The Wicked House of Caroline

Beks trusted the system the late Queen left her. Though Nexus had limitations, it was still more useful than the royal information network Laurence used. It also could spread news organically, which would help with public opinion in the future. In addition, she could plan for emergencies when she could not be in contact.

She didn’t leave for another two hours, as she dutifully reviewed the various philanthropic projects Nexus was engaged in. The flood control project should’ve been overseen by the Ministry of Public Works, but there was a lack of funding. Communities could band together to take on public works projects, but it was rare, as they often required much more money than a community had.

With the recent donations, their team had the funding to take on the project. This was enough to make Beks satisfied despite the information about the twin princes. She tried to convince herself that they were alive, as they were not ignorant, sheltered noblemen who knew no difficulties. Uncle Timur had often taken them out to ‘train’ and they’d often showed off what they learned to her.

She returned to the palace in the same carriage she’d left it, stopping once for some snacks outside and food for the guards, maid, carriage driver, and footman who had spent half the day waiting for her.

When they reached the old gatehouse, another of her maids was waiting for her. Beks felt her heart shoot up, wondering if she was in trouble for having left. She’d notified the chamberlain like Laurence told her, but she was still worried. Were they looking for her? Was there an urgent matter that needed her attention? She’d only been gone a few hours.

“His Majesty was nearly killed,” her maid said as soon as she got into the carriage.

Her heart sank and she told the driver to go faster. She began doing her breathing exercises to calm herself despite the maid assuring her that Laurence was fine now, it was just that there was an accident.

“Brother Laurence!” Beks didn’t wait for the footmen to open the door once the carriage stopped. She threw open the door by herself and jumped out, grasping her skirt as she ran up the steps into the Gilded Palace.

“My lady, His Majesty is in the East Library.” Chamberlain Wilton was in the foyer, appearing to be waiting for her. He looked worried and half chased, half led Beks to the library.

The old man couldn’t keep up with the young woman, despite her wearing a long dress and heeled boots. The library’s double doors were open and Beks ran through, almost skidding to a stop immediately as she took a sharp breath and looked at the mess before her.

The East Library was a storage library. It didn’t have an open space for a study table or chairs. It was wall to ceiling shelves of books with rows and rows of shelves as tall as two people each. Each side of those shelves was filled with texts and only one wooden staircase with wheels was inside for use getting to the books at the top.

The room was usually well kept, but the wooden shelves were now piled on top of each other on their sides like toppled tiles while all the books that had been stored on them littered the floor. Dust was still in the air and the scent of old books was stronger than ever as dozens of books were displaced, wide open.

Beks tore her eyes away from the mess and looked around. The second and third row of books were fine. They hadn’t toppled over. It was only the first row, but it went across the entire room.

“Beks!” Her eyes finally settled on the man standing against the wall with a dark look on his face. Laurence was wearing a tight-lipped frown.

“Brother, are you all right?” Forgetting his formal title, she jumped over the piles of books and rounded two servants picking books off the ground to get to the man. His arms were crossed and as she rushed forward, he must’ve noticed the fearful expression on his face. His eyes softened and he uncrossed his arms.

“I’m all right, Beks.” He studied her face for a bit and touched her head. “I’m not hurt. Don’t be afraid. Breathe.”

Her heart was beating quickly and she shut her eyes. She forced herself to focus on breathing to calm down. While it was clear that Laurence was safe, the lingering knowledge that the Second and Third Prince were missing and possibly in danger, coupled with this accident in front of her made her anxious.

Two foster brothers were unaccounted for. Beks had already lost her foster mother. If something happened to Laurence, the foster brother who loved her the most since she arrived in the palace, she didn’t know what she would do. As he stroked the back of her head as if she were a child and counted out loud to assist her calming technique, Beks was able to refocus.

She swallowed hard and opened her eyes, turning towards the pile of wood. The first shelf in the row was split across horizontally, as if it had snapped. “What happened?”

