-HER-

After meeting the matriarch, I decided to see Vittoria. After ensuring no one was following me, I tip-toed to her office. I kicked open the door I once feared to death and stepped in.

I was expecting to see Vittoria sitting at the table with a blank face and annoyance in her eyes to see me, but she wasn't there. I looked around to find no hint of her.

Didn't she come back with me last night?

I left her office and asked one of the senior priestesses, who told me the same— Vittoria wasn't in the shrine. She remained absent from the shrine for the next few days. I visited her office twice daily and went to the lagoon to look for her, but she wasn't there. On my way back from the lagoon, I stole a pouch full of red cigars. For some reason, the red cigars stood out to me. It was the only red pack among all the violet ones.

I snuck back into my room with them, closed my door, and opened my window before trying them. In the beginning, I went into a few coughing fits before ultimately getting the hang of it. Soon, I was feeling calm. It was after a long time that I felt so calm and relaxed.

It was hard to relax, especially these days when my training had begun. My whole body ached from the training. Our instructor, Nula, yelled at the two of us throughout the entire day. I was already starting to hate it, but I had to give my best. After all, I was competing with Arke. I couldn't let her win. Though one thing confused me a bit— Nula taught the two of us different kinds of moves.

The next day when I showed up at the training court, Nula was there along with a Smith. I knew what day it was when I saw the Smith.

We were going to be assigned a weapon of specialisation today.

After Arke had arrived, the Smith handed us our weapons. The Smith gave Arke what looked like a staff. I knew that it was a sword. However, I was surprised when the Smith handed me a small jewellery box. Arke smirked as I looked at Nula and the Smith, wondering if this was a joke.

"Open it, Arke," Nula commanded. I saw Arke slide a sharp sword out of the staff. The blade was lethally sharp. It reflected the rays with a blinding intensity when it caught the sunlight.

I stared with my jaw on the floor as Arke swung the sword above her shoulder. The blade cut through the air, making a sound that sent shivers down my spine.

"Theresa," Nula called my name, "Open your box," With my shaky hands, I opened the box to find a... dagger.

"What in the—" I cried, taking the dagger out. Surprisingly, it flawlessly matched my hand's shape. The blade was as sharp as Arke's sword. "What am I going to do with this?" I asked.

"This is your weapon," the Smith told me curtly, "If you don't like it, then you can fight with your bare hands,"

"No-no, I didn't mean that. I love it. It's beautiful. I will keep it, thank you," I said. The Smith gave me a final glare before departing the training court. Meanwhile, I stared at the dagger, still feeling deeply unsure.

"Let us begin our training for today. You two will fight with your weapons today, using the moves I taught you yesterday,"

"This is unfair! She has a sword, and my dagger is barely bigger than a kitchen knife!" I protested. "How could Vittoria give it to me—" I stopped midway when the realisation dawned upon me.

That Bitch!

"If you don't like it, then fight with your bare hands," Nula suggested. Arke was already ready to fight me. The smirk on her face was making my ass itch. I wanted to knock that smug look off her face.

"Alright then, the kitchen knife will do," I muttered, taking my position before the first round began. Surprisingly, the moves Nula taught me yesterday matched my weapon. It was the same with Arke. Even though the fight ended in a tie, I felt confident about the dagger.

Okay, maybe Vittoria's judgement isn't that bad.

"You two continue," Nula spoke after the first round of training, "I have an important matter to take care of. I'll be back soon," she left. Instantly, I saw a dark look flash in Arke's eyes. My heart sped up, knowing what was going on in her head.

"Let's see how sharp my sword is," She smirked before launching at me with her sword. She missed me by a few inches as I jumped away, cursing back at her.

"Be careful, Arke. It would be lethally shameful if you lose even with that sword," I warned her. She gave out a war cry and leapt towards me again. I flipped back and kicked the side of her stomach, making her fall. As I closed the distance between us to disarm her, she swung her sword, giving me a small cut in the thigh.

It was all that took me to see red. I screamed and stomped on her wrist, not caring if it shattered. She let go of the sword for once. I flipped her before she could recover from the pain and held her at the point of my dagger, making sure to draw out some blood from her neck. She needed to have a taste of her own medicine.

"You're such a pussy," I told her as she winced in pain. "I feel like carving your face and—"

"THERESA!" Nula was back.

~

"Where had you been all these days?" I asked Vittoria, who sat in front of me with her eyes closed, wiping two teacups. Nula had sent me to Vittoria as punishment. Little did she know, I was dying to see her. Vittoria didn't say anything for a while. She silently arranged the cups before pouring tea into them.

"Theoron went to King Khazar's celebrations," she spoke up, "Alexandros was there as well,"

Her words made me free mid-way from sipping from my cup of tea. My heart raced as I waited for her to speak again.

"Your brother..." she spoke, "invited Alexandros as the main guest in the celebration for his fifth Coronation anniversary,"

"Are you sure it was my brother?" I asked, unable to believe my ears.

"It was your brother for sure," She told me. "Somirea is plagued with rumours. Everyone's talking about it wherever your brother goes,"

"Rumours about what?" I asked, perplexed.

"About you being alive,"

I nearly dropped my cup.

"What?" I asked, unable to believe anything coming out of Vittoria's mouth, "But who spread those rumours?"

"I did," Vittoria smiled.

"But why?" I asked.

"Why not?" Vittoria giggled.

~

It was pretty late when I returned to my room from Vittoria's office. We had been talking for hours about my brother while we played cards. My head was buzzing with everything she had told me about my brother's new plans. She explained most of the things except her purpose of spreading the rumours.

Why would she spread rumours about me being alive? It would infuriate the nobles, especially Herran. He might end up doing something dangerous. I was better dead to the world.

But what if the world knew I was alive, living a different life?

I wondered about all the possibilities as I stumbled to my room, tired after such a long day. I didn't notice it when I entered my room, but as soon as I lay down in my bed and felt the wooden plank against my bones, it hit me.

All the stuff from my room was missing. I jumped out of bed and ran outside, looking for my belongings. I didn't find anything until my eyes fell on the sea. It was dark there, but in the faint moonlight, I could make out the white fabric floating in the water.

"Arke," I growled and instantly stormed towards her room, ready to break her neck and dump her in the sea. However, I could have never imagined what I saw in her room.

She wasn't expecting me; otherwise, I'm sure she'd have been more careful. When I reached her room and was about to kick her door open, I heard some noises coming from her room... bizarre noises.

It deeply baffled me, though I knew something was off about the noises. I inched the door open very gently and peeked in. What I saw next made me stagger back and fall on my back with a loud thud. Before anyone could find me there, I stood up and ran back to Vittoria's office.

I barged in unannounced, almost startling her. She had a thick cigar hanging down her lips while she arranged her cards on the table.

"What is it?" She sighed deeply, looking annoyed.

"Yo-you wouldn't believe what I saw!"

"What is it?"

"Vittoria... I don't know how to—"

"Just spit it out,"

"Arke dumped all my things in the sea, so I went to her room to confront her and I...." I trailed off, unable to find the words to describe what I saw there. I was still recovering from the shock and trauma the scene in Arke's room caused me.

"You saw what?" Vittoria asked casually, sounding bored as she continued to arrange her cards. I took a deep breath before spitting it out, "I saw Arke and Doria naked together... Arke was between Doria's legs, and she was... she was...." I couldn't say speak beyond this. I waited for Vittoria's reaction, but she looked utterly unfazed as she continued her work.

"Which part of it did you find unbelievable?" She asked, sounding bored as usual.

_