Chapter 25 - Without Him
--Onnie, A Week After Kyro's Departure--
The first thing I noticed every morning in Varellos was the cold.
It seeped through the stone walls of my chamber, a persistent chill that no number of tapestries or braziers could fully banish. My room was white, as all the royal children's rooms were. White walls, white curtains, white bedding that never quite felt warm no matter how many layers the maids piled on. It was the color of purity, Mother said.
I sat up slowly, my fingers brushing the cold marble of the nightstand beside my bed. The servants had already begun their work. I could hear them moving about, their mana signatures flickering like candle flames in the dark. They were packing my things. Trunks being opened and closed, the rustle of fabric, the soft clink of glass bottles.
Today was the day I left for the Magic Academy.
My chest tightened. I pressed a hand against my sternum, as if that could somehow ease the pressure building there.
I craved Ytval. It was my quiet escape, the one place I could actually breathe and just be Onnie. The suffocating, frozen halls of Varellos never reached the sun-drenched, earthy warmth of those woods. Here, the ice melted from my shoulders, and the weight of being a princess faded completely. It was where I belonged... and where I met Kyro.
Kyro, who had asked me what I was reading without hesitation. Kyro, who had come back even after I knocked him into the dirt. Kyro, who had become my first friend.
And now he was gone. Off to the unforgiving Demon Continent with his family. He had promised me he would be back in a few weeks. Just a few weeks. But it had been one already, and the endless, silent nights here make the waiting feel like a slow kind of torture.
I swallowed hard. I would not see Ytval for a long time, not while I was at the academy, not while I was fulfilling Mother's wishes.
The door to my chamber creaked open, and I turned my head toward the new presence. The mana was familiar, dense with the weight of decades of study. Formn, the Royal Mage.
"Princess Onnirelle," his voice was warm, patient. "Are you ready?"
I hesitated. My fingers twisted in the bedsheets. "I... I would like to speak with my sister first, if that is alright."
Formn was silent for a moment. Then, "Very well, as you wish." I heard him turn, his robes whispering against the floor. "Maids, give the princess a moment."
The servants' mana signatures retreated, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I slipped out of bed, my bare feet pressing into the cold marble floor as I waited for Formn and the rest of the maids left the halls. I slowly opened the door and went to Althalia's room just next to mine.
***
The door was slightly ajar. I pushed it open and stepped inside.
The scent of wool and lavender filled the air. Althalia was already awake, as always.
"Onnie, perfect timing," Althalia's voice was bright, warm. I turned toward her, sensing her form on the bed, the soft click of knitting needles.
She held up something. A sweater. Pink, with a bunny head in the center. I could sense the stitches, the softness of the yarn.
"I made you a sweater," she said, pride evident in her voice.
I walked forward, a smile tugging at my lips. "I like it."
I sat beside her on the bed, the mattress dipping slightly under my weight. The sweater was soft under my fingers, the wool thick and warm.
"Try it on," Althalia said, laughter in her voice. "Let's see if it fits."
I pulled it over my head. The fabric was cozy, but the sleeves hung past my wrists, the body loose around my small frame.
"Isn't it a little... bigger?" I asked, trying to keep my voice polite.
Althalia laughed. "Well, you're still six. It might fit you when you grow older."
I smiled, but my heart wasn't in it. The sweater was a kind gesture, but it only reminded me of what I was leaving behind.
After a moment, Althalia's voice softened. "You're leaving the castle already?"
I looked down, my hands folding in my lap. "Yes... Mother said I should go, and Formn has already recommended me to the Magic Academy of Varellos."
I turned my head toward the closet in her room, the one that led to Ytval. "Will I ever see Ytval again?"
Althalia was quiet for a moment. Then, "The Magic Academy isn't that far... I think. I mean, you can always come here every night. Not like you and I need any sleep."
I shook my head. "I mean... I don't want to leave the castle. But I also don't want Mother to think so ill of me. You know how harsh she is when her wishes aren't fulfilled."
Althalia nodded. I felt her hand find mine, her fingers cold despite the blankets piled around her. "I understand."
She squeezed my hand. "But you gotta be strong, Onnie. I know you have a gentle, kind heart. I can see it in you. Don't let others break you down, because you're one of a kind."
Her grip tightened. "And you can spend time maybe making new friends at the Magic Academy. Who knows? Not like Kyro is coming back for a few weeks, right? He's spending time with his own blood. You've got plenty of time to find yourself here in Varellos."
I hesitated. "I don't know... But... I'll do my best, sister."
