Chapter Text
The night starts here, the night starts here
Forget your name, forget your fear
"The Night Starts Here" by Stars
+++++
Princess Silena Beauregard of Cyprus can be a bit of a manipulative bitch, and she knows it.
It’s not her fault the stableboy thought he was going to get a cheeky kiss once he delivered the letter to her. She might have flirted with him a little bit to get what she needed, but surely he didn’t actually think he had a chance?
She scoffs and pushes her black hair over her shoulder. She takes a deep breath, brushes out the wrinkles in her dress, and climbs the stairs back into the entrance of the castle. It's quiet and cold this morning, now that autumn has finally arrived. Silena hopes her maids will have the fireplace in her room nice and warm when she returns.
She glances down at the folded paper in her hands, courtesy of one naive stableboy. She swallows down her nerves and shoves the paper into her corset, beneath her breasts. Surely no one will search there for traitorous information.
Silena turns the corner, thinking of her mother the Queen and how angry she’ll be if she finds out what Silena is doing — and plows over her younger sister. Both girls tumble to the ground, a mess of hair, skirts, and jewelry. Silena huffs and pulls her sister to her feet, both fumbling with their dresses and smoothing the wrinkles. The royal family must look perfect.
“Watch where you’re going,” Piper grumbles.
“You watch where you’re going, baby sister,” Silena retorts.
Silena grins at her younger sister. She’s not a baby; not at all. Piper is nearly eighteen, now, only a year younger than Silena herself. They’ve always acted more like twins than sisters. They couldn’t be more different, though. It shows in their faces, their style, their personalities. The one thing that binds them together is their royal blood; Queen Aphrodite’s blood.
Piper huffs but laces her arm through Silena’s, and they continue down the hall together. “How was your walk in the gardens, sister?”
“Lovely. How fare your studies?”
Piper makes a face, scrunching up her nose and narrowing her eyebrows. It’s answer enough. Silena laughs, patting Piper’s hand with her own. “Don’t worry, you’ll be done soon enough.”
“I’d much rather train with a sword or bow than learn to sing,” Piper grumbles.
She reaches a hand up to push her choppy brown hair out of her face. She’d cut her own lovely hair last week, just to spite their mother. Aphrodite had been pissed that her youngest daughter ruined her perfectly good looks with a bad haircut. No matter how the maids style it, Piper’s hair always hangs in a shag around her tanned face.
Silena should reprimand her for angering their mother, but… she can’t. She loves her sister too much.
Piper is dressed in a lovely pink gown today. Silver bangles adorn her arms, and her neck is covered in necklaces and jewels. Piper huffs a strand of hair out of her face, reaching a hand up to wipe at the makeup on her face. Her eyes are lined with kohl, her lips stained with red.
“Stop fidgeting,” Silena says, catching her sister’s hand in her own. “Today is important. Leave it be.”
Piper nods her head and drops her hand, though she still looks tempted to wipe the kohl off. Silena herself is dressed in a light blue gown. Bracelets, necklaces, and earrings clang against one another as the two princesses make their way to the throne room.
“Are you nervous?” Piper whispers.
“Terrified.”
Today is no ordinary day. Today, Silena is officially and formally going to be named the heir to the kingdom. She is the Queen’s oldest living child. She’s always expected to be named the heir, but now that the day is finally here, she can’t help the nerves in her chest.
She should have been tidying up just now, but… she’d seen her stableboy rush into the castle, claiming he needed to see her, and she’d known.
Silena is not only a princess, scholar, and politician; she’s also a traitor to her own fucking kingdom.
+++++
Queen Aphrodite’s throne room is lavish and decadent. The walls are covered in expensive tapestries and paintings; drapes and curtains hang from the ceiling, all rich, deep colors. The throne itself is plated in gold and sits on the far end of the room. As the doors open, and Silena steps into her mother’s presence, she tries to hide her shaking hands in the folds of her dress.
Piper steps to the side, allowing Silena to continue on her own. All of the nobles in the court are present, watching Silena make her way across the throne room. Music is playing, Silena faintly registers. Trumpets. Something imperial and formal and bland.
