THE HEIR'S CURSE

CHAPTER 3

THE ROYAL BLOODLINES

The great hall emptied slowly after the selection, but Prince Kaelen didn’t linger. With a silent nod to the steward, he turned and walked through a separate corridor that led deeper into the palace. The heavy silence trailed behind him like a shadow.

Beyond the golden doors of the eastern wing lay his private quarters, grand, yes, but not inviting. Guards straightened as he passed, bowing with stiff formality. No one dared speak unless spoken to.

He preferred it that way.

Inside, the chamber was dim. Sunlight barely reached through the tall stained-glass windows, casting pale hues across the dark stone floor. He removed his robe slowly and stood at the edge of the large window, overlooking the palace grounds.

From here, he could see the courtyard below. The new translator from Veloria lingered near the training grounds. He barely registered his presence; just another face among many.

Later that day, the royal council convened in the luxurious throne room. King Rydan sat at the head, flanked by his two queens.

To his right sat Queen Merisel, known for her cold beauty and sharper tongue. Her dark silk gown shimmered as she leaned in to whisper something to her son, Prince Darius, whose rigid posture and calculating eyes mirrored hers.

On the king’s left, Queen Liora, more refined in her softness but no less ambitious, adjusted her shawl and cast a knowing glance toward her son, Prince Ronen, who was halfway through a yawn, clearly uninterested in court matters.

Prince Kaelen stood a few steps behind the king’s dais, slightly apart from them all, as he always was. His mother, the late Queen Elyra, had passed away over a decade ago, and though the palace moved on, he never quite did. His half-siblings had mothers who guarded and groomed them for power. He had only silence and memory.

As the discussion turned to the newly selected translators, a steward stepped forward, unrolling a parchment.

"Your Majesty, the five scholars have been assigned as follows: Eli of Veloria and Tomas of Elden to the inner court; the remaining three to the outer provinces."

Queen Merisel’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing. Queen Liora exchanged a brief glance with her son, who merely shrugged, a playful grin tugging at his lips.

Prince Kaelen remained silent, his gaze distant. The assignments were routine, and he had other matters occupying his thoughts.

---

In a modest chamber near the translators’ quarters, Elira now known to all as Eli, quietly unpacked her few belongings. The room was plain but clean, with a small desk, a narrow bed, and a high window that let in the warm afternoon light. She untied the strings of her travel bag and placed a single book on the desk, a faded volume of old dialects.

A knock sounded.

Elira turned, frowning slightly.

She opened the door to find a boy about her age standing there, the same one she had noticed briefly during the translator selection, a bit clumsy, but cheerful. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Hey,” he said. “You're... Eli, right? From the competition?”

Elira nodded, cautious. “Yes.”

“I thought so. "You did really well." I was so nervous but you were very calm and composed " he said with a chuckle. Then added, “Also, uh... everyone kept whispering about the ‘pretty boy’ staying here so I figured that you must be assigned here too.”

Elira gave him a little smile. "Ohh"

“Is there something you want?”

“Just thought I’d say hi. They told me I’d be sharing this hall with another inner court translator. I’m Tomas. From Elden.

She studied him for a second. "Friendly, Noisy".

" Eli, from Veloria” she said simply

He blinked. I look forward to working with you. See you around, then.”

As the door shut gently behind her, Elira exhaled and leaned against it for a moment. She didn’t come here to make friends. She had a mission, one that meant staying invisible, focused, and alone if needed.

Let them call her the pretty boy. Let them wonder. She wasn’t here for attention.

She was here for answers.