Three Broken Kingdoms-Book 1 of the Lost Continent (Completed)

Chapter Ten: The Theatre of Flame

Layla's Point of View

After the chaos and stress following the Accident, her parents had finally managed to slip away from the court, taking a night for themselves out of the busy week.

She stood in an little garden outside an old home in Veron, bedecked with golden lights. Her parents and aunt watched, smiling from the deck, hidden away from the palace for a little fleeting escape.

Her father, Orion Swallow, with red hair that proved rather rebellious, and purple eyes that twinkled, was gingerly taking his old guitar, her mother, Selene Charlize, with her moon-white hair (an unusual shade that ran in the Charlize line) and light blue eyes, was taking out her violin, despite the panic on her husband and daughter's faces.

Talia Swallow, her aunt was wincing, ears widening in warning. Maia was already dancing, her blue dress spinning in the evening light. The sunset caught her moon-white hair and sparkled in her dancing, purple eyes. The features that they both shared.

No crowns perched on their heads, just the wind in their hair. So fleeting now, so rare, for them to escape the demands of their countries, away from their frustrating court and their power games. But now it was just them and her, their worries fading away.

How she treasured these nights, split between their house in Veron and their apartment in Celeste over the lake. When they did not have to be the Lord and Lady of the most powerful city-states in the archipelago. When they sang and danced and played music together in the evening light.

Tonight was their night, the night the family got to forget about past and future, to live in the present. So Layla took a deep breath. Tonight was alive and rich with spices of a thousand laughters. She stared up at the sunset, bleeding red on the bursting colour of the flowers. Bleeding red on the wood of the house she loved. She smiled a little, a twitch of her lips.

Her father smiled back at her, and picked up the guitar. He didn't need the notes. He knew the song like the back of his hand. Her mother didn't. She pulled out crinkly sheets and picked up her violin. Layla knew when to cover her ears, but the screeches were still painful. As much as she might try, her mother could never master the violin.

She frowned and tried again. Talia swiped the instrument in a flash and Orion chuckled. His wife glared at him icily, and he reverted to play Selene's favourite song. She hummed along, content. Talia got to her feet and began to dance alongside Maia.  Even if Talia could have won fame on the piano, she still had a deep love of failing to dance which encouraged Selene in her own pursuit of the impossible. Sometimes her father and her would sneak away to play properly.

"Talia can't dance," he would smile. "And your mother cannot play. But we three Swallows-we can put on a show." Then Layla would sing, and sometimes he would sing with her. Maia would dance to the beat, as wild and free as ever. Every once and a while, Layla would try with the guitar and music would waft through their home before Talia or Selene came and they had to tuck their instruments away else they be hurt.

"We're going to be late," Talia interrupted.

"Endlessly practical, my sister." Orion called back. Talia went red, and Selene used the distraction to reach for her unattended violin. He noticed this and sighed, reaching for the door. Selene's expression matched her sister-in-law's.

Two minutes later they entered the streets, breathing in the scent of fresh bread. Her father gazed longingly at a cart smelling of caramel and Selene sighed, her eyes on a jam and cream croissant.

The money split between the five of them, each one wandered to the theatre with flakes of pastries trailing behind them and chocolate or jam on their noses. The air was crisp and clean, the lights lit up the evening sky, children dashed through the streets.