Turns out, telling the king I would not marry Giddeon Rasiel was not the best idea. To be fair to myself, due to the nature of the webcomic and its complete lack of character development, I had no idea how the king would react. I knew he wasn’t a massive fan of Lyra. I had no idea her very presence would enrage him so. Obviously, swearing at him the way I did most likely didn’t help, but to be quite frank he deserved it.   

  

In the two weeks since our confrontation, the king has doubled down. Palace staff, under the empress’ direction, are now organising a massive banquet to celebrate the engagement of Princess Lyra Venvaris and Duke Giddeon Rasiel. Of course, this happens in the original novel, but it is now happening six months earlier than it is meant to, with the date set for a little over three weeks' time. The only thing I have managed to achieve is speed up the events of the novel. Oh, and have the empress herself organise it, which means I now know nothing about the proceedings and cannot prepare in any way. Just marvelous.   

  

So, I have decided to change tact. According to the original story, the king marries Lyra off to have access to the Vedian army. All I need to do is form a political alliance with another dukedom or kingdom that has an equally large and well-established military force. There is only one problem with that. The comic contains so little world-building that I don’t even know if there are other dukedoms and kingdoms. If Giddeon is duke of the westtern region, it would make sense that there is also a eastern dukedom, and then maybe a northern and southern dukedom. But none of these places are ever mentioned in the original story. Hence why I have spent the last two weeks holed up in the library, trying to uncover as much info about this world as possible.  

  

I wasn’t exactly the smartest person before I transmigrated, but I like to think I was at the very least capable. I have two degrees, in literature no less, and so I am no stranger to a library or to extensive reading. However, in this world, there is no such thing as a search engine. It is impossible to simply search for the best books on Lycium history, or Google information on important aristocratic families. And the royal library is a four-story, ornate building that covers almost the entire west side of the palace complex. It took me four days to get permission from his majesty to even enter the building. To make matters worse, the librarian is a stubborn fellow who is asleep half the time and outright ignores me the other half.   

  

I have managed to conquer a small corner of the second-floor study room and have commandeered a handful of books that at first seemed vaguely useful but have proven to be useless. There is no discernable organisational system at work in this library, and a worrying number of books are simply stacked on the floor, on windowsills, or under desks, left there by past visitors and never tidied away. I am sitting in my little corner now, reading a list of what I thought were the major families of the kingdom, but is in fact a list that dates back over a thousand years. With a heavy sigh, I close the book.   

  

‘Forbes, might you be aware of how this library is supposedly organised?’ He steps forward from the window and bows before answering.  

  

‘I would recommend asking the royal librarian, your highness.’ I sigh again. Forbes has given the same answer to all my questions since I first set foot in the library a little over a week ago. Whether or not he actually knows anything about the major Lycium families (and I am assuming he does as all palace employees are normally at least barons, if not viscounts), he refuses to divulge any of that information to me. I don’t blame him. The few scenes featuring Lyra in the original story show her being particularly violent to Forbes. During my previous life, I worked for many shitty bosses and petty revenge like this is normally the safest and sweetest.   

  

‘Of course. I’m going for a short walk, could you organise the desk for me please, Forbes.’ I get up to leave and Amelinne follows behind me.   

  

The only potentially positive change to come from meeting with the king is Amelinne. Two days after I spoke to the king, Amelinne was reassigned as my personal knight. It is a rather boring role, particularly as all I do is sit in the library and lament over my current predicament. I also do not take it as a sign of fondness for me on behalf of the king. In all likelihood, Forbes has reported my change in demeanor and it has made the king anxious. However, it does mean I know two people who, at the very least, I don’t have to openly distrust. Forbes may dislike me, but he will still do his job diligently. Amelinne may be indifferent, but she is still attentive.   

  

I leave the study room and make my way towards the stairs. The library has a sizable garden on the third-floor balcony that I am keen to see. As I round a corner, I almost run into someone. I catch myself before I do and brace myself for a confrontation, knowing very few people in the palace are particularly fond of Lyra.   

