me much for me to be he

of her own skin. "No. No. That isn't

ed. Now I'm set to leave, unprepared for

el

to anyone." Mel turned away, giv

. Her lips quivered once more and she covere

off into space as more servants came in scuttling about and running in and out of her dressing roo

hambermaids whispered at Mel's ear, sna

bustling movement of the maids finally reaching her

ath is

er chamber maidens escorte

y-scented body lotion to her skin. Mel sighed in relief, already exhausted from the pressure applied to all areas of her body. The one time she had bee

she would be on the seas to Orion. What would she do when she got off? She struggled to remember everything her mother had taug

paid more attention to

la

few inches taller than the rest, dressed in a light camisole that accentuated her fair skin and dark eyes. Her hair was plainly combed back, y

p, eager to be sea

head. "We're not

," Mel breathed out, slightly faint. "I haven'

food. A short while later and with a slightly full stomach, Mel watches the servants get to work, brushing an

before the low voice

ze, not knowing how she should

constantly repeated to herself but her mouth betr

e further shadowed by his dark green robe. Her mother was the taller of the two, but she still loved her husband despite his s

out in a hoarse whisper,

only looked back at

g in the old days," he spoke up, his voice shaky as he laid his h

d. "What d

I deeply regret, but I stole something very precious from a clan of th

pered, slowly shaking her head, unable

have good relations with not just their clan, but the nation as a whole, I would need to sacrifice something precious of mine..." Hi

en if you had re

." He then straightened and walked over to kneel beside Mel, looking up into her eyes. "You shouldn't worry about anything,

sending me to a territory with bears as their spirit animals." Sh

in Orion, but now that she knew what was truly behind this engagement,

_________

ture itself rather than the beasts of nature. Their lands were the most fertile out of all lands in the realm and the Sprite kingdom was not just

ing to powerful creatures. These were their spirit connections. The strongest clans with the tightest spirit connection were able to transform into their creatures, partially or fully. This,

what they did, compared to other nations in the realm, but within Sprite, the weak were weak. The hierarchy wasn't as harsh as other nations in terms of their beastly traits

ctory results but had brought it upon herself to miss most of her classes. Th

bears. Mel had no idea what could have possessed her father to think he could steal from the Orions, but she co

her father... there wasn't a guaran

n who stole something

r, she wasn't going to be treated well where she was going. Now she under

rions wait so lon

y from her and she looked down at her

_________

they watched the approaching Orion ship. It was still a speck of a tiny fruit on the vast ocea

t heard of any letter until today, just like her. He had equally been annoyed she wasn't told sooner, but there wa

cargos. She looked calm outside but her mind and heart were in chaos. She tightened her hold too

s and stood beside her daughter, looking at the approach

dam and Mel to hear against the lapping waves of t

ed, her voice shaky as she cu

nd run back into the castle, refusing to hand her over to the approaching Orions. But the sensible part of her, no matter small, to

had pestered her husband that she would go onboard the Orion ship with her daughter while their ship carried her things along with them to the North. The sad thi

dle-aged woman had been Harriett's decision too. Mel's younger cha

r daughter's face in her chest. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, patti

words could

let go of his sister's hand as she h

ave something to give you when we ge

ded. "A

through the morose atmosph

e size of her father's largest ships. She stood, transfixed as she watched the decorated carvings alo

cold wind that brought a renewed anxiety with the ship's arrival. A long bridge stretched out fr

bear kin from Orion, she had expected barbarians to be coming for her. The two representatives, one

inches. If she could recall Adam's measurement

greeted the visitors. They gave a short bow

y tugged at her dress, signalli

ly, but sweet smile. The intimidating aura she had felt from the visitors eased almost immediately and Mel

't be so bad after

her offered with a smile, but she could note

nto hers. Mel looked back to the old woman, and the Ori

"We would be grateful if you would allow us to spend the night in Urn. It would even give my brother and I time to learn

't tell. Whatever it was, it seemed her mother was glad

nd his eyes brightened. "Please, make yourself at home. We will

on the ship..." She looked at the ship where Mel's things were being taken into and she looked back at her father. "If you

o it, holding his shoulder and shaking her head. She looked up

he corners of her eyes wrinkling.

arisma set Mel and her whole family at ease. Although her brother, Enmel, was somewhat aloof, he didn't have much of a presence. The castle received the gu

en such a long time to get in contact with Urn in regards to the union was that they had encountered a few inconveniences on their end. That aside from the fact that som

l send-off party for the young lady. Contrary to what had been expected, Mel had a pleasant evening tha

s little, Mel spent the night in he