Anastasia was on the road to Dragny for three hours, and yet the scenery was still a wonder to her. She had only ever known the small bubble of the Valenris estate, but seeing what lay beyond her cage made the same garden views pale in comparison.

  From Valenris, Anastasia wasn’t able to see much of Mirror Lake, but as the carriage drew further away from the estate, the vast, crystal clear lake seemed to materialize out of thin air. True to its name, Mirror Lake appeared as one giant mirror, smooth and unblemished. It came as a surprise to her that not a single bird came to rest upon its surface. Leaning a bit further out of the open window, Anastasia strained her eyes for any animals she could’ve missed.

  “Curious about the lake?”

  The sudden question made Anastasia jump, causing her to hit her head on the top of the window frame.

  “Goddess above!” Anastasia cursed, reeling back onto the seat while rubbing her head.

  “Oh, my Lady! Are you alright?” a man’s voice from outside asked.

  Lifting her head from her pained stupor, Anastasia found a knight sticking his head through the window from his horse, his blue eyes filled with panic behind the visor of his helmet.

  “I deeply apologize my Lady, it wasn’t my intention to startle you,” the guard rambled. “I understand if you would like to have me punished, I implore you to do so.”

  “Wait! No no no I’m not going to have you punished, please calm yourself,” Anastasia reassured.

  “You are too kind my Lady,” the knight sighed in relief as he pulled himself away from the window.

  “It’s no trouble at all Sir, it was really my own fault anyway for leaning so far out,” Anastasia softly smiled. “May I ask for your name?”

  “Ah, I am Sir Rowan, my Lady. The Marquess has assigned me to be your bodyguard for this journey,” Rowan smiled brightly. “Should you need anything, do not hesitate to ask me.”

  “Thank you, Sir Rowan,” Anastasia replied. “You mentioned something about the lake earlier?”

  “Yes, I was just wondering if you were curious about why it's so lifeless. That’s why you were leaning for a closer look, right?” Rowan questioned.

  “Yes,” Anastasia answered sheepishly. “I’ve never seen the lake this closely before. I expected to see some wildlife and yet…” she trailed off, glancing past Rowan at the glassy water.

  “Are you familiar with the history of this country, my Lady?”

  “Do you mean the royal family?”

  “No, I mean the Goddess Eltia.”

  “Oh, yes I know a little about her,” Anastasia pondered for a moment. “She’s the founding Goddess of Taivia, bringing life and sunshine to this land when she emerged from the world itself.”

  “Mirror Lake is actually where she emerged from,” Rowan nodded toward the water. “As she rose from the lake’s surface, the water that sprayed forth blessed these lands with life. The clouds parted for the sun to shine upon the barren land, growing Taivian daisies wherever the light touched,” Rowan pointed to the field of flowers in the distance.

  “Taivia’s sacred flower,” Anastasia mused. “We would decorate the manor with them during the week of the Festival of Dawn,” she recounted, remembering how her mother would make crowns of daisies for her to wear.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “The temples oversee the protection of the flowers, and accept them as offerings to Eltia,” Rowan explained. They also ensure that no white swans are hunted, as they symbolize Eltia herself.”

  “Why is that?” Anastasia inquired. Her father didn’t teach her much about their Goddess, stressing the importance of imperial history and bridal lessons instead.

  “Some say that when Eltia emerged from Mirror Lake, she was riding a chariot of gold and quartz pulled by a bevy of swans,” Rowan answered. “Thus, white swans are also sacred to Taivia.”

  “I see,” Anastasia nodded. She couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. There was so much she didn’t know. Feeling her face heat up, she turned away from Rowan.

  “If you would like, my Lady”, Rowan began, “I could teach you about anything you wish to know. I told you before that I’m willing to help you with whatever you need,” he offered.

  When was the last time anyone had reached out a hand to her? She honestly couldn’t remember. Those who were supposed to be her family never did, yet here was a person she had just met, offering help with a kind smile. How ironic that she felt more at ease with Rowan than anyone in Valenris.

  “I would love that, Sir Rowan,” Anastasia turned to face him with a grin. “I’m in your capable hands.”

  With a newfound friend, Anastasia felt less nervous about her impending arrival in Dragny and in the domain of the Marquess. Rowan proved to be excellent company for the next few hours, talking endlessly about his family and growing up in the capital.

  “I’m the oldest of four siblings,” Rowan boasted. “I have a younger brother and my younger sisters are twins.”

  “Oh my, I couldn’t imagine what it's like to have that many siblings. I’m sure you felt like tearing your hair out at some point,” Anastasia joked.

  “My siblings are a handful sometimes,” Rowan admitted, “But I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I became a knight to help put food on the table, I didn’t want my mother to work herself to the bone providing for all of us.”

  Watching the shadow that passed over Rowan’s face, Anastasia decided it would best to not pry any further. She didn’t want to push away the only companion she had, and adding salt to whatever wound Rowan had would make the rest of this journey uncomfortable for both parties.

  Changing the subject, Anastasia spoke up. “Tell me about the capital, Sir Rowan. I’ve never been, so I was wondering what it was like.”

  Snapping out of his daze, Rowan launched into a spiel of words.

  “Well, the city itself is quite a sight to behold. The market square is filled with all sorts of trade goods from Taivia and other countries across the continent,” Rowan explained. “Dragny also boasts a large variety of cultural hubs, including the Continental Library, the Theatre of Sun, and the Grand Concert Hall.” Anastasia’s ears perked up at the mention of a concert hall, and she leaned closer to the carriage window.

  “There’s a concert hall? Are there regular performances?” she asked excitedly.

  “Hmm… well, there has been talk of closing it down due to a lack of attendees,” Rowan frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. “But they do put on a performance every week in the evenings, when the streets are the busiest.”

  “Do you think that I could go to see them?” Anastasia clasped her hands together tightly, giving Rowan her best pleading look.

  “If the Marquess allows it, then it would be an honor to escort you my Lady,” Rowan bowed his head. Unable to contain her glee, Anastasia stuck herself halfway out of the window to grab Rowan’s hand.

  “Thank you very much Sir Rowan, this means the world to me,” Anastasia gushed.

  “I..It's no trouble at all my Lady,” Rowan stammered. Realizing the boldness of her actions, Anastasia blushed profusely as she quickly pulled away.

  “I’m so sorry, I just got so caught up in my excitement,” she turned her face the other way in embarrassment.

  “I don’t mind, my Lady,” Sir Rowan shook his head, attempting to reassure her. “As your knight, I’m just glad to see you content.”

  Facing Rowan without meeting his eyes, Anastasia shyly nodded. Clearing his throat, Rowan pointed toward the sky.

  “The sun will be setting soon, you should get some rest. We’ll be traveling through the night,” he stated.

  “Alright, thank you for talking with me Sir Rowan. This journey has been fun thanks to you,” Anastasia replied as she gave him a small smile. Closing the window and drawing the curtains, she laid down on the cushioned seat. She was glad to know that Dragny held the comforts of music, even though that would soon disappear. At the very least, she had someone on her side before she even arrived at her new cage. The thought warmed Anastasia’s heart, as she drifted off to sleep.