  

‘Apologies, your highness.’ The stranger’s tone is friendly. I glance up and catch my breath in surprise. Standing before me is a very tall, lean man with dark hair and green eyes. He is well over six foot, with broad shoulders and a somewhat boyish appearance. He is dressed in a red and gold suit that is quite becoming on him and has a faint scar lining his left eye. It’s Juke Aster. The scar is a giveaway.   

  

‘Juke Aster.’ His eyes widen in surprise before he catches himself and smirks at me in what I imagine he believes to be a playful, maybe even flirtatious manner.   

  

‘Excuse me, your highness, I don’t believe we’ve ever met. Of course, I have heard about you from Rakan, but I would remember meeting such a beauty.’ Oh God, I completely forgot the type of character Juke Aster is meant to be. He is the genki-guy, the life of the party, the womanizer, the notorious flirt. I was so shocked by his appearance I forgot that any sign of familiarity will likely backfire.   

  

He bends at the waist as he speaks and reaches for my hand. Before he can touch me Amelinne steps forward, courteous but firm.   

  

‘I apologise, my lord. It is forbidden to touch a royal without permission.’ I smile at Amelinne’s words. Definitely a positive change.   

  

‘Surely your highness would not object to such a greeting?’ Lord Aster remains playful, almost annoyingly confident in the fact that I will not turn him down over anything. He is beautiful, I will give him that. But his character is so far from my type that even the thought of him makes me a little nauseous.   

  

‘I will have to apologise again, Lord... Aster, was it?’ He smiles again. ‘I am not accustomed to greeting strangers in such an... intimate manner.’ Implying that he is a flirt and definitely overstepping his bounds. The double meaning is not lost, but all Lord Aster does is continue smiling. Well, smirking actually. Oh, Jesus. ‘You mentioned that you are acquainted with my brother?’   

  

‘Yes, your highness. In fact, I was just on my way to see him.’ Interesting. This information definitely wasn’t included in the original story.   

  

I have not had the chance to speak to Rakan since my meeting with the king. We accidentally ran into each other in the library on my first day here, but that mistake has never been repeated. He did not yell at me, which means he doesn’t hate me any more than before at the very least. But without speaking to him I cannot know whether or not my words have rooted themselves any deeper, or if he ripped them out entirely. We parted on pretty bad terms last time, so I am nervous about us meeting again. But he might be able to tell me more about the major families of Lycium, or at least share some insight on how the library is organised. The only information I have about his character is his intelligence. He graduated from the academy four years before his peers, the youngest in Lycium’s history. If I can win him over his intellect will be helpful. And perhaps the presence of a friend will make him more pliable.   

  

‘Really? As luck would have it, so was I. Perhaps you could accompany me and Rakan can properly introduce us?’ I don’t know whether social etiquette exists in this world, but I have read enough Jane Austen to know that introductions without a third party are just not a thing. Lord Aster smiles in such a way that I’m pretty sure I’ve hit the mark. Amelinne resumes her position a few steps behind me, this time to my left so as to be between me and Lord Aster. He smiles at this.   

  

‘I would be obliged, your highness.’ He offers me his arm but I ignore it, walking on without him and waiting for him to catch up. I hear him chuckle behind me.  

  

We make our way up to the library’s garden on the third-floor balcony. I imagine the sheer awkwardness of running into Rakan again by accident and thank my lucky stars I happened to come across Lord Aster first. As we walk up the stairs, Lord Aster attempts to make conversation.   

  

‘I am very lucky to have stumbled across a handsome lady such as yourself, your highness.’ I scoff at his words.   

  

‘You are in my home, Lord Aster. I should think luck has nothing to do with it.’ He stares at my profile for a few seconds as I stare forward, determined not to cringe at his ridiculous compliments.   

  

‘Beautiful and quick-witted I see, and intelligent I would assume if you spend so much time in the library.’   

