10-23-2026, 03:00 AM
October 22: The Lovers
Lumiere, Auria
With a yawn and a stretch, Princess Ana opened her eyes as morning light filtered through the large east-facing window.
“Morning, beautiful.”
Leo Tellijā, the son of a connected banker who was recently made a member of the Royal Order of Elodie, laid next to her, gazing down at her from a stack of pillows with a cheeky grin. “Sleep well? Guess I should take that as a compliment, eh?”
She groaned, giving his chest a shove. “Shut it, you,” she grumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “You better get out of here, before the morning staff come through. I asked Kat if we could push breakfast back, so we should have a little more time, but that doesn’t mean that we should tempt fate.”
He sighs with a chuckle, eyes rolling. “You know, I’ll never get used to you calling the Queen ‘Kat.’ I get that she’s your sister, but… she’s still the Queen, you know!”
“Yes, but she’s still my sister. I’ve called her far worse things than ‘Kat.’” The princess draped her legs over the side of the bed, working up the energy to stand and walk across the spacious and opulent bedroom to her closet. “Usually when I’m mad at her, but still.”
“I can imagine. I have two brothers myself, I know the life.” Tellijā stretched across the entire bed, looking content enough to stay there for the whole day. “Do you still bow to her?”
“Eh, sometimes, on formal occasions or in front of the staff. Depends on the day and my mood.” Emerging from the closet having donned a maroon halar embroidered with lilies, she picked up Tellijā’s various garments strewn about the room and started throwing them at him. “Now, come on, you oaf. Get up.”
He artfully dodged the chucked garments with fake indignation. “Who would want to wear clothes and be productive this early in the morning? Unless…” He winked, only to be met with a sock hurled at his nose.
“Did you not just hear me say I have breakfast with my sister soon? Unless you want to meet my family this early, I doubt you want to stay around.” She grabbed his arms and pulled him up, suppressing a giggle when he went for a spinning hug.
“Oh, alright, I guess I’ll leave you to your all-important royal business. Try not to crush too many of us peasants in your day to day duties, Princess.” The title sounded both teasing and admiring at the same time, making Ana almost blush.
She broke the hug first, handing him his wallet and cell phone. “Alright, you really should get going. You know how to get out the East entrance, right? Like last time?”
He nodded. “Yep, all committed to memory,” he said. “Hopefully it’ll come in handy in the future too.”
She smiled, before lightheartedly pushing him toward the door. “Go on, you rascal, before the trains get really busy.”
—
The palace’s private dining room was a moderately outdated, but still spacious, part of the Royal Residences Wing, with green wallpaper and dark moulding contrasting against a crystal and gold chandelier of Eirian make.
Princess Ana, now more composed and proper, nodded at the servant holding the door open for her as she entered, giving the same courtesy to her sister, who has already seated at the table. “Good morning.”
Queen Katherina, who looked both too old and too young to be in her mid-twenties, sat at the head of the table, a cup of tea in one hand and a piece of rye bread in the other. “Good morning, Ana. How did you sleep?”
“Fine, thank you,” she replied, picking up a porcelain plate and serving herself a couple of dishes from an elaborate tasting buffet in the corner of the room. “What about you?
“Oh, I slept well, thanks for asking.” Katherina traded the remainder of the bread for the Lumiere Record, hardly looking up from the newspaper as her sister sat beside her. “Mister Tellijā got home safe, I take it?”
Ana froze for a moment, before letting out a resounding and mildly irritated sigh. “Yes, he did. I gave him a transit card too, for his troubles.”
Katherina didn’t respond much to the attempt at humor, save for a little twitch in the corner of her mouth. “Good.” She waited in silence for a few moments. “In the name of the Angels, please tell me you used protection.”
“Ew, Kat! What the-” Ana dropped her fork onto her shrimp pelmes in disgust. “Who the hell asks that at breakfast?”
“Just a concerned sister, that’s all,” The Queen replied, clearly not the most comfortable with the conversation either. “So… are you two serious?”