She glides across the room, tilting her chin up, and pushing her shoulders back. She walks just as her mother taught her to; like she is the fairest and most adored thing in the room. As she walks, she knows eyes follow her.
Queen Aphrodite is famous, across the world, for her beauty. Aphrodite’s long blonde hair lies in perfect waves. Her tanned skin is smooth and flawless. Her lips are pink and full, her cheeks a lovely rose color, her eyebrows plucked to perfection. The queen lounges on her golden throne, her perfectly tanned legs crossed over each other. She’s dressed in a deep red dress with a plunging neckline and high-slitted skirt. Golden jewelry hangs off of her curvy frame. Silena looks her mother in the eye and drops into a low curtsy before the throne.
Her father is here, too, but he’s unimportant. He’s not a bad guy, but he’s nothing compared to his wife. He sits on a plain wooden throne next to the queen, smiling at his daughter.
“Rise.”
Silena rises, averting her eyes respectfully as the queen stands. “Today, I shall formally name you my heir,” Aphrodite says, her voice strangely soft. She casts her gaze across the room, looking at her court. “Princess Silena, you will one day rule Cyprus in my stead. You will be the Queen of the greatest nation in Olympia.”
Silena bows her head as the queen places a heavy, silver crown on her head.
“Perhaps you will lead our kingdom out of this everlasting war,” Aphrodite murmurs, loud enough only for Silena to hear. “Or perhaps not.”
Silena turns and faces the court. The gathered nobles, knights, lords, and ladies bow to her. Silena can’t help the pride that bubbles up in her chest. She’s been preparing for this day her entire life. She’s read every book on politics; she’s spent countless days in court, listening to the problems within her kingdom; she’s ready. She’s ready to make a difference.
“Long live the future queen!”
And no matter what her mother says, Silena will see her kingdom at peace.
“To celebrate your naming,” Aphrodite says, quieting the cheering of the crowd. “You will be provided with your very own personal knight. She has come today to swear her allegiance to Cyprus, to our kingdom. Come forth, Clarisse.”
Silena sits on her throne next to the queen and waits for the knight to approach. She’s always expected to receive her own guard, but now that it’s here… Silena frowns. She doesn’t want nor need someone watching her at all hours of the day and night. Silena likes her privacy. It allows her to be more…elusive. She needs her secrecy to be a better traitor.
Silena, however, can’t help the way her mouth falls open when the knight steps forward.
Clarisse kneels before Queen Aphrodite. She’s dressed in light armor instead of the heavy, concealing armor Silena is used to seeing guards wear in the castle. She’s tall and muscular and has a head full of dark, curly hair that is braided down her back.
When she inclines her head, Silena can see more of her face. Her face is tan, her mouth set in a frown. There is a nasty scar stretching across her face. It starts below her eye and reaches down across her cheeks, to the middle of her lips. Actually, she looks to be covered in scars. A few white lines are peaking out from under her armor, up her neck. From what Silena can see of her arms, which isn’t much thanks to the armor, the knight looks covered in old scars.
“Do you, Clarisse La Rue, daughter of General Ares, swear yourself to Cyprus?” Queen Aphrodite asks.
Daughter of General Ares. Mom’s favorite lover.
Silena casts her eyes around the room, panicked, searching for the famous blood-thirsty war general. Sure enough, he stands in the corner, arms crossed over his chest. His armor is blood-red and polished. He grins wickedly as he watches his daughter kneel before the queen.
Aphrodite is known for taking many lovers. Sure, she’s married, but that’s never stopped her before. She used to be married to a man named Hephaestus, years before Silena was born. Then she married Tristan, Silena and Piper’s father. Aphrodite’s next lover was Ares, whom she’s been on and off with for decades.
Ares, obviously, has other lovers, too. He’s a general in Cyprus’ armies. He’s widely known for his fearlessness and battle prowess. He's the father of many, many bastard children. He’s won every battle he’s entered. He’s like a god on the battlefield. He terrifies Silena.
Ares’ daughter is still kneeling, reciting her vows to the kingdom.
“I, Clarisse La Rue, daughter of General Ares, swear the vow of knighthood. My life, my sword, and my honor belong to the kingdom of Cyrus,” Clarisse says. Her voice is a little hoarse. Low. Silena likes it. “I shall always strive to bring honor and glory to the house of Queen Aphrodite.”