  

‘Should I assume the same thing of you, Lord Aster, as I have found you in a library? Or perhaps you are hoping to find other, more ‘entertaining’ pursuits besides reading?’ I give him a little side-eye. ‘Trust me, you will not find it here.’ He laughs, involuntarily I think. It escapes him almost like a cough and sounds a little like one.   

  

‘It seems your highness has a deplorable opinion of me despite us never having been introduced!’ He is smiling now, enjoying himself.   

  

‘I judge you on your attempt to introduce yourself to me using your lips.’ He starts a little before hurrying up his steps to catch up to me.   

  

‘You are quite a feisty creature, your highness!’ I can feel the anger in me begin to rise as he says this. The audacity! Do all men talk to women this way in this world? I stop in my tracks and turn around to face him head-on.   

  

‘Do I resemble a dog, Lord Aster? Or perhaps some other kind of animal?’ Lord Aster frowns at me, although he still seems somewhat amused. This is why I don’t enjoy characters like this. He thinks everything is so funny.   

  

‘I would not say so, your highness.’   

  

‘Then I would greatly appreciate it if you did not refer to me as a creature. We may not be acquainted, but I believe I deserve at least that much respect.’ As I walk away, I can hear him laughing. For some reason, the sound annoys me, a lot.   

  

‘What a deplorable individual.’ I mutter under my breath. A thought occurs to me. ‘Amelinne, do you know of Lord Aster?’ I whisper quietly.   

  

‘No, your highness.’ She replies with equal discretion. There is a moment of silence, punctuated by Lord Aster’s not-so-silent snickers. ‘I can ask around about him, your highness, if you desire.’ I look over my shoulder at Amelinne, a little shocked at her offer. No doubt she would have done so if I asked, but I never expected her to offer.   

  

‘That would be most helpful, Amelinne.’ She nods before falling back into position.   

  

Thankfully the walk to the third-floor balcony is short, and as Lord Aster matches his pace to mine again we reach the garden, allowing him no opportunity for any further comments.   

  

I can see Rakan at the garden's centre. He is alone except for two other people, a servant who is standing by the window and a young woman who is wearing the same uniform as Forbes and looks to be a personal attendant standing at his right side. It is quiet and the only sound is our footsteps and the scratching of Rakan’s pen.   

  

‘You’re late, Aster.’ Rakan sounds so different from when he was speaking to me that my head tilts a little in surprise. Lord Aster catches the movement and smirks again. I roll my eyes, which turns his smirk into a smile.   

  

‘Apologies, your highness. I happened to meet a rather beautiful stranger along the way and was hoping you might introduce us.’ Rakan’s head snaps up and our eyes meet. Oh no, that’s definitely not a good look. My guess would be that my words did not take root. I wouldn’t be surprised if he tore them out and spat on them. I swallow involuntarily.   

  

‘Sister.’ Rakan stares at me, and I wait for him to yell, or at the very least for him to have me escorted out, but instead, he says nothing. He simply nods his head. Then he rises from his chair and approaches us.   

  

‘Lord Aster, this is my sister, Princess Lyra Venvaris. Sister, this is my close friend, Lord Juke Aster, head of the merchant guild and second son of Viscount Aster.’ There is something strange about the way he says the word ‘close’. I watch Rakan watch me. His eyes dance across my face, flicking back and forth between me and Lord Aster. I frown.   

  

‘A pleasure to make your acquaintance, your highness.’ Lord Aster reaches for my hand again, no doubt to place a kiss where he was unable to before. I turn my hand quickly and forcefully, greeting him instead with a firm handshake before taking a step away from him. It was definitely a wise choice to reject his arm earlier.   

  

‘The pleasure is all mine, Lord Aster.’ As I move away Rakan noticeably relaxes. I frown again as a sneaky little suspicion creeps into the back of my mind. No way?  

  

‘Let's sit, shall we?’ Lord Aster gestures towards the table. Rakan nods and leads the way, me following and Lord Aster bringing up the rear.   

