Lizzie of the North (Yrsoreth Chronicles 2)

62◦❀◦ The What Trilogy

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Her head hurts and her eyes were swollen. It was to be expected for a girl who slept late just to mourn her first love.

But at least, she got the sad part in order now and she will move on. Maybe she could meet a man that would not get on his father's nerves and is of good status and loves her truly. And maybe, she could meet a man that would not be misunderstood that he'd use her as a pawn.

She'd sift through the list of illegible men who are not Alec. "Is the czar from Syl Sulivar still unmarried?" she asked once after pulling an old letter of invitation from the said kingdom, in the drawer of marriage proposals spared from her father's hands. She was glad she saved the notable ones for choices. 

Fay dropped the tray of tea and Luppe spilled the ink mid-writing official documents. "I'm just wondering," she said as damage control. It was just a fleeting thought, as if her family would let her marry anyone that easily, especially to a kingdom with an almost-century war against their neighbors.

And as if she wanted to marry another.

She explained everything to Devanti, just to spare the Gran Dacchians a little mercy. Gods knew she did. But Devanti just said "If you say so," and the topic was closed. After that, Lizzie stopped to repair the relationship between the two rulers. At least the Gran Dacchian monarchs are clear now.

Viva peace indeed.

"You look terrible," Devanti said when she entered his office. Throughout the years, he learned to express himself better.

And boy did he express well.

He was as sharp as his blade. He had praised her beauty, but he had also called her the opposite.

"Good morning to you Papa." She then placed the envelope on the table. "Can you please include this for letters to be sent out?"

"To whom?"

"Crown Prince Alecis Gran Dacchia." A bitter taste lingered in her mouth as her tongue rolled out the sound of the name.

The king who had already paused his tasks as Lizzie stepped foot in the room, stared at the crumpled envelope, sealed with the Norvillon wax. A plain 'Alec' with a blotched 'A' and 'c' from her tears was written.

"This... will be the first and last time Papa," she promised.

"That boy... what do you feel about him?"

As if a vague "It's complicated." would make it easier. An honest, "It's not really a whirlwind romance because we knew each other since childhood, but yes, you're only daughter is in love with the son of the man you hate through your bones." would make it worse.

So Lizzie chose the poetic route. "He makes me sick."

"How sick, Felizzia?"

His stare didn't reach Lizzie who had thought of Alec's face.

All the symptoms and more.

"Very sick." Her reply came out more melancholic than she intended.

Devanti clicked his tongue and roughly sighed. He took out three thick black leather bounds from his desk. "There are seven of these, but you can read the three first for now."

"What are these Papa?"

"Read it in your room," he commanded before she could unlatch the tie that bound the leathered cover.

"In my... room?"

"Yes. Don't stop until you finished and come back."

It must be a secret that could jeopardize the national emergency. So she nodded without question and fled back to her chambers. She told Luppe to delay her work in the afternoon.