Kana's POV:
Dione never left my side as I stared at them down. Helion murmured, "Rhysand forgot to mention something about the trip to Hybern apparently."
"I didn't know you bothered to keep in contact with him." I declared, fiddling with cold fingers. Hava added, "There was a High Lord's meeting yesterday, because of our standards all but a few were able to get in."
Nodding slowly, I took my friends in. Hava, my giant protector and friend, Brutius, Cyrus, Maven, Bron, Nuan, and Clotho all seemed rattled. I set a frigid hand on Dione's, she understood and left us speak in private.
"Why are you all here?" I questioned. You deserve this, Monster, Have your payback, You can leave now. Nuan tilted her head a bit. Clotho step forward from the shield and Helion hissed at her. She gave him a glare telling him to shut the hell up, and continued her path.
She gripped my fingers in her own and smiled. The paper came into my sights, "We wanted to see you, you are our friend, Kana. You are no longer a General, but you are still one of us."
Nodding slightly, I pulled my hands from them, "How's Prythian?"
Helion spoke, "Hybern's coming, but we already knew that."
I murmured, "Feyre wrecked Spring?" Helion nodded and Bron looked a little off. Likely cause he just found out his High Lord was an ass, who had been mentally abusing my sister. Helion added, "Beron likely won't fight."
Hava moved from the shield and wrapped me in a tight embrace. "It's good to see you." I nodded my agreement and she pulled away, shifting to the side she had always stood on.
I declared sofly, "I doubt I'll be let onto Prythian grounds again, my brothers would be reckless."
Clotho wrote, "I heard what she said, thanks to the little magic I had. I achieved the smaller, more satisfying revenges on your behalf."
I snorted and chuckled, "What did you do?"
She smiled softly, as her pen etched. "I made sure to move most of the books she needed down to the lowest levels after her training with Cassian and Azriel, not to mention I put the books she'd actually need at the bottom of seven stacks of ten books."
Hava laughed, "Clotho you really do know how to hurt people the most."
She nodded and fingers my dress, admiring the work. Cyrus and Maven gave me a tight hug next, Bron who whispered his apologies about Feyre, and Helion who murmured about how he had already found many artifacts in his court thanks to my notes.
Brutius thanked me for everything, and told me Tarquin wasn't very welcoming to him and his son. Yet allowed them to live in Summer Court anyways. He whispered, "If you need an advisor and soldier anytime soon, we'll come at the drop of a pen."
Nodding he brought us together in another embrace and moved on. I declared, "How are the Illyrian's?"
Helion snorted, "The males refused to take those who went with you saying 'they were tainted by liars' so they made their own camp and will be on the front lines unlike the other camps."
I snorted and Hava murmured, "Which is a direct insult to the other camps by Rhysand so he'd best be careful."
I sighed and we all murmured quietly, about the good times, and the not so great ones. Cyrus claimed, "I might just consider moving here Kana, Beron banished me for siding with the humans anyways."
"I-" Cyrus cut me off, "Had no control over that bastard's actions. Eris has already sworn to make me a head Advisor when he's High Lord."
Well that helped a little. I murmured, "It was great to see you all."
They nodded and Clotho pushed me toward the door, her notepad showing her thoughts, "Go to your brothers, I know that you all had plans to spar."
"Thank you all," I claimed, setting my hand on the doorknob. They all nodded again. All promising they'd keep in contact. Helion spoke, "Meallan wished you well," I snorted, but he continued. "And I plan to have words with Rhysand."
Ah, well good luck to you then old friend. They winnowed out, back to their own homes.
I stood in the room silently for a while before Dione reappeared. With a hot face and puffy eyes, I glanced toward her. "Why were they here?"
She wiped my hot steaming tears, "Your father thought that they'd want to see you." Sniffing, I brought my hands to my face trying to rub the tears away. Dione ran her hands up and down my shaking shoulders.
"What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy to see your friends again." Dione eased me down to a sofa, sniffing again the tears seemed to lose again. I gripped my elbows, "For some reason, I thought we'd all get to stick together. Even though we'd all live in different courts, with me in the human lands, I thought it'd all be okay."
Dione's cold fingers were a balm against my hot cheeks, "You can still go back to see them." I shook my head, "My sister's are still pissed at me still, no matter what Court i stay in they will always find a way to get me to leave. Because I can't handle their comments again, They'd always find me."
Dione nodded and tucked me into her shoulders, "I think her name was Hava? The super tall one with dark skin and these harsh but kind eyes. Yes she told me she was afraid to come and see you."
