearned for a mother-daughter relationship her other sisters had with the queen.
Once their plates were cleared and piled on the table beside the sofa, the music and chatter from out in the ballroom quieted down before the king began to speak. With one look between the sisters, they and their husbands bolted up, grabbing for their plates and glasses before sneaking back out of the storage room.
No one noticed the group exiting, sneaking behind the pillars, statues, and people, and came in like they'd been there all evening. Toasts were made, cake was cut and served, and the music began again just as Davon swept Rhea up into his arms for a dance. Her sister was beaming and breathless by the time it was over, but only had time to catch her breath for a moment before he swept her up for another go.
"Alyvia, my darling, though there might not be any more lords of Escarral your mother can match you with, we will find you a suitable someone," her father said in her ear as he came up behind Lyv.
"I'm not looking for a husband at the moment. You know that," she smiled at him, looping her arm through his.
His doublet and pants were a dark blue trimmed with gold to match his eyes. Though his dark hair and beard were turning gray, Lyv still thought of him as handsome with his golden crown atop his head.
King Bence reached over and squeezed her hand. "You would rather go out riding or train with the palace guardsmen."
"And you know Mother hates it."
He chuckled. "Your mother has other ideas of what a princess should be doing."
If only she knew just what I could do, she thought to herself. None of them even know the half of it.
Magic. That was what ran through her veins. She was the first one to possess it in the royal family in centuries, but she had hidden it deep inside after her mother and sisters caught her growing flowers in the palm of her hand when she was just four. Though her sisters found it intriguing, even still asked what she could do, her mother told her to stop with the nonsense. Her father, on the other hand, encouraged her to learn, finding it fascinating and exciting just as she did.
"I heard you'd left the palace earlier for a quick ride that lasted a few hours," he smiled then.
"Tulia was smothering me with all this fabric and the corset and all the cosmetics," Lyv complained, lifting up the top layer of her lilac skirts. "If she hadn't caught me, I'd still be in my riding clothes underneath all this so I could slip out to the stables after."
"We'll go out for a ride tomorrow, just the two of us. How about that? But you owe me one thing."
"Deal, but what do you want?"
He nodded toward the dance floor. "You owe me one dance."
Smiling even wider, she nodded before he led herto the dance floor, twirling her around so her skirts flared out before takingher in his arms.
***Hello and welcome to my new story, Map of Ember and Moonlight (or MOEAM for short)! I'm especially excited because this is going to be the first real fantasy story I've ever written. It's definitely going to be something different, but it's going to be fun!
The map at the beginning of the chapter was made by me, of course. I found this awesome website called Inkarnate to make it! You have no idea how happy I was when I found it. Making a map just wasn't going to happen otherwise and I really want to have one!
I have all five books planned out already. That's right. All five of them planned out completely. I've never done that with a series, so it's going to be very interesting to see what you guys come up with theory-wise! And I seriously can't wait to hear them either!
I hope you guys enjoy this story as much as I know I am!
Happy reading!
- Ansley***