Chapter 6 05

Ivy Calleya

The day of the journey had arrived, and wearing a fur coat that covered almost my entire body, I made my way to the carriage that awaited me. As I walked through the snow that sank beneath each step, my hands turned red from the cold, and for a moment, I thought they might freeze.

When I approached the carriage, I saw a long line of knights waiting to escort me, and at the end of that corridor formed by armored men stood Helena and Victor Calleya.

I quickened my pace, and Victor, seeing my struggle to walk due to the heavy clothing and the weakness that still caused dizziness, came to me. He gently took my arm, helping me reach the carriage.

"Daughter... Are you sure you want to go to this ball?" he asked, and I could see the worry on his face. He tightened his grip on my arm, and I felt his fear that something bad might happen.

"Yes..." I replied directly and continued, moving closer to Helena, who was waiting with a golden box in her hands.

"I promise I'll be careful, there's no need to worry, and I'm not a child anymore..." I finished, and I saw him lower his gaze, looking downcast.

"I know, Ivy." He released my arm and stepped aside to stand next to Helena, opening the carriage door.

It was the first time I had seen such a large carriage, with a flag displaying a crest so bright. I could see the violet upholstery and the silver details that adorned its interior. It was so beautiful that it made the royal carriages of the Kingdom of Lyra look like shoeboxes.

When I reached Helena, she extended the golden box to me, and with a smile that I couldn't quite tell if it was happiness or nervousness, she handed it over.

"It's a gift... Since it's your first ball, everything needs to be perfect, so I ordered it," Helena said. After I took the box into my hands, she came to me, giving me a tight hug.

"I'll be heading to Lyra in a few days to settle some political matters. I've already informed everyone about your arrival, and I've also asked one of our friends from the Anderson family to lend you one of their properties to stay at until I arrive."

"Thank you, Mother..." I felt my heart warm, and I hugged the box tightly, holding it close to my body.

"Now you need to go... The ship will be departing in a few hours, and you mustn't be late," she finished, breaking the embrace. With a heavy heart, I said my goodbyes and entered the carriage.

I sighed, watching the image of Helena and Victor fade away through the window. Accompanied by the knights, I traveled for a few hours until we reached Colosso Port, the largest and most well-equipped port in the Kingdom of Oracalia.

My eyes sparkled when I saw the ship waiting for me. It was the first time I would be traveling by sea, and in my chest, excitement and fear mingled together.

When I was still Camille Larsen, I dreamed of journeys like this, but unfortunately, I spent my entire mediocre life serving Adiel and his kingdom, never doing anything for myself.

I huffed, recalling everything I had thrown away-my dreams, my desires-and with clenched fists gripping the sleeves of my coat, I made my way toward the entrance of the ship.

I was greeted by the captain, who, along with his subordinates, welcomed me with reverence. While they shared stories and adventures from their voyages across the seas, my belongings were taken to my cabin.

As we finally set sail, I watched the port fade into the distance, the coastline disappearing from view. My stomach churned, but I held back the urge to vomit and stayed steady by the window, feeling the cold wind on my face, the icy air filling my lungs.

"Soon, I'll be home... Alexandre," I whispered, gazing up at the cloudy sky, a smile spreading across my lips.

Later that evening, I opened the box that had been given to me as a gift by Helena. Inside, I found a beautiful dress worn by people from kingdoms where the sun reigned-completely different from the long, heavy gowns typically worn in Oracalia.

The dress was white, adorned with silver details, with thin straps and small diamonds embellishing it. It was seemingly simple, but upon closer inspection, its true value was clear-it was expensive and undeniably eye-catching.

"Thank you... Mother," I murmured, tenderly holding the dress in my hands.

A few days passed, and I was no longer frightened by the storms or the shrill cries of the sailors, I had gotten used to the rocking of the waves, and just as I thought I had adjusted to the routine, with all the movement and noise, a deafening sound echoed through the ship, startling me. The floor and walls vibrated, and a strong smell of smoke filled the cabin.

"An explosion?" I wondered, instinctively covering my ears.

I was in my cabin when I heard the panicked screams of everyone rushing frantically on deck. Without thinking twice, I ran out to see what was happening.

In one of the corridors, a knight who served Helena approached me with concern. He was out of breath, carrying some of my bags in his arms.

"Princess... are you alright?" he asked, scanning me for any injuries or scratches. "We need to leave... there was an explosion in the hull, and it won't be long before the ship starts to sink."

"What? An explosion? But how? Ships don't just explode out of nowhere," I questioned, confused, as the old knight firmly grabbed my hand, dragging me through the corridor to the deck, where they were already preparing a boat for my escape.

"This doesn't make sense... an explosion on the ship carrying the daughter of a great empress... This reeks of sabotage... betrayal," I thought, feeling the ship give way, slowly sinking as everyone screamed and scrambled to fix things before it was too late.

"Quick... we have to go," the knight shouted, and when I looked into his eyes, I could see that he, too, suspected something. "Send a raven to Oracalia... Inform Her Majesty Helena of what happened... and also, send one to Lyra... Tell them we need help," he ordered, and I saw the ship's captain himself run to his cabin to prepare the message.

"Hurry, Princess... we need to get out of here," he urged, pulling me close, and as he helped me into the small boat, placing the few belongings he had managed to grab, he whispered in my ear, "There's an enemy onboard."