Chapter Text
Empress Scarlett gets up in the morning expecting nothing but a regular day awaiting her. She wakes up next to her loving fiancée, gets dressed, and heads off for her morning tutoring lesson as per usual.
Things start to go awry at breakfast.
“Good morning Scar!” Tella sing-songs as Scarlett enters the chilly dining hall. Her sister is sat on the far end of the long table, hand in hand with Legend.
“Good morning.” she says politely, taking a seat across from them. “Has Julian not arrived yet?”
“Fortunately,” Legend snorts, earning him a sharp jab in the ribs from Tella.
“Come now, don’t be like that! He apologised!” Tella reasons.
“I’m still upset. I was counting on him to show up for that show. And he didn’t, all because he was entertaining our dear empress instead.” Legend replies, shooting Scarlett a look.
“Didn’t you have backup performers anyway?” sighs Tella.
“Well, yes—” He pauses. “Aiko managed to fill in for him once we realised he wasn’t turning up. And everything went perfectly. But I still would’ve rathered him to be there.”
After Scarlett became empress, she suggested that Legend and his performers begin to put on small plays for the local Valendan children periodically. At first, Legend was firmly against the idea. Julian had told Scarlett that Legend thought too highly of his troop for them to do ‘charity work’, as he called it. But it only took a small amount of convincing from Tella for Legend to agree to the idea. And even though Legend would never admit it, Scarlett knows that he secretly enjoys putting on those silly plays. Legend has a soft spot for children, and she assumes it’s because he wants to extend them the kindness he himself never got as a young child. She never misses the way Legend often stays behind at his plays long after the rest of his cast leaves to show off a few extra magic tricks to the kids who weren’t quite ready to leave the magic behind yet. She has a feeling that he takes his new operation very seriously, which is probably why he’s so bitter at Julian now for missing.
“If I’d known you were performing that day, I wouldn’t have kept him behind for so long.” Scarlett smiles sympathetically. “I’m sorry, truly.”
“Oh, Scarlett, don’t apologise!” Tella waves her hands around. “He’s just being difficult for no reason. It’s not your fault, or Julian’s either.”
At this, Legend begins to chuckle. If it had been Julian or Scarlett to deliver such an insulting blow, he probably would’ve gotten mad. But Scarlett can’t recall a single time she’s ever seen Legend truly angry with Tella.
“Morning.” Julian finally walks into the hall, though there was an odd expression on his usually carefree face.
“There you are!” Scarlett says happily. “We were just talking about you.” Julian just hums in response. That’s when she notices an envelope in his hands.
“I think you should see this, Crimson.” Julian holds out the letter. The wax seal is a deep blue, with a wolf in a crown stamped onto it. Legend’s eyes narrow.
“What’s the matter?” Scarlett asks cautiously, inspecting the envelope carefully. “Why are you both looking at me like that?”
“That,” Legend gestures to the seal. “is the symbol of the North’s first ever royal family. Or more specifically, the head of said family.”
“It’s extremely uncommon to see these outside of the North. Even over there it’s pretty rare to see the real symbol because of the story curse. How this envelope has made its way here is beyond me.” Julian explains roughly.
“Sounds like an adventure to me!” Tella reaches over the table and plucks the Envelope from Scarlett’s gloved hands.
“Tella! Give that—”
“You weren’t making any move to open it.” Tella shrugs innocently before she rips the envelope open. Her hazel eyes twinkle with excitement as she reads through it. Her excitement turns into confusion very quickly.
“What does it say?” demands Scarlett. Legend peers over Tella’s shoulder to read the letter, and his eyebrows furrow in confusion too.
Tella looks up at Scarlett. “The Acadians are the current royal family over in the North, right?”
“Yes. Why?”
Tella hesitantly passes the letter over the oak table. Scarlett picks it up warily.
The words ‘you’re invited’ are sprawled across the top of the letter in midnight ink. And underneath it— ‘to the royal coronation of the Valors’.
Julian shakes his head. “But that’s impossible. The Valors are long dead.”
