Ad Astra - Chapter 1: Chapter 1

On the anniversary of my father's death, my mother, younger sister, and I gather at the banks of Tetoa Bay in the early morning, when the sun has just barely risen. We move in silence, feeling the silky sand shift beneath our feet as we navigate toward the shoreline. I'd like to believe our quiet nature stems from mourning, but as I watch my mother's gaze repeatedly turn left and right, I know she is equally as focused on keeping an eye out for any wandering soldiers.
"There," my younger sister, Kiana, says. I follow her pointed finger toward a quiet spot on the beach situated near some shrubs that will provide a layer of disguise.
I keep my silence as we take a seat on the sand and empty our basket of belongings. Kiana has fashioned a small, handheld wooden raft from tree bark that she collected in the jungle a few days ago. My mother produces some of my father's favorite fruits and baked goods, which she layers gently on the wood. The smell of my mother's baking the evening prior was yet another reminder of the anniversary of my father's death. I can't recall the last time she made something sweet just for me and my sister to enjoy. Just when I think everything is complete, my mother fishes deep into the basket to retrieve a single button, which she plucked from one of my father's old shirts. I watch her lips gently trace the button before she squeezes it tight in her hand, mutters something quietly, and layers it with the other items.
"Is it ready, then?" Kiana asks.
My mother nods.
I walk with them quietly to the shoreline. The sunrise has cast an orange glow over the ocean waters, and the waves brush gently against the sand in the morning tide. I think that if the day weren't marked by mourning, it would be a beautiful sight to behold, but not a day goes by in my home country of Landiani when I'm not reminded of the unspeakable tragedies that have occurred here.
I turn to look at my mother, Arihi. Steadfast and strong, it is strange to see her appear mournful this morning. Her grief has always been channeled into anger, but today, I can see the faint glints of tears rolling down her cheeks as she marks another year without her husband. Her grief makes my heart ache, and to save her from pain, I reach for the small raft, ready to set it adrift into the ocean.
My mother's arm clutching my wrist prevents me from making another move.
"Mama?" I ask.
"No, Fetia. Let Kiana do it. She found the bark," my mother says. Her voice shakes with sadness. I remove my hand from the raft, uttering a small apology to Kiana, and watch as my sister grabs the handheld raft in my place and wades into the surf.
I look forward, watching my younger sister become beautifully illuminated by the morning sun. Unlike my long, flowing hair that my mother has described as being as "dark as the night sky," Kiana's shortened hair has natural golden highlights that glimmer in the sunlight, similar to my mother's own. In fact, glancing back and forth between them, I am once again reminded of their physical similarities. They are both tall, thin, and graceful, with warm brown eyes and tan skin kissed by sunlight. My eye and skin color may be identical to theirs, but Kiana and my mother share similarities that I will never quite understand.
I watch Kiana wade until she is waist high. Slowly, she drops the raft onto the water and lets it balance on the waves. Water drips from her skirt as she walks back up the shore. She takes a seat beside us, and for a few moments, we sit, watching the raft bob along the waves. The silence is a reminder that yet another year has passed since my father's death, and in that year, even more of our people have been slaughtered as a result of the Magnuvian Empire.
I raise my head and open my mouth in song. Gifted with the same beautiful voice as my father's, it has always been a tradition for me to sing during this day. It is one of the few ways I can honor him, considering some of the most vivid memories I have from our time together was singing with him. The ancient Landiani lyrics weave into a story of sadness and mourning. The words' meaning are a mystery to me; very few remember the ancient language these days. My voice is shaky, weakened from a lack of practice, but singing was never a talent that my mother encouraged, especially once my father passed. My voice fades as the song concludes until we all three are left sitting in silence again.
"Fourteen years now," my mother murmurs quietly.
Kiana nods sadly beside her, tears welling in her eyes. Meanwhile, I sit, hands clasped, saying nothing, trying to bring myself to mourn my father for whom I feel barely anything for. The guilt eats me up inside, especially knowing that I had more years with him than Kiana, who was only five when he was killed. Though I was eight years old at the time of his death, I sometimes feel I remember less about him than Kiana does.
