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Adda is twenty-three. Her sister, her darling little sister who lights up her whole world with just a smile, is nine. Her sister wants to go to Tretogor, father won't let her.
She flips the hood up on her cloak and slips into the room where the princess is sleeping, gently running her fingers across her arm. They cannot exit through the window, despite the grate it has also been boarded. They will have to sneak through the servant's passage.
Her sister sleepily blinks her eyes open. "Mmm?"
"Cáemm a'taeghane, sor'ca," she whispers.
Her sister huffs and puffs but gets out of bed and grabs the bag she packed for this occasion and they are off.
Tretogor, the capital of Redania, is a modest port city on a river that connects out to the sea and once a long time ago ruled over the behemoth of a port city in Novigrad. Adda's hand clasps around her sister's as they walk through the city, the palace overlooking them. Arabella keeps looking towards the palace. There is nothing of interest in the palace, Adda thinks. So she continues looking through the market.
"Adda," Arabella says softly. "Do you think we will see the Prince?"
Oh that's why she keeps looking at the palace. "Don't know…" mutters her sister.
"I wanna see the Prince."
"We can't go to the palace and ask to see the Prince."
Arabella pouts, she takes a stuffed bear from a stand and holds it up to her. "Want?"
Her eyes light up. "yes!"
She looks at the stall vendor. "How much?"
"20 crowns." The vendor smiles at Arabella who hides behind Adda's skirts a little.
Adda, having remembered that Redania does not use the same currency, had stopped by the bank and gotten a currency transfer. She picked through her pocket and handed them to Arabella who counted them aloud for her. She had difficulty remembering Redanian currency.
"Twenty crowns!" Announces the girl, standing on her tiptoes to hand it to the vendor.
There had become a tradition, whenever Adda took Arabella to Tretogor, for her to buy her a stuffed animal from the vendor. The vendor, in his part, had grown accustomed to the girls, and recognised the white haired one immediately.
“Where is your sister?” He asks.
Adda looks over the stuffed animals. “The King is having a ball for his birthday.”
There is a pair of stuffed animals. A teddy bear and… he’d begun to stock frogs.
“Are the frogs popular?” She asks, picking one up.
“No, but Marissa loves it. I stock them in hopes it’ll catch your little one’s eye.” He smiles.
Adda nods slowly. “How much?”
“For the frog? Take it. The bears will be twenty crowns.”
She meticulously counts out twenty Redanian crowns, tongue stuck out in concentration then grabs a bear.
“What’s your name?” The vendor asks.
Adda looks up at him from beneath her eyelashes, “Adda.”
“Adda? Anything else?”
“Just Adda.”
“Its a very pretty name, Adda.”
“It was my mothers.” She whispers, then looks towards the palace. “Do you need an invitation to get into the ball?”
“Why? Is your sister actually going to the ball? I thought she was just window shopping the pretty dresses.”
Adda laughs, “No. She brought her own.”
“Mh modest, I see.”
“No, it was a pain sneaking it out of the castle.” She says softly stroking the frog. “Father forbade her from going and well…”
“Your fathers still alive? I thought you were caring for her as sole guardian.”
“No. No. Father’s alive.” Adda says.
“Then where is he?”
“At home.”
“Temeria?”
Adda nods.
The vendor smiles, “Well, my name is Alexander.”
Adda stares at him. “I see. Thank you for your time.”
The ball was loud. They tended to be but Adda had a mission on her hands, find Radovid. The ball was horribly loud. She wanted to scream but clutched the gift in her hand. Their father had said to his face when he came to Vizima that he’d never let her sister marry him. She remembered distinctly how her sister wept over it. She was inconsolable for weeks.
She scanned the crowd, silk and taffeta, ruching and people — so many people filled Tretogor. She didn’t know how she was ever supposed to find him in the crowd, him or her sister. Her ears started ringing so she exited out quickly to the gardens.
Out the corner of her eye she spotted a distinct, Temerian blue skirt and turned to see Arabella by the fountain with Radovid. She peeks out from behind the bushes to watch her sister and the boy she’s so clearly fond of and has been for years.
“Come out,” orders Radovid.
Adda stumbles as she does, “ah, sorry. I uh.” She can’t remember the words. “Gift?”
He looks at her, his grey eyes stare menacingly. She doesn’t know what Arabella sees in him but she awkwardly holds up the gift. “Its… not grand. But… Well… I get these little… Bears when come with Arabella… and thought maybe you’d like one as well?”
Radovid looks at the gift, moving it over in his hands. She can’t tell what he’s thinking so she looks over to her sister desperately. Arabella is beaming.
“This is…” He trails off.
Anxiety fills her. She’s never been the best at giving gifts. The only person she can really give them to consistently and have a good reaction is Arabella. But Arabella isn’t like everyone else and it's easy to read her.
“This is the most thoughtful gift anyone’s given me in a while,” The King says so quietly Adda would not have heard him if she were anyone else.
Her heart swells. “Wanted to… Apologise for what… Father said when you came as well.” She curtsies.
Adda never curtsies.
The King knows this. “Please, you may stand, you’re an honoured guest in Tretogor.”
Adda obliges.
“Its loud.” She observes.
Radovid laughs, “right?”
“Terribly loud. So full of people.” Her sister agrees.
Adda gives a small smile. “I hope that… You have a wonderful birthday, Your Majesty.”
And she slips off to give them space.
“You’re back!” Alexander says as he closes up his stall. “You really did go to the ball.”
Adda nods. “Had to give gift.”
“A gift?”
“To the King.”
“Was it well received?”
“I think so.” She sits down on the ground next to his stall looking up at the stars. “Better here though.”
“Is that so?” asks Alexander.
“Not loud.”
“Mh, you remind me of my Marissa.”
“Who is Marissa?” She looks at him quizzically.
He smiles. “My daughter. Sensitive girl she is, reminds me of you.”
Adda nods. “Can I stay here?”
“Of course! Anything for a loyal customer.”