“Kat, I swear, if you don’t shut up, I’m throwing myself off of the northern terrace.” Ana picked at her dumplings for a few moments before replying. “I… I don’t know. I think, maybe, we could be? I don’t know…”
Dropping the cold, stony facade of a queen, Katherina reached out to grab her sister’s hand. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s not like I can judge someone for being uncertain about their romantic status. You don’t have to have anything figured out, just give it some time and some thought, okay?”
Ana nodded her thanks, steadying herself. “Thanks. Speaking of… Any news on that front for you?”
The Queen looked downwards, her expression a mix of humor and disdain. “Nope, none.”
The princess looked at her for a few moments before donning a smile. “Don’t worry, Between me and Tōm, I think the family sees enough action.”
Katherina barked out a laugh. “Absolutely. Every day, I thank the Angels that he moved to Dernaca Manor. Seeing that revolving door of ‘companions’ would be more than I could bear.”
Taking a sip from her water glass, Ana shook her head with a smile. “Ugh. He’s gone through two-thirds of the college students west of the Davra at this point. You better get a move on, otherwise the realm will be left to one of his bastards.”
The Queen shrank back a bit, trying to fall behind her stony facade once again. “I guess.”
Ana immediately noticed her sister’s change in attitude. “I’m sorry if that hit a nerve,” she said sincerely, trying to discern what the issue might be. “Does that idea…make you uncomfortable? Are you uncomfortable with the idea of love?”
“I’m more than comfortable with it!” Katherina snapped, before softening again, trying her best to allow herself to show actual vulnerability. “I just… I’ve never really… wanted it like that. With all of the love from you all, my friends, and everyone who looks up to the Crown, I think I have enough love for a lifetime.”
Ana pursed her lips, nodding sympathetically. “I respect and appreciate that.” After picking at her breakfast some more in silence, she built up the courage to speak once more. “...that does mean that Tōm or his kids will inherit the throne, though, if you don’t have an heir.”
“I know,” Katherina said, staring down at her mostly empty plate in order to avoid looking her sister in the eye or reveal the cocktail of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
“Believe me, I know.”
Lumiere, Auria
With a yawn and a stretch, Princess Ana opened her eyes as morning light filtered through the large east-facing window.
“Morning, beautiful.”
Leo Tellijā, the son of a connected banker who was recently made a member of the Royal Order of Elodie, laid next to her, gazing down at her from a stack of pillows with a cheeky grin. “Sleep well? Guess I should take that as a compliment, eh?”
She groaned, giving his chest a shove. “Shut it, you,” she grumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “You better get out of here, before the morning staff come through. I asked Kat if we could push breakfast back, so we should have a little more time, but that doesn’t mean that we should tempt fate.”
He sighs with a chuckle, eyes rolling. “You know, I’ll never get used to you calling the Queen ‘Kat.’ I get that she’s your sister, but… she’s still the Queen, you know!”
“Yes, but she’s still my sister. I’ve called her far worse things than ‘Kat.’” The princess draped her legs over the side of the bed, working up the energy to stand and walk across the spacious and opulent bedroom to her closet. “Usually when I’m mad at her, but still.”
“I can imagine. I have two brothers myself, I know the life.” Tellijā stretched across the entire bed, looking content enough to stay there for the whole day. “Do you still bow to her?”
“Eh, sometimes, on formal occasions or in front of the staff. Depends on the day and my mood.” Emerging from the closet having donned a maroon halar embroidered with lilies, she picked up Tellijā’s various garments strewn about the room and started throwing them at him. “Now, come on, you oaf. Get up.”
He artfully dodged the chucked garments with fake indignation. “Who would want to wear clothes and be productive this early in the morning? Unless…” He winked, only to be met with a sock hurled at his nose.
“Did you not just hear me say I have breakfast with my sister soon? Unless you want to meet my family this early, I doubt you want to stay around.” She grabbed his arms and pulled him up, suppressing a giggle when he went for a spinning hug.
“Oh, alright, I guess I’ll leave you to your all-important royal business. Try not to crush too many of us peasants in your day to day duties, Princess.” The title sounded both teasing and admiring at the same time, making Ana almost blush.
