Syntra
Baba Yaga
"Have you heard?"
Yes, of course she had. Sometimes, it felt like all Aira did was listen, and frustrating as that was, she also couldn't deny it was a... useful thing to do. A fine way to obtain information. More action to go with it would have been nicer, but to reap fruits, you had to actually plant some trees first.
She'd done exactly that. She'd planted those trees, and watered them with blood.
Lesser blood, to be sure -- but blood nonetheless.
"It will be such a splendid event."
That, Aira did not doubt. In these circles, 'splendid' was often a synonym for 'boring,' and she was prepared to be bored out of her mind throughout the evening as she did, what? Watched over the princess, lest she might break one of her perfect nails?
Color her intrigued.
"A little bird even told me," gasp! "That an unexpected suitor might show up. Someone to woo our dear princess Lucine."
That was enough to make the other maid, a stocky young woman named Annie, look up from her dishes. "Our Lucine? No way!" No way, for multiple reasons, none of which Aira really bothered to grasp. Something something, politics; something something, desirability. It didn't matter, mostly because the princess was going to die. The entire family was, if she had anything at all to say about it.
And, to their endless misfortune, Aira had a lot to say about the topic. She could write books about it. Maybe she would, one day.
"Don't stare like that, Evrian!" Ah, yeah. Evrian. Aira supposed it was closer to her actual name than Aira was, now, though she couldn't help but not think of herself that way. Then again, most people would also balk at her referring to herself as... well, herself. She certainly didn't look the part; Evrian was tall, muscular, and every bit as male as the name implied. With his strong features and blonde hair, many even called him handsome. Not to his face, of course! Never to his face, because that just wasn't how things were done around here. Too direct. The rumors hadn't escaped Aira's attention, though, and she had chuckled over them a great deal.
After all, wasn't it funny?
To know that so many of them had fallen for a fucking lie.
"What, me? I'm not staring," she finally said, "Just... thinking."
"Yeah? Worried someone might steal your precious princess from you?"
Oh, gods. "For the last time, Annie," Aira rolled her eyes, "She is not my princess. That I was assigned to guard her is..." just a lucky, lucky coincidence, "...A great honor but my intentions with her are absolutely pure."
As far as romantic adventures went, anyway. She really didn't want to 'soil her honor,' or whatever fancy euphemism it was that people used for fucking around here.
Admittedly, what she did want with her was worse... but maybe not in these idiots' eyes.
"Right," Annie grinned, "As if you could say anything else."
Can't you go one day without inventing inane stories? Of course, the answer to that was likely 'no.' That was why Aira didn't ask; unlike the other denizens of the royal kitchen, she didn't like wasting her breath. "Alright, I give up. We are actually planning to elope together. Satisfied?"
"Ha. I knew it!"
At this point, Aira didn't even bother to arch a brow. There was little point, and she supposed Annie could... dwell in her fantasies, if she so preferred. That the girl likely had a boring enough life that she had to spin these narratives was honestly a little sad, but not her concern. "Now, if you'll excuse me," she rose from her chair, "I will go serenade the princess." Translation: 'I will go pick her up.'
The celebration, pointless as it was, did have religious roots, and that meant that certain... traditions had to be observed. The princess had to 'cleanse' herself in the local temple first, whatever that meant -- and Aira, of course, had to accompany her. Nobody actually expected assassins, but it wasn't like those turned up when you did expect them. Besides, this was about sending a message! An unattended royal just... wasn't a thing.
Was there something she wanted to be doing less than this?
Aira honestly struggled to come up with an answer, because, between spending more time with the stuck-up princess and having to participate in her people's stupid fucking rituals, the competition wasn't all that fierce. Dying would be worse, she thought, But not by much.
After all, her own people were good at dying.
Something Lucine's family had seen to.
With a sigh, Aira straightened her uniform. After that, a knock on the princess's door followed, "Princess Lucine? Are you ready, or do you require more time?" And, though it wasn't all that smart, "I heard there would be a suitor, so you probably don't want to be too late!"