"Maleko would be proud to see the beautiful young women you've become," my mother tells us. I manage a weak smile in response, ignoring the sound of Kiana's cries growing louder.
"And you, Fetia," my mother says, her hand caressing my shoulder, "you look so much like him, you know?"
"Yes," I murmur.
These sentiments have been shared often with me by the villagers of Tetoa, our home village. With no picture of my father, at times I struggle to remember what he looked like. I suppose if the words my mother says are true, I need only to look in a mirror to see my father's soul still living inside me.
"He was a good man," my mother adds.
Good. Beyond my appearance, I've been told my personality is akin to his as well. Our shared talent for singing certainly confirms so. But I don't want to remembered as merely "good" like my father, who went off the war for another country, did as he was told, and died unnecessarily. I wish I had inherited my mother and sister's fierce and resilient personality instead. After all, a "good" personality like my own will never be useful to my country.
"If only he'd fought back, refused to be drafted into the Magnuvian army, then maybe...maybe he'd still be here with us." My mother's voice is quickly losing its sadness, morphing back into her usual tone of revenge. I see the way her eyes grow sharp, and her teeth clench with anger. "Which is why we won't let the same thing happen to us; why we'll fight back. I think tonight I will announce the plan."
Kiana perks up, her sadness vanishing in an instant. My eyes widen in surprise.
"Really? Is it finally time?" Kiana asks excitedly. My heart is racing too, but whether from eagerness or anxiety, I cannot tell.
"You've both been so patient," my mother says. She wraps her arms around both of us and hugs us close to her body. This type of physical affection from my mother is rare on any day other than the anniversary of my father's death, so I savor the warm touch of her hand on my arm and the heat radiating from her body beside mine. "This afternoon, we'll return to the jungle and talk." She lets go, and the space around me is cold and empty again as my mother stands.
"You two go on ahead to the house and meet Taika there," my mother instructs. "I'll follow behind. Keep out of the eyes of soldiers. It's about time for them to head down to the caves," she says, looking in the distance as the sun begins to rise on the sea caves that line parts of the shoreline. As head chief of our village, I am sure she must have some other duties to attend to before returning home for breakfast.
Kiana and I rise, offering brief farewells to our mother, before we begin to trek across the sand back toward our home village of Tetoa. Now that the sun has risen, the village is alive once more. The fishermen are down by the docks, loading their supplies into boats that they will take out into the bay. The vendors are setting up in the market where they will sell fresh fish, hand-picked fruit, and homemade jewelry. Children are running along the streets, laughing and giggling as they play before school. From an outsider's standpoint, this morning scene is a peaceful one, but I know better than anyone that we are all equally being wary of the soldires who will patrol the streets in a short amount of time.
"Are you okay?" Kiana asks."You were awfully quiet during the ceremony."
"I'm alright," I respond.
"I understand. You knew him longer than me," Kiana guesses.
I shake my head. "Papa was in the army as long as I can remember. I only remember the brief times he came home, just like you did."
Kiana nods, returning to silence once more. I hope this is the end of the conversation surrounding our father. Now that we've had our ceremony, I see no reason to bring him up again for the remainder of the day. However, I brace myself as I hear Kiana inhale.
"Mama thinks it was intentional."
"Sh!" I say. I glance around quickly.
"Relax. They won't be down to mine in the caves for another hour," Kiana responds.
Once my eyes confirm there are no soldiers lurking nearby, I let a long breathe exhale from my body.
"Mama just says that to make her anger more justified," I respond.
"You're not angry?" Kiana asks. The bitterness in her tone is subtle, but there nonetheless.
I bite my tongue, regretting saying anything. My father's death does instill anger in me, but not for the same reasons as my mother and sister. Selfish as it may seem, for years I was angry at my father for letting himself get killed. While there was no chance of my childhood being unscarred even with him alive, I was happy when we were together as a family. Once he died, my entire world fell apart.
"Papa was killed fourteen years ago during the conquest of Tabafaga. You know that," I murmur.
