1. Seraphic

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒚-𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆. the court is adjourned

s e r a p h i n a

☽ ☾

She was more worried for him than she should have been, than she should have ever been allowed, despite what all had transpired between the two, but when she woke up that morning, Seraphina's heart was pounding—for him. For Salvatore.

She had rushed downstairs after getting ready in search of her parents, and found them in the council room, where Rosangelina was addressing the nobles.

"She is unfit to rule," she said. "She is far too young and inexperienced and immature. I mean, look at her. She is so unaware of things that she is able to accept the Orphim, that she is willing to be their ally and supporter. For that alone, she cannot be trusted. Not to mention the little Orphim friend she had before he disappeared."

"All viable reasons, I think," a noblewoman said. "However, we cannot do anything with our opinions. The crown chose her. End of. She was picked for a reason, and I put my faith in that. She will mature the older she gets. She is not becoming queen immediately."

"No. Perhaps she is not. But by the time she is, she will be the same. In nineteen years of living, she has never changed. Not once. Maybe when she was younger and her views did, but she has always been the same."

Seraphina walked away with tears in her eyes, her heart heavy in her chest with hurt.

She needed to get away, so she went to the one place she could think of in the moment: the kitchen.

She distracted herself with baking a new batch of sugar buns, having to wipe away tears with the back of her hand every few minutes when the reminder of what Rosangelina had been saying about her filled her mind.

Seraphina couldn't find any other way to push aside the hurtful thoughts, so when her mind finally strayed to General Salvatore, she let it. She welcomed it this one time, when her thoughts needed to get away.

She wanted so hard, more than anything, to believe what he had told her, about not being able to stop thinking about her. But she was afraid it was also a lie, and she didn't want to ruin things for herself again. She didn't want to let him in once more, only to then discover it was all a lie.

The words he had said were ones she had always wanted to hear, words she wished she could fall into the warmth of, words she wished she could allow herself to be comforted by—but it was scared her.

What if he was using her again? What if this was another ploy?

Seraphina wanted to believe him more than anything, but the fear lingered in her mind.

She could be herself around him in a way she couldn't around others. She could have opinions and thoughts and not be ridiculed for them. She could ramble as much as she wanted and only be given an amused look in response. She could call him a variety of A-names and he couldn't care less.

(The last one was just more fun than accepting.)

Seraphina could be unrestrained, as happy and giddy and talkative as she wanted, around him. Salvatore didn't mind; he wasn't bothered by it. He didn't snap at her to stop, or give her a look that told her she had said enough. He didn't laugh out of ludicrousness when she suggested something, or ask if she had hit her head somewhere to be thinking such absurd thoughts.