Setting Sail
For once, Alaric had kept his word. A week had passed since Ashten’s return, and now the king had officially announced it—his son and daughter would set sail for Valoria. However, as expected, Alaric made sure the voyage would be under his control. He handpicked the crew himself, selecting only those he deemed "fit enough" to ensure his children’s safe return. It wasn’t about their skill in sailing; it was about their loyalty to him.
Vivienne didn’t dwell on it. Not when excitement surged through her the moment she stepped onto the ship. The wooden deck was sturdy beneath her feet, and the scent of salt and sea filled the air. For once, she wasn’t suffocating in layers of lace and silk. Her dress was simpler, more practical—nothing too extravagant, nothing that would get in her way. The freedom of it all sent a thrill through her.
Ashten was already aboard, barking orders to the crew with the ease of someone who belonged at sea. Vivienne took a moment to glance back at the shore. Her mother and father stood together, watching. Their expressions were pleasant, their lips curved into practiced smiles, but Vivienne saw through them. They weren’t happy about this. They never wanted her to leave the castle walls. But for the first time, she was doing something for herself—and she simply couldn’t bring herself to care what they thought.
The ship lurched as the sails caught the wind, and slowly, the shore began to shrink behind them. The castle, the kingdom, everything she had known—it all faded into the horizon.
"Well, would you look at that?" Ashten’s voice was teasing as he sauntered over, his ever-present smirk firmly in place. "Seems like my plan worked perfectly. Look at you—you actually look happy for once."
Vivienne scoffed, shoving his shoulder lightly. "Don’t get used to it," she said, though she couldn’t deny the truth in his words. He had made this happen for her. He had gotten her onto a ship, given her this taste of freedom she had longed for.
Of course, she had already noticed the way some of the sailors looked at her. The lingering, lustful stares. The dismissive, condescending glances. It was clear that not all of them approved of a princess on board. Some looked at her as if she were a prize; others as if she were an inconvenience.
But right now, she didn’t care.
For now, all that mattered was the open sea stretching before her.