Yes, of course she had. Sometimes, it felt like all Aira did was listen, and frustrating as that was, she also couldn't deny it was a... useful thing to do. A fine way to obtain information. More action to go with it would have been nicer, but to reap fruits, you had to actually plant some trees first.
She'd done exactly that. She'd planted those trees, and watered them with blood.
Lesser blood, to be sure -- but blood nonetheless.
"It will be such a splendid event."
That, Aira did not doubt. In these circles, 'splendid' was often a synonym for 'boring,' and she was prepared to be bored out of her mind throughout the evening as she did, what? Watched over the princess, lest she might break one of her perfect nails?
Color her intrigued.
"A little bird even told me," gasp! "That an unexpected suitor might show up. Someone to woo our dear princess Lucine."
That was enough to make the other maid, a stocky young woman named Annie, look up from her dishes. "Our Lucine? No way!" No way, for multiple reasons, none of which Aira really bothered to grasp. Something something, politics; something something, desirability. It didn't matter, mostly because the princess was going to die. The entire family was, if she had anything at all to say about it.
And, to their endless misfortune, Aira had a lot to say about the topic. She could write books about it. Maybe she would, one day.
"Don't stare like that, Evrian!" Ah, yeah. Evrian. Aira supposed it was closer to her actual name than Aira was, now, though she couldn't help but not think of herself that way. Then again, most people would also balk at her referring to herself as... well, herself. She certainly didn't look the part; Evrian was tall, muscular, and every bit as male as the name implied. With his strong features and blonde hair, many even called him handsome. Not to his face, of course! Never to his face, because that just wasn't how things were done around here. Too direct. The rumors hadn't escaped Aira's attention, though, and she had chuckled over them a great deal.
After all, wasn't it funny?
To know that so many of them had fallen for a fucking lie.
"What, me? I'm not staring," she finally said, "Just... thinking."
"Yeah? Worried someone might steal your precious princess from you?"
Oh, gods. "For the last time, Annie," Aira rolled her eyes, "She is not my princess. That I was assigned to guard her is..." just a lucky, lucky coincidence, "...A great honor but my intentions with her are absolutely pure."
As far as romantic adventures went, anyway. She really didn't want to 'soil her honor,' or whatever fancy euphemism it was that people used for fucking around here.
Admittedly, what she did want with her was worse... but maybe not in these idiots' eyes.
"Right," Annie grinned, "As if you could say anything else."
Can't you go one day without inventing inane stories? Of course, the answer to that was likely 'no.' That was why Aira didn't ask; unlike the other denizens of the royal kitchen, she didn't like wasting her breath. "Alright, I give up. We are actually planning to elope together. Satisfied?"
"Ha. I knew it!"
At this point, Aira didn't even bother to arch a brow. There was little point, and she supposed Annie could... dwell in her fantasies, if she so preferred. That the girl likely had a boring enough life that she had to spin these narratives was honestly a little sad, but not her concern. "Now, if you'll excuse me," she rose from her chair, "I will go serenade the princess." Translation: 'I will go pick her up.'
The celebration, pointless as it was, did have religious roots, and that meant that certain... traditions had to be observed. The princess had to 'cleanse' herself in the local temple first, whatever that meant -- and Aira, of course, had to accompany her. Nobody actually expected assassins, but it wasn't like those turned up when you did expect them. Besides, this was about sending a message! An unattended royal just... wasn't a thing.
Was there something she wanted to be doing less than this?
Aira honestly struggled to come up with an answer, because, between spending more time with the stuck-up princess and having to participate in her people's stupid fucking rituals, the competition wasn't all that fierce. Dying would be worse, she thought, But not by much.
After all, her own people were good at dying.
Something Lucine's family had seen to.
With a sigh, Aira straightened her uniform. After that, a knock on the princess's door followed, "Princess Lucine? Are you ready, or do you require more time?" And, though it wasn't all that smart, "I heard there would be a suitor, so you probably don't want to be too late!"
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