It had been a long time since Sun had last been in Solaryse. And even then, she hadn''t seen it from this side before. The slums she had grown up in were so far removed from the northern districts she''d never even seen them before.


    As kids, it would have taken them all day, if not longer, to walk the distance to it. As she stood on the train platform high enough on the hill, she could see the dark, shadowy place she used to call home.


    It always stunk there, tanners and foundries, homeless, incinerators... Her family was buried just beyond it, as far as they could safely go into the forest that bordered that side of the city. She should pay them a visit while she was here.


    "Sun?"


    She jolted out of her thoughts, looking to her brother, who was watching her with the faintest hint of a question in his eyes.


    "What is it?"


    "Nothing," she replied softly, following him to the waiting carriage.


    They would be staying at the Illusen estate here, which apparently had a lot of family members currently residing in it. Some of them she had already met. She wasn''t looking forward to that. But, her grandfather lived there much of the year; she was eager to catch up with him.


    Mika had come with them, but she would be travelling in a different carriage with other staff members. Apparently Kalys thought Sun was useless without her. While Sun took a bit of offence to that, she liked Mika and was the closest thing Sun had to a female friend. And she was learning a lot from her, things the boys certainly couldn''t teach her. While Sun had never been particularly vain, Mika had really taught her how to make herself appealing—how to do her makeup, what styles and colours flattered her, and how to do her hair. While she didn''t bother with that kind of stuff if she was just going to the Academy—despite Mika''s objections—anywhere else, Sun was all right with putting a bit of extra effort into her appearance. And considering the events she would be attending while she was here, she would no doubt need Mika''s expertise. She would be mingling with women born into this life, groomed for it from birth. Looking like she belonged might be a stretch, but she at least didn''t want to stand out.


    Midwinter had been different, not entirely composed of the nobility; there had been high-ranking Revenants as well, and people the Illusens had partnerships with for their myriad of businesses.


    Sun hadn''t realised how complicated it all was. All she''d understood before this was that rich people were rich because they were born that way. And they stayed that way by trampling all over the poor. While she still believed that to be the case in a way, the Illusens also had a few different businesses in several different industries. She kind of thought they were just parasites who magically sucked their money from already struggling people. After learning of all their businesses, she realised the ''magically'' part was a bit off.


    Kalys wanted her to learn all about it, as his heir, she would need to manage them. Gods, she hoped that never came to pass.


    They made it to the Illusen estate, and Sun had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her jaw from dropping. Estate was an understatement. She thought the manor she lived in was ridiculously lavish; this was palatial. The King''s Palace was likely the only place that could compete with this. There was even a fountain out front, stone, stained glass, and mosaic tiles depicting the Illusens signature ice and ravens. Outside the building, staff and family members had gathered to greet the Head of the Clan and his heir. She recognised a couple of the family members from the midwinter celebration and the dinner they had when she was first acknowledged. Sun wasn''t looking forward to seeing some of these people again.


    When the carriage stopped, Kalys got out first, holding his hand out to her so he could help her down. She didn''t need it, but apparently it was an image thing. Rejecting the offer could be considered disrespectful or offensive and a sign of enmity within the household.


    There were bows and polite greetings, and despite being made up in a lovely azure dress, hair and makeup done, she still felt... inadequate as they eyed her up. Her arm was still in its sling and cast; if they had questions about it, they kept it to themselves. But it reminded her how she didn''t fit their mould.


    Kalys led Sun inside, taking her to her quarters for the duration of her stay here. She was eager to get to her own space and out from under the judgemental gazes of her ''relatives.''


    They had to make their way through the foyer, up a flight of marble stairs with beautiful wrought iron railing, and then headed down the right hallway where her room was the first on the left.


    "This is my room," Kalys told her, indicating the door opposite hers. "Should you need me."


    She nodded, thanking him before disappearing into her own room with a deep sigh. Her luggage wasn''t here yet; it was travelling with the staff in a different carriage.


    Sun took in the room, much larger than her room back home. It was also heavily decorated, each piece exuding wealth and taste. It was mostly in keeping with the Illusens signature colour blue, but not a lot of black.


    The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the back gardens, which were once again much more expansive than back home and beautifully and painstakingly maintained. A lot of roses as well. More fountains, though smaller than the spectacle out front. Ponds, statues, gazebos, benches... What must it have been like as a child to have this to play in growing up?