“I walked across to get a reference book in the back row when I heard a creak and then a sudden crack. I paused for a moment and before I could step into the aisle to look for a source of the sound, the shelves began to come down.” Laurence let out a heavy breath and looked at the broken shelves and scattered books with pity. “Luckily, I was able to get out of the way before the shelves on either side of me fell over. I would’ve been crushed by the books and between the two shelves if I didn’t get out of the way in time.”

Beks squinted her eyes. “Was anyone else inside?”

“Thankfully, no.” Laurence looked relieved. “The guards remained outside. I was just passing on my way to my study and no one else was there that I saw.”

She gritted her teeth and stepped over some books to kneel beside the wooden shelf. There was splintered wood where it split, but no signs of rot, animal damage, or an ax. But why only the first one? Was it because its placement in the room exposed it took much and it aged faster? The weight of the books?

“We should’ve had the library checked for any damage from age,” Laurence said as he looked around the large room. “The building is new, but these shelves were brought in from the Old Tower’s library. They’re far older than the Gilded Palace.”

Beks understood that, but she couldn’t rid herself of the knot in her stomach. She wasn’t fully convinced that it was an accident, though she had no proof.

“Brother! Are you all right? I heard you were hurt!” Another voice shouted from the entrance to the library and Luther had to grab on to the door to stop himself from tripping on the books on the ground. His face was paler than normal as his eyes swept across the room to find them.

“Luther, I’m fine-”

“I told you not to go into the library!” Luther pushed himself against the door to try to make his way to them without running into the servants picking up books or the debris.

Laurence let out a heavy sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “That’s not what she said.”

Beks looked up from where she was kneeling as a chill swept through her. She slowly rose to her feet. “What do you mean ‘not what she meant’?”

Laurence met her eyes and gave her a small shake of his. “It is nothing-”

“Iris said this morning that she dreamt that brother was hurt by books.”

“Hurt by books?” Beks frowned. “What does that mean? She dreamt he was crushed by them?”

“She didn’t say exactly what her vision was, only to tell him to be wary around books,” Luther said. He looked over Laurence to assure himself that Laurence was not injured. When it confirmed that Laurence was fine, he gave his brother a frown and looked as if he wanted to stomp his foot on the ground. “Brother, why didn’t you listen to me? I took a carriage back to the Gilded Palace before I finished my breakfast just to tell you.”

Laurence seemed to tense up. His exasperated expression turned dark once more as his eyes narrowed. Beks turned her head towards Luther.

“You were at the Hall of Eloquence this morning?” she asked in an even voice. Luther froze in place. His eyes widened and he glanced at Beks’ expressionless face before darting away. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. “It’s fine you spend the night with her, but do not make it so obvious.”

His head snapped up and he looked at her with a pale, horrified face. “Beks, I didn’t-”

She raised her hand to stop him. “Your attentiveness to your partner deteriorates my status in the eyes of witnesses. I am effective because I am your fiancée and there is the assumption that I carry royal influence as a result. I can do nothing to assist you and Brother Laurence if I am seen as a joke.”

Luther lowered his head, unable to meet his eyes. She’d told him several times already to restrain anything that could be perceived as an affair during their engagement. His eyes crinkled up.

“I didn’t spend the night with her,” he said in a pained voice, as if he were the victim. “I only went to join her for breakfast. The Hall of Eloquence is large and there are only a few people there. Attendants and servants don’t dine with her; she was lonely.”

“How many meals has Beks had alone because others were busy?” Laurence asked in a low, disgusted voice. “I was told that you’ve eaten with the oracle every day since she arrived. How many meals have you had with Beks since you returned?”

Luther took a step back, as if he’d been dealt another blow. In the last week, he’d eaten nearly every meal with the oracle. They could count how many meals he ate with Beks present on two hands, which included banquets.

“Brother, it’s all right.” Beks stepped forward and gave Laurence a small shake of her head. “His Highness and I are in a political engagement. This is not a romantic match.”

“Both of you grew up together. How can there be no fondness?” Laurence said with a frown.

“I am fond of Luther,” Beks replied. To her left, Luther’s head perked up. “We are partners, him and I.”

“I trust Beks,” Luther told them as he took a daring step forward. “Of course, I want to support her. She is my fiancée and everything she does is for the sake of me and our family. I respect her greatly, Brother.”