She broke the hug first, handing him his wallet and cell phone. “Alright, you really should get going. You know how to get out the East entrance, right? Like last time?”
He nodded. “Yep, all committed to memory,” he said. “Hopefully it’ll come in handy in the future too.”
She smiled, before lightheartedly pushing him toward the door. “Go on, you rascal, before the trains get really busy.”
—
The palace’s private dining room was a moderately outdated, but still spacious, part of the Royal Residences Wing, with green wallpaper and dark moulding contrasting against a crystal and gold chandelier of Eirian make.
Princess Ana, now more composed and proper, nodded at the servant holding the door open for her as she entered, giving the same courtesy to her sister, who has already seated at the table. “Good morning.”
Queen Katherina, who looked both too old and too young to be in her mid-twenties, sat at the head of the table, a cup of tea in one hand and a piece of rye bread in the other. “Good morning, Ana. How did you sleep?”
“Fine, thank you,” she replied, picking up a porcelain plate and serving herself a couple of dishes from an elaborate tasting buffet in the corner of the room. “What about you?
“Oh, I slept well, thanks for asking.” Katherina traded the remainder of the bread for the Lumiere Record, hardly looking up from the newspaper as her sister sat beside her. “Mister Tellijā got home safe, I take it?”
Ana froze for a moment, before letting out a resounding and mildly irritated sigh. “Yes, he did. I gave him a transit card too, for his troubles.”
Katherina didn’t respond much to the attempt at humor, save for a little twitch in the corner of her mouth. “Good.” She waited in silence for a few moments. “In the name of the Angels, please tell me you used protection.”
“Ew, Kat! What the-” Ana dropped her fork onto her shrimp pelmes in disgust. “Who the hell asks that at breakfast?”
“Just a concerned sister, that’s all,” The Queen replied, clearly not the most comfortable with the conversation either. “So… are you two serious?”
“Kat, I swear, if you don’t shut up, I’m throwing myself off of the northern terrace.” Ana picked at her dumplings for a few moments before replying. “I… I don’t know. I think, maybe, we could be? I don’t know…”
Dropping the cold, stony facade of a queen, Katherina reached out to grab her sister’s hand. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s not like I can judge someone for being uncertain about their romantic status. You don’t have to have anything figured out, just give it some time and some thought, okay?”
Ana nodded her thanks, steadying herself. “Thanks. Speaking of… Any news on that front for you?”
The Queen looked downwards, her expression a mix of humor and disdain. “Nope, none.”
The princess looked at her for a few moments before donning a smile. “Don’t worry, Between me and Tōm, I think the family sees enough action.”
Katherina barked out a laugh. “Absolutely. Every day, I thank the Angels that he moved to Dernaca Manor. Seeing that revolving door of ‘companions’ would be more than I could bear.”
Taking a sip from her water glass, Ana shook her head with a smile. “Ugh. He’s gone through two-thirds of the college students west of the Davra at this point. You better get a move on, otherwise the realm will be left to one of his bastards.”
The Queen shrank back a bit, trying to fall behind her stony facade once again. “I guess.”
Ana immediately noticed her sister’s change in attitude. “I’m sorry if that hit a nerve,” she said sincerely, trying to discern what the issue might be. “Does that idea…make you uncomfortable? Are you uncomfortable with the idea of love?”
“I’m more than comfortable with it!” Katherina snapped, before softening again, trying her best to allow herself to show actual vulnerability. “I just… I’ve never really… wanted it like that. With all of the love from you all, my friends, and everyone who looks up to the Crown, I think I have enough love for a lifetime.”
Ana pursed her lips, nodding sympathetically. “I respect and appreciate that.” After picking at her breakfast some more in silence, she built up the courage to speak once more. “...that does mean that Tōm or his kids will inherit the throne, though, if you don’t have an heir.”
“I know,” Katherina said, staring down at her mostly empty plate in order to avoid looking her sister in the eye or reveal the cocktail of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
“Believe me, I know.”
<t></t>