"Why?" I wheezed, shoulders shaking as Dione tried to soothe the rooted sadness. Dione murmured, "Hava explained that she believed, if she came and saw you, then you would come back to Prythian and jump head first into danger again. That you'd get hurt."
That was like Hava, I had broken the female in some way, forcing her to let me die those months ago. Dione released my hair from the intricate braid and let it flow around as a curtain. She continued, "I know that's not what your sisters were doing, but my guess is that you feel guilty being here why they are over in Prythian giving their lives."
Nodding slowly Dione sighed and declared, "Your father offered to send a few legions over, but they declined. However, I'm sure if you go and talk to them and attempt to help yourself then they would understand."
Feyre, Nesta, and Elain want nothing to do with me, yet I can still help fix the mess of Hybern. I nodded and Dione spoke. "Do you need spies?"
"I have some." I glanced in the corner of the room, and there were those just visible friendly shadows. "I just need a certain friend to find them."
They waited, and I continued. "The spies will sneak into the ball tomorrow, they're capable enough to, once they're in the spies will go to..."
Glazing to Dione she set a small finger on her lips and said, "Your spies can go to the northern tower at the top. Then you all can meet up around midnight with them, Kana."
Nodding slowly, I watched the shadow's disappear slowly. Dione offered, "I can help you send some letters?"
I shook my head calmly, "It's okay, the message has already been sent." Dione didn't understand, yet she nodded, trusting me. Trust was a strange thing, yet somehow she gave it to me.
She pulled us both from the sofa declaring, "Now, et's go get you cleaned up and you can go spar with your brothers."
She pulled us from the room and as we passed the guests I held my head up, strength emanating from deep inside me. The noticed the hair that represented starlight, and illuminated just ever so slightly. Yet that was all they saw, the strong beautiful Princess.
Those who could look past that, like Mari and my friends back on Prythian, those were my friends, allies. They understood that deep down, no matter how many different words there were, none of them would describe who I am. None of them, but the name Kana Archeron Brangwen.
Archeron, a river from a fairy tale that ran through the underworld. Brangwen, the dark and pure ones. Kana, one simple word that could mean so many things. Yet the word it defined was powerful.
✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ ♜ ♝ ♞ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵
I adjusted my pony tail slightly, and stepped out into the sunlight. Falcon bowed jokingly, "So glad you could finally join us."
"I had some visitors." I explained shortly. Pulling a staff from the barrel Xer grinned. Head tilting slightly, his grin only grew. He wanted a taste of the skill then. Perhaps mercy was a little underrated for today.
Entering the ring Xer was quick to join me, the males were shirtless and sweating. Disgusting, yet even my eyes caught on to how fit the lot of them were. Falcon especially. He raised a brow, I quickly flipped hima vugular gesture. He laughed and said, "Xerxes win please."
Xer launched himself at me, I brought the staff up and blocked his attack. I swung my leg through the dirt, the dust rose up and hid me from sight. Xer cursed and listened for my breathing. By the time he noticed I was already striking behind him.
He gripped my staff with his bare hand, trying to pull away, Xer's grip was too string. I kicked his unsuspecting wrist and knocked his staff over into my hand. Quickly releasing the grip on my own staff I shift my weight trying to study Xer.
We circled for a bit before I lunged left, he followed, yet so quickly he couldn't calculate I lunged back right and struck the crooks of his knees. He crashed into the dirt, and I pointed the staff at his face.
Xer smiled, "Not so rusty anymore are we?"
I hummed and evacuated the ring before someone else could challenge me. Sitting on my usual crate Theo came and sat to the right. He murmured, "I wish I could have warned you before they showed up, father didn't tell us until after mother took you up to see them."
"It's okay," I declared. "It was good to see them, even though I don't really want to go back to Prythian."
Theo turned his head to me, I explained. "I'm going to help with Hybern, even if they turn down my assistance. However, I can't see myself living there, it just feels right to be here."
Theo nodded glancing at Darwyn as he and Falcon fought. Small footsteps drug my attention. Athena looked up and me, I smiled down at her. Picking her up I sat her down between Theo and I. "How are you?"
She whispered, "I'm good."
Theo hopped off the crates and went to spar with Darwyn who apparently challenged Xer and Falcon to a team match. She murmured, "I don't want to fight like you all do."
"That's okay." I declared. She glanced up at me, "How? Everyone else is strong while I'm just me."
She climbed into my lap and leaned back into me. I explained, "Strength isn't just in muscle and fighting Athena."
