The Tales of a Cursed Warrior

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Soleil knew all the maneuvers and paths in their huge garden.

"Can we go in there?" she asked, pointing at the maze.

"Oh, sweetheart, if we go in there I can guarantee that we're never getting out again," laughed Asteria.

Soleil grinned.

"Have you ever been inside the maze?" asked Asteria curiously.

The blonde nodded. "Cass and Lex take me there sometimes."

"So you like it?" 

Another nod.

"Where are you taking me now?" questioned Asteria as the younger steered them away from the maze, Sentinels' eyes never quite leaving them.

"It's a secret," said Soleil, eyes twinkling as she glanced up at Asteria.

"Surprise me."

Soleil led them towards a beautiful gazebo, hidden behind long, trimmed trees.

"Woah," said Asteria, turning in the spot to look around the space. "This's nice. Come here often?"

Soleil shook her head. "Not often. I can't go out alone and Cass and Lex are not girls."

Asteria grinned. "This lovely place is only for girls?"

Soleil smiled and sat on the stone. "It's a secret."

Asteria sat across her and exhaled deeply. "Can I call you Soley?"

The blonde nodded. "I need a secret name for you, too!"

Asteria chuckled and leaned back on her hands. "Tell me."

"Hmm . . . Ria?" said Soley.

"Whatever you like," said Asteria airily. 

"Are you and Cass going to get married?" asked Soley quietly after a few minutes of silence.

Asteria turned to her, shock colouring her face. "Why do you ask?"

Soley shrugged, swaying her feet together as they stretched in front of her. "He always had girls to marry but they all left."

"Left where?"

"Dada sent them home," muttered Soley. "He didn't like them much. He wanted Ivy, the Princess."

"Of the East?" guessed Asteria, mind reeling.

Soley nodded. "Will you leave too?" she wondered softly.

Asteria shook her head, touching the blonde's fingers. "No. I'm sticking around. I like this place, it's huge," she lied with a bright grin.

Soley was a quiet girl, Asteria realised as they sat together in silence. The silence made her squirm and she finally turned to her little sister-in-law . "What do you do in your free time?"

Soley smiled softly. "I have dancing lessons and painting and baking sometimes . . . I play a lot. Sometimes Cass and Lex take me to the theatre or the gallery. Walter takes me to the labs but not always. Cass teaches me piano and Lex plays board games with me. Dada takes me with him sometimes when he travels and it's fun . . . I don't like ballet." She scrunched her at the last sentence and shrugged a small shoulder.

"You stopped ballet?" 

Soley nodded. "What do you do for fun?"

Asteria's insides froze. Gather bruises and scars, she thought bitterly. "I like swimming and sparring," she said, trying to remain child-friendly.

"Are you good at swimming?" asked Soley, tracing the lines on her own hand.

Asteria nodded. "Yeah, is there a pool in the palace?"