"But the soldiers knew about Mama's heritage—"
"Sh! We're almost back to the village," I say. There are many things we aren't allowed to talk about when we're within the boundaries of Tetoa, but our lineage is the most significant. I happily step onto the roads of our village, glad that my conversation with Kiana and my thoughts on my father can finally cease.
Kiana crosses her arms. "Fine. I hear you. I can't wait to hear what Mama has in store for tonight though."
I nod, still not sure if I am excited or not to hear my mother's mysterious plan. I suppose I'll have to wait until the evening even though the anticipation is already making my stomach feel as choppy as the waves of Tetoa Bay during high tide.
"Kiana! Fetia!" comes a voice from afar.
I turn, immediately recognizing the cheerful face of the young woman walking down the street. She wears a flowing orange dress, and her dark brown hair is pulled into a loose bun. With one hand, she balances a heavy basket on her hip, while the other is wrapped around a tall young man who I am also familiar with; her fiancé, Lagi.
"Palila!" I exclaim. Meanwhile, Kiana stiffens beside me.
"Lagi, hold this, please," Palila requests, handing the basket to her future groom. He grunts from the weight of it.
Palila and I embrace briefly before she turns to give my sister a similar greeting. I give a polite wave to Lagi, whose hands are too full with the basket to give Kiana and myself a proper embrace.
"What have you been up to?" I ask.
"Lagi was helping me collect clams at Pettea Bay this morning," Palila explains.
"Even though she knows I'd rather be doing better things with the time I have left here," Lagi retorts. Palila only rolls her eyes and sticks her tongue out at him in response.
"You and I both know that I'm helping with your future training. Your arms are too skinny right now, after all," Palila jokes, wrapping her arm around his bicep.
"Are you off to the market, then?" Kiana asks.
Palila nods. "Do you want to accompany us?"
I shake my head. "We're on our way home. It's been a long morning."
Lagi's face drops. "Oh. It's today, isn't it?"
Kiana nods her head sadly.
Palila's usual cheerful face draws into a frown. Gently, she touches my shoulder. "I can't believe I forgot," she says. "I hope you and your sister are doing okay. Offer our condolences to your mother, won't you?"
I nod.
While my mother was very strict about who Kiana and I associated ourselves with growing up, she always had a soft spot for Palila and Lagi. As the two of them were close in age to Kiana and myself and lived nearby, we'd easily spend hours together running down the streets of our village after school and playing in the surf of Tetoa Bay in the afternoons and evenings. For this reason, they are no stranger to my father's death and the weight that falls upon Kiana's and my shoulders once a year.
"If you need anything, come by and visit later," Lagi suggests.
"My family can make you a big bowl of steamed clams if you'd like!" Palila offers.
I thank her for her kindness, and then, we part. As Kiana and I grow in distance from Palila and Lagi, I give her a playful little shove of my shoulder.
"Hey," I say. "I saw you tense up back there. Don't tell me you still have feelings for Lagi after all this time?"
Kiana, usually always levelheaded, grunts at me in response. "O-Of course I don't! Stop messing around!"
I giggle in response. "Whatever you say..."
Kiana slowly lets out a deep sigh. "He's leaving soon. I worry about him."
My cheerful nature slowly fades as well. We were all shocked the day that Palila showed up tearfully at our door, telling us Lagi had been drafted into the Magnuvian army. My mother understood her pain better than anyone and prepared us all a big meal. After we all ate our fair share, Kiana, Palila, and I fell asleep in my bed, holding each other close. Though that meal did not change Lagi's fate, we all woke in the morning a bit more optimistic.
"It won't be like with Papa," I assure Kiana.
"Won't it, though? Papa was killed when Magnuvia was expanding south. Who's to say the north won't be any different?"
I frown, knowing she's right. "At least Palila is smiling again."
We turn the corner, and in the distance, I finally spot our house nestled among the tropical palm trees. It looks practically similar to the others on our street, a choice my mother must have strategically made. While I spent my childhood growing up in this house, it's never quite felt like home to me, especially not when I feel I have to be constantly on guard. I rhythmically knock on the door, listening as footsteps approach the entrance. While perhaps this small house in Tetoa does not feel like home, the face of the person who greets me does.