“Then act like it.” Laurence snapped in a low voice as he sent a scalding glare at his younger brother. “From now on, you will not have any private meals with the oracle.”

Luther gasped and almost reached for Laurence’s arm to try to dissuade him. “But she is my guest-”

“She is the guest of the kingdom, not yours alone.” Laurence pulled his arm away the moment Luther came too close. “You are well aware of the protocol you are supposed to follow as a Prince of Kadmus. Mother gave you the best wife she could; she didn’t engage Beks to Laz or Cian despite being older. She engaged Beks to you. The daughter with dawn in her hair is going to be your wife. If you cannot accept her and decide to disrespect her position, and be with another before her position in the family is official, then I will cancel the engagement and let her choose between the twins!”

Luther trembled and backed away from Laurence as if he’d be struck. His mouth opened and closed like fish out of water, looking at Laurence with disbelief. No one could deny the privileges and respect Luther received because of who he was engaged to. He knew just how their engagement benefited him in business, as well as in politics and amongst the people.

It would be humiliating if Laurence reneged the engagement, especially since it directly opposed their mother’s orders. If Laurence really wanted to, no one could stop him.

Luther slowly shook his head. “But...I am the most fitting. The Second Prince...he’s too crude and rough for Beks. And the Third Prince is a priest...he’s drunk the Water of the Covenant. She’d never have children because of that.”

Laurence, appearing even more infuriated by Luther’s lack of self-awareness, snapped. “Then I will allow her to marry both!”

“Brother-”

“Go to your villa and prepare the projects I assigned to you!” Laurence lifted his head and glowered. Beks thought he was going to throw his arm up and point to the door, but didn’t. “Not only have you missed every court session since the oracle arrived, but I also haven’t seen a single report from you this entire week. I want to see them all on my desk by tomorrow, otherwise I will take it as a reflection of your dereliction of duty and lower your, and your father’s, monthly allowance accordingly! The royal family will not tolerate idlers!”

Luther seemed to shrink further into a ball as he dropped his head. He gave a small nod and took a step back to bow, but tripped over some books. He fell against a pile that had been stacked up by a servant, sending all the books tumbling back on to the floor as he floundered around.

Laurence rolled his eyes and clenched his jaw as Beks stared at Luther with cold eyes. She knew he’d missed the court sessions, but didn’t expect him to have submitted no work. She’d sent him outlines and notes to assist him with the projects he was assigned to. Did he not look at them at all?

“I’m sorry, Brother. I’ll finish them at once and have them sent to you.” After finally regaining his stability, Luther bowed to his brother and then swept out of the library as if being chased by a ghost.

Laurence closed his eyes and took a low, deep breath. “Stop aiding him in his work. He is an adult member of this family and should do what is expected of him without having to depend on you for everything.”

Beks almost wanted to laugh. “Isn’t that why the late Queen engaged me to him?”

Laurence scowled. “You should’ve been engaged to Laz or Cian, but that shrew of a man begged mother to engage you to his son instead. Laz is strong and cunning, he’d protect you well. Cian is gentle and thoughtful; he would treat you far better than Luther.”

Beks lowered her eyes. She remembered that about the twins. She had been quite close to them in the few years they were in the Gilded Palace with her. Thinking of their unknown statuses made her stomach twist. She tried to make light of the king’s worry. “Well, together they’d make a good partner, but I can’t marry them both.”

Laurence lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Beks. Luther is making your job more difficult.”

She shook her head. “It’s not your fault, Brother. You didn’t raise him.”

Laurence sneered for a moment, thinking about the Third Consort. He ground his teeth and turned back to her. “I know that love between you and Luther isn’t likely, but if he disrespects you enough that it starts to affect your status, if it starts to hurt you, tell me. My mother’s order or not, I will break it. When we find Laz and Cian, you can pick between them. They will listen to me and are afraid of Eleanor. Your brother and future-sister will protect you.”

