"You should have hexed him."

"Roderika!" Reza looked up to meet her big sister's emerald eyes.

"Oh I am only kidding," she kissed the top of her head. "Somewhat."

The sisters shared a loving giggle together, their voices echoed through the bed chambers of the Queen of Lunaelia. Upon Reza's return from her outing with King Antares, in her displeasure she sought the only person that would look at her as she always was. Instead of what it is they wanted her to become. Many advisors of both House Blackrose and House Altieri had gathered by the queen's bed chambers in hopes of speaking with the princess. They knew the gravity of King Antares and Princess Reza's courtship and curiosity gripped them more than anything. There were many who believed the fate of the nine realms hung in the balance, Roderika was among them in some capacity. However upon seeing the pained face of her little sister, she quickly and with authority dismissed all who had appeared. There were far more pressing matters to attend to than the possible future of the nine realms. Like rats they scurried off, at the command of the queen.

Roderika quickly embraced her sister while she held back tears and before long they were cuddled on the large sitting area that was placed in front of the queen's bed. She listened as Reza recounted her awkward and pained experience with the King of the Stygians. A meeting that she would sooner like to forget for the all that came of it was more feelings of inadequacy the princess desperately did not want to feel. The queen did her utmost to simply listen, she wished to allow her sister to calm herself, content to let her lay on top of her. With her wild raven-black hair burying much of her face in the process much to her delight. It was at times like these Roderika was painfully aware how fast her little sister was growing, and there was nothing she could do to slow the process.

"It is as I have said, I am no queen." Reza buried herself deeper into her sister.

"You have the blood of kings and queens in your veins," the queen tickled her. "Do not forget, that of emperors as well. If the King of the Stygians cannot see it then he is unfit for your hand."

Reza smiled at the declaration from her big sister, but soon her expression hardened when she was reminded of her father. The truth revealed to her by King Antares had troubled her greatly, for her own father to be the one who sought him out. She struggled to come to terms with it, the princess was angry, sad and confused. Unsure who should deal the brunt of her ire, her father, King Antares or her mother. Roderika could see something else was troubling her.

"What is it?" she squished her cheeks, "Do you doubt me? I will pull every historical text in this castle to show you your lineage."

Reza laughed and shook her head, "I believe you. It is just well…King Antares spoke of other things."

"Such as?"

The princess hesitated but felt her sisters, warm hand caressing her hair. "He said it was father who proposed the marriage," she took a deep breath. "As an apology to him, and that he would never seek a union with a witch willingly."

Queen Roderika was incensed with the King of Iliad. His remark to her sister was an insult that would be worthy of painful retribution. Never did she think the Stygians would be so flippant with a comment like that. An unusual character flaw for a race of beings that had been known to be indifferent to all things and quite fond of remaining silent. King Antares had not shown any signs of having such a venomous tongue, and then Roderika recalled the gathering of the nine monarchs. Her anger softened considerably so, to her it seemed that the outcome of the meeting had stayed with the King of Iliad despite his calmness after the fact. There was part of her that felt responsible for how he treated Reza, still Roderika would not allow it as an excuse for the way he acted. He was king, and that meant he needed to be better regardless of his mood. At all times–even though she struggled to live up to the same expectations. She had hoped Antares would see that at the very least, Reza was not his enemy nor responsible for any slight levied his way.

However in regards to her father that offered to be a more difficult and complex topic to dissect. Roderika still remembered her journey back to Lunaelia. The queen had thought the accompanying of her father with her was going to be a delightful surprise for her little sister. So rarely did the emperor ever visit and for such short times as well. However when she was made aware it was because he personally wanted to tell Reza and their mother that he had accepted a marriage proposal between Reza and King Antares. Roderika was at a loss for words, even now as she lay here with her little sister in her arms, mere hours away from her naming ceremony. The queen was still unsure it was all real. Not even her own mother had the power to stop the union, in fact she had seemed to agree with the emperor if only to smooth matters. There were too many questions about the potential wedding that bothered the Lunaelian Queen, but she did not know who to address them with. The emperor dismissed her, she struggled to connect with Saturn and Enrieta was…Enrieta. All her life all she ever sought was to protect her sister, because of what she was and what it meant. Yet despite all her efforts and what she had achieved, a greater force was exerting its will on all of their lives.