"What do you mean?" Her green eyes peered up to me. "Do you know Father's advisors?"
She nodded quickly and sat up to pay more attention. I explained, "Knowledge, Athena is one of the greatest weapons you can have." She nodded as I added," A wise man once said, 'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.'"
Athena spoke softly, "So I don't have to fight to be strong?" I shook my head and claimed. "I do think you need to know how to defend yourself should something go wrong though."
Athena nodded, "Mom said she'd hire a self defense teacher when I was old enough." I hummed and she watched the boys fight.
"Kana," Athena murmured. I nodded and she continued, "So I could be someone like my father's advisors?"
"Yes I believe you could," You pushed us into the military. I made sure Athena was looking me in the eyes. "You only have to do this if you want to Athena, I don't want to force you into anything. Just enjoy your childhood, you have a long way to go before you are an adult."
Athena nodded and snuggled into my arms again. Holding her closely we studied the boys. They looked no better than savages when they fought like this. We witness Falcon swiping his staff upward, catching Darwyn in the jaw.
My gaze snagged on Darrien glaring the Princes and Falcon down as they fought. I inquired smoothly, "Do you have a problem?"
His gaze shifted to me, and he grinned. Stalking over to me, he was ready to sit beside me, "I asked if you had a problem, not to come over here."
He paused and purred, "Are you always so rude Princess?"
I shifted my body, putting Athena to the side, keeping her from his gaze. He was quick to note the movement. I questioned, "Why are you here?"
Darrien was just like his father, Damian. He was an ass from what Darwyn had explained to me one time. He tilted his head, "It's a shame the Princes' fight like barbarians-"
"They fight like that because they are willing to lay down their lives for this kingdom. That's more than you can claim." I snapped, my power leaking from my glamor. He spoke smoothly, insultingly. "I don't mean to impose-"
"You are." Athena declared loudly. Darwyn choked, while the other males coughed to hide their laughter. Darrien straightened out his suit jacket, and glanced at me. "As a Princess it's your job to marry-"
"As my father made clear," I glared at him, letting the ghosts tickle his skin. "I will marry whomever I choose when I am ready, Darrien take your leave, now."
His face was flush red with embarrassment and anger. He stomped from the training ring. Athena sighed and leaned her head onto my shoulder, "Can I say a bad word?"
"No." I responded before Darwyn could open his mouth. She glanced up at me and claimed, "Darrien is a spoiled brat."
I related, "He reminds me of Beron and the Autumn Court brood."
Athena spoke, "We've heard rumors Eris isn't so bad."
I hummed slightly and contemplated it. Eris was definitely not the worst of his brothers, even though Night Court would disagree, it's the truth. Yet Lucien was the best of the Autumn Court brood.
Athena played with my hair, and I shifted so she would have an easier time. She giggled and continued running her fingers through my thick locks. The boys continued their sparring.
I hadn't been sleeping, it showed through. A sharp pain shot through my chest, I tensed but relaxed quickly. It was brief and was already gone. I was so out of shape, I wanted to start sparring with swords again, yet it was clear my brothers rarely used those here.
Xer tapped my knee, "Mother says she would like you to come to a luncheon with some of her court friends."
"And their daughters." I rolled my eyes. Xer nodded and picked Athena up. "Tell her I'm bringing Athena."
He snorted, but went ahead and alerted Dione. I carried her up to the royal quarters where Mari was waiting. Within the confines of Athena's room, she sat on her bed. I asked, "What color?"
"The maids usually choose for me." Athena rubbed her arms. I nodded and repeated, "But what color do you want?"
She hummed and pointed to a dress, "The dark blue one."
I pulled it from the wardrobe and quickly helped her into it. The dress had two thin straps up around near her neck keeping it up. The fabric went under her arms covering everything perfectly.
Mari entered with a black dress for me. It was an off the shoulder dress that went all the way past my ankles. The dark unforgiving fabric soaked up all the light, any creases would be invisible. Mari spoke, "The Queen said to were your crowns or tiaras. Princess Kana, majesty left this temporary one for you."
Athena giggled and shook her hands in the air, "Really! Oh I have the perfect one to match this dress!"
She darted off into the other room, and Mari got some shiny dark blue flats to match her dress from somewhere. Mari then helped me into my own dress, and high heels I was positive I'd fall in.
Mari held up the tiara I was supposed to wear. I inhaled sharply, it was bejeweled with black diamonds and weaved together, like leaves with lighter diamonds adding smaller leaves as details. While the unpolished duller black diamonds were berries.