Beks’ face softened. She was not wrong to trust this foster brother who loved her most, and she was grateful. She smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Brother.” She held her breath for a moment and weighed her thoughts. “Regarding the Second and Third Prince...have you heard any news?”

A look of disappointment appeared on his face and she got her answer. Before he could open his mouth, yelling was heard from the hall outside the library doors. The two looked over. Laurence frowned and Beks recognized Luther’s voice.

And the voice of a woman who sounded urgent.

“Let me see him! I must warn him at once!”

“Iris, what’s wrong? Did you have another vision?”

“Your Majesty!” The new oracle yelled and Laurence frowned. Beks’ brows furrowed. How did the new oracle enter the Gilded Palace without Laurence’s permission?

Laurence walked towards the door and just as they reached it, a flurry of white robes and frazzled orange hair rushed in.

The oracle gasped as she saw the toppled shelves and the books strewn about. Her jaw dropped and she turned.

Her voice shook as she looked at Laurence. “Beware books...,” she whispered in a breathless voice.

Laurence frowned, but didn’t contradict her. “I was cautious when I entered, remembering your words, Your Eminence. I was able to escape unscathed.”

The oracle swallowed hard and shook her head. “Your Majesty, you must pay attention. It is no wonder I received another vision.”

Luther stepped forward and grasped her hand. Beks stared at their conjoined hands with a dull expression. What did Laurence just tell him?

“What did you see? You look pale...is it bad?” Luther asked, his voice shaking as he paled. “Is my brother in any danger?”

The oracle looked at Luther with sympathy and nodded. “For your sake, I will tell him. Perhaps the danger can be avoided.” She turned back to Laurence. She seemed to remember who he was and quickly pulled her hand from Luther’s before giving him a bow of her head. “Your Majesty, I was in the garden at the Hall of Eloquence. As I passed a fountain, I saw a vision of you falling into water. I don’t know where, but you were struggling before you went under.” She paused and swallowed hard once more. “You did not come up.”

“Are you saying I drowned?” Laurence asked. “Non-sense, I can swim.”

“Brother, there are rivers with a strong current that people cannot fight again. Mommy also used to tell me about invisible tides in the ocean that can sweep people out to sea,” Beks said. “It doesn’t hurt to be more wary of water.”

Luther and the oracle both turned to look at her with surprise. Luther’s shoulders relaxed and he gave her a relieved smile. “You believe her, Beks...thank you.”

Beks shook her head. “He is the king and my foster brother. I want him to be well and erring on the side of caution isn’t a bad idea.”

Laurence still didn’t seem convinced, but let out a heavy sigh and nodded. “I will be more cautious and stay clear of water.”

Both the oracle and Luther looked relieved and exchanged smiles.

Beks nodded. “I will arrange with Lady Eleanor to represent you at the Inundation Blessing.”

Laurence shook his head. “The Inundation Blessing comes once every five years. After Mother’s death, I should preside over it. It’s an important festival and my presence will make the people confident.”

Beks frowned a bit. “Brother, it is water.”

“I won’t go on the customary boat. I can do the royal blessing from the shore. It’s been done before as our great-grandfather would get sick on the water.” He looked at Beks and gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Beks. You’ve never been, so you don’t know how it is set up. It will take place by a shallow inlet to begin with and there is a wide promenade along the water with a waist high railing. I will be perfectly safe.”

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Two major things consumed her time. The first being the Inundation Blessing. While she’d assisted in planning behind the scenes in the past, it would be her first time attending. The half day’s travel to the major river closest to Kadmium would require a significant entourage to escort the future king and other royal family members, offerings, and in general, show the pomp of the royal family for such an event.

This time, the new oracle was coming, as well, which meant additional guards needed to be added. The train of wagons, carriages, and royal guards on horseback would be longer than usual. Not to mention that it was Laurence’s first time doing the ceremony, so he wanted to make it elaborate.

Even following the pre-existing guidelines from past ceremonies, Beks had to spend a significant amount of time and effort into planning it. Chamberlain Wilton assisted her, and the staff assigned to help prepare the blessing was experienced, but the responsibility was hers.

Laurence had his hands full with governance.

Lady Eleanor was working on security and guest planning for the coronation.