"Forgive King Antares," Roderika requested. "His unpleasant mood very well could be attributed to myself and the rest of our families' behavior at the gathering of the monarchs."

"Was it that bad?" Reza softened her expression looking up at her.

Roderika chuckled with a guilty eye, "I...may have accused him of using your betrothal as a ruse to further his own gains."

"Roderika!"

"I was not the only one to accuse him, Galahad and Saturn did as well!" she responded in her defense.

They laughed again, before settling back into the quietness of the evening air.

"Perhaps it is for the best," Reza was the first to speak. "A witch as the Queen of the Stygians should be something not even whispered about in fairytales."

"Can I ask you something Reza?"

The princess nodded.

"Do you want to be a Queen?" Roderika was reminded of Antares' closing remark at the gathering.

The thought had crossed Reza's mind the first night she was told that she was to be betrothed to him. Through tear filled eyes and a heavy heart the question bubbled its way up to the forefront of her mind. What she knew of the Stygians was scarce, the little knowledge that had been recorded of them in Castle Altieri was sparse and more akin to legends than anything concrete. As a witch she knew about how they had led the persecution against those like her many millennia ago when Aurum was far harsher than it was now. The princess was even aware that her mother had lived with them for a time, even though she seldom spoke of the early years in her life.

Even with the lessons that she was given here in Castle Blackrose and eventually her conversation with Antares. Reza was painfully aware she knew nothing of the mystical beings that lived in the north. Her favorite tales of them only served to shroud them in greater mysticism for a more powerful story. Yet it never quite gave her anything tangible to hold on to. She did not know how she was meant to be queen to a race of people she knew nothing about. How was she to serve them if she did not know what it was they desired or even lacked? Princess Reza was acutely aware of her shortcomings, but did not think they would be on full display so readily for all to tear apart and inspect like she was some prized trophy to be had. Even if that is how her father had shown her off as.

When she thought of what life would be like in Iliad, as a witch most importantly of all, she was scared. Reza knew her practice of magic would be shunned and at the very least heavily regulated and observed, a life of being told what to do and what was expected of her was not the life she had imagined. Despite her many trepidations and discomforts at the possible new reality she would have to live in, Reza could not bring herself to answer honestly. The faces of all those throughout Castle Altieri and Castle Blackrose who looked at her with enormous smiles, the talk of lasting peace and an age of happiness. All of it possible if she married him–sacrifice her desire for love so that others could feel it. It was the second time today that Reza was asked a question she had no answer for.

Roderika yawned loudly, which startled her.

"All this talk of kings and queens bore me," she took on a playful tone. "Entertain your big sister."

The princess giggled and played along, "How may I serve your majesty?"

"Do some of that magic you know so well," the queen twirled her hand in the air.

"Mother said-"

"Who is queen?" Queen Roderika reminded the princess.

Reza smiled, did as she was commanded and made herself more comfortable.

"Well I have yet to learn any new spells, but Karla has been teaching me balance." She slowly raised her hands, "That just like how various people are good at various things, the same logic can be applied to mana."

The air first grew still, there was a calming presence that filled the room–a gentle atmosphere of comfort and security that Roderika had not noticed until now. The candles dimmed and along with it the growing anticipation that something was about to happen. The queen's eyes were drawn towards her sister's hands, more accurately the area above them. There was nothing there, but she could not take her eyes off the space. A few moments later, the first signs of mana gathered into existence, softly, slowly. The tiny blue ball hovered above Reza's hands as though waiting for a command.

"Magic can be done without a sigil, it is not as potent, but still quite effective." When she spoke it reminded Roderika of their mother. "Most witches go their entire lives never developing one. Often relying on the old ways and speaking their spells into existence, like incantations. But those that do, often only have the strength to form half a sigil. Though very powerful magic can be done with only half. However it truly never quite compares to a full sigil."

As though heeding her command, a speck from the blue ball traced along an invisible line until a perfect circle was created. From that point, various lines of varying degrees shot out in different directions webbing their way in the air until they had created what Roderika believed to be a sigil that Reza was talking about. The Queen of Lunaelia was amazed at what she observed, despite her being raised by witches, she was no witch herself, so her understanding of their ways was very limited. Her other lessons took priority.

