She has never expected this to be a friendly greeting. Straia’s let too much time pass, and she wishes she could fix that. But somehow, somewhere along the way the years disappeared before she realized it. She’s set out for the Deserts and end up somewhere else every time, though never for herself (as Lu seems to think) and always for the Chamber.
The bay and white queen doesn’t serve herself. Lu has that one wrong. Straia serves the Chamber, and only the Chamber. In the end, the Chamber has proven to be the one thing that has never left her. Rodrik sent Oksana away, and then Oksana left. He sent Lu away, and Lu never exactly came to see them either. It had to be Straia to keep it all together, because no one else ever tried. Perhaps Straia has her own right to be angry, but she’s not.
She loves her sister anyway. Always will, even if they will never be much in the way of sisters. Particularly not after this. Lu loves Rodrik too much.
”Lu,” she says simply, the only real greeting she can give. She could apologize, but Lu won’t believe her anyway. Though Straia couldn’t think of a situation in which she would lie to her sister. Maybe if only to keep some truths about Rodrik from the girl. Truths Straia herself was just beginning to wonder about herself, things she never thought her father might have done. But in the end, she knows that he is more than capable of a lot.
Lu may love him more, but Straia was far less of a monster.
“You have every right to be angry. I won’t try and take that away from you.” And that too was true. Lu had every right to be angry. So did Straia, perhaps, but she simply wasn’t. It wasn’t worth it. Because she suspects this might be the last time her sister bothers to speak with her.
“But you should know I rule the Chamber now. Perhaps, with your magical queen, you already know. And you should also know Eight put me there, and took Rodrik to live in the Valley to pay off the debt.”
She pauses for a moment, letting that bit sink in, though perhaps it doesn’t need to. Perhaps Yael already told her, because god forbid someone let Straia do the right thing. She’d do it anyway, clearly.
“And you should know, it was my idea.” She could explain why, but again, she suspects she’d be wasting her words. The angry and hurt don’t listen. But she thought that Rodrik might like the Valley, might like getting to use his traits finally, might like having an out from ruling the Chamber. He had been a good king, but the weight of the crown beats everyone down eventually.
Straia already knows that ruling the Chamber will probably kill her. It’s a sacrifice she’s willing to make. Why? Because she has never lived a day for herself.
“And lastly, you should know the Chamber is in ash from the disasters. But you do have nephew. And even if you never speak to me again, I’d hope one day you might meet him.” It might not be Lu’s home anymore, but she deserved to know that her birth kingdom was suffering, was nearly destroyed. It would regrow, but it would suffer in a way none of the other kingdoms ever would. There was no magic to help them. Just Straia and Warship and Kavi. They’d been the only ones to stay.
straia
queen of the chamber
