A very awkward carriage ride

Sitting between the sister you are feeling very trapped. Seething rage to your right, cold calculating bemusement so your left. The rage seemed more comforting. "Your Highness?" You venture hoping for her to give you an opening to asking what you are in for.

Anastasia's anger flares as you speak but Isabelle answers. "Yes Christopher?" The sweetness in her voice trying to mask her delight at the situation.

"Why does the Queen want to see me?" You are pretty sure Isabelle is going to taunt you but she might give you an idea of what you are heading into, aside from public execution that is.

"Mother didn't say anything to me. When my dear Annie arrived she was taken into the study." Isabelle said turning to face you. You saw Anastasia aura ripple in discomfort at Isabelle words but she said nothing to interrupt. "Then she burst out and ran for her carriage. Even though she promised we'd spend time together." Isabelle was clearly delighting in how this going but she did explain at least that Anastasia was in a hurry which meant time was of importance.

"And how did you know I was here?" Your question made Anastasia's aura reach out and brush you. A shiver of deep discomfort went up your arm at her touch, you'd really fucked up. Guess you'd be putting the first Clare's advice on how to apologise to Anastasia to the test.

"How did you know?" Isabelle asked leaning to stare at her sister.

"I know Christopher. If I tell him to not do something he'll do it." Anastasia grumbles. Isabelle grins at the apparent rift between the two of you.

"How disobedient. Why do you put of with him?" Isabelle asked rhetorically. "It's just be because of all those rumours."

You tense a little, honestly she could be referring to so many things it is near impossible to decipher what she means. "What rumours?" You fish for some more information. It made sense if you were being summoned because of your power, you haven't been super subtle, though Stephanie is more at fault for that you feel.

"Well a long absent noble family suddenly sending their prodigal son all the way here just because of Annie's request. Or maybe it's Lady Stephanie taking on her first ever male student. Or it could be the suggestions of impropriety among the upper nobles all over a boy." Isabelle's eyes were dancing with joy and you figured out she was only torturing you incidentally she was mostly messing with Anastasia.

"Oh those rumours." You say lapsing then shut up as Anastasia anger filled aura prod you.

"There wouldn't be any truth to those rumours Annie?" Isabelle asked. "It couldn't be that the Royal Academy is really just some –"

"You aren't old enough for this." Anastasia interrupted, you saw some colour in her cheeks and she shifted in her seat. You feel like being the only one here who is afraid for this life is making it hard to find the tease as innocent as Anastasia clearly is.

Isabelle grins anew and looked back out the window.

With the carriage silent you are left to stew but decide that leaving your brain alone to stew right now is not a safe decision. You look out the window past Anastasia. You'd been taken back towards the academy but are hopeful enough to believe the Queen would be meeting you there. You watch as the carriage drives past the turn upto the academy and silently weep as you watch the children playing in the garden.

The rest of the trip only get more uncomfortable. Isabelle's quiet enjoyment of the situation is likely at fault for that but Anastasia's enduring rage towards you cannot be ignored as a contribution factor. As the carriage takes a turn up a hill you consider making a run for it. Nothing happened leaving you wondering if the repeated failures of your attempts to run were just coincidences.

Passing the trees you see the palace walls. Only a little taller than the academies wall and of the same design you feel kinda relaxed. No grand sweeping maned walls, no maned turrets just a simple walled estate. The carriage stops for a moment as it reaches the gate then restarts. The gates are grand, an intricate weaving of metal, creating depictions of animals, some of which you don't recognise but some are looking very dragon shaped. You idly relax your eyes wondering if there is any magic at work here and the gate lights up. The depictions coming alive without moving, an impressive trick of the magical eye.

You are prevented from further study by the carriage moving on. The road is line with flowering plants, each flower similar in appearance roses except the outer petal as a pale blue turning to a deep crimson at the centre. It is beautiful and staring at nature helps you calm down a little. When the carriage comes to a stop you can't see and flowers out the window.

