A royal bloodline gets divided by rebels' attempted regicide, casting Alvina from her throne and into hiding, as Quinn, the bastard brother, is forced to take her place.
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Alvina was supposed to be queen, but when her coronation is abruptly stopp...
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"Is it safe?" I asked and pulled the burrowed hat further down. It was a tight knitted one that could hardly fit down over my hair.
"Yes. It's safe. No one knows what you look like up here." Dy took my arm and steadied me. My legs were wobbly, and I was still weak. But I needed to get out of that room now, or else I would never leave.
We walked slowly down the cobblestone streets, between tall buildings. All had metal stairs strapped on the walls, and metal bars over the windows. Most of the metal all around the city seemed to be rusty, but it played into the aesthetic of the city. I liked it.
"What do your parents do?" I asked.
"My mother is a doctor like my aunt. My father works in the mines."
"Good working people then," I said a little strained. The wound in my leg was still sore.
"Yes. Would... You like to see my house? It's not far."
"I'd love to." I smiled up at her and clenched my hand around her arm. She patted my hand and smiled back. We walked down the street and rounded a corner. I wasn't sure if this was considered a rich neighbourhood or a poor one. I had never been outside of the stronghold before now.
"It's nice here," I tried.
Dy snorted. "Not really. I'll show you the better parts of town some day."
"I do like it here. It's not quiet. There's life here."
"I guess it's a big contrast to the stronghold?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I always missed people. I mean, I had Quinn but..." I swallowed hard. "Dy, is there any way I can get a message to him? To tell him I'm alive?"
"They don't think it would be safe right now. We're working on getting someone set close to him."
"Who are 'we' and 'they'?"
"I guess I haven't told you that yet." She sighed a bit and stopped. "We have our own military. As a country, we've taken a stance against the coup, but not publicly. We're working under their noses as a country. We might be pacifists, but we're not idiots."
"But why? Why do that for me?"
She snorted. "It's not just about you. They're trying cut us off from different business deals we have with the capital. You just happen to be one piece of the much larger puzzle."
"Way to make me feel special," I grinned.
She laughed out loud this time and took my arm in hers again. "That's what I'm here for, Your Highness. To make you feel special."
"You do, you know... Make me feel special."
Her smile widened, but she didn't reply. We started walking again, but this time my leg felt worse. I was starting to get a little dizzy too. "Dy... I don't feel so good," I mumbled.