  

The garden is beautiful, and unbelievably large considering we are currently on a third-floor balcony. It seems to be late spring here in Lycium, meaning most of the flowers are in bloom. Rakan leads the way to a small table with five seats situated under the shade of a nearby cherry tree. It is past time for the blossoms, but there is a bed of roses nearby that are in full bloom and smell heavenly.   

  

Rakan resumes his seat at the far side of the table. He doesn’t offer me a seat, but he also doesn't turn me away. I sense his earlier hostility may have resulted from different circumstances and am now hopeful that our previous meeting has weighed on him a little. There is something I can do that I think might ease things between us a little. I take a seat, leaving a space between myself and my brother. Lord Aster moves to sit on the other side of me, away from Rakan.   

  

‘Do sit here, Lord Aster. Sat so close together it will be easier for us to talk, don’t you think?’ I motion to the space between me and Rakan.   

  

‘How could I refuse the request of such a beauty?’ Lord Aster smiles and takes the offered seat. I internally cringe at his words but return his smile outwardly. I wait a few moments before frowning.  

  

‘Amelinne, did you bring my parasol?’ She appears by my side as if by magic. I will never get used to that.   

  

‘No, your highness.’   

  

‘Ah, I didn’t think so. No matter, I shall move so the sun is not in my eyes.’ As I get up to move Lord Aster begins to rise from his seat. ‘Oh no, Lord Aster, do not trouble yourself. Besides, it is much better you are close to your friend than to a stranger you just met, no?’   

  

Rakan watches me closely. There is a look of suspicion in his eyes, but he is quiet, attentive, and maybe even a little apprehensive. Lord Aster looks at me and smiles.   

  

‘I shall simply go fetch your parasol, your highness. Your knight can direct me.’   

  

‘No, Lord Aster, you mustn't trouble...’ But before I can finish my sentence he is out of his seat and gone. Damn it, that didn’t work, did it?  

  

With Lord Aster gone a weighty silence settles over the garden. My parasol is on the second floor, meaning he will only be gone twenty minutes or so, but twenty minutes alone with someone who hates you is a long time.   

  

I sigh. Might as well test the waters and see if I’m right.   

  

‘Lord Aster is a strange man, although what he lacks in manners, he definitely makes up for in looks.’ I catch sight of Rakan’s face out of the corner of my eye and see him blush a deep shade of red. Oh my goodness, I’m right. I struggle to contain my excitement. Another goldmine! It’s hard not to feel sorry for Rakan and his apparently questionable taste, but it’s impossible not to get excited over such an enormous secret.   

  

Rakan is in love with Juke Aster.   

  

What a strange story this is turning out to be. It’s as if the author has no idea who their characters really are. I smile to myself.   

  

‘Brother, I’m afraid you have terrible taste in partners.’   

  

‘I don’t know what you’re...’ His face is red, and his glasses slip down his nose as his body begins to shake slightly. He is angry. He is embarrassed. Shit, not what I wanted.   

  

‘I did not mean for you to feel exposed...’  

  

‘You have exposed nothing!’ His words are quiet, which I am now learning is characteristic of Rakan, but there is an uncontainable fury in them. ‘I don’t know what you mean to suggest...’ Damn it, I have not done this very well. I’m not sure what the view is on LGBTQ+ relationships in this world, but Rakan is giving me some definitely ‘it’s not okay’ vibes. I get up from my seat and move closer to him, hoping a show of secrecy might make him feel better, but instead, he visibly recoils from me.   

  

‘If you mean to slander me with this, I assure you no one will believe you.’ I shake my head violently.   

  

‘Oh my God, Rakan, no!’ For a minute I drop the Lyra act, and the only words that leave my lips are mine. ‘I did not come here to blackmail you, Rakan. I came to ask for a favour, yes, and I have something I can offer in exchange, but I would never, ever use this against you!’  I sigh, a little aggressively without meaning to. 'There is nothing about this that is worthy of blackmail. Blackmail suggests something bad, or wrong, and this is neither of those things.' 

  

The atmosphere is thick, like butter, but Rakan stops pulling away from me. I take this as a good sign.   