"Kiana, Fetia, welcome back."
"Thanks, Taika," Kiana responds. "Arihi's a few minutes behind."
The short, lean middle-aged man at my door nods, then presents us both with plates of fresh fish and rice. "Eat up," he says warmly. "I figure you haven't had the chance to have breakfast."
We shake our heads, immediately beginning to ravage the plates of food he's prepared for us. All the mourning has made famished, and I quickly eat my plate clean, enough for Taika to get up and serve me seconds. As I begin to dig into my second plate, a familiar rhythmic knock makes both Kiana and I pause in our eating. My mother has arrived home.
"Arihi. Welcome back," Taika says. "I've prepared breakfast for the girls if you'd like some—"
"Not now, but thank you. My head is pounding," my mother says, taking a seat with us at the table.
"I can move our meeting with the head guard to later this afternoon if you'd like," Taika suggests.
"That would be great, thank you," my mother says. "And could you buy us some time to go to the caves later this evening? The girls and I have a lot to discuss."
"Of course," Taika agrees. He gently rests a steeping cup of tea besides her, which my mother sips slowly.
By label alone, Taika is my mother's political advisor and closest ally, though these days, he's become a part of the family. Kiana and I often refer to him as our uncle in conversation, although in many ways I feel like he's the father I never had. I can still vividly remember the first day my mother brought him to live with us. I was only ten years old at the time, Kiana seven, when my mother invited Taika over to dinner and announced over a simple meal of fish stew that he'd be living in our spare room. We were both skeptical at first, especially with the wounds of our father's death still stinging, but quickly, Taika became the father figure we needed. His caring and goofy personality, coupled with his outlandish stories about his time working as a servant in Magnuvia, kept us happy and entertained. Nowadays his hairline is receding and there are more wrinkles on his face when he smiles, but he still has been there for my sister and I through everything we've encountered, and my mother, even more so.
"I was planning to tell them tonight," my mother announces to Taika. "Is everything ready?"
Taika's eyes widen. "Y-Yes. I can get the arrangements together as soon as needed. But, Arihi, so soon?"
My eating slows as I'm reminded again of my mother's impending announcement.
"With today being the anniversary, it seems right," my mother decides. She looks up now at Kiana and me. "Be ready in a few hours. We'll head to the caves." My palms grow sweaty thinking about what she'll soon have to share.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
I've grown used to navigating the Landiani Jungle on the outskirts of Tetoa. Though we oftentimes take a multitude of routes to throw off suspicion from any of the Magnuvian soldiers, Kiana and I have successfully memorized each route on the possible chance that we may need to flee independently from my mother.
Unlike the pristine shores and crystal clear waters surrounding Tetoa, the jungle is far more treacherous. My mother, sister, and I have substituted our flowing skirts and blouses from earlier in the day for long pants, shirts, and hoods that will keep out any dangerous plants or insects. The overgrown foliage of the jungle make it difficult to navigate, and if we run into the wrong predator, danger can be imminent, even with the Magnuvian army absent in this part of Landiani. We are all equipped with knives in the unfortunate chance we come across danger. However, as long as we've been coming into the jungle, we've never risked being discovered, as the Magnuvian soldiers have no sense of direction when it comes to navigating the dense terrain.
The Landiani River is the only natural landmark that keeps the three of us situated. When we cannot see the currents flowing, we listen for the sound of rushing water in the distance to guide our path. Kiana and I keep near my mother, moving through the foliage of the jungle, until eventually, the trees part and the river's currents slow, and all that's left in front of us are three massive caves, glimmering with light within.
My mother is vigilant, glancing nearby until she is assured we are safe. Slowly, she drops the hood from her head and lets out a sigh of contentment.