However she did not need lessons to know what Reza was doing right now was true magic in its most oldest form. She could smell the earthy scent of mana as it grew stronger, the symbols carved into the sigil glowed with power she somehow was familiar with but at the same time also alien in nature. The energy that oozed from it was intoxicating as though it was a window into a different world. It was no bigger than a dinner plate and it looked fragile floating just above her sister's hands but there it was, a symbol of true power.

"Is this a complete sigil?" Roderika asked almost in a whisper.

Reza laughed, "Not at all." She gathered more power, "This is somewhere between a third of the way and halfway. Not even Karla has a complete sigil, hers is half. But mother's is complete, all Black Witches are." She did not hide the pride in her voice.

"So what makes a sigil so powerful?"

"It is complicated and I could spend three days teaching you about them." Reza groaned under the memory of the several years she spent learning just the different variations of half sigils and lesser ones at that. "But if I were to simplify it, it acts as a stabilizer."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"What is it alleviating?"

"My ingress to the Other."

The word sent shivers down Roderika's spine. Despite her minimal knowledge of the ways of the witch even she had some idea about the Other. Said to be a place different from this one, different from even the ancestral plane that the Stygians believed in. It was a dimension without order, where chaos thrived and madness wept tears of joy. Those unworthy who tried to access the power were dealt a painful and often permanent reminder that only the witches of Aurum were granted permission and access to hold such otherworldly power. A power capable of rivaling and–whispered in some corners of Aurum–even surpassing the Stygians and their mystical ways. Roderika was uncomfortable at the idea of what her sister was doing but allowed her to continue, she trusted her and she was far more interested to see what Reza would do.

"Do not be afraid," Reza reassured her. "You remember how I said that I was being taught balance? Well the reason it applies to mana is because many people think mana can do everything. And while it can, it is not designed to do everything. In this world there are rules, orders that we all have to follow, be it human, Nephilim, Beastmen, or even Stygian."

"Is it the reason why humans, Nephilim and the like cannot wield ice and Stygians the same with fire?" Roderika recalled her lessons.

"Very good sister," Reza was impressed. "Our bodies are designed to grasp one type of mana and one alone. Take Queen Freyja and her kin from the Storm Islands. When they first arrived there, they could not control lightning and thunder nor the mana that governed them. Only through several millennia–tens of thousands of years really–did the rules adjust to grant them such power."

"How?" Roderika was enthralled with the lesson.

"No one knows," the little witch admitted. "It is the same with the Nephilim and their ability to freely wield their blood and their magics, although that can be traced to their Blood God. Did you know the Nephilim are the only ones that can use blood magic without incurring some kind of penalty? As though they are immune to it." Reza had meant to learn more about the magics of the Nephilim but never quite had the opportunity to ask Enrieta about it, as her mother had forbid her on multiple occasions. "Nevertheless there are far too many mysteries about Aurum that we simply just do not know, or that the Stygians refuse to share with us."

The princess stopped herself from delving deeper into her studies about magic, mana and its history. For as many years as she had been taught, there was still so much she did not know. Her mother and Karla had only scratched the surface, she was aware she still had years of learning ahead of her, decades really if she truly planned to ascend to the top where her mother stood. Not as a Black Witch, but as a worthy witch in her own right like many of her ancestors that walked the very halls of Castle Altieri. The knowledge required to be adept in not only witchcraft but spellcraft as well as sigil creation was not an easy feat. The trinity that held up what it meant to be a witch was a daunting task, however the princess desired it. She turned her focus back to the burning sigil awaiting her command.

"But these rules do not apply to witches?"

Reza smiled, "They do not."

She flexed her fingers carefully and at the center of the sigil, the lines that had crossed slowly pulled back to create an even smaller circle. In the middle of it emerged at first, a few droplets of water as though soothingly called out by her. Then a steady stream, enough to form a ball of water no bigger than a tiny rock. She did this twice more with different elements and a ball of fire and ice appeared on two of the four cardinal points of her sigil. There they hovered, full of power awaiting the orders from their mistress. Roderika was stunned.

"Water has always been easiest for me to understand, fire was the same. Perhaps I am human after all," she teased. "Ice… is difficult; rigid and uniform, strong yet soft, brittle as glass and sharper than steel. Very few witches understand it," she thought of Antares. "Lightning, woodland, wind and the other ancient elements are fickle." Reza recalled the last time she tried to summon lightning unsupervised and nearly blew her hand off.