  

‘We fought, yes. It was a bad fight, and I was angry. But I will not blame a child for the actions of an adult.' I try to meet his gaze. I try to convey my meaning not just through my words but through my eyes and my body. I try to tell him, without telling him, that I will not blame him for being indoctrinated by his mother. 

  

'I do not understand why else you would mention it.' His face is a stone mask, difficult to read.  

  

'I know you have no reason, we barely know each other, but trust me when I tell you that was never my intention. It was a passing comment, nothing more.' We are both quiet for a few moments. His face remains unchanged. A part of me wants to reach out and touch him, but something tells me that will not help. I sigh again.  

  

'Family do not blackmail one another, and so I will never, ever blackmail you. Because you are my family, Rakan.’ I stop. ‘At least, I would like you to be my family.’  

  

More weighty silence. I don’t know what to do, so I just stay very still and keep eye contact, hoping that my gaze betrays only my sincerity.   

  

‘Why now?’ Of course, there is a very good reason for ‘why now’. Because I am not Lyra. Because I don’t want to end up dying a painful death in some dickwads prison. Because I am part of this world now, and I don’t want it to end, and to stop that happening I need help. It may be hard to believe that from someone who kicked her own bucket, but Rakan doesn’t need to know that. Rakan doesn’t need to know any of this. Right now, I am only distantly aware of this myself. In this moment, Rakan is nothing but a frightened young man, scared and alone, who I have outed in a very unforgiving and untactful way. I curse at myself. This is not how you win someone’s favour, and is definitely not particularly nice.  

  

‘Why not?’ I answer. They are the only words I can find.  

  

He looks down at his hands, and I can see a hundred different emotions flit across his face, the strongest of which pulls at my heart in a funny way. Loneliness. Rakan is lonely. He’s not just a character. He’s a human like me, with human emotions and human needs, and he’s lonely. It makes my heart ache.   

  

‘How long have you known?’ He asks quietly.   

  

‘Honestly?’ He doesn’t look at me. ‘Five minutes.’ This causes his head to snap up.   

  

‘I was that obvious?’ I make a concerted effort not to smile.  

 

‘Not necessarily.’ I am thinking it over in my head. I am wondering if it is worth it, if I should, if it would feel good to share it. ‘I’m the same.’   

  

‘Sorry?’ My words were quiet, so I repeat them, louder.   

  

‘I am the same.’ Rakan looks at me.   

  

‘I don’t understand...?’ I sigh, then turn and face him.   

  

‘My presumption is you like those who are of the same gender as yourself. I am a lot less picky.’ He looks at me, still confused. ‘I like everyone, you could say, men and women.’ It dawns on him what it is I am trying to tell him. ‘You were not obvious at all, brother. It is simply that I like... everyone.’ His eyes go wide as the meaning settles in. ‘Except Juke Aster. He’s all yours.’   

  

There’s a moment of silence. I watch all those emotions cross his face again, but there is one missing. Loneliness. It’s not there.   

  

Then Rakan laughs. It’s contagious, and I can’t help but smile myself.   

  

‘Honestly, he is so excessively forward! I don’t know what it is about him you like.’ His laughter is short lived, and he doesn’t reply, simply shakes his head. ‘And so aggressively romantic!’ I say the word like it’s poisonous. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he delivers my parasol on one knee.’ Rakan shakes his head, taking a moment to look up at me.   

  

‘You’re very changed recently.’ I nod.   

  

‘Yes, I am.’ I pick up my teacup and take a sip. ‘Perhaps I have decided that I will only be doing what I want from now on, not what I am told.’ I think of the king, and then I think of the author and the shitty plot holding this world together. I remember my old life, day after day working a job I hated, to pay bills I couldn’t afford, to live in a house on my own with no family, no partner and no friends. I remember the phone call, the hospital room, the empty side of the bed. I close my eyes and will myself to forget.   

  

‘Perhaps I’ve decided I don’t want to be lonely anymore.’ The words slip out without me meaning them to. Rakan is quiet for a few moments, as if waiting for me to speak, or gathering the right words so he can speak himself.  