"We're here," my mother breathes. She motions Kiana and I to step forward, and together we follow her into the depths of the Landiani Caves. Since Kiana and I became teenagers, my mother has been taking us here, and each time, I am never prepared for the sight that I am about to witness. As I step inside the cave, I glance around, looking at blue and green crystals glittering so brightly that they sparkle in the broad daylight. I stare up in awe.
"It truly never loses it amazement, does it?" my mother asks, noticing my childlike wonder. In fact, I can sense the same excitement in her eyes as well. She reaches to feel some of the crystals on the cave wall. "You can nearly feel them bursting with magic," she says. "Once, the sea caves looked just like this. But the weak crystals in those caves are wholly incomparable to here. That's why we must protect this magic, girls. As ancestors of Landiani royalty, it is our duty to keep the caves safe."
Kiana and I both nod eagerly.
My mother removes her hands from the cave wall and sighs. "You know, during my meeting with the head guard this afternoon, he was furious to know that there wasn't as much fish to feed the Magnuvian soldiers these days."
Kiana is angered on my mother's behalf. "That's unfair! If their people weren't mining the magic from the sea caves, we wouldn't be losing as much marine life!"
"Precisely. Which is why it's always necessary for us to keep these caves intact. If the Magnuvian army were to find them, we'd never know peace again. The entire natural balance of this country would become disordered," my mother says. She looks ahead, locking eyes with me. "Quickly, Fetia. A history lesson. Recount for me the history of Landiani colonization."
Though I pause initially to recount my thoughts, I am always prepared for this question. Since I was school age, my mother spent hours upon hours reminding Kiana and I of the history of our country and undoing the Magnuvian lies that were shared in my schoolroom about how colonization was for the sake of bettering our country.
"A hundred years ago, King Stephanus of Magnuvia began the colonization of the surrounding countries, beginning with Flumensia to the east, then Landiani to the south, and Kilneu in the northwest in order to harvest magic after sucking dry their own magical resources that they used to industrialize their nation." The answer rolls off my tongue easily as it has become clockwork at this point.
My mother nods in agreement. Though it has been four years since I was in a schoolroom, her satisfaction with my answer reminds me of being back there, joyous at receiving praise from my schoolteacher for answering a question correctly.
"And what of their recent colonization?" my mother asks as a follow-up.
"Magnuvia conquered Tabafaga in the south less than two decades ago," I say, failing to remember the exact number of years.
"And now they're expanding north through Kilneu," Kiana murmurs sadly. I know she's thinking of Lagi again, who was unjustly drafted to help with the colonization north because there were too few Magnuvian soldiers willing to take on the task.
My mother nods, then continues to glance around at the magical crystals shining brightly around us.
"When I was a girl," she begins, and I know already where this story is going, as I've heard it countless times, "my mother, the former chief, Aroha, brought me to these same caves with my brothers, Enoha and Ku. Just as I've done with you, she also told me the story of how we are descended from an ancient line of Landiani royalty and how the existence of these caves is sacred knowledge, kept only in the chief's family. After the rest of my family was unjustly killed, it was my duty to take on this knowledge, and it is the duty I will pass onto you two."
I wait with baited breath, expecting my mother's announcement to finally pass her lips, but the moment passes. Instead, my mother reaches for the knife in her pocket and grips two crystals off the wall, draining their magical liquid into a set of wooden bowls she keeps stored in one of the cave's crevices. Watching the green and blue magic drip from the shredded crystal always makes me feel nauseous, especially following her noble speech. I wonder how we can be better than the Magnuvian army if we are using some of the magic for ourselves, no matter how little we are taking. But Mama and Kiana never seem to question this, so I keep quiet as my mother passes us the wooden bowls.
"Drink up. We'll practice combat training shortly," my mother says.
I sip slowly, feeling the magic trickle down my throat. It feels like fire in my veins, painful at first, but slowly, the stinging fades, and I am left feeling more energized. For years we have done this ritual now, drinking some of the crystal's magic to practice our combat skills when we come to this part of the jungle. It is the same tactic that the Magnuvian army uses to increase their strength before a conquest, although Kiana and I strictly use this tactic for practicing purposes only.