"That's the spirit," she laughed lightly.
I said my goodbyes, though I knew I would see her again soon. The palace was my home, after all. But it wouldn't be the same without my daily escapes to Ytval... without Kyro.
***
--Later, The Palace Entrance--
The grand doors of the palace loomed before me, their polished surfaces reflecting the pale winter light. Guards in white and red uniform lined the stairs outside, standing at attention like statues. They wear a white fur hat, indicating they're royal guards. I waited, my hands clasped behind my back, following the royal etiquette Mother had drilled into us all.
The doors opened behind me. I felt the presence of my family before I heard them.
Mother first. Lamintha Freyharp. Her mana was sharp, commanding, like a blade honed to perfection. Long black hair, red eyes. The queen who ruled with an iron will.
Beside her, my fifth older sibling, Euginne. Eight years old, black hair, red eyes.. My brother. His mana was restless and aggressive.
And Sally, my fourth older sister. Ten years old, blonde hair, purple eyes. Our father's eyes. Her mana was cooler, more controlled, but no less judgmental.
"Euginne, Sally," Mother's voice was crisp. "You will be attending the Magic Academy with your sister."
Euginne scoffed. "I can't believe she's going to the same school as us." He turned to Mother, his voice whining. "Mom, are you seriously considering this?"
Mother's voice was firm. "Of course. You are all siblings. And besides, having Onnirelle by your side will help her improve her communication skills. She's a royalty. She is the same as the rest of you."
Sally didn't speak, but I could feel her glare, irritated and dismissive. I turned my face away, taking a step back from my siblings.
Euginne wasn't done. "Uh-uh. We're not the same, Mom. She's blind. She already shamed the Freyharp name just by existing—"
A sharp sound came right after. Mother had smacked the back of Euginne's head. "You shut it there, young man. Just because she's blind doesn't mean Onnirelle isn't capable of great wonders."
Euginne rubbed the back of his head, muttering under his breath.
I clenched my fists at my sides, my gloved biting deep into my palms until the skin screamed.
The truth of it stung more than I could admit. Even with Mother's defensive strike, the cruel reality of Euginne's words hung in the freezing air and it was undeniable.
In the eyes of the Varellos nobles, a disabled royal was more than just a disappointment; but a stain on the bloodline. Even without physical sight, I could feel the invisible weight of the court's judgment. I had heard the venomous whispers drifting through the grand corridors, felt the mocking, heavy stares of the courtiers whenever I stumbled. Their mana signatures always curdled into pity and disgust whenever I passed by. The blind princess. The broken child. The weak link in the proud Freyharp line.
A wave of suffocating hot shame flooded my chest, clashing violently against the icy palace air. I swallowed down the lump in my throat, fighting to keep my posture rigid and perfect, desperately praying they couldn't see my hands shaking.
"The Freyharp family has limitless potential," Mother declared, her voice ringing with pride. "Unlike other disgraceful lower class and lower nobles, we're the best the world has to offer. Even if she's our weakest link, that doesn't mean she's useless. She is still our own, and we should treat her as that, not an outcast."
She turned to Euginne and Sally. "You both understand?"
"Yes, Mom," they said in unison, their voices lacking enthusiasm.
Mother turned to me. "Do not worry, Onnie. Even if you're blind, you're a Freyharp. You carry generations of the strongest mages, intellects, and royal blood inside you."
I forced a smile. "Thank you, Mother."
Then I felt Father approaching from inside the palace. He stepped just behind Mother.
"Dear," his voice was deep, smooth. "Are they all ready?"
Mother turned to face him. "Yes, they are."
I turned toward Father, but as always, his attention was not on me. I could already feel his gaze landing on Euginne and Sally, assessing them. He had never spoken to me, not once. His focus was always on the other siblings, never me.
A lump formed in my throat but I swallowed it down.
The guards lining the stairs suddenly put their hands on their chests, over their hearts. The royal carriage waited at the bottom of the stairs, its doors wide open.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward. My siblings followed, though they kept their distance.
I entered the carriage first, settling into the plush seat. Euginne and Sally sat across from me, their mana signatures a wall of disdain.
The door closed with a soft click. The carriage began to move.
I looked out the window, though I couldn't see the passing scenery. I could sense it, though. The cold air, the distant mana signatures of the city's inhabitants, the faint scent of snow. I was leaving the palace, leaving Ytval behind... leaving my comfort zone. I clenched my fists, then forced them to relax.
I would do my best, for them.
For Althalia. For Kyro.. And for myself.
[End]