Shackled Sorceress: Winter Queen

Breakfast and a Show

Sometimes, Kalliope wondered if she and Venus were truly siblings. Much less twins. 

Kalliope knew very well what Venus had been through. She was there. She saw it. And now, as Kalliope watched Venus lean onto Rion, chest squishing against his arm, she wondered if she had not done enough.

The Sorceress Princess masked her warring emotions with a polite smile upon receiving them at the main guest hall. 

“How was your sleep last night?”

“It was...cosy,” Venus smiled an almost dreamy smile, one that an outsider would have certainly missed the teasing undertone, “much warmer than I expected.”

And if Kalliope had not been paying attention, she would have missed the way Prince Rion’s ears pinked. Kalliope bit back a scoff.

“It was very comfortable, Your Highness,” he gave her a sweeping bow, smiling his unassuming, charming smile, “thank you for having such great care put into our quarters.”

Kalliope felt thankful for the corset she was wearing, for it concealed the way her abdomen clenched in discomfort, “But of course. I must look out for my sister, and my sister-in-law’s potential betrothed’s well-being.”

Something passed through Rion’s expression at those words, though he masked it quicker than Kalliope could read him, “You are truly thoughtful, Princess Kalliope.”

“Crown Prince Consort,” She corrected him before she could stop herself, though then relished in the way Rion’s whole body froze, and the briefest scowl that marred Venus’ forehead, “Tio.”

The maidservant bowed upon being called, then went to have breakfast sent in. The air among the three of them was stilted and stale; silent saved for the clinking of plates and utensils being placed before them. Not only until the food arrived, a warm, creamy soup garnished with herbs that could have possibly survived outside, did Venus open her mouth.

“Is Crown Prince Malus not joining us?”

“Morning drills,” Kalliope’s response was clipped, but she amended easily, “he usually does not return to the palace until late after-noon.”

“I see,” Venus hummed in a way that Kalliope did not enjoy one bit, “it seems His Royal Highness does live up to his title, then.”

“Indeed. He is an admirable man.”

Venus paused, searching Kalliope’s face placidly, but Kalliope had perfected the art of reading Venus’ many expressions over the years too well to miss the slight curiosity in her sharp eyes.

“Have you fallen for him, sister?”

Unblinking, Kalliope stared back.

“I love him.”

A surprised breath was punched out of Venus. Out of the corner of her eyes, Kalliope could almost swear that Rion looked somewhat disappointed.

She filled that information away to scrutinise later.

“I did not expect that.” Venus admitted, the most honest she had been since her arrival.

Kalliope decided to return the gesture, “Neither did I.”

A small smile played on Venus’ lips, a smile that only Kalliope ever saw. A smile tucked away in their childhood bedrooms, when they dreamed and promised each other of a boundless future, full of sunshine and happiness.

It was gone as quickly as a stray Caeloran snowflake, blown away by the cold, merciless wind.

Something sharp glinted in Venus’ eyes, “And it seemed fairly clear yesterday where his feelings lie.”

Kalliope inclined her head, calm even though she felt sick to her stomach, “Indeed.”

The sisters gauged each other’s expression, quiet in their own thoughts and calculations, until Rion politely cleared his throat.

“Let us break fast, before all this delectable food goes to waste!”

Kalliope inclined her head in agreement, not missing the way Venus seemed to glare at the Prince.

The meal was full of small, meandering talks like dinner. Kalliope could not help but compare speaking to her sister to chopping down a tree with a slicked-up axe. It was frustrating, slippery and all around a waste of time. Neither Kalliope nor Venus tried to make a move during the meal, at least not yet. But Kalliope now had a shadowy idea of what her sister was prodding at, of what she might be trying to accomplish.

It made her want to take on Malus’ invasion offer.

Alas, violence was not the answer to everything.

After their awkward meal, Kalliope took them on a tour around the palace, just as promised. Rion, as one might expect of a visitor, was in awe of the abnormally large structures. He seemed enthused about the palanquins as well, stating that it would be great to introduce to Alari’s Royal Palace as well. Kalliope nodded and answered his questions candidly, somewhat glad that the Prince was filling up the conversation. 

Venus had been quiet since the meal. Nestled in the palanquin with a pile of warm fur, she looked at the structures curiously from time to time. But her eyes were mostly on Kalliope, scrutinising.

Kalliope, meanwhile, considered the course of action she should take. 

The indisputable fact was that Venus was a lot more charismatic than Kalliope could ever be. There were several things she could easily find out, not from Kalliope, but from the eyes and ears in Caelora. There were plenty of people eager to entertain Venus, even without her particular brand of espionage. 

There were plenty of people who wanted to take down Malus. His own half-brother for example. 

The unholy thought of Venus and Numos sleeping with each other entered Kalliope’s head, and she shuddered involuntarily.

Of course, Venus saw this, and took that as an opportunity to ask.

“How have you been faring in this climate, sister?”

“I... “ it took a moment for Kalliope to regain her composure, “it was quite a change to get used to, but in the end, I do not mind the weather much.”

There was a long pause, “It is quite different from Aleria.”

It was a statement, but also sounded like a loaded question. Kalliope opted to not elaborate on her side.

“It is.”

Venus went quiet again. But she did not stay so for long.

“What do you usually do in the morning? Since your hus-... since His Royal Highness always seems so busy.”