Silena’s mother smiles that slow, wicked smile. Silena knows how much Aphrodite adores attention and loyalty. She, herself, may not be loyal, but she needs others to be loyal to her.
“I charge you, daughter of war, to be brave,” Aphrodite says, reciting the final lines from the ceremony. “I charge you to be just. I charge you to defend Princess Silena, the future ruler of our kingdom, with your life. May glory and honor be yours.”
With that, Clarisse rises. She bows to the Queen again, then turns to Silena. She kneels in front of Silena, a few dark curls falling out of her braid and into her face. For a moment, Silena is utterly speechless. This is her protector? Clarisse definitely looks tough and handy with a weapon, but… well, she’s very attractive, isn’t she?
Silena swallows down her nerves, and says, “Rise, Clarisse La Rue. You honor me with your service.”
As soon as the words leave her mouth, the room erupts into cheers and applause. People are shouting Silena’s name, toasting to her future as a Queen one day. Aphrodite smiles and calls for a celebration, a party. Though the queen looks happy — downright cheerful, actually — Silena notices her smile doesn’t reach her eyes.
Silena knows her mother. She knows better than anyone that Aphrodite doesn’t want to think of a world where she isn’t the queen. She might have named Silena the heir, but Aphrodite certainly has no intention of allowing her daughter to rule anytime soon.
+++++
The party is massive. Aphrodite has been planning it for weeks, now, and it shows. Every dish under the sun is prepared and placed on the table before them. Savory, sweet, a mix of both… everything you could dream of is sprawled before the royal family and their guests.
Next to Silena, Piper grimaces and reaches around a roast pig to scoop some vegetables onto her plate. Their father, Tristan, smiles happily and reaches for the chocolate immediately. He’s not much of a ruler or politician. His marriage to Mom was purely political, for both of them. Aphrodite secured an alliance with a foreign kingdom, and Tristan was made a king-consort to the Queen of Cyprus. Now, he just dabbles in various hobbies.
Around the room, various knights, lords, ladies, and nobles chat and laugh together. Ares is seated further down the table, and though he’s not of noble blood, he’s already drunk and loud and grinning. He’s telling a story for everyone to listen to; one of his violent, bloody stories of war.
“...just a few months ago! I sent those bloody Pylos babies running back to their mothers,” Ares says, baring his teeth in a vicious grin. “We’ll see if the young Perseus is eager to meet me in battle again so soon.”
That piques Silena’s interest. Pylos and Cyprus have long been at war after a… disagreement between their respective rulers decades ago. Queen Athena, who rules Pylos, is an arrogant queen who delights in killing men from Cyprus — or so Mom says. Her kingdom is one of scholarship, philosophy, and industry. They’re all smart and annoying. But Athena’s armies are very impressive. They excel in the water; her navy is virtually unstoppable. Her daughter and heir, Princess Annabeth, is Silena’s age. A secret note from the princess is currently tucked away in Silena’s corset.
Annabeth is engaged to Perseus, a knight and soldier in the Pylos armies. His reputation is a large one.
“You battled the Perseus?” Silena asks, her voice ringing out across the room.
“I did,” Ares says with a grin. She grits her teeth at the lack of respect in his tone. “The kid led an attack on our borders a few months ago. I’ll admit, he put up a good fight. He’s exceptionally well-trained. But he ran back home, just like they all do.”
Silena knows Perseus is an exceptional swordsman. Everyone in the two kingdoms knows his name. But it’s still strange to hear that the young man battled Ares and survived. Perhaps Princess Annabeth is marrying him for the protection he can offer her.
“Well, at least we’ll never have to see a rematch between the two of you,” Silena says, a smile coming to her face. She lifts her wine glass lazily. “Thanks to the new peace negotiations.”
Ares smirks. “We’ll see, my lady. I wouldn’t put it past those Pylos scumbags to trick us into peace and then try to kill us all.”
“Well,” Silena says, spitting out the words. “Let us hope not. I am going to Princess Annabeth’s wedding at the end of the week.”