I remember the shock of learning in the schoolroom that magic could be used by humans to enhance certain capabilities. For years I had assumed that magic was merely a resource, used to keep nature in balance, or something that could be harvested to improve things like machinery, such as the Magnuvians had done.
"The ability to effectively use magic is heavily dependent on the capabilities of the individual," my teacher had said to us that day in class.
Years later, the statement is altogether too true.
Though we've both been practicing our combat skills for years, Kiana has a clear advantage over me. The first time I ever ingested magic, I fought my mother over it, not wanting to use it. Whereas Kiana accepted it with no complaints and perfectly picked up each of my mother's skills. Despite my mother's screaming at me to use my magic more effectively, it has never quite worked for me like it has for Kiana. Kiana has a strong grip on the magic that flows through her veins and is able to control it to her liking, whereas I always end a session battered and bruised.
The same is said at the end of today's lesson. After being shoved into the rocky cave ground more times than I'd prefer, my mother calls off our sparring lesson for the day, once again congratulating Kiana's capabilities and instructing me on what I need to do to become more efficient. As I gather my breath and inspect the aching parts of my body that will soon become bruises, my mother smiles at us.
"You've both made me so proud. Let's head over to the hut. I'm finally ready to discuss with you my plan."
Kiana is giddy with excitement, but my stomach begins to twist and turn again. We leave the caves behind, and I trail slightly behind my mother and Kiana as we head toward our second, more private residence, located deep within the Landiani Jungle and only a short distance from the caves.
Since Kiana and I first came to the caves with Mama, she had hinted at a large plan to restore Landiani to its former glory and rid the Magnuvian people from our country once and for all. For many years, I thought this was merely something she shared to give Kiana and myself some hope, but as I grew older and noticed the mysterious letters she sent and the strategic meetings she would have with Taika and her other allies late in the night, I realized that she truly has been conspiring. I've never been able to overhear more than bits and pieces, but from what I understand, the plan will be reliant on Kiana's and my skills. For that reason, I am fearful of what the plan will entail, especially knowing that Kiana is better suited for it than me right now.
Nevertheless, I silence these thoughts as we approach a small hut buried deep within the jungle. There are no rooms; only one large, expansive space for us to sleep and cook, and yet, it feels more calming being out here, knowing we are far away from the gaze of the Magnuvian soldiers who patrol our village. Today, however, I enter the hut feeling anxious of what my mother will have to share.
"Get comfortable," Mama instructs. "I'll pour us some tea."
I sit stiffly next to Kiana on some spare pillows, wondering why my mother must insist on continuing to make us wait by brewing some tea after we've been waiting for years to hear her plan. I pick at the threads on one of the pillows while I hear Kiana bite her nails anxiously beside me. After what feels like an agonizingly long time, my mother sets a tray with fresh teacups between us, and we each slowly sip.
"On the anniversary of Maleko's death, I felt it was finally time to reveal it," she begins. Kiana and I lean forward, hanging onto every word my mother says. However, as my mother inhales, I can already sense her long spiel coming. She won't be direct immediately.
"Since I was a child..."
There it is, I think.
"And well before, the Magnuvians have wronged our family. My parents were unjustly slaughtered in a protest against Magnuvian colonization when you both were just small children, and my brothers, like your father, were cruelly sentenced to serve in the Magnuvian army, where they were ultimately killed. Not only did seeing my family torn apart instill anger in me, but seeing the state of our country only made me more vengeful. How unjust it is to see our civilians mysteriously killed or whisked off to a war they have no part of being in while the Magnuvians come here and exploit our resources and invade our villages." My mother pauses to take a sip of her tea. "Which is why...we'll soon be putting an end to their reign."
My eyes widen. "How? The Magnuvian Empire has been around for a hundred years—"
"Patience, Fetia," my mother says coolly. "As the village chief, the Magnuvians keep a close eye on me, and though they keep up a relationship with me for political appeasement, I fear they are waiting for the chance to murder me."
Fear shines in both Kiana's and my eyes.
