The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen

Time passes fast while I learn how to become a Queen.

It's not too hard because Marchioness Crasso skips a lot of lessons. She knows our priorities, so she doesn't insist on useless matters.

I hate etiquette, but I kind of manage to learn how it works. Thankfully, I'll have advisors counselling me about these matters. I won't be alone, as Ignis already pointed out.

As for the nights... Oh, the nightmares stopped. Thankfully.

It was painful to wake up after that scene, but I never dreamt about Ignis again. My wish to see him seems concentrated during the day, especially when I'm not studying.

The idle time is always the worst, but it's even more painful to miss someone I have just met.

How in the world did I fall in love with him? He has swindled me so well that I wasn't even too angry when I found out about his lies.

What was it, again? His charms, his talents, or just his looks?

I can't wait to see him again. Just to check if he's really as amazing as I remember.

Just like that, sighing like an idiot, I spend two months educating myself. I also try throwing spells without being caught, and Tobin is my favourite training buddy.

I also do something when he's nearby and ask him if he saw. Since he's sincere, I can trust his judgement. Keeping the tea hot is what I do the most easily. It's a trained spell, after all.

When summer is over and the leaves in the garden begin turning yellow, a new letter from Ignis comes.

He's written a few times already, and he always made it clear he didn't forget me. And that he's missing me.

Even if it's just words on paper, I believe his crooked, weird Gs.

I can imagine him trying to make the most normal Gs and failing miserably. I can see his attempts in all the many different shapes the copies of that same letter have in a single sheet.

It's cute, somehow. It makes me want to tease him until seeing his red ears.

If this time spent apart was meant to make me wake up from this daze, it's not working. I'm as lost as I was before.

When I need to take a long walk and get rid of some stress, Tobin is always nearby to accompany me. He stays at a respectful distance, so I start growing used to him.

I don't hate being followed everywhere because I'm starting to think he won't pay much attention to what I do and why. If he didn't bat an eye for the magic in the lake, talking with trees and blowing some wind won't sound too exotic.

My siblings each act differently.

Lucia and Antonio spend as much time as possible with me, knowing I'll be far away in a while. Marius, on the other hand, pretends to be untouched. I know well that he's a little jealous. He doesn't like that I can travel and have many adventures while he's stuck at home.

However, I'm sure he'll dislike the capital once he sees it.

After talking about it among themselves and then consulting my brothers, it has been decided Marius will tag along.

I was surprised. I thought Antonio would be the one. He's older and the heir to Duke Bursio's title. He even has father's secondary title as Marquise. He was the perfect candidate to be my chaperon.

Yet, they chose Marius. How much my brother influenced their decision is yet to be confirmed, but I guess he found enough motives. Father isn't easy to be tricked, and mother doesn't take things lightly.

If they chose him, whatever the reasons, it's for the best.

After knowing this, Marius kept even more distance. In his way, he's letting me spend all the time with the other two.

Antonio seems relieved he's not requested to come with me to the capital. He does want to come, though.

It's fun to see him conflicted. The tournaments Ignis talked about must have lit his curiosity, but the dangers and need to interact with many strangers would stop the bravest of the knights.

As for Lucia, my dear treasure, she spends her time embroidering things for me. She wants to be sure I have enough mementoes of our time together. She's also the one in charge of my possessions.

She listed everything and chose what is to be brought with me now and what can be sent later.

She even used her magic to make sure the clothes don't have a single wrinkle. She's in that phase now: ironing without an iron. With steam, we can make clothes perfect. Mother taught me how long ago, and Lucia is now learning.

Her powers aren't close to mine, so what she'll be able to do at my age won't be comparable, but she should know the techniques and how natural elements can be combined to obtain what we want.

In the family, we all are elementalists.

Aida is not. She's another kind of mage. She's a healer, or something very similar to that. She can help with various illnesses and wounds, and she can influence people's bodies directly without fear. That's why she's my personal guard.

Mother talks with me often, helping me cope with the situation and instructing me about the mission.

For every possible event, she designs the perfect reaction and repeats it until my brain saves it somewhere safe.

«You will bring your personal guard with you» is what she says most often. «Make sure to tell her if you feel uncomfortable or restrained, and she'll find a way to let your magic free.»

It's been a while since the last time I needed freedom. If we ignore the incident at the lake and what happened in Count Falco's garden with the tree. Those cases don't count because one was caused by the total abstinence from magic, and the latter by a nightmare.

«What if I'm found out?»

«Then, you will do anything to survive. Anything! You don't have to be brave, Veronica. Your death would do more damage in any aspect. Other than your family, it would hurt the other mages. They would never feel safe in Alba if even their leaders could die. Am I clear?»

«Yes, mother. I understand.»

«If you behave as you usually do, no one will even think about killing you. And they would be even dumber to say it out loud because you have a King by your side. And you'll soon have a crown on your head. It's more than I have, you realise it, right?»

«Yes, mother. But that crown can't have more weight than yours, even if it's made of solid metal. What you do is invaluable.»

«And, one day, you will be invaluable as well. You will help our people as much as I do. And more than that, because you will be able to.»

«When you married father, was that what you repeated to yourself?» I ask her. «That your position as Duchess would allow you to be a better Queen? To protect more mages?»

«When I married your father, I was young and in love. All I could think was how to make him mine for eternity. But then, when I woke up from that daze, I realised that I could do much more like this.»

«So, your marriage was a good thing for the mages.»

«It was. And I gained a partner for the rest of our lives. Your father knows about me, and we love each other today more than ever. Even if it wasn't an easy decision, to retire from court life and come live here, he says he never regretted it. He gave up so much for me, didn't he?»

«I don't think father sees it that way.»

I was born here, in the middle of nothing. And I can't imagine father socialising and talking with many people at a fancy party.

«Marriage is made of compromises, Veronica. Even if it sounds a little hypocritical if I'm the one talking, you can't expect the other party to give everything about themself in exchange for little. Remember to give, and you'll have the right to ask from time to time.»

«Is that so, mother? Should I count favours and make sure I'm never owing so that my requests are more easily accommodated?»

«I didn't say that,» mother says in a chuckle. «Just, don't be selfish. Don't make the King think you don't care. And don't close your heart to him because of a bad beginning. I'm sure he will respect and treasure you. Just do the same.»

«You like him,» I realise. «Mother, you like my husband!»

She chuckles again, nodding her head.

«Does father know you're in favour of this marriage? He made me believe you sent him to the capital to fetch me.»

«Oh, no. I told him to go because they needed his signature for the celebration. And, also, he would have exploded if he didn't do anything.»

She leans back on the chair, her eyes seeing the dark figure of father unresting before the departure as if he was right here.

«As soon as he saw the guards, he immediately sent missives to his soldiers. He went to the capital, intending to burn down the Palace. I'm glad he changed his mind on the way.»

«Father was worried?»

«Of course he was! You're his first, precious daughter. He didn't think that would ever come the day he had to part from you.. Even now, he hasn't fully accepted it yet.»