Roderika quietly studied the various elements her sister had summoned. There were many things she had to be proud of Reza for, however it always seemed to come back to how her sister commanded magic in her own right. A sense of softness and still a quiet strength was always present whenever Reza spoke of magic or demonstrated it. This time was no different. Many who knew of Roderika's might envied her; that they had said she held power comparable to that of Saturn–capable of taking on a Lord of War in combat. However as her sister said, there were limitations to what she could do, to what they could all do, particularly against a Stygian. But not Reza, those limitations did not exist for a witch. The rules that governed Aurum and perhaps the entire world were only guidelines to them and nothing more. They could go beyond all because of the Other. She understood why the Stygians and humans alike persecuted them as so.

"What are witches Reza?" the question escaped her lips.

Reza thought for a moment, unsure how to answer.

"They are the cursed," Tereza Altieri replied. "The defilers of the natural order. Daughters of calamity and even in some circles the blessed. Although I say we are simply just people, humans, of a different kind."

"Mother," Roderika nervously called out. "We were just-"

Tereza raised her hand, stopping her. Fond memories flooded her thoughts as she saw them nestled together like that. It was perhaps the first time in a very long while that she felt old. Both of them had grown so much. Roderika was a queen, a force of nature in her own right. Each day she proved to be a better queen than Tereza and the former monarch was gladdened by it. Roderika was not only worthy of the crown but of carrying the name Altieri and the responsibilities that came with that.

As for her youngest daughter who scowled at her with her very own face, she could not begin to articulate just what Reza meant to her. Truthfully both of them, such words could not define the love a mother had for her children, it transcended all other labels and titles. So even if her daughter disobeyed her orders or looked to challenge her at almost every opportunity, Tereza could not help but love her even more. Reza was growing into a strong willed woman, it reminded her of another witch, one she would dare not say her name. Nevertheless she would not point it out but as her daughter let her magic sigil linger for a while, before dismissing it. Tereza was overjoyed at how much further she had gotten in her studies with Karla.

"I came to remind you both of the event your father is hosting this evening." She turned to Reza with a welcoming smile. "How did it go with King An-"

"I will go get ready. Thank you for your time, sister." Reza kissed her sister on the cheek and walked past her mother without acknowledging her.

The princess slammed the door with authority, leaving her mother and sister alone.

Tereza turned back to her remaining daughter, "I hazard a guess it was not a pleasant outing?"

Roderika's smile was soothing, "She is not upset with you, she thinks she did not live up to your expectations. But she is in no mood for a lecture and I do not blame her."

"May I sit?" Tereza asked.

"Mother…Do not be so formal."

The Black Witch smiled and sat next to her daughter, "Tell me what happened."

So Roderika did, she recounted what Reza had told her of the time spent with Antares. Offering to use more placating language than the full brashness her younger sister spoke with. The young monarch did her best to simply tell her mother the whole story without her own thoughts. Stopping midway to include that the meeting with the nine monarchs may have done a great deal to sour Antares' mood leading to his encounter with Reza. She studied her mothers face looking for any tells but like Saturn there was nothing to be gleaned. Tereza was extremely well versed in hiding her thoughts and emotions, no doubt a skill she had learned from her time with the Stygians. However when the Queen mentioned what Antares had said to Reza it was the first time there was visible discomfort on her mothers face. As she finished recounting what her sister said she waited for a response.

"I would like to hear what you have to say first," Tereza offered her daughter the courtesy.

Queen Roderika hesitated, but would not allow this chance to slip by. She bit her lip out of frustration.

"I-I just do not understand," she rose and started pacing. "All those years you spent teaching us about how the nine realms saw witches, how the Stygians reacted to them. The stories of what witches had done to cause their persecution, both perceived and true. And now you give your daughter to the very same people who led the slaughter of your kind? I know it was many millennia ago, I know."

Roderika stopped, searching for the right words.

"But the Stygians? I can understand my father's talk of peace. But I cannot understand why you would agree to this. Why mother?" she looked at her as she once did when she was a child.