"However, I'm one step ahead," my mother promises. "With Taika's connections in Magnuvia and my own political allies, I've devised a plan that will allow us to take control and restore Landiani's independence, as well as possibly the independence of the surrounding countries. But for it to work, I will need you two to lead it, as I am being watched too closely."
Kiana and I both freeze.
"A big responsibility, I know," my mother says. "But for years I have tried to keep the existence of you two quiet, precisely so that we may not be suspected for this type of plan."
I gather the courage to speak up now. "But the villagers know—"
"Fetia," Kiana says harshly.
"No, Fetia is right. The villagers do know that you two are my daughters, and they're aware of your heritage. But the Magnuvian soldiers are easily tricked. I've kept my distance from you in public, had Taika move in with us, kept moving you two between here and Tetoa, to throw them off the scent. I've even forged their documents, hiding your identities as my daughters. All for this moment."
Now is time, I realize, for my mother to share her plans openly. Kiana grasps my hand and squeezes it tight, excited to hear what our role will be in restoring independence to Landiani again. However, it would not be my mother without a pop quiz.
"Fetia, remind me again of the rulers of Magnuvia."
I gulp dryly, still anxiously anticipating my mother's announcement. Thankfully the royal family of Magnuvia is common knowledge to any child of school age in the Magnuvian Empire.
"King Ruben is currently leading the country. His wife Adriana passed away decades ago of an illness, and together they have two children, Princess Asteria and Prince Stephan."
My mother nods. "And Kiana, who is next in line for the throne?"
"Prince Stephan," Kiana states. "He was made heir to the crown after Asteria was supposedly too weak to lead."
My mother nods. "I am thankful Queen Adriana is already dead, as this makes our plan easier, but nonetheless, it will still be difficult, especially with Asteria residing in Esterpool compared to Magnuvia, where her father and brother reside. Nevertheless, time is ticking, and if we don't act now, their lineage will continue."
My throat grows parched as the realization hits me.
"We are going to assassinate the royal family of Magnuvia," my mother announces at last. "And you two will be at the forefront of it, slaughtering them yourselves."
The plan is larger than I could ever have conceived and far more ambitious than I had expected of my mother. I sit back in shock, aware of the danger, but suddenly, I feel proud to know that Mama trusts Kiana and I enough to help her with this mission.
"What are our roles?" Kiana asks, looking at our mother greedily for more details.
"Kiana, you will be stationed in Magewell, where the king and prince currently reside. You will join the Magnuvian army with the goal of becoming a member of the royal guard. Though Taika and I worked diligently to afford you this opportunity, we cannot guarantee you a spot in the guard. That is something you will have to grab for yourself, but with your capabilities, and perhaps some magic crystals I will send with you, I have no doubts that you will make it. Once you join, you'll have full access to the castle and will be in close proximity to the king and prince. Eventually, we'll find a time to strike, and you will have the honor of taking down King Ruben."
Kiana's eyes widen in amazement. "I know I can do it," Kiana says.
My mother smiles softly at Kiana. "That's a good girl."
Then, her gaze turns to me. I wait with similar anticipation, expecting a mission akin to Kiana's. After all, someone will need to take down the prince. I think of all the stories Taika used to share about serving in the capital city of Magewell. I wonder what it will be like seeing all of the places he once talked about. Are there truly hundreds of royal families living in Magewell? Does the royal castle tower over all the other buildings? Is the royal family as stuck-up as he describes them to be? I suppose it doesn't matter. With Kiana by my side, I have no doubts we'll be able to infiltrate the castle and take the royal family down.
What I don't expect next, however, are my mother's next words.
"Fetia, you will serve as a maid in Esterpool, where Princess Asteria currently resides. You will be gathering valuable information about the royal family from the princess, and when the time is right, you'll have the opportunity to join us in our strikedown."
I don't have time to process my mother's words before she addresses both of us again.
"This will be a months-long mission, but I know you two can do it, and together, we'll be able to liberate Landiani once more."
Slowly, my smile, once full and bright with excitement like Kiana's, begins to fade.
I feel like I've been slapped in the face.