Luther was behind on the work Laurence assigned for him, and when he wasn’t completing those tasks, he had sneaked off to see the oracle. Beks wasn’t sure if he thought he was doing so in secret, but it was rather obvious and almost embarrassing.

The other thing that consumed her time was the stack of records on Great Oracles she’d managed to get ahold of. How Nexus was able to get copies of oracle records from the Great Temple’s records room was unknown to her, but she didn’t question it. While the records were open for public review, they could not leave the premises.

Since the copies of the record had been sent to her so soon, Nexus must’ve been copying the records continuously for some time in order to have their own copies.

In the Old Tower, Beks flipped through recorded history of the tenth Great Oracle, working her way up to the last, who was the fifteenth. So far, it seemed that all Great Oracles tended to follow particular patterns, though their prophecies were different. Sometimes, specific oracles only focused on a certain kind of prophecy, such as natural disasters or war.

As far as politics went, oracles seemed to avoid giving any prophecies directly related to it. They’d often comment on issues that could arise that could become politicized, such as a famine and the need for government support or the death of a monarch, but nothing about state enemies or policies.

Still, just getting a small bit of information on upcoming natural disasters was enough to incentivize countries to woo an oracle. Many lives have been saved because of this.

A knock came from her door followed by her maid’s voice.

“My lady, the Noble House of Caroline has entered the city gates. They are approaching and His Majesty sends a reminder to come meet them.”

Beks nearly dropped the papers in her hand. She shot up from her seat, her heart flying to her throat as her eyes lit up.

The last time she’d seen a blood relative had been two years earlier, and it was only her older brother and father. The Noble House of Caroline’s duchy was the furthest of the Five Great Houses, so they came to Kadmium the least. Visits were few and far between, but each time, Beks would host them in the Old Tower with special approval from the Queen.

Laurence had already approved their stay, as this time, not only were her father and brother coming, but also her mother and two younger siblings she hadn’t met yet. The youngest was six while Beks’ younger brother was twelve. She’d only spoken to them a handful of times as most of her calls with her family were with her parents and older brother.

Her hands were shaking as she looked from the door to her desk, which was in disarray with several piles of papers. She took a step towards the door, eager to run out and see her family, but she couldn’t leave the records lying out in the open. She gathered them together and tied them back into their leather folio before putting them in the largest of her desk drawers and locking it.

She shoved the key hanging on a leather cord into the pocket sewn above her chest and rushed to the door. As she passed the mirror, she skidded to a stop and began to tug at her dress and sleeves. Her hair was braided neatly and coiled into a bun at the back of her head, then covered by a simple head piece that matched her dress with the flower embroidery.

Sagittate was very practical, so there was no need to dress up to meet her family. What mattered was that they were together.

She ran out of her room and flew down the spiral staircase to get to the exit.

Outside the main entrance of the Gilded Palace, Laurence and Lady Eleanor were standing beneath a large umbrella held up by an attendant to the side. Another attendant held a slightly smaller umbrella to Laurence’s right.

Beks rooted herself beside Laurence, her eyes fixed on the gatehouse in the distance as she took a deep breath to keep her heart steady. Beside her, her foster brother glanced down with a slight smile on his lips.

“Are you excited to see them?”

She didn’t nod, but couldn’t help the soft, expectant look on her face. “It will be my first time meeting my younger brother and sister.”

“I am sure they’re excited to meet you, too,” Lady Eleanor said with a smile in her eyes. Beks drew her lips inward and bit them to try to reign in her excitement.

Down the gravel driveway, the iron gates had opened and several duchy knights on horseback preceded a large carriage. Apart from its side and metal accents and joints, it was a relatively plain-looking carriage. The doors had the metal-cast family symbol of a wreath of laurels around the grip and hilt of a downward pointed sword.

The family motto was written in Sagittater: Athar’an Stry - Peace With Strength. Only when they were strong could they have peace. It was the first sentence she read when she was a child in the Sacred Valley. It was carved on her wooden headboard in the Old Tower.

Beks tried to keep her excited breathing even. Knowing her condition, no one would admonish her for appearing unenthusiastic.

