Chapter 3 ~ Duty and Sacrifice

                                    

                                          

    "Have they spoken to you yet?" Alexei asked. 
    He sat cross-legged at the end of Nastasia's bed, an open notebook resting before him. He was supposed to be transcribing trade letters from Nyctoli's common language into Seena's. Nastasia didn't envy her brother's assignment. She still wasn't fluent in the Seenanite tongue and she'd been studying it far longer than he had. 
    "No," she replied. Nastasia planted her feet even with her shoulders and raised her hands. "I'm sure they will today though. They can't keep it a secret forever."
    "Maybe they mean to tell you after the next Council meeting," Alexei offered.
    "Maybe, but I don't think Father would keep something like this from me for that long."
    "Mother could persuade him to, and you know he hates to upset you." Alexei gnawed on a fingernail as he watched her. "You're supposed to be making a shield, not pretending like the ceiling is collapsing."
    Nastasia rolled her eyes with a huff. "Why don't you try it? It's not as easy as it sounds."
    Alexei pulled another book out from beneath his notebook and flipped through several pages, before pointing to one in particular. "Ivanka, third member of the Order of Saints, developed a method of shielding using her Moon Blessed magic. She left thorough instructions behind in one of her many journals for the benefit of Saints to come." 
    "Why don't you read me the instructions instead of the foreword?" Nastasia suggested, failing to prevent the bite of sarcasm from seeping into her tone.
    "It says that you can form your shield out of nearly anything, but starlight is the easiest and most durable. You just have to will the starlight into shape and harden it until it's impenetrable."
    "That doesn't really help," Nastasia grumbled, but she reached for her magic regardless. 
    The starlight answered instantly, crackling through her veins like ice over a windowpane. It was cold and gentle, but strong and unrelenting. It glimmered to life around Nastasia's palms. She furrowed her brows and clenched her jaw, trying to force the starlight into a circular shape. The luminescent sparks molded together, forming a solid sheet before Nastasia. It wasn't circular by any means, but it somewhat resembled a shield. 
    "Throw something at me," Nastasia called. 
    Alexei grinned and chucked his book at her. Nastasia yelped and staggered back as it collided with the shield, shattering the starlight in a single blow. "I think you could use a little more practice," Alexei snickered. 
    The bedroom door swung open before Nastasia could reply. Alexei leaped to his feet and Nastasia clasped her hands together as Gavriil and Serafima entered. "There you are, Alexei. Your professor has been looking for you," Serafima said. "Run along and I don't want to hear that you've snuck off again for the rest of the day, or I'll let him hold lessons in the evenings as well."
    "But, Mother," Alexei protested.
    Serafima silenced him with a stern glare. "Now."
    Alexei lowered his head and gathered up his things, then hurried from the room. Serafima closed the door behind him. "Alexei needs more breaks and fewer lessons," Nastasia said. "He's a thirteen-year-old boy."
    "A thirteen-year-old boy who will be King someday."
    "Someday, but not today. Alexei would be more attentive if he had more opportunities to work off his energy doing something active. Let him go outside more. He loves archery and horses. I'm sure Nikolai wouldn't mind if Alexei joined him in the stables from time to time."