1. Seraphic

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚. locked in for the evening

s e r a p h i n a

☽ ☾

When dinner had arrived, Seraphina had almost entirely forgotten about the incident in the garden, partly because she was all healed, but mostly because she was sitting beside Malachai and was the happiest she'd been in a long time.

The joy was enough to make the nervousness form sitting in front of Salvatore's parents fade into a distant but vaguely persistent thing in the back of her head.

When she'd asked about Kara, he had said she was asleep and too tired to eat because they'd been up all night playing board games and competing against each other, but that she would be able to see her before she left. That was believable—the pair had always playfully and competitively been at each other's throats since they were young.

The sound of cutlery filled the silence in the air every now and then, like an intruder to the quiet as everyone ate maybe-Archer's curry.

It was the best thing she'd ever had, and the perfect amount of spicy.

She had gotten through a whole plate while the unnamed paintbrush boy had struggled to get through half and Malachai had given up by the end and drowned himself in his glass of water.

"Wimps," Morana remarked. "I cannot believe the princess we were told survives on sugar could handle more spice."

"She can handle both," Malachai replied with a shrug. "But are you really going to be okay becoming a person who judges others based on their ability to eat certain foods?" he snarked.

"Fuck off."

"Language," not-Archer said through gritted teeth.

Salvatore's mother cleared her throat. "So, Seraphina, I hear you are hoping to make significant changes during your reign." She nodded; she truly hoped so. "May I ask, if you were raised amongst people who cannot stand the very mention of us, how is it you grew to be so respecting?"

"Well, I have to admit, for the first few years of my life, I did believe what they told me. And I know that you are technically still my enemy, but... why should that be because of your identity?" she said. "I think I was ten when I realised the difference in treatment between our people, and I knew right then it was nothing but wrong and cruel. We are one and the same. We share the same gift. We should be standing together, not living divided."

"You do not understand the difference it makes for us to have someone on our side," she said. "Especially someone with so much power and influence. Someone I hear is actively trying to get us justice."

"I have power and privilege that you all do not at the moment, and until we share that, I will not stop using it to make things rights. I was given the things I have for a reason, not to sit idly by while people are mistreated and judged for something they cannot even control."

Morana pointed her fork at her as she spoke. "Would you teach me how to walk in heels?"

"I..." She let out a soft laugh. "If you want. Of course I can."

She nodded. "I can warm up to you, then."

"I am glad," she chuckled. "The last thing I want is for there to be any sort of issues between any of us here. I am out there for you, end of. That will never change."