Her hands clenched at her sides as she watched the massive carriage turn on the drive. The black painted wheels with dark iron hubs rolled to a stop in front of them. The carriage door was split in two, with a top and bottom half. Two knights dismounted, their heavy booted feet crunching over the gravel as they reached for one door handle each. One pushed the top of the door up while the other pulled the bottom half down.

The bottom half turned into a series of steps, but the first person to come down simply jumped.

“Beks!” She only managed to take a step forward before strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her off the ground. She shut her eyes and hugged her older brother tight as an ache emanated from her chest. She was spun around and felt him kiss the side of her head firmly before releasing her.

His large hands grasped her forearms as he stepped back, but kept her within distance as his cool gray eyes met hers and then swept over, as if to inspect that she was well.

Amadeo of Caroline, heir to the Duchy of Caroline, and scion of the Noble House of Caroline was in his late twenties and a decorated military strategist that helped secure the northeastern border. His gray eyes matched hers, but his red hair had seemed to grow darker and deeper in red with age. Cut short and with gentle curls at the top and a faded shave below, it seemed to match his energetic personality.

“Brother Deo.” Beks’ hand squeezed his forearms.

“Move aside.” Their father’s low voice cut in and Deo was pushed to the side so an older man with a similar height and build took his place. Robert, Duke of Caroline, had the same gray eyes and fiery red hair as his eldest son, but was starting to gray at his temples. His eyes softened as he looked at his eldest daughter and took her hands in his. “Beks....”

Her eyes reddened and she whispered. “Daddy....”

She was pulled into a warm embrace. “My eldest daughter....” He held her tight for a few moments before Beks felt her sleeve being tugged. She sniffled a bit as she pulled back and looked down, at her left.

A boy that reached her chest height had grasped the material of her sleeve and was looking up at her with curious gray eyes, as if studying an interesting specimen. Beks’ breath caught in her throat. This person could only be her younger brother.

Thaddeus had dark brown hair with the same gentle curls as Deo’s, but it was cut at his shoulders. He tilted his head to the side and squinted at her. “Are you our sister?” His voice was slow and measured; his Jasper still heavily accented, but still easy to understand.

“Of course, she’s our sister!” Deo shot him an annoyed glare as he snapped at him in Sagittater. “Why else would I call her by our sister’s name?”

“Mistaken identity,” the boy said in a deadpan voice.

Beks muffled a slight laugh.

“Beks.” A woman’s voice spoke up and Beks lifted her head. Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes watered, and a sour tightness spread across the bridge of her nose.

She let out soft, shallow breaths as her arms went limp at her sides. The woman across from her was tall with straight, black hair braided and set back in a bun, with warm brown skin, high cheekbones, and dark eyes.

A trembling breath left her as the memory in Beks’ head overlapped with the woman in front of her. She bit her lips for a moment to try to calm herself. “Mom-”

She felt a rush of warmth and the scent of evergreen trees wrapped around her as a lonely cry filled her ears. Her mother’s low, scratchy voice mumbled almost incoherent Sagittater as she let out broken sobs. Beks’ shut her eyes and buried her face against her mother’s shoulder as her fingers curled into the back of her mother’s travel cloak.

I missed you, my daughter. I missed you so much.

She didn’t know how long she had stood there wrapped in her mother’s arms. They’d felt so much bigger and stronger when she was three years old. Thinking about this, she almost laughed. How times had changed.

“Duke Caroline.” Outside of her little bubble, she heard Laurence greet her father and took it as her cue to release her mother.

The older woman wiped her eyes as Beks pulled away. She couldn’t seem to turn her eyes away from her daughter as one hand still firmly grasped Beks’ forearm, as if afraid Beks would disappear if she let go.

The Duchess took a deep breath to collect herself before turning towards Laurence. With one hand still clamped on to Beks, she did a formal curtsy and bowed her head.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Laurence gave her a sympathetic bow of his head. He turned towards the two younger children with them. “And who are these?”

Beks then noticed the smallest member of her family; her six-year-old sister, Dorothy. The child had yet to reach her waist in height and had a contemplative look on her chubby little face.

