A discordant chord rang out into the King’s forest outside of Austice in Daxaria, followed by the dulcet tones of a young woman.

“There once was a cook in our castle,

My father said he was quite a… Hassle.

He saved my mother and I,

Then fought a dragon and...

Bloody hell, I should juust die.”

Taking a very long slow breath the young woman dropped her tanned forehead to her hand and let her other hand fall away from the lute in her lap.

“Gods, why in the world my father thought singing in the woods would help, I’ll never know. Bunch of moss and ferns aren’t going to make me a better singer or fix my ruddy lungs,” she muttered while slowly standing and letting out a long sigh.

A loud fly whirred by her ear, making her slap it’s dark body against her neck and dirty blonde hair.

“Muggy… Buggy forest… who in the world would-”

A rustle in the trees off in the distance startled her from her mumblings, and immediately made her go still. Fear immediately made her heart skip a beat.

“I… better… go… back… to the castle… as quickly… as… I can…” The young woman felt sweat prickle the back of her neck as she began walking. Another small rustle sounded behind her, making her jump.

“Whatthehellareatherebearsinhere?!” Breaking into a sprint the young woman barrelled through the final line of trees and immediately clutched her chest as her breaths rattled her lungs.

“Oh Gods… not now…” as she began to sink to her knees, trying over and over to gasp for breath that wouldn’t come, the sound of footfalls were nearing her, making her fear triple. The lute she managed to rest gently in the grass to her side.

“-Ina! Princess Alina! Are you having one of your attacks?! I shall go send for the Physician! Peter! Stay with Her Highness!”

The young royal of Daxaria looked up with tears streaming from her eyes as a result of her efforts to draw a clear breath, and found herself staring up at a servant she hadn’t seen since she was very young… Hannah, was it?

The elder aide by her side was a tall lean fellow, with a kind, caring expression. His hair was gray, but there were touches of brown in places that showed his original hair color.

“Princess! Hannah has gone for help, shall I carry you to the kitchens for a drink of water?”

Alina was unable to communicate past shaking her head as the ache in her chest grew worse, and she struggled once more to regain her breath. Though was it perhaps now starting to come back just a little?

It felt like an hour, but perhaps was less than one before the new Royal Court Physician, Harold Mudge, arrived.

“Here Princess, I have the vapors in my bag here. You there, please help open the Princess’ stays so that I might rub the ointment on her chest,” the man ordered the maid Hannah while Peter politely excused himself.

Alina could feel her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

‘Stupid bear in the woods… I can’t believe this is happening the very first day I arrive in Austice…’

The moment she regained an ounce of breath, the first words out of the Princess’ mouth were, “Please… please don’t tell my father. There’s… really… no… need.”

*

Entering the banquet hall wearing a forest green dress covered with a long vest with golden pattern that draped down into her train, the Princess could feel all eyes turn to her.

Her father sat at his place at the head of the banquet table, while her brother’s chair sat empty, as did her mother’s.

As usual.

“Presenting, her Royal Highness, the Crown Princess of Daxaria!”

The familiar voice of her father’s assistant Mr. Kevin Howard rang out into the hall, and as was the norm at events like this… everyone bowed or curtsied before her.

Alina’s hazel eyes spread over the many familiar heads of courtiers that had remained by her father’s side for many years… but there were some new ones amongst them.

After all… this wasn’t a normal visit to Austice.

As Alina walked, she did her best not to think about her breath, otherwise even that could bring on an attack, and having a physician rub salve on her in the midst of all the guests was the furthest thing from appealing to her in that moment. Especially with her father.

He always overreacted when anything was wrong with her… and it had gotten much worse since her mother had died three years earlier.

Alina sat down in her chair, and gave her father her familiar reassuring smile, which he returned with his own warm grin. Though as usual, there was a bit of a sadness to it. The next few months were sure to be riddled with these melancholy moments...