 

‘I have been thinking about you said outside father’s study.’ Ah, I guess while we are already in the thick of it, we might as well get it all out in the open. I feel my shoulders tense. ‘I have spoken to my personal attendant, and she confirmed that many of the rumours surrounding you are in fact rumours with... dubious origin.’   

  

My surprise robs me of my ability to speak. I glance over at his attendant who throughout the course of our conversation has taken a few steps back to give us some privacy. It seems like there might be some people on Lyra’s side after all, or at least who will tell Rakan the truth.   

  

‘Does this mean you hate me a little less, brother?’ He frowns at my words.   

  

‘We have never had a proper conversation, have we?’ I shake my head.   

  

‘Not that I can recall.’ It is true. Lyra’s memories are brief, but none of them contain any direct interactions with any of her family, expect a few brief moments with her mother. I don’t touch those. They are the only things I have found that illicit a physical response from Lyra’s body.   

  

‘Perhaps we could... have a conversation, so to speak.’ I smile at him.   

  

‘I am in need of some research assistance, if your services are available?’ He straightens a little, collecting himself.   

  

‘You mentioned a favour.’  

  

‘Yes.’ I nod. ‘I’m looking for some information but this library... leaves a lot of be desired.’ We both look across the garden towards the balcony door.   

  

‘Indeed, Harrow is a lazy fellow.’ He pauses and I think I hear him take a few breaths. ‘You mentioned an exchange.’  

  

‘Of course. No one should be expected to offer their services for free.’ I lean in a little closer to Rakan, lowering my voice, and this time he mirrors the movement. ‘Let just say I have uncovered a thief.’ I’m pretty sure Rakan’s ears quite literally prick up.   

  

‘A thief?’  

  

‘Yes. Are you perhaps looking for one, brother?’ He clears his throat. I’m silently fist pumping in my head. It was a shot in the dark but looks like it paid off. Hill is gonna be looking for a new job pretty damn soon.   

  

‘Perhaps.’ I smile to myself.   

  

‘Then perhaps I could be of assistance. I’m sure father would be very pleased with the person who captures this thief.’ Rakan nods.   

  

‘I see.’   

 

We both fall into silence. Enough time has passed. Lord Aster should be back soon with my parasol, unless Amelinne has purposefully taken him down a convoluted route to buy me some time. Rakan picks up his pen and continues writing. I signal to the nearby servant, who brings over another teacup and pours me some tea. We sit there in silence for a bit longer. 

  

A few moments later I can hear the sound of footsteps and Lord Aster returns, Amelinne hot on his heels. Rakan doesn’t lift his head, but I feel him tense up next to me. I want to laugh, but I stop myself. Lord Aster’s long legs make short work of the distance from door to table. A part of me hopes he will ignore me and sit next to Rakan on his other side. But Juke Aster is the cliché flirt, and so flirt he does.   

  

‘I have returned, your highness.’ Lord Aster declares loudly, brandishing my parasol. Before Amelinne can take it from him, he gets down on one knee and offers the parasol to me. ‘I hope you have not been in too much discomfort, your highness.’ He looks up at me with what I can only describe as a ‘smolder’.   

  

I am unable to say anything. If I speak now, I will laugh. He is actually on one knee. Who is this man? At this moment Rakan raises his head and glances over at the two of us. When he sees Lord Aster on the floor he blinks a few times, somewhat surprised, and then looks at me. I can’t hold it in any longer.   

  

I burst out laughing. Raucous, very unladylike laughter that involves a snort and being quite literally unable to breathe. After a few minutes Rakan is laughing as well, quietly at first, and then loudly and uncontrollably like me. With Rakan laughing as well, it is impossible for me to stop. Lord Aster is still on the floor, staring at us, smiling himself but unsure why, and it is my undoing.   

  

I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard. I look at Rakan. He’s crying, quite literally crying. It’s the cutest thing I have ever seen.