Scarlett cocks her head to the side as she reads. The letter goes on to explain the tragic passing of the only eligible heir to the Acadian bloodline— Apollo Acadian— and how the Valors, who have miraculously returned from the dead, are now assuming their identities as the North’s true rulers.
Scarlett crosses her arms as she stares down at the letter. The silence is thick and heavy.
“Wait!” Tella then shoots up from her seat so fast she nearly falls over. “What of Evangeline?”
Julian frowns. “Who?”
“Evangeline.” Legend says. “That’s the girl you both sent to the North, hm?”
“Oh, of course!” Scarlett gasps in realisation. After Poison freed her from stone, Tella and Scarlett had sent Evangeline Fox to the North as part of Nocte Neverending, where the pink-haired girl had secured herself as Apollo’s bride and the North’s queen-to-be. Scarlett hasn’t heard from her since she’d sent over the wedding gift. What would happen to her, now that her husband is dead and there is no heir? Would she simply be tossed out of the palace and onto the streets? She tries to tell herself the Valors wouldn’t be that cruel, but Scarlett doesn’t know this mysterious royal family personally.
Scarlett anxiously looks down at the letter once more.
The second paragraph is an invitation, calling all royal families and empires from across the world to attend the ‘celebration of a lifetime’, as the letter phrases it. Scarlett makes up her mind quickly.
“It’s impossible for us to miss this event,” Scarlett gazes at her sister empathetically. “If the new monarchy really are the Valors, ignoring this invite could build unwanted tension between our empires. And friction between us and one of the most powerful families in existence is the last thing the Meridian needs right now.”
Tella opens her mouth to speak, but Scarlett cuts her off.
“And I know what you’re going to say. Because of a certain someone in the North, you don’t want to get anywhere near the continent. And I understand that truly, which is why—” Scarlett takes a step back to hold her fiancée’s hand. “Julian and I will go. You and Legend are going to stay here and oversee the empire while we’re gone.”
Tella laughs, to Scarlett’s surprise. “As thoughtful as you are, Scar, that’s not what I was going to say. I wanted to tell you that I’m coming with you.”
The entire hall falls silent.
Legend speaks first. “Darling—”
“I know it’s dangerous for me.” Tella interrupts. “But I can’t live the rest of my life in fear of Jacks. I refuse to let him control me when he’s in a completely different empire. I won’t let his presence dictate my life. If I want to go to the North and have a great time, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Scarlett drops Julian’s hand and reaches for Tella’s instead. “Tella, I love you. But it’s just too dangerous. Perhaps if we were having this conversation in a year or two’s time, I’d have a different answer. But it’s barely been half a year since Jacks nearly kidnapped you while you were under a spell.”
“Danger and I are lovers at this point, Scarlett.” Tella scoffs. “And I’ve always been a big fan of adventures that will most likely end in disaster.”
“Just last month, you were swearing up and down that you wouldn’t even enter Northern waters.” Julian grumbles.
“Well, people can change in a month!”
“If that is what you want Tella, then that’s what will happen.” Legend stands up, drawing all eyes to him. But even as he did so, Scarlett could see the worry on his face.
“I knew you’d agree with me!” Tella reaches up on her tip-toes to press a kiss to Legend’s cheek. Then she looks back at Scarlett. “Please, Scar! If Legend thinks this is a good idea, then it must be.”
Scarlett worries her teeth between her lips. She glances at Legend, who gives her a slow nod. Scarlett swallows.
“I suppose that’d be alright. The celebration is only over the course of a single week.” Scarlett mutters as Tella grins wide.
“Oh, thank you Scarlett!” Tella rushed to the other side of the table to wrap her sister in a hug. “I promise you won’t regret this! Jacks won’t even know I’m there, surely! We’re going to have so much fun, you’ll see!”
—
The week that followed the invitation’s arrival proved to be excruciating. Legend and Scarlett had joined forces to make sure this trip went as smoothly as possible for Tella.
“How much extra security can we bring along with us before the Valors believe we’re insulting them?” Scarlett asks over a cup of tea. Legend sits across from her, clad in his usual dark attire.