Duke Caroline put on a wide smile as he stepped around and stood behind the two youngest. He put his hands on their shoulders, holding them in place and presenting them to both Laurence and Beks.

“This is our second son, Thaddeus. We call him Thad,” Duke Caroline told them with pride in his voice. He then patted the little girl with the same fiery red hair as him and Deo. Her hair was in a thick, unkempt braid. She must’ve been sleeping in the carriage. “And this is our youngest daughter, Dorothy. We call her-”

“My name is Wrath.” The little girl’s high-pitched voice was in sharp contrast to her firm tone and the serious look on her face. She looked up at Laurence and then did a careful curtsy. “Greetings, Your Majesty.” She also spoke in accented Jasper, but she’d likely been practicing her introduction. Beks stared at her for a moment and then looked at her father and older brother.

Deo let out a tired breath. “She likes to be called Wrath.”

“Wrath....” Lady Eleanor said with some thoughtfulness. She nodded her head, satisfied. “I like it.”

Laurence chuckled and gave her an affectionate smile. “You would.” He then turned back to the others. “Your Grace, I know you’ve traveled far and for some time. We’ve scheduled a dinner to welcome you, but until then, Beks will take you back to the Old Tower to settle. I am sure you have much to talk about.”

Beks nodded her head, full of energy. She’d made sure all the rooms were ready and even had her small kitchen prepare drinks and snacks.

Her family parted ways with Laurence and Lady Eleanor, with Laurence laughing and avoiding the playful punches from Deo. Laurence was a little older than Deo, but as far back as Beks remembered, the two got along well. When Deo visited, he and Laurence would often be seen sitting and talking to each other.

Beks instructed the staff to bring her family’s things to the Old Tower. The Old Tower had several simple bed chambers, which she’d prepared for her siblings. Her parents would get the largest bedchamber at the top floor. The ground floor had an extension separate from the storage area where her close staff and the visiting knights could stay.

Beks led them around the Gilded Palace and to the Old Tower, excitedly telling them what she’d prepared.

Duke Caroline walked with Deo at the back while the Duchess held Wrath’s hand and walked in front of them, with Thad following Beks just half a step behind. He looked around, taking in the path. He seemed to notice that they were walking away from the Gilded Palace and furrowed his brows.

“Sister, do you not live in the beautiful palace?” Thad asked. He sounded a bit upset, as if he’d discovered they were mistreating her.

Beks smiled and lowered her hand to touch his head gently. “Not any more. When I first arrived, I lived there in one of the assigned villas and under the watch of the late Second Consort, Uncle Timur. However, when I was old enough, I asked to move here. To the Old Tower.”

She proudly raised her arms towards the thick stone fortification that was almost like a block with a tall, square keep on each corner. There was some nice greenery with vines and an array of white and pink flowers crawling up the base of the tower, framing the wooden doorway at the top of a set of wooden stairs beautifully, but compared to the elegant, sprawling Gilded Palace, it was a bit of an eyesore. A glaring remnant of another time.

Thad drew his head back and frowned. He looked at the Old Tower, then at Beks, the Gilded Palace behind them, and back at her. His eyes crinkled up.

“Sister,” he said in a serious voice. “Have you been treated badly?”

She held back a laugh, but her eyes crinkled up. She pressed her hand against her heart as she smiled at him. “No, I’m treated well. The Gilded Palace should only be for immediate royal family members and blood relations, so I felt that the Old Tower was a more fitting residence,” she said. She turned from her family to look at the imposing building. “But also, it reminds me of home.”

No one questioned her further, though Thad took her hand and squeezed it, as if to offer his support.

She led them up the steps and into the doorway. The staff was waiting for them and Beks did quick introductions before showing everyone to their rooms.

“Brother, your room is in the west tower; the same one you usually stay in.”

“It’s nice to have my own room at my sister’s home,” he said with a chuckle.