    Though she couldn''t imagine Kalys ever just playing. Even as a child.


    She wasn''t sure what to do with herself, but she was reluctant to leave her room. It had taken quite some time to feel comfortable moving about the manor back home. It was quite the stretch of the imagination to think she could manage the same thing here. The risk of running into someone she would rather avoid was too great. She didn''t have the quiet confidence Kalys had, the rather justified knowledge that he was untouchable and above question.


    Kalys had said the library here was far more extensive than back home. Though she didn''t have much interest in reading, maybe she could pinch a few books Nick might be interested in.


    With Kalys''s permission.


    Maybe.


    -


    Sun hid in her room the remainder of the afternoon under the guise of settling in and resting from the lengthy travel. She could not, however, avoid dinner. Mika came to her room to get her ready.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "You can''t just give them my apologies and tell them I''m sick?" Sun asked a little hopelessly.


    Mika gave her a stern look that told her not to be such a coward. It wasn''t just cowardice. Dealing with these people would probably be unpleasant, and she would rather avoid that. Hadn''t she suffered enough unpleasantness in her short life?


    Sun let out a huff but obeyed as Mika gestured for her to change into the evening dress she had picked out, then they''d do her hair. She missed her hair ribbon. It had been missing for a while, though she couldn''t exactly pinpoint how long. She had torn her room apart at the manor trying to find it, but no luck. The maids were keeping an eye out. It was a comfort item.


    When Sun saw herself in the mirror, she glared at her reflection. It really was a beautiful dress. The small floral detailing embroidered into the soft blue tulle was quite stunning and must have taken the seamstress a very long time.


    Back in the bedroom, Mika worked on her hair and makeup, chatting with Sun about the last time she''d been in the capital.


    "Were you born here?" Sun asked.


    "No, a small town out east. Pinewatch," Mika replied.


    Sun had never heard of it. "What brought you to Solaryse?"


    "Work, of course," she replied simply.


    "Do you have any family here?" Sun asked.


    Mika was usually quite a private person, and this was the most she''d given up on her past and personal life.


    "No, just a mother back in Pinewatch," she replied.


    "Do you get to see her much?"


    "No, but we write back and forth often enough."


    "Have you worked in this estate?" Sun asked.


    If she remembered correctly, Mika had been hired only a day or two before Sun had been brought to the manor, so probably not.


    "No, first time here. It''s bloody impressive."


    "Seems a bit excessive to me," Sun muttered.


    Mika nodded, conceding that point. "So when you become Clan head, what do you plan to do about it?"


    "''When?''" She asked. "I''m hoping that never happens. Part of Kalys''s duty is producing an heir." No matter how much of a sour taste that left in her mouth. "Not just picking one up off the street."


    "And he is nothing if not dutiful?"


    Mika had a smirk on her face as she said it, but Sun couldn''t understand why. It was a factual statement.


    "Yes? He''ll get married, have a kid, and that kid can have those problems. And his wife will take over Lady Illusen''s duties, and I''ll be free."


    Another thought came to her.


    "Maybe she''ll kick me out..."


    Sun doubted any woman good enough to marry her brother would want to live with his bastard sister and have her underfoot. That thought also left a sour taste in her mouth and, for some reason, produced a tiny little ball of dread and sadness in the pit of her stomach.


    "Your brother wouldn''t let that happen," Mika told her, certainty in every word.


    Sun wasn''t so sure but didn''t bother arguing the point.


    "All right, all done," Mika smiled. "Now we just wait for your brother to collect you."


    She barely got the words out before there was a knock at the door. Sun answered it, offering a smile up to Kalys, though it probably came out as more of a grimace. The similarities to the last family dinner were not lost on her.


    Kalys offered his arm to her, which she took, bidding goodbye to Mika on the way out.


    "How many people will be there?" She asked softly.


    "All family members currently residing and visiting the estate."


    "And what number is that?"


    "I believe thirty-two."


    "You have that many family members?" She whisper hissed.


    She caught a flash of amusement in his eyes that quickly vanished.


    "We have much more than that. You, I, and our grandfather are the main branch of our family. The rest are distant cousins, aunties, uncles, and those related to us by marriage."


    "Will dinner be like this every night we''re here?"


    "No. This is a greeting."


    He escorted her down the stairs and through the building to what she could only describe as a banquet hall. The room was huge, tables set out in one big rectangle with all seats facing inward and beautifully decorated. The roof was black, with fairy lights scattered across it like stars. There were only a few chandeliers spaced about, made of crystal or glass, she didn''t know; she wouldn''t be able to tell the difference.


