Maude:

  The room was filled with mirrors framed in shades of silver and green. This one room in a small crevice of the Grokoya palace was one of very few things as Queen her mother did in an act of self-indulgence. The water in the center of the room sparkled with the fractal light coming through colorful glass along the top of the mirrors. This room was always quiet always peaceful and held many memories shared between Queen Sirona and her six daughters.

  Not that any would have heard of this room in the rumors flittering through whispers shared over oceans. To most all that was known about the Queen was that she was beautiful with inky black hair that fell like water down her back. That with very little effort she could heal wounds that other kingdoms spent lifetimes trying to find successful treatments for.

  In Kingdoms that revere magic a sigil of the queen’s likeness was pressed into medical forms and documents. That sigil was the only form of the Queen that most outside of Grokoya would ever see. Only a few more would see the King though his face was publicized more.

  King Ansel who never entered this room cultivated by their mother in fear of destroying her dedicated work was know as a wonder and a warning to all that revered magic. He was known in many whispered places as the Chooser. His magic was in a way not a magic at all but the counter to magic. With A single command he could dispel anything that involved magic.

  It was the symbol of the two power, kindness and strength that upheld the steady flow of peace that had reigned at the command of the previous Queen.

  A peace upheld by the current king and queen and a peace that would be continued by which ever of them took the throne.

  Thea the eldest stood by mother her posture almost exact tall and elegant though Thea had long blonde hair more like their father’s and where their mother dressed herself in the colors coordinating with her mirrors, Thea wore the colors of the woods of the shadows. Thea had the calling of the earth and had the moment she reached her majority sworn herself to the trees.

  Maeve next in line sat in the silver morphed chair that appeared at the will of their mother. Maeve looked the most like their mother though Maeve always had a spark of something that was so much their father. Normally Maeve was everything bright and intense in the world. She had the rarity of the magic that was fundamentally life. Yet looking at her know she didn’t look it.

  Salana who stood perched at the door as if waiting for something to smash in and need swift and efficient dealings with. Flames sparked at the ends of her hair every time Maeve hid the tears that kept building. Salana was the warrior through and through dealt a hand of fire and embraced it with the steadiest hand anyone had ever seen.

  Aura stood tiny with blonde almost silver hair at only sixteen sat on one of the shelves that hung along the mirrors uncharacteristically quiet. Aura a child of the air never stayed in one place long and never did well with the boundaries set around the palace. Yet right then she was like glass frozen in time.

  Hali was the only one not visible but the way the water bubbled left it not too hard to know where she lurked and that she felt the dismay of the room.

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  Maude loved all of her sisters. Memories of a happy childhood despite her health danced with them in her mind nestled somewhere that a hundred deaths couldn’t manage to take. Though sometimes Maude questioned whether one day they would. In those moments a hand always took hers always lead her back to stable warmth.

  A tear broke past Maeve’s resolve and fell down her cheek.

  Mother caught it before it could leave her face.

  “I’m sorry.” Mother whispered pressing her face into her hair.

  “I know why I must do it but that doesn’t mean I have to smile about it.” Maeve stated. Maude felt a guilt twist through her and saw it mirrored in Salana’s face. It was only supposed to be father who knew about Maude’s decision, but father had never been good at hiding things from Salana so the knowing glance that flicked to Maude didn’t surprise her.

  The time spell chimed in her pocket and appearing on her like smoke and shadow was a cloak. The room turned and blinked at Maude.

  “Maude where are you going?” Maeve asked.

  “I want you to marry Fron.” Maude stated simply brushing down her cloak. “I haven’t any interest in anyone so I might as well go instead.” Maude informed her. Her sisters and her mother gaped at her. All but Salana who ducked out of the room. To complete what ever task father had assigned her.

  “Maude Wragon is expecting-” Her mother started. Maude stopped her. Wragon had demanded the second daughter of their house in exchange for allowing Grokoya to stay out of the conflicts it was starting with the major empires but all that most knew about Grokoya’s royal family were whispers and rumors.

  “They are expecting a daughter of Grokoya with black hair, silver eyes and possibly a magic of great importance. I’m not you Maeve but they never requested you by name and I fit that description.” Maude pointed out. No one outside of the palace knew that Maude was smaller than Maeve. Frailer with shadows under her eyes that her mother was constantly healing to no avail.

  “Maude.” Maeve stated fiercely in her older sister voice. Maude jutted out her chin and stood her ground

  “You are going to marry Fron.” Maude stated stubbornly. “You will marry him right after I leave so if I get caught, you’re already married. We’ll spin it as you and I did this, and mother and father knew nothing of it. They sent a daughter in good faith.” Maude pushed.

  “Your father already knows about this doesn’t he?” Mother asked staring out the door Salana disappeared out of.

  “I would never let Maeve end up somewhere that would destroy her happiness.” Mauve stated. “I already made up my mind.” Maude told them.

  “But Wragon is always at war.” Thea argued shaking her head. Maude crossed her arms and looked around the room.

  “And here I have to stay in the palace in case. It’s always in case.” Maude reminded them all. It wasn’t something they talked about often even with there being an entire day dedicated to their grandmother who’d been the previous holder of the element death. Mother looked away.

  Maude hugged each of her sisters and her mother.

  “I was never here.” Maude informed them. “I disappeared while you all were getting ready.” She breathed.