Then, turning to the guests, he raised a goblet. “Lords, and Ladies. I thank you for joining us here in our fair Austice. It has been a great many years since we have returned to its shores, and it feels like a homecoming to return to my cherished daughter’s birthplace. I hope you all enjoy the rose maze, and the glass tower with Mr. Jelani’s spectacular gardens and trees that I doubt you all have seen. The library on the third floor is welcome to all, and please feel free to enjoy a leisurely walk in the woods. Though please resist hunting for our expedition next week.”

Everyone present shared excited knowing smiles. All Daxarians knew that the castle of Austice was riddled with fantastical nooks and crannies… not the least of which was the mysterious skeleton of the dragon that was rumored to be somewhere hidden in Austice. It had become a long running tradition of the nobles and visitors to try and discover where the bones were hidden after they had been returned from the Isle of Wittica.

Some guessed that they were buried on the castle grounds. Others speculated that each bone lay in the former Queen’s beloved rose bushes. Some thought it a made up story…

Dinner was served.

Alina stared down at her plate, and began cutting and chewing in her usual methodical way while also wondering if there were different musical scores kept in the library there in Ausitce or if-

“Oh Gods.” The Princess stared back down at her plate with renewed interest. It was just chicken, yet there was… a sauce? A white creamy sauce over it with mushrooms… green beans… how did it taste so… perfect?

“Ah, I wanted you to be surprised,” Norman murmured, pleased by his daughter’s reaction.

“Father?” Alina asked bewildered as she tentatively reached for a golden dinner roll, still steaming hot.

“A certain… cook… decided to lend a hand in preparing tonight’s dinner.” Norman’s eyes twinkled jovially.

“Lord Ashowan cooked this?!” Alina burst out, only managing to remember to cover her mouth at the last minute before glancing around herself to make sure no one overheard.

“He did indeed. I don’t think you’ve seen him since you were a little girl since we had to stay in Rollom to get the city back on its feet all this time. He has two children a little less than a year younger than you.”

“Wait are they… they’re witches?” Alina whispered excitedly. She had heard countless stories and heard multiple ballads about the House Witch, but her own memory of him was… vague. A pair of knees. A few kind words. Mostly how excited her brother was about seeing him…

Despite him being a diplomat for the Coven of Wittica, he rarely left Austice, and unless the situation was truly dire, only communicated with her father via messenger. Whenever his duties brought him to the city, he ended up checking on his own estates and the schools he was working with the Coven to establish.

“Fin’s children? I am not certain, my dear one. He believes that when and or if his children feel like sharing about their abilities, it should be on their own terms. Though… back before his mother passed she did seem to believe one of them was a fire witch.”

Alina straightened in her chair. Perhaps this was the perfect moment to find inspiration to write a song.

Craning her neck to look through the crowd, she was disappointed to find that she couldn’t see anyone that looked extraordinary.

Norman chuckled beside her.

“They’re eating in the kitchen, but will be up to greet us after dessert is served.”

Alina frowned. She was about to ask why nobility would be eating in the kitchen, when two young men clad in black entered the banquet hall making everyone fall silent.

“His Majesty, the King of Troivack, Brendan Devark, and Prince Henry Devark,” Mr. Howard announced, a slight hesitancy in his voice.

The King of Troivack was a giant of men, broad, tall, and yet his steps were silent. He was surprisingly clean shaven, though his black hair remained inches long. His brother, Henry, while equally broad, was several inches shorter. His features were softer, his eyes kinder, and even his hair was an inch or two shorter than his brother’s.

Norman stood, as did Alina. When the Troivackian Royalty reached the table, there was a long tense moment when neither side moved. Then, Henry bowed, Alina followed with her curtsy, followed by Brendan’s bow, and finally, Norman.

A proper greeting that could have set a very hostile tone if the Troivackian Prince had ignored it.