    There were only two seats left empty at the head of the table, and Kalys led her towards them. On one side sat their grandfather, and she assumed it would be like the last family dinner in which he would be seated on one side of Kalys and she on the other. But when they reached their seats, Kalys pulled out her chair, putting her between the two men. That was a bit of a relief; they felt like a barrier between her and the not-so-pleased members of her family.


    Once she and Kalys were seated, the rest of the family sat as well. While Kalys greeted the room, Sun''s eyes trailed over the people present, picking out those she''d met before. Everyone in the room had earrings similar to hers and Kalys''s, though shorter and less ornate. And there were physical features that they all seemed to share—the blue eyes, dark hair, and porcelain skin. There were others who bore no resemblance at all, and she wondered if they were the relations by marriage. Or the Illusen genes weren''t as strong in them, maybe.


    When Kalys finished speaking, he signalled the servers, who started bringing out the food, and conversation started to flow. She could feel eyes on her from time to time but tried to give no outward sign that she noticed or cared.


    Her grandfather drew her into conversation, asking what her plans might be while she was here. He was aware of the reason they''d come, of course, but asked what she intended to do with her free time.


    Since ''hiding in my room'' probably wasn''t the answer he was looking for, she really had no answer to it.


    "I''m not sure yet," she replied.


    "There is a festival tomorrow; would you care to join me?"


    "I''d love to," she replied, smiling. She''d never been to a festival before. "What is it for?"


    "To celebrate art and music, now that the weather is warmer. They do it every year."


    She had lived in Solaryse for years as a child and had never heard of it. Truly, this side of the city lived completely different lives. She felt... guilty for being part of it now. Hopefully that didn''t show on her face. She wouldn''t want him to think she was ungrateful.


    As far as art and music went, she didn''t really have much of an appreciation for it. Growing up, both had seemed frivolous to her; what use did they have for music and art? They couldn''t eat them or defend themselves with either. And her brief stint trying to use music to drown out the Traverse in winter hadn''t been as successful as she would have liked.


    Conversation turned to other things, their plans for tomorrow cemented.


    When she heard Noda on Kalys''s other side ask her a question, she leaned forward a little so she could see the older woman.


    "Pardon?" Sun asked. "I missed that."


    "When will you be withdrawing your Revenant Candidacy?" She repeated.


    Sun frowned at her, not quite understanding why she was asking.


    "Never? And what business is it of yours?"


    Beside her, Kalys shot the old woman an irritated look, but it vanished a second later.


    "Sun, I''m sure you remember Noda," Kalys said. "She is one of our clan elders and does have some say in how the family is run."


    "Yes, I remember her. The woman who wanted you to kill me."


    "Eavesdropping is such an unattractive quality," she said.


    "Not as unattractive as murder," Sun retorted.


    "Murder is for humans, not animals," Noda sniffed haughtily and spoke as if Sun were a dimwitted child.


    Before Sun could retort, the air around them went frigid, her breath coming out in white puffs. She looked to Kalys, certain it was his doing. His expression was blank, a glacier-like stillness, but his icy blue eyes were fixed on Noda.


    "Insult her again and you will be cast out from our family," he warned. "We do not treat each other like this."


    "Apologies, Lord Illusen," she said, very little sincerity in it.


    Sun was just relieved he didn''t try and make Noda apologise to her like he did with Seph and Vaan. Would he really disown her? Could you really disown someone that old? He had just said she was one of the clan elders with a say in how the family was run. But his word trumped hers if he could cast her out? How did these family politics work?


    The rest of the room had gone uncomfortably quiet, and Sun resisted the urge to shrink down into her seat. His defence of her did send a little thrill through her, but the attention it brought from the rest of the family present made her feel awkward.


    The rest of dinner had a bit of a hushed atmosphere after that; Sun just kept her eyes fixed on her plate. With her arm still in the sling, it did make eating with a knife and fork a little more difficult. At home the kitchen staff had been quite accommodating, making food that only required one hand to eat, or finger foods. If she had the authority, she would absolutely give them pay raises. They were so lovely and considerate.


    Not like here, where she had to struggle. And she was aware she was being overdramatic, but she was a bit annoyed. Both at her reaction to her brother''s defence of her and the discomfort she felt now. She wanted to leave.