“Yes, my lady,” Ares says, bowing his head ever so slightly. His eyes are gleaming, but not with joy. Nor lust, which Silena is used to seeing in the eyes of men. No, Ares’ eyes are alight with pride and rage. “I do wish you the safest of travels, my lady.”
Silena sets her jaw and inclines her head. “Yes, well, it’s your daughter that is sworn to protect me, General Ares. I’m sure I’ll be just fine.”
+++++
To Silena’s dismay, Clarisse doesn’t even take a day to settle into the castle before beginning her duties. She follows behind Silena as the princess leaves the celebrations. She stays a few feet behind Silena, but never out of reach. Silena knows, logically, it’s for her own protection. She should be thankful. She’s not.
“Must you follow me so closely?” she snaps over her shoulder.
Clarisse, to her credit, doesn’t shrink back. She just holds her head high, a hand resting on the hilt of her sword, and continues following Silena.
“I asked you a question.”
Silena stops in her tracks, hands on her hips, and glares at the knight following her. Clarisse stops, too, and stares silently at Silena. She has dark brown eyes, Silena notices.
“Do you talk?” Silena snaps. The edges of Clarisse’s lips twitch. Almost a smirk.
“If you wish me to speak, Princess Silena, I shall. What would you like me to speak of?” Clarisse asks, her voice heavy with sarcasm. That smirk never fades from her face.
Silena just groans and continues walking again. She hurries through the corridors of the castle, past portraits of her mother and sister, and finally reaches the stairs to her tower. Silena turns away from the portraits with a sigh and begins to climb the stairs to her room. Clarisse follows.
Silena’s quarters aren’t nearly as luxurious as her mother’s, but they are very nice. The space opens up to a common room, which is full of bookcases and maps. There’s a game room to the side, which has a billiards table and card table. To the right, her bedroom, which is full of more bookcases, closets, armoires, and dressers. She loves clothes. She loves shoes. The evidence is all over her floor.
“Shall I fetch a maid, Princess Silena?” Clarisse asks, eyebrows raised as she takes in the mess.
“No,” Silena says, a flush coming to her cheeks. “I don’t allow them in my rooms. Well, that’s a lie. I allow them in, but not to clean.”
“Then, pray tell, who cleans your quarters?”
“I do,” Silena says, puffing out her chest. “Just, uh, not recently.”
The door behind them opens again and in steps Silena’s favorite friend, Rachel. Her curly red hair is tied up in a knot on her head, her pale skin nearly blinding in the lantern light. She curtsies modestly in front of Clarisse, her eyes going wide.
“Oh! Apologies, my lady, I didn’t know you’d arrived already,” Rachel says, a gleam in her eye.
“Don’t apologize,” Silena says politely. “My knight here was just leaving.”
Clarisse cocks an eyebrow, that infuriating smirk returning to her face. “Apologies, my lady, but I’m not. Did no one inform you I am to stay with you?”
Silena’s mouth falls open. “You mean… here? In my bedroom ?”
Clarisse’s eyes sparkle with amusement, “No, my lady, not in your bedroom. I was told I would have a space in your game room.”
No, most certainly no one had told her that.
“What?”
Clarisse straightens, pulling her shoulders back. She takes a deep breath, then says, “I am to guard you night and day, princess. I cannot do that if I am not near you at all times.”
At all times.
“No, there must be a mistake,” Silena says, shaking her head. Rachel looks at her with an amused smile on her face. “I have lived nineteen years without a brute in my quarters with me. I will be just fine, thank you very much. You may go.”
“I’m afraid I can’t,” Clarisse replies, that smirk still pulling at her lips. Her scar stretches and tugs at her skin when she talks. “You've just been named heir to the throne of Cyprus. You're important, now — and that means there's a target on your back. Goodnight, Princess Silena.”
On that optimistic note, Rachel shows the knight into the game room. When the door opens, Silena spies a new cot and bedside table in the room. She crosses her arms angrily and waits for her maidservant to return to her.
When Rachel returns to the bedroom a few minutes later, she looks apologetic.
“How could you not tell me I was to have a roommate?” Silena snaps, flopping onto the bed behind her.