"The Queen knows you better than you think she does," Mari exclaimed as she adjusted my hair that had been turned wavy, almost curly. "Your body shows the pure parts of you, while this tiara, and your personality reminds everyone, that all roses have thorns."
She placed the tiara on top of my hair, which flared slightly as the crown pressed down. From all the diamonds, the crown was surprisingly lightweight. Mari put some dark mascara onto my eyelashes to 'bring out my eyes.' And a dark red, almost maroon color on my lips. The look seemed to help radiate my power.
Athena came back wearing a simple silver tiara that was twisted together in an almost elven fashion, with a shiny sapphire resting in the center aligned with the top of her forehead. She asked for some lip gloss and Mari put a barely darker shade of lip gloss on her.
I helped her into her flats and she giggled. "You look really pretty, Kana."
"Thank you." I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She wrapped her hand in mine and Mari declared, "The luncheon is being held on the seventh level's southern terrace."
I nodded to her quickly before Athena and I made our hike to the seventh level. I decided to attempt to take a short cut, so I went up to the seventh level of the royal quarters then darted over to the southern terrace.
Athena whispered, "This was so much quicker than walking through the palace, thank you for sharing that with me."
I smiled down at her, "You're welcome, now we can race the boys and win every time."
She bobbed her head excitedly with a grin spread across her face. Being a Princess wasn't so bad if you ignored the suitors, the assholes, and the aristocratic competitions; it was just a big game of chess and dress up.
We entered the terrace and Dione's gaze lit up with a wicked light. She seemed to be glowing, but that could be the child within her. Her clapped her hands together drawing the females attention. "Kana, you look amazing, you know I thought my old crown would look great on you. I'd like you to keep it as a gift."
Politics then, and she needed some backup. The lady's eyes darted to me but Athena skipped over to her mother and sat on her left. Everyone here seems to have some sort of dark shade of hair. It was off setting.
One hissed under her breath, Athena tilted her head to the side and asked, "Are you trying to be a snake?"
It was so innocent, yet so blunt and offensive Dione coughed her water back into the glass. The female sat there mouth agape, until after a second past she snapped it closed.
I sat next to Athena and a dark skinned female with onyx eyes. She smiled at me and quickly shook my outstretched hand. She introduced, "I'm Lady Olivia, my father is the Lord of the southern trading city Jalvar near the Glacier River."
I had no idea where any of that was. Mother saved me. I nodded and the rest of the Lady's introduced themselves and their husbands or fathers. Queen Dione added a few things, we all chatted for a while.
Finally, servants brought our filled plates out. Mine was a little smaller than the rest of the girls. Mainly because I was shorter than all of them. The Lord of Garnet's daughter asked, "You used to be the General of the United Forces of Prythian correct?"
"Yes," I answered smoothly. She nodded her head and answered, "Have you met High Lord Rhysand? Some say he's the hottest Lord there."
I declared flatly, staring her down, "He's mated to my sister, Feyre Archeron."
One of the Lady's coughed into their napkin slightly, likely the mother. She flushed with embarrassment and went back to eating her meal silently. The Ladies continued gossiping, spitting insults like compliments and compliments like insults.
I sipped my water as the Lady spoke, "Is it true the Royal families of Vallahan and Montesere will be here with their children?" I continued acting, it was now only attempting to not take out my anger on a poor unsuspecting glass.
Dione nodded and spoke, "It is," She gared the female down. "Aldrich invited them himself at the last minute."
Aldrich was smarter than to attempt to get me to marry someone, he was more a father than most kings. This was about politics, the kingdoms had to be invited. So they wouldn't think I was so precious because I was 'hiding away from them.'
The lady nodded and spoke, "Princess Kana, have you found any males you like."
She was Darrien's mother, a bitch who was used to getting her way. I spoke calmly, "Advisor Lorde has been very welcoming, but he is just a friend."
Dione hid her smirk by taking a long drink from her glass. The Lady flushed with anger. She spoke, "There are many rumors about that male."
"Like how he was supposed to be the General, but he put his family and his country over what he wanted? Yes, they are all very inspiring." I agreed, appreciating his valor.
Olivia smiled, "Yes, he was always very kind to everyone. My brother was in Advisor Lorde's legion, he always speaks very highly of him even today." She winked at me and I immediately liked her.
The lady snapped her mouth closed and went back to eating. Mutton, with potatoes and cheesy beets. We seemed to avoid the more competitive Ladies for the rest of the luncheon. While I quietly murmured with Lady Olivia.
She was now my favorite aristocrat.