Young Writers Society

Silira sat up in bed before she was fully awake. She pushed the bearskin rug onto the floor, got up, and got dressed. Today the princess would arrive at the Keep.

The feast last night had been long and glorious, but most of it was a blur. She remembered Corwin raising his glass to those assembled, Tiernan making a speech she hadn't paid much attention to, and then dancing. She hadn't wanted to watch that, and had gone up to bed, unnoticed by anyone but Corwin, who pretended he hadn't noticed.

She got up and looked outside. The sun was high in the sky, perhaps even past noon. But no, the bells were beginning to ring. She counted the times they rang, then jumped off the window seat and ran around the room, dressing, brushing her hair as fast as she could, and hoping she wouldn't make waves by showing up late. Tiernan had been very threatening last night.

She ran down the stairs and into the common room, pretending to be cheerful, pretending the shadow had passed. It hadn't, of course, but people thought it had. The common room had a good many people in it, drinking tea and trying to get rid of their hangovers. Corwin was there. Once she came in, he looked panicked for a second, then tried to ignore her without seeming rude. She sat down on the sofa next to him, mustered her forces, and gave him her cutest smile. He was looking...he was smiling, seeming relieved...he was buying it. Perfect. "It's a good morning," he was saying. "More like midday," Lord Tiernan said, coming in. "We all slept in because of the late-night jubilation. The princess should arrive soon."

"Are you hungry?" Corwin said. "Ho, Tiernan, no sign of Her Highness?"

Silira shook her head, and Tiernan shook his. "None, I'm afraid. She'd probably planning to surprise us all. You know, shock us with her lateness."

"And gorgeousness," a guy said in the back.

Tiernan laughed. "Yea, verily. I've never seen her, but who would deny the many tales of her beauty?"

Silira hadn't been listening, or caring much. She was busy making a resolution. She would no longer agonize over the fact that she would have no soul. She wondered for the first time if oblivion would be so bad.

The clocks struck five. It was dark. Serena had still not arrived. Silira leaned on the wall of the ballroom, the third floor up from the ground, looking out a high, narrow window. The moon was shining through a thin cloud, moonlight shining dimly on the sea. Silira was wondering where her sisters were. Corwin was sitting on a table, nibbling a stolen fruit from the buffet.

Then there was a knock on the door of the Keep.

Silira blinked, coming out of her brown study. To whom it may concern, a brown study is like spacing out, only more depressed.

Corwin slid off the table and ran with Silira down the stairs. They slipped into the common room and sat down as fast as possible, trying to look as if they hadn't been gone at all.

The door opened. There was a loud voice down below. "Where is Lord Tiernan? I expect a welcome fit for a princess!"

The housekeeper tried to quiet the loud woman. Well, that can't be the princess, Silira thought. It must be the chaperone, Lady Reynalda. "Your Ladyship, I am sorry. Lord Tiernan awaits you, and you, Your Highness, in the common room. It is on the next floor up."

The housekeeper was leading the lady and the princess up the stairs. Silira tried not to despair, not because she was losing Corwin, but because she was losing any chance of ever being with the only One she'd ever loved more.

The door opened. A large woman in an expensive dress came in, along with a shorter, cloaked figure. It was impossible to see the girl's face. Corwin bit his lip. Silira stopped panicking. She felt strangely calm, cool, emotionless. Was this what oblivion felt like?

"Greetings, Lord Tiernan," Lady Reynalda said. She had a weird face, with classical features frozen in place, like a badly done Greek bust.

"Greetings, Lady Reynalda." Tiernan smiled. "You are most welcome. Indeed, you both are. Your Highness." He bowed to Serena. The girl in the cloak nodded, slowly, not looking at anyone in particular. Actually, she had pulled the hood too low to see anyone's face. So it was more like she was nodding at his feet.

Corwin got up. All the other men in the room had, as a matter of form. "Your Highness. I'm glad to meet you." He seemed his normal, charming self, but Silira could tell he could barely keep still, while she could barely move.

The girl turned her head towards him, staying where she was. Slowly, she raised a gloved hand.

The hood flew back, and it was the girl from the cathedral.

Silira did not move a muscle. Even her heart stopped for a second.

Corwin didn't move, but his heartbeat skyrocketed.

Tiernan was the first to speak. "Welcome to Caer Ebon, Princess."

"Thank you, Lord Tiernan. I have always loved it here."

Silira knew that voice. She had heard it once before in her life, shouting for her fellow students when she found Corwin on the beach. She remained sitting on the sofa, smiling slightly, looking the picture of relaxation.

Corwin still wasn't moving, but he shook himself slightly and cleared his throat. "Your Highness," he said, smiling now, as if his face wasn't big enough for it, "the reports of your beauty were erroneous."

Serena raised her eyebrows, tilting her head to one side. "Excuse me for not understanding you...Your Highness."

"Please call me Corwin. And I meant not that, but this: you are the fairest of them all." He stepped forward. "I remember the day you saved my life, and I remember you. For three long years I have wished to see you again." Serena still stayed where she was, smiling coolly. Silira still didn't move.

Corwin dropped to one knee. There was a faint snap that nobody heard, as Silira's heart broke.

"Will you be my queen?"

Serena nodded, and Silira rose, still unnoticed by anyone, and left the room.