Tereza struggled to answer in a way that would not demonize the emperor in the eyes of his daughter. There was so much about what Nero really was that she had kept from her children, for the continued ideal that perhaps the longer they looked to him as a good man, that one day he would wake up and want to live as how they saw him. Tereza was quickly made aware that naivety was childish at best and dangerous at worst. Instead she allowed Nero to paint whatever pictured he liked to his children, resigned to save the only two that truly mattered to her. However now in the presence of her daughter she did not know the proper course of action. If to be completely truthful about how she felt, but to what end?

"Because the Stygians, King Antares, are the only ones that can protect her," she declared.

"I can protect her, she is my sister!" the room shook with power. "I am a Sword Saint and an Iron Will. What use are these gifts that I have kept hidden if I cannot protect those that matter to me?"

Tereza rose and moved closer to her daughter and embraced her, "I do not doubt your strength. But your father…It is his true intentions I doubt." She hoped her soothing words calmed her.

Roderika relaxed, "What does that mean, does he intend to put Reza in harm's way? For what purpose?"

"I do not know," Tereza answered truthfully as she caressed her daughter's freckles. "But of all the powers that dominate Aurum, it is those in the north who still sit atop the summit."

"How can you be so confident in him, after he made his desire known for the grimoires, after what he said to Reza?" She pulled back to look her in the eyes already knowing the answer. "Barranagan Xerxes? Do you think because Antares looks like him, he what? Inherited his fathers way and strength?"

Tereza wanted to say yes, as childish as the answer would be. Admittedly, her decision to fully trust in Antares was not set in stone until their meeting the night before. The former Queen of Lunaelia was aware that she knew nothing of the new ruler of Iliad. What she did know was what she read from second and third hand reports about his exploits through the years. As well as what the bards and sagatellers sang and spoke about. For her to judge him based on who his father was and had done was not fair to the man. But she knew not how else to examine him in such a short time. That was until their conversation the night before.

It was there in the pale moonlight did she see and begin to understand the kind of being the son of Barranagan Xerxes was. Tereza knew he loved another deeply, she was familiar with the emotions that wrestled within the young king. Still it was how he conducted himself in her presence even after she asked him to accept Reza as his wife. Antares did not demand why, he did not even ask. All he had said was that his decision had not been made and there was much to discuss. There was no mention of Reza being a witch or what the dangers of their union would mean for him and his people. Even though she felt it in her heart that he was not here in the south of his own volition, he still did not allow it to show when he spoke to her.

However what gave her the greatest confidence that the new King of Iliad was a good man, was that Antares Xerxes was the only one she had seen in the south offer her compassion for the loss of Barranagan. The son of a man who she allowed Nero to drag his name through the ground for over a century. It was this very same son that showed her kindness in his most vulnerable state. She did not deserve such kindness but it was enough for her to know Reza would be safe with him.

Roderika returned to where she sat and crossed her arms. Her auburn hair pulled back exposing her mothers eyes. "Do you still love him?"

Tereza was taken aback, she hesitated as she bit her lip, but she raised her eyes to meet hers, "I never stopped." It was the first time she had admitted it openly in decades.

The Queen of Lunaelia softened her demeanor, she knew it was true, she had always known. Even still, she needed her mother to say it just once. "I will make two demands of you."

"Name them."

"I promised Reza that before her naming ceremony tomorrow, we would go to the sea. I want you to come along. If King Antares somehow finds it within himself to still say yes to marrying her, it will be a long while before the three of us can be together again. As daughters of House Altieri, as a family."

Tereza smiled fighting back tears and nodded agreeingly, "And the second?"

Roderika reached out for her mother and she took her hand and sat down next to her. "I know how painful it is for you to speak of the past, but I need you to convince me why you think King Antares is different." The Lunaelian Queen pleaded, "Tell me of his father, of the only man you have ever loved."

So Tereza did, she thought for a moment where to start. The story of the serpent and the raven was a long one, bloody and murderous for the time they lived it, was the only life they knew. Yet despite it all, it was in this chaos did they find love, a love that would not allow them to be together. Tereza Altieri chose to start at the end, when the nine realms faced the last death knell of the mad emperor who threatened to blanket Aurum in fire and brimstone. When all succumbed to the boundless despair of Emperor Dioxeyes Blackrose, resigned to the eternal hellfire that would come of it for their daring to stand against him. He remained standing defiant to put an end to it all: The Unbound One. The true hero of the Third Great War; the man she cherished, Barranagan Xerxes.

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