The door opens and Anastasia walks out. Isabelle watched he leave then whispers, "When my mother is done with you I would love to hear about your and Annie's letters." She says with a smile and you remember your first meeting her. You didn't know why she was so concerned about the letters you and Anastasia exchanged before your eighteenth.

You step out of the carriage and a greeted by a very tall building. It is is the same style as the rest of the city, whitewashed walled but the windows are much larger. The door is a massive piece of wood that is held open for you. Anastasia is standing just past the carriage staring at you.

It is the first time you checked her outfit. It looked a lot like what she had worn at your birthday party, long pants and a tunic of slowly blending blue into red, carefully cut to show her slender but well toned physique. Anastasia's aura softens for a moment under your gaze and you realise you are staring. Clearing your throat you walk to a step behind her and her sister.

Isabelle is wearing a dress of delicate constant red, it billows at her waist and looks loose around her top. It doesn't look like something a Princess should be wearing.

Your elbow is hooked by Anastasia making you freeze for a moment and look at her. "Just follow my lead." She whispers with an exhale and walks forwards with you in her arm through the door. There are armed women on both sides leaving you recalling the execution you had worried about.

She keep on leading you onwards, through a door into a corridor then a turn into another corridor, then another, then up a flight of stairs and through more corridors. If you didn't know any better you would have thought Anastasia was trying to get you lost.

When you come to a stop before an nondescript door you panic was mostly overcome by the tedium. Anastasia took a few calming breaths and fixed a neutral expression on her face. Seeing her nervous for the first time made returned all of that panic.

She opened the door and you offered a silent pray to either of the Goddesses for their help. Maybe you should have asked them if pray works, that suddenly seems like a very important question you completely ignored. The room looked like a study, a fire opposite the door with large lounges in the middle, books lined the walls, more than you had ever seen and more than you would have expected a Royal to have given that everything hand written. It was relaxingly cosy.

"Mother." Anastasia bowed. "May I present Christopher. Christopher Her Highness Queen –"

"Call me Aurora young man." The voice came from your left and you looked around Anastasia to see well an older Anastasia. Aurora had the same flawless skin the same nose but held a matureness, faint lines that could barely be wrinkles along the corners and bottom of her eyes, the youthful redness of Anastasia's cheeks gone, her lips were a little less plump. The one thing that made the difference clear was her aura. A gleaming mixture of blue and red producing half identifiable shapes and forms. You were so focused on the insurmountable skill displayed in her aura you didn't hear Anastasia vocal nudging. "Young man?"

You snap you eyes away from her aura and bow. "Sorry your High – Aurora – ness." You stutter out. Aurora lets out a gentle chuckle again like Anastasia but aged up, a richness to it tone that showed her age.

"You do find some interesting men daughter." Aurora said said Anastasia. She stood and walked towards you. She was wearing a loose top and short pants that ended at her calves. Honestly it looked kinda like pajamas.

"Thank you?" Anastasia said clearly unsure.

"They take up a lot of her time." Isabelle chimed in making you remember the youngest of the royals was also in the room.

"Then I am sure you would both be glad for some time together." Aurora said walked to the middle of the room and taking a seat on one of the two lounges in the middle of the room. The three of you hesitated and looked at each other.

"We –" Anastasia said squeezing your interlock arms together.

"Daugthers." Aurora voice took on an authoritative note that got an instant reaction.

"Thank you Mother. Let's go Isabelle." She said stiffly letting go of you arm and backing out of the door. So much for letting her do the talking.

"Love you mom." Isabelle said cutely joining Anastasia and closing the door.

"Sit." Aurora said the authoritative note still present. You obey walking into the room and taking a seat. "Who are you?"

"I'm ..." you don't really have an answer. That is actually a bit bigger of a question than you thought it was. Should you go with Anastasia's scheme and claim to be the son of a Duke, you can't see the Queen falling for it but maybe that is what Anastasia meant by follow her lead? Or should just be honest? Though how honest, you can't see telling her you are being courted by two Goddesses as going over well.