Having anticipated this and already made her decision, Kalliope said, “I tend to courtwork on most mornings. Sometimes, I would visit the nobles, or Her Highness Princess Asa. Other times… I would join Malus on the training field.”

This certainly struck surprise into Venus again. Kalliope watched her sister’s expression shift rapidly at the information, knowing that there were several questions Venus wanted to ask. Kalliope knew that Venus understood that, with a change of environment, some of Kalliope’s own habits must change as well. Kalliope also knew that Venus was shocked at how drastic those changes were.

Ultimately however, it was not Venus who asked the next question.

“Your Highness, you participate in His Royal Highness’ training regime?” Rion asked, a tinge of excitement and confusion in his voice. 

Kalliope gave him a diplomatic smile, “Of course. I am, after all, the War Prince of Caelora’s Consort. I am expected on the battlefield eventually.”

Not unexpected, the colours disappeared from Rion’s face. Venus herself shifted uncomfortably in her palanquin. 

“Are you training to… fight, sister?”

“But of course,” Kalliope kept her neutral smile, knowing from experience at the court that it made people want to soil their pants, “weaponised magic is the best offense, after all.”

The air among them dropped several degrees colder than it already was. Rion’s expression was especially fearful, but Venus’ was much more interesting. Her eyes shift from fear, to concern, to a typical Venus calculating look that never sat well in Kalliope’s stomach, then back to her neutral mask once more.

Kalliope decided to not have any mercy on them.

“Would you like to watch?”

“Pa-pardon?” Rion stammered, taken by surprise.

Patiently, Kalliope asked again, “Would you like to watch my training with my husband?”

“I... well, I would not want to impose…”

“We would love to,” Venus cut in, sending Rion a look, “if it is not too much trouble, sister.”

“Very well.” Kalliope nods at the servants, who immediately changed their course towards the training ground.

This was not a secret, Kalliope’s training with the knights and Malus. She had been working with the troops almost as soon as she arrived in Caelora, and she had only grown more diligent since the attack at the Royal Tomb. Everyone knew this. And Kalliope would rather show Venus immediately than letting her skulk around and find out something else. 

Besides, the unexpected fear barely into the second day of Venus’ arrival was definitely a bonus.

Despite the day having been warmed with the season, the weather was absolutely miserable to Venus and Rion. Kalliope pointedly ignored the way they huddled together for warmth, thinking about the enchantments woven into Venus’ clothes. 

Other than having a staring contest with her sister during breakfast, Kalliope had studied the magic cast upon the fabric of Venus’ dress as much as she could. Expertly done, possibly by Alari’s Court Sorcerer, as she could not understand some of the scribes. There were several ways to utilise and call upon magic, most relying on ancient language now lost to the population. And just like the current time they were now in, there had been several languages in the past. 

The magic on Venus’ clothes was enchanted with part elven magic, and part dwarvish, as far as Kalliope could tell. It piqued the Sorceress’ curiosity of course, wondering what kind of Sorcerer King Eiras of Alari kept by his side. It also confirmed that Venus had Eiras wrapped around her finger, for it was not common for concubines… or wives who were not Queen, to be gifted with such heavily enchanted gifts. 

Sorcerers were a dangerous breed after all. Rarer than diamonds and deadlier than the most trained assassin. People in the position of power would wrangle them like rare beasts, to keep by their side on a leash as a show of power.

To be reduced to making clothes for a concubine… Kalliope wondered what kind of person this Sorcerer was.

“Starlight!”

Malus’ call brought her back to the present, and an unrestrained smile, the first one of this day, bloomed on Kalliope’s face. 

From the ring of soldiers, Malus jogged over, training armour and all, eyes on her, completely unseeing Venus and Rion. He pulled a glove off, and cupped Kalliope’s cheek in a relieving warm hand.

“Miss me?” He asked, but not letting her answer before leaning down for a kiss. There was some cajoling and whistling from the soldiers, but Kalliope ignored them, relishing in the close contact and comfort.

“I came for some training.” Kalliope whispered against his lips, loud enough for Venus and Rion to hear. Malus’ chuckle rumbled, then finally looked up to their guests.

“Prince Rion, Consort Venus,” he acknowledged, “you may watch from the sideline.”

“Your Royal Highness,” Venus’ voice took on the pitch she usually used around those she felt a… particular inkling towards, “may I ask what you and my dear sister will be doing? Would she be training against the knights? Or would she be sparring against you.”

“None of that,” Malus’ voice was neither cold nor hard, but flippant, “we shall be working as a team.”

“A… team?”

“Yes, sister,” Kalliope turned around to give her sister the same dreamy smile Venus often employed, Malus’ hand automatically moved to cup around her trimmed waist, “it would be better for us to show you. Shall we?”

She held back the smile upon seeing the uncomfortable shift in Rion’s stance and the narrowing of Venus’ brows. 

“Let’s.”

With a sweep of her cloak, Kalliope linked arms with Malus, and walked down to the training ground. The soldiers spread for them readily, eyes bright for a spectacle to come. Some watched Venus and Rion, sizing them up and eyeing them like wolves to sheeps. 

Kalliope held her head high, hearing the uncertainty in the crunch of Venus’ boots.

Here, her silver tongue meant nothing. Here, strength is shown in its most brutal, honest way. 

Kalliope and Malus stepped from the crowd, her cloak and his dark armor a bruised patch on the snow-dusted, frozen ground. 

Malus pressed a kiss to her forehead, grinning.

“Let us give them a show.”

“Let’s.”