“We thank you for welcoming us to Daxaria, Your Majesty,” Brendan declared loudly after rising from his stiff bow. His dark eyes conveyed a dark abyss of nothing that was deeply disconcerting.

Norman’s gaze remained steady. “I thank you for travelling with the requested arrangements. May your stay be enjoyable.”

The Troivackians gave barely discernible bows of their chins. Most of the courtiers in the room were sharing judgmental glances with one another that Alina couldn’t help but notice.

“You are welcome to join me at my table. Royal Mage Keith Lee will make some room for you down there,” Norman nodded to the bearded man in his early-forties sporting an impressively bushy sandy brown beard, round glasses, and an overly eager smile.

The foreign nobility nodded their understanding; however, Prince Henry as he moved shot Alina a quick conspiratorial wink that took the Princess aback immensely.

‘I thought they weren’t friendly or expressive…’

The Princess did her best to ignore the strange exchange, and instead immersed herself in the fantastical flavors of her food that were blowing away every expectation she had of her meals going forward in her life.

By the time she was polishing off her plate, however, she found that it was rather easy not to worry about such trivial matters such as tensions with a foreign King…

Settling into her ornate high back chair, Alina could feel a deep contentment settle over herselfas she neared the full feeling that brough her to the threshold of needing sleep.

“Presenting, Viscount Finlay Ashowan of the House Jenoure. Viscountess, Lady Annika Ashowan, Lady Katarina, and Lord Tamlin Ashowan.”

Mr. Howard’s voice had a strange choked sound to it when the doors opened to reveal…

A tall redhead with a touch of white at his temples, while escorting a woman whose hair was streaked with gray, but despite her age, was still remarkably beautiful.

Behind them strode in their children.

The young Lady was uncharacteristically tall for a woman, but slight. Her long gleaming red hair caught every stray ray of light, and what her hair missed, her unworldly golden eyes picked up. Never in her life had Alina seen eyes so animalistic or interesting as they surveyed the room as they would a forest full of prey… She wore a midnight blue gown with a silvery long vest, while her brother was clad in black head to toe save for the coat around his shoulders that was a fine silk, and gray in color.

Speaking of Lady Katarina’s brother, for all the brilliant color in his sister’s striking face, he was her antithesis. With his black hair that was long and scraggly hanging like curtains hiding his features, and dark brown eyes that matched his mother's, the only similarities the two shared was their remarkable height, and cat-like slanted eyes.

The young man seemed desperate to focus on the point nearest to his feet rather than his surroundings, while his sister’s stare in contrast seemed determined to sear through anyone who dared to meet her glowing eyes…

The Viscount and Viscountess approached the King’s table, and both bowed and curtsied with the epitome of grace.

“Your Majesty, it has been far too long,” the redhead greeted with a warm smile that sent many fans fluttering in the hall.

Despite being in his mid forties, the Viscount looked remarkably young… as though he had only aged perhaps a decade instead of nearly two.

The Viscountess rose and addressed the King demurely. “I’ve prayed for your family’s health everyday.”

There was a note of pain in her tone that was not lost on Alina…

She knew the Viscountess far more than she knew the Viscount and their children.

The Viscountess had been her mother’s best friend, and she had seen her quite often until her passing three years prior… though not since then.

Norman bowed his head in thanks, his eyes warm with genuine affection. “Thank you, Viscountess. Your children have grown well. Lady Katarina, you are near the Princess’ age are you not?”

The willowy redhead curtsied, and rose with an odd half smile that was entirely unladylike. “I believe my brother and I are just under a year younger, Your Majesty.”

With another pleased smile and nod, Norman’s eyes moved to the Viscount’s, and it was in that moment that a peculiar emotion crossed the King’s face that pricked Alina’s curiosity…

There was happiness… genuine happiness, but also… apprehension. It was as though the Viscount’s presence with his family meant something entirely unique to the monarch…

Which made the Princess all the more eager to learn as much as possible about the mysterious House Witch and his kin as soon as possible.