“Daddy, Mommy, your room is on the top floor, up these stairs,” Beks said as she motioned to one of the stairwells. “Thad and Wrath, you two have rooms on this floor. My room is just down the hall, in the east tower. The great hall is where we are right now and downstairs is the dining hall, though we will have most of our dinners in the Gilded Palace.”

Her mother seemed to study the white-washed room with the high ceilings and tapestries. She smiled. She must’ve recognized the tapestries and furs as those she’d sent from their duchy.

“Why don’t you all take a rest first?” the Duke said as he urged his wife and two youngest children to the stairs. “Deo and I will discuss with Beks what the upcoming plans are. I believe the Inundation Blessing is coming up?”

Beks nodded. Her mother took each of her younger siblings by the hand and led them through the arched doorway and into the north tower staircase.

“Sometimes, I think it’s a bit insulting that you don’t live in the Gilded Palace with the rest of them, but then again, I’d prefer to stay in a separate castle, as well,” Deo said as he took a seat on one of the plush chairs in the center of the room.

Beks motioned for her father to take the main seat while she sat across from her brother as one of the servants stepped forward to offer them a drink in metal goblets. Both her father and brother took a cup and gave satisfied nods at the warm mead offered.

“Beks,” her father said as he looked at her with a serious expression. He lowered the goblet in his hand. “I heard that the Fourth Prince is here. Why did he not come to meet us when we arrived?”

It stood to reason that as a show of respect to both the ducal family and his fiancée, Luther would be present when they arrived to welcome them. Not only him, but his father. Her family was already aware of the Third Consort’s attitude towards them, so he wasn’t expected, but Luther should’ve been there.

Beks, who was already sitting up straight in her seat, let her eyes widen.

She’d been so caught up with seeing her family for the first time that she’d forgotten all about Luther. “I didn’t notice....”

Her brother let out an annoyed snort. “As your fiancé, he should’ve been there to welcome us.”

“I know. He was notified that we were expecting you to arrive today,” Beks said as she furrowed her brows. She looked down at the floor and frowned. “He might be with the oracle.”

“The oracle?” Her brother raised a brow and her father frowned.

Beks nodded once. “From the Great Temple.”

“Then, the rumors are true. The Temple really did identify a new oracle,” he said. “What is she doing here?”

“She’s a guest of the Third Consort and the Fourth Prince,” Beks replied. “She and the Fourth Prince are very close.”

For a moment, her brother and father were quiet, but the air seemed to tense. “What do you mean by close?”

“He claims they are friends, but the amount of attention he gives her, and the feeling I get from her when she sees me, hints at a romantic, if not physical, affair,” Beks replied, as if she were reporting on strangers.

Across from her, Deo’s eyes narrowed and his hand squeezed the goblet. “Is he not aware that he has a fiancée?”

She raised her hand to calm him and then shook her head. “The Fourth Prince and I are in a cooperative partnership. As long as my influence is not diminished, then I won’t stop him from pursuing a romantic relationship outside.”

Her father’s lips were in a tight line, but he seemed to concede. Deo frowned and narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure you’re all right with that?”

Beks took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “He has never had the strongest will. He’s also agreed that he won’t stop me from any such pursuit, so it isn’t as if this agreement is one-sided.”

“Rebecca, you are not without choice,” her father told her. “If such an engagement is truly incompatible, you can withdraw. Royal order or not.”

She nodded. “I also have to consider the kingdom and what I’ve sworn to do for it. After all,” she said with a wry smile. “That’s why I was brought here, isn’t it? So, I can ‘lead the kingdom to prosperity’.”

She had to admit that now, after years of being fed the same purpose, she was immersed in her role and couldn’t bring herself to easily abandon it. It wasn’t as if she weren’t making a positive impact, either. Projects and policies she’d had a hand in were improving the lives of the people.

That’s what mattered.

Both her father and brother were silent for a moment. The Duke lifted the goblet to his lips, his eyes still narrowed. “They never should’ve put such a burden on a child.” He lowered the goblet onto the table at his side and Beks could see the indents of her father’s fingers on the sides of the goblet. Regret and frustration lingered in his eyes. “I know you volunteered to come here,” he said in a tight voice. “But I should’ve fought to keep you home.”