-Victoria-
"Let us in, Victoria," Anna called from outside my door.
"Whatever he did, we can help," Ani said.
Sighing, I uncovered my head and slumped over to the door, unlocking it. I didn't open the door for them. I just went back to my bed and wrapped myself in the blankets. Anna tentatively opened the door, Ani peeking around behind her. They looked at me with concern. Anna came and sat with me on the bed while Ani took the desk chair.
"What happened?" Anna asked.
"It's stupid." I said, fiddling with the end of the blanket.
"Clearly, it's not stupid if you're this upset," Ani pointed out.
"Just tell us." Anna sighed.
"The prince was trying to help me get in touch with my magic," I began, they nodded to say they followed, "But we weren't getting any results. So he asked if he could touch me." Their eyes went wide. "I let him and I felt the energy, my magic. I made these bright lights appear around us. Then he kissed me."
"HE KISSED YOU!?" Both of them yelled, mouths and eyes wide.
"Yeah," I replied, taken aback by their reaction, "Then things got a little heated."
"But he's fated to be with the princess," Ani said.
"What do you mean heated?" Anna said, at the same time.
I blushed brightly at Anna's question, looking down. She sucked in a breath, her mouth hanging open.
"That's what the prince said once we were interrupted," I said, "He and the princess are engaged or promised, whatever it is. That it's fate."
"That's cause it is fate," Ani said.
"But what does that mean?" I was exasperated by the lack of a real answer.
"Everyone knows that they're meant to be." Anna said, confused at why I didn't understand.
"I've only been here two days!" I reminded them, angry that people keep forgetting, "I don't know a damn thing about this place."
Ani and Anna shared a look, something unspoken passing between them. Ani nodded before sitting back on the chair. Anna turned back to me, a light smile on her face.
"Let me tell you the story of how this school was founded," Anna said.
About 500 years ago, Aivora and Varezia were in a bad state. Far worse than we are now. Constant wars, spying, assassinations, false treaties. It was bad. But through it all, the prince of Varezia and the princess of Aivora fell in love. They were forced to keep their love secret since both were set to inherit their respective thrones. There was even a secret plan between them and their closest friends to marry once they took their thrones there by uniting the kingdoms. But someone caught them together. They had to flee to the human realm, otherwise the prince would've been killed and the princess imprisoned.
They managed to hide in the human realm for 18 years. They had a daughter. Eventually, they were found by the Aivorian King, though their daughter managed to stay hidden, and returned to Evania. Both were brought here to the land between the two kingdoms where the Varezian Army met them. The king ordered the princess to use the kingdom's magic to annihilate the enemy army, but she refused. For disobeying, the king had the prince tortured in front of everyone. She agreed in order to get him to stop. She went before everyone, raising her hand to summon the kingdom's magic, and, with one last look at her love, used it to take her own life. Chaos erupted, during which the king killed the prince. Little did anyone know, their daughter had seen it all.
She emerged onto the battlefield like an avenging angel. Taking to the sky between the two armies, it's said the world seemed to stop around them. Somehow, she managed to inherit the magic from both kingdoms. She used it to place a curse upon both Varezia and Aivora. Neither kingdom would have a firstborn princess until both found peace and love. In a flash of light she was gone, the world shook, and from the ground rose a mighty castle, Pelmora. Both armies retreated and neither gave much thought to the curse. Pelmora remained empty. But after 100 years and many lost firstborn sons, it was clear the curse was real. Pelmora became a meeting place, then a school, and is still used to this day as neutral ground for disagreements.
"But that doesn't explain the whole fated thing," I pointed out.
"Yes it does," Anna replied, "Since Princess Ustrea is the firstborn princess of Varezia and Prince Azax was literally born on the same day as the prince in the story, it is firmly believed they are the reincarnations of those two."
"They have to marry," Ani continued to explain, "and have their daughter again."
"And she will be the first queen of Evania," Anna finished.
"But why is being the firstborn princess so important?" I had to ask, it made very little sense to me.
"Firstborn princesses are the only ones able to inherit the kingdom's magic," Anna explained.
"Why?" I asked.
"No idea," Anna shrugged, "That's just how it is."
"The important thing is the prince and princess have to be married," Ani said, "It's the only way Evania will ever be united."
My head was spinning. It was a lot to take in. To think reincarnation was real, that soulmates were real. No matter what connection the prince and I had, it would eventually be drowned out by the feelings he had for the princess.
"I guess it's a good thing I found all this out before I slept with him," I mumbled.
Anna just looked at me sadly while Ani blushed. We sat together for a short while before they left for their dorms, promising to come and get me for breakfast in the morning. I waved as they walked down the hall. I had barely shut the door before someone was knocking on it. Standing there was the man who brought me the letter earlier in the day. The prince's spy.
"I don't want his letter." I said, attempting to slam the door in the man's face. He stuck his foot in the door to stop it.
"Ma'am, I'm not to leave until you take the letter," He said, holding it out, "What you do with it after I leave is none of my business as long as you receive it."
"Fine!" I said, yanking it from his hand, "Now go tell him to leave me alone!"
I slammed the door, locking it. I crumpled the letter and threw the ball on the floor next to the desk. Laying in my bed, I just stared at the crumpled letter. Something in me was yelling at me to read what he said, to hear him out. I flipped over to face the wall but the voice just got louder. With a sigh of frustration, I got up and grabbed the letter. Smoothing it out, I opened it.
Dear Victoria, it read, I'm very sorry about what happened tonight. I should've told you about my arrangement with Ustrea. However, I do not regret what occurred between us. I know you feel the connection between us. Whether that connection is temporary or remains, I don't care. I want to be near you. I want to protect you. I want to learn more about you. At least let us be friends. I can still offer my assistance in finding your magic. You can let me know tomorrow during our classes. Again, I'm very sorry. Azax.
A range of emotions flooded through me. I was angry that he wrote to me but also touched that he apologized. I was happy he didn't regret what happened, that he felt the connection I did, but also upset that he was meant to be with someone else. I was also hopeful about friendship. I didn't know what I was going to do. I gently placed the letter on the desk, deciding to get some sleep. As I lay in bed, I dreamed of the prince and I, together with a little girl whose smile lights up the sky.