Desired Fate

Sisterly Assistance

Elay POV

On top of her head, two braids held her hair in place as it cascaded over her shoulders. Her outfit consisted of dark brown leather pants and a matching tunic. Secured to her side was her beloved sword, with a thin, slightly curved blade and a long handle covered with leather. Although the sword may not have appeared impressive, it was crafted from steel harder than many other weapons, and she had dedicated countless hours to practicing with it.

In the Urbana kingdom, sword fighting was introduced to children at a young age. High-born children were taught self-defence techniques and how to parry quick and forceful punches. The training began with dance lessons, which taught corresponding footwork. Elay had always excelled at dancing, and when she started the traditional dance of swordsmanship at the age of six, it became evident that she possessed exceptional reflexes.

At the start of her training, she was grouped with children her own age, both boys and girls. However, by the time she turned thirteen, she was already sparring against opponents who were five years older than her. Elay's parents consistently supported and motivated her to practice swordsmanship and associated dance steps, as a woman who could wield a sword skilfully was highly respected. Being a future queen, it was imperative for her to prove that she was a worthy leader in every aspect, including sword fighting.

Whatever the reason for it, Elay had a deep affection for her sword. She took pleasure in excelling at something, not just surpassing her sisters, but also outshining her peers. It made her feel unstoppable, possessing a strength that was typically attributed only to men.

Gazing at her left hand, she carefully wrapped a leather cloth around her wrist. Whenever she embarked on a lengthy journey, she equipped herself as if she were preparing for an extended conflict. Wielding a sword was especially harsh on the delicate skin of the hands, which is why she always wore a protective leather cloth over her palm. Beneath the leather, she layered a cotton cloth to shield her hands from the abrasive texture of the leather, while her fingers remained exposed outside the cloths.

While also wrapping leather rags around her boots, something she did to reduce chafing after hours of riding, Madeleine walked into her room. The red-haired princess had her straight hair down and wore a matching green dress. Around her waist was a tight dark brown corset; she was always the epitome of femininity no matter what she wore. At the age of eighteen, Madeleine was a princess that both the king and queen took pride in, in contrast to Elay who spent most of her time training and favoured trousers over feminine attire.

“How long do you think you'll be gone?” her sister asked her. Elay didn't stop tying the leather rags and shrugged.

“It's hard to say,” she replied thoughtfully. “The journey on horseback spans several weeks, assuming there are no unexpected stops along the way due to adverse weather or unforeseen circumstances.”

Madeleine slowly nodded her head. “Why don't you teleport?” she then asked, bluntly.

Elay cast a sideways glance at her sister. Teleportation was a complex and demanding form of magic that required immense amounts of energy. Elay was not powerful enough to travel long distances through a teleportation portal on her own. She could only summon a portal to span a short distance, from one side of a wall to the other. The thought of teleporting through entire countries seemed far beyond her capabilities.

And Madeleine knew that.

“What are you referring to?” she asked her sister suspiciously. Madeleine wasn't crazy; why would she say it this calmly?

“Petra and I can help you.”

Elay shook her head. “Even if there are three of us, Maddy,” she said to her sister. “It will take at least a week for your magic to regenerate.”

The use of magic required a significant amount of energy. According to the golden rule of magic, one could not generate energy without first expending energy. While a minor spell might not cause significant fatigue, the effort required for more complex magic was substantial.

“Looks like we have two options,” her sister chuckled. “Either I go without magic for one week, or you have to be on horseback for three.” As she finished speaking, she opened the door and Petra entered the room, beaming with delight.

“Did you get her to agree?” the girl hummed happy.

“No,” Elay interrupted her sisters. “I can't ask this of you.”

“That’s correct,” Madeleine shrugged. “Because you didn’t ask. “ She walked over to her eldest sister, grabbed her hand and asked, “Are you ready, do you have everything?”

Pensive, Elayzabeth looked at her sisters. “You're crazy,” she muttered. “It's really far away. It might take even longer than a week for our magic to regenerate. What am I supposed to do there without magic?”

“Do you think you’ll be in danger there?” Petra summarized Elay's words with concern. “Are the wolves actually dangerous?”

“Of course not,” Elay immediately tried to calm her sister down.

“How do you know that?” Maddy interrupted. “None of us have ever met a wolf shifter. You will be the first.”

Petra let out a satisfied sigh. “Oh how romantic that will be,” the girl sang dreamily. “You might even marry the Lapis-king. That would be so great.”

Elay interrupted her sister with a laugh, raising her leather-covered hands defensively. “Hold on, hold on,” she said. “I'm not marrying anyone. I simply want his backing; I want him to openly declare his support for me to Father and Mother so that they designate me as the sole rightful heir to the throne.”

Petra spread out her arms and nodded her head cheerfully. “And then you fall in love and you come home arm in arm and…”

“Petra,” Elay called out with a broad smile. Her sister had always been a romantic, with her nose in books every day. Not just romance novels, but also erotica. While she was skilled in literature and communication, she often lost touch with reality.

“I think the king of the Lapis Kingdom is fifty or so years old,” she said—she wasn't sure how old he was, but he had been king for nearly ten years. And you don't become king at a young age. He couldn't be young. It just wasn’t possible.

“And he's married,” Maddy added. “At least that's what Charmaine told me.”

Elay nodded cheerfully at the mention of her sister's name, Charmaine. “Exactly,” she agreed. “So keep those fantasies to yourself, Petra. And let me be independent. I do not need a man.'

“Well, in my books the wolves are not described as ordinary men,” Petra continued anyway. “They are big and strong… Muscular and protective. I am so jealous.'

“So… teleportation?” Elay heard Madeleine change the subject. She nodded her head gratefully.

“Let's go,” she admitted to her sisters, who both clapped their hands enthusiastically.