“I’m not sure. But bringing security would be a waste,” Legend points out. “They won’t be able to protect Tella if Jacks turns up looking for her. They’re mortal. Jacks is not.”
“You’re right about that,” Scarlett nods. “But we're also at an advantage in the North. Poison once told me that Fates’ powers are deeply disturbed there. So if and when we do meet Jacks, he will be nowhere as powerful as he was during the week of terror.”
“Yes, but he will also most definitely have a plan. The coronation is not a private matter. I’m sure even the conquered isles have heard about the celebration by now. And Jacks is most definitely plotting as we speak.”
Scarlett’s lips press into a tight line as she watches Legend take another sip of his tea. “What do you think he’ll do?”
Legend is silent for a while before responding, “I don’t think he’ll be working alone. There are plenty of Fates who have sought refuge in the North who might have it out for us for killing the Fallen Star.”
“But I thought they hated the Fallen Star.”
“They did. But he was also the source of their power— now that he’s dead, the Fates are no longer immortal. And although they didn’t like Gavriel, quite a few Fates definitely liked their immortality. It’s possible that those Fates and Jacks are currently scheming something against us for Gavriel’s murder.”
Scarlett takes a deep breath. “We haven’t seen Jacks in ages. It’s impossible for us to guess what he’s plotting. But we should have an escape plan ready. If there’s even the slightest sign of danger, we need to have a quick way back to the South.”
“I can do that.”
“I thought you could only cast illusions?” Scarlett raises an eyebrow.
“I can,” Legend grumbles. “But very powerful ones, as you know from firsthand experience. I can give you all time to escape, if Jacks comes looking. The North also has a special type of magic in the form of arches— essentially, they’re just teleportation devices. Jacks could obviously follow us through one, but…”
“But?” Scarlett replies eagerly.
“If worst comes to worst and we’re in a situation where going through an arc is the only way out, you, Julian, and Tella need to run through. Leave me behind, and I’ll destroy the arch so Jacks can’t follow.”
Scarlett stiffens. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking me.” Legend scowls. “I’m offering. I’d do anything for Tella’s safety.”
“I know you would.” Scarlett murmurs.
The two fall into a strange quiet. But then Legend speaks, “She’s really excited for this.”
“Is she?”
“For the past week she’s been trying out different dresses and cloaks and asks me to tell her which one looks better on her. If Jacks ruins this holiday for her, I think I might just cut his head off and use it as a prop in my next Caraval.” Legend growls, completely serious.
But Scarlett laughs instead. He scowls at her again, clearly not pleased.
“Please don’t take offense,” Scarlett says quickly. “I’m just… I’m just happy my sister has someone who loves her so much by her side.”
Legend nods, accepting her answer, before they fall into silence once more.
—
The day they were all meant to leave Valenda arrives in what feels like a heartbeat. The journey to the Magnificent North is nearly two weeks long, which gives Legend and Scarlett plenty of more time to plot what to do in case of emergency.
Tella bounces across the docks, wearing a lightweight periwinkle dress, a matching headband atop of her curls. Scarlett watches with a strained smile as she and Legend saunter across the docks, arms interlocked. Even from a distance, Scarlett could see how tightly Legend was holding his lover to him. Even if he didn’t say it, he was scared.
“You’re stressing yourself out, Crimson. What did we say about stressing?” Julian came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her stomach. She jolts in surprise as he laughs at her.
“I’m not stressing.” she says quickly. “I just… I just have to make sure she’s safe on this holiday, Julian. Last time, Jacks nearly killed her. Twice. And then he tried to sneak her out of the empire to God knows where!”
Julian pets her hair as they walk to the ship, hands intertwined. “I’m worried for her too, Scarlett. But she has Legend, and me, and you. She also has the protection of the Valors, since she’s their guest. Nothing will happen to her.” But even as he said it, he sounded doubtful.
Scarlett still appreciates the effort, though. They wordlessly board the ship and settle into their room, which is right next door to Tella and Legend’s room. Julian urges her to get some rest, but she can’t seem to do so.
She nearly gasps when she feels the ship rumble for the first time— because that’s when she knows there’s no turning back.