A Court of Horizon and Shadows

3.

The week after the event, the Dawn Court became more active.

People went out to the streets, opening up their shops and their faces more uplifted than in previous years.

Auriella went out to the markets, wanting time away from the palace. There was so much that needed to be done and without her father, it felt almost impossible to do one simple task.

As she walked down the brick pathway, people greeted her, smiling and thriving as if nothing had changed in ten years. Auriella could feel the change in the Dawn Court and see that people were finding a way to live without the High Lord.

It made her blood boil a bit, but she knew that life had to keep going, that the Dawn Court needed to stay upright, no matter what the situation was.

Auriella took a deep breath, keeping her head high and her spirit free from any malice or ill thoughts that overtook her emotions almost every day. She wanted her mind to wander away for a bit, to forget everything that was happening around her.

As the day passed, Auriella walked up to vendors, residents, and store owners, greeting them and laughing along with them. She let their happiness and thoughts uplift her and make her have another reason as to why the Dawn Court must thrive. She let their worries and concerns make her question as to how she can make her court better than before.

Being the Daughter of Dawn was no easy task, especially because she was the High Lord's child. Auriella trained herself on how to maintain her emotions, her posture, and her focus on the situation or concerns at hand.

Whenever she was by Thesan's side, she would observe him in every conference and meeting. She saw his eyes look at the person speaking and his focus was on them only. She saw how serious his face was when he would think about what was being said. Auriella let him be the prime example of how she was to act.

Her father eventually caught up to what she was doing. But he looked at her with approving eyes, letting her know that it was how things were meant to be handled.

Once she was exhausted from hearing many stories poured out to her, she started to make her way up to the palace, but Damian came out of the blue, his grin high as ever. His hands were behind him, hiding something.

Auriella's curious eyes tried to look, but Damian shook his head, "Nope, not until you figure out what it is." He tells her and she groans, starting to walk the other way.

He blocks her, "Come on! Just guess." He pleads.

"Is it a pie? A pastry? Jewelry? Or an insect that will inject a dangerous poison in me?" She asks him. 

He rolls his eyes, "Why do you always assume that it is food or something that could kill you? I am not a bad brother!" He exclaims.

Auriella laughs, "Well, I never know what your intentions are! You are the joker of the family after all and I sometimes can't take you seriously." She tells him.

Damian scoffs, bringing his hands out from behind him. He holds a small red box, "You weren't wrong in your guess, so you earned it. This is just something from me to you, to cheer you up because of our fathers' absence." He says.

Auriella takes the box from his hand, "Damian, you didn't have to. This has been hard on both of us. I don't want you to single me out." She tells him.

He shakes his head, "Why don't you open it, Ella?"

When she does, a necklace lays on the black felt. Three small charms are on it. A crown, wings, and a jokester mask. All three representing her family.

"Damian," She whispers, her eyes filling with tears.

Her brother chuckles, "I know that we both have huge responsibilities, considering who we are. But I want us to remember that we are a family too. We are not just some important people, but siblings who love each other and their parents more than anything." He tells her.