“I didn’t know until this afternoon, my lady,” Rachel says. She moves toward Silena and begins to remove the pins and jewels from Silena’s hair. “I only had an hour to prepare the room for her before your crowning ceremony. You looked lovely, by the way.”
Silena smiles at her friend and tries to exhale all of her nerves. Today was a lot, and she’s exhausted. She’s not ready to have someone shadowing her all day every day. She’s not ready to share her quarters with a knight. A very attractive knight.
Silena shakes her head, trying to clear herself of those thoughts. She has more pressing matters to think of.
“Shall I help you out of that dress?” Rachel asks, eyeing the lacing on the back of the dress.
“No,” Silena says, too quickly, thinking of the paper concealed in her corset. “Thank you. That will be all, Rachel.”
Rachel curtsies, then cleans her things from the room. Even though Silena has asked her not to a number of times, she gathers Silena’s clothes from the floor and deposits them in a basket, which she balances on her hip.
“Even with that scar, she’s not so bad to look at, eh?” Rachel asks, jabbing a thumb at the closed door on the other side of Silena’s bedroom.
“Oh hush, you,” Silena says, a flush rising to her cheeks.
“Goodnight, my lady,” Rachel muses, a grin on her face. She turns on her heel and heads for the door to Silena’s chambers, humming a jaunty tune.
“Goodnight, you devil woman!” Silena calls after her. The last thing Silena hears before her door closes is Rachel’s jovial laughter.
+++++
The kingdom is on fire. People are screaming and bleeding, begging the gods to have mercy on them. It smells of blood; of death. Black smoke billows into the sky, blotting out the sunshine. Birds crash to the ground, choking to death on the smoke.
Children collapse in the streets, blood flowing from their eyes and mouths. Screaming. So much screaming.
Silena stands in the streets of her city as tears flow down her face. Her castle, her come, burns before her.
“What have I done?” Silena murmurs.
Silena wakes up screaming. She thrashes in her bed, the smell of smoke still in her nostrils. What has she done? What has she done? She’s a traitor. She’s—
Someone’s hands are on her. She shrieks again, trying to get her vision to come back into focus. It’s dark in her room, only the moonlight beyond the windows providing her any light. A tall, dark figure stands at her bedside, hands on her arms.
Oh, gods, not this again. Not another man in her bed. Not—
“It’s okay, princess, it’s okay,” says the person. That low, hoarse voice. A familiar voice.
Silena blinks a few times, tears streaming down her cheeks, as the face of her knight comes into focus. Clarisse stands over her bed, one knee perched on the edge, grasping Silena’s forearms.
Silena should probably be mortified. She should certainly be embarrassed. She should send Clarisse away immediately.
She doesn’t do any of those things, though, because all she can do is look at Clarisse. She’s not in her armor, anymore. She’s dressed in simple trousers and a loose shirt. Silena can see more of her, now. Her arms are thick and strong, and Silena can see the muscles rippling in the moonlight. Clarisse is saying something to her, asking her something, but Silena can’t hear it.
She focuses on Clarisse’s hands, which are no longer concealed by leather gloves. Clarisse has long fingers. Calloused hands. Strong hands, which are currently grasping Silena’s arms. Pinning them to her sides.
“...alright? Are you alright?” Clarisse is asking her. She’s been asking for a while, now.
“Yes,” Silena gasps. “Yes, I’m fine.”
Clarisse immediately removes her hands from Silena’s arms and backs up a few steps. Silena shudders, suddenly cold. Clarisse’s towering frame blocks the moonlight from the window, casting the room into darkness again.
“You were screaming,” Clarisse says, eyes wide and frantic. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what to do, my lady. You were scratching at your arms.”
Silena looks down at her arms. Sure enough, there are claw marks up her arms. Self-inflicted. She’s suddenly aware of the pain and winces. She swallows heavily, the embarrassment rising up in her against her will.
“I’m sorry to have woken you,” she says. “Goodnight.”
Clarisse nods and backs away another step. Her hair is down, Silena notices. It’s long and hangs in the most beautiful natural curls.
“Goodnight, princess.”
“Please, just call me Silena.”
“Goodnight… Silena.”