The Shadows of the Four Realms [BOOK TWO]

CHAPTER 18 - Of a Corresponder

When guests from all the Four Realms started voyaging to the Autumn Realm for the most-talked about ceremony post the Conquest, one little ship from the Spring Realm brought along a friendly face.

"I missed you so much. Why did you take so long?" said Eleni, her face buried in her friend's curly hair.

"Aw, I'm here now, Eleni. You're acting as if you were treated poorly until I came."

Smiling in a mischievous glint, under the rosy tint of the morning sun, Serena held Eleni close after they had lain eyes on each and broken into identical high-pitched squeals--close to the evening calls of hawks--making everyone jump.

"Womenfolk!" Ralph had whispered in Nova's ears, making Nova chuckle.

"I am treated poorly," Eleni was saying. Do you know how rude Una is to me? And I was attacked twice, Serena. Twice! Now I have to train inside these stupid palace walls."

"Woe is Eleni," grumbled Una, perched on the window sill.

"See?" Eleni glared at Una, complaining to Serena. "These royals are all crazy."

"And what does that make you?" Doran gave her a mocking smile, seated by Una's side.

Serena laughed, holding Eleni by her shoulders. "Come on, then. Let's turn their world upside down. That is why I am here."

"That is why you are here, of course," said Una, staring out the window.

Serena shot her a look, but did not comment further, both of them caging in their obvious emotions behind bars of nonchalance.

Ralph leaned into Nova again. "I will never understand women," he muttered and Nova put a fist on his mouth, hiding his grin.

"Whatever do you mean, Serena? Aren't you here for the Coronation?" Doran asked.

Nova watched as Eleni still had her arm hooked with Serena's as they leaned against the ebony table of the study. Serena, in a rose-quartz gown, hair tied in a messy bun, looked slightly worn out by her four-day long voyage, yet there was an aura about her that nothing ever fazed her and she wouldn't rest until spilling her information out.

"That and some more," said Serena. "A round of rumors run amok in the Spring Realm. The village news carries itself like forest fire. Also, my being a Corresponder ensures a fresh dose of news first-hand. And I thought, it might take time to reach Autumn Realm so I'd deliver it myself in... advance."

Eleni's face twitched in a forlorn expression. "Good old days."

Nova recalled then that Eleni and Serena were Corresponders from Liberan, both Calligraphers, aiding the Historians. He had only met Serena in the middle of a raging battlefield and the image of her in his head was distorted until he saw her again in the flesh, moments ago. Unlike Eleni, who despite being an actual royal, always took a step back from things of royalty, Serena now stood in the middle of the earthen study, arms crossed against her chest and her natural air of confidence made her the center of everyone's rapt attention.

***

"Ever since the battle, there have been talks of some group of revolutionaries. Well, that is what they call themselves, but are anything but that." Serena added, looking at everyone one by one, "They might be the most traditional people to ever exist. If left to them, they'd built actual walls between Realms and Houses. Slave and hunt Eclipses, use Vacants for all sorts of manual work, and somehow, they know that the new young royals are planning to bring changes and well, you can figure what their reaction might be." 

"Rioting?" said Doran.

"Assassinating us?" Una speculated.

"Getting us dethroned one by one," Ralph said.