Flight of the Five Swans
Fear Chapter 3

Callia

If therewas one thing that Callia hated more than anything else in the world, it waspacking. True, she didn’t need to worryabout folding her things, or fitting them in her traveling trunk; Valeria tookcare of those particular tasks for all of the princesses, and the woman was agenius at it—not to mention a perfectionist. On one occasion, Callia had folded and packed her belongings herself,thinking to save Valeria the trouble. The housekeeper had chucked her under the chin in thanks, only to emptyand then repack the trunk when she thought Callia wasn’t looking.

After that, Callia left thoseaspects of packing to Valeria.

Besides, it wasn’t the actualpacking of her things that bothered Callia, anyway, but rather the task ofdeciding what to pack. Clothes was one thing, but as far as she wasconcerned, selecting the books she wanted to bring was the most importantaspect of travelling—and the most difficult. No matter how hard Callia tried, limiting herself to just a couple ofvolumes that would fit into her saddlebags never seemed to get any easier. If anything, she found it harder than ever.

Standing in the library, Callia hadalready made a small pile of ‘possibilities’ on the desk behind her—a pile thatwas slowly becoming taller and taller the longer she browsed.

“Hmmm, there’s always duBois’collection of verse.” She muttered to herself, taking the volume down off theshelf and leafing through it. “It’s been a couple of months since I’ve read itall through.”

Decision made, the book joined its brothersin her pile.

Callia turned her gaze back to theshelf, humming thoughtfully as her fingers caressed the beloved spines. Oh, if only there was a way she could bringthem all with her! If only she had amagic book that contained all the stories in the world. It was not the first time this thought hadfilled Callia’s mind, nor would it be the last. Though it seemed impossible, it was a favorite dream of hers to one dayreplace such a volume.

“A priceless treasure.” She saiddreamily.

Running footsteps sounded from thecorridor outside, breaking Callia from her page-filled daydreams. The library doors flew open, and Thaleiaappeared, panting slightly.

“You’re here.” She stated almostaccusingly. “Of course you’re here, howdid I know you’d be here?”

Callia stared in bemusement at hersister’s flushed face. “I was just selecting my reading material for the trip.”

Thaleia huffed impatiently. “Well, there won’t be a trip if you don’t hurry! We’re all ready to leave!”

That shocking statement was enough tosnap Callia out of her library-induced fog. “What?” she gasped. “But wearen’t leaving until—“

“Ten o’clock!” Thaleia stated,hands on her hips. “Which was ten minutes ago!”

Callia started in horror. “But,“she said weakly, “but I haven’t picked my books yet!”

Thaleia sighed impatiently andstomped to the desk. “These are youroptions?” she asked, looking through thepile. Callia nodded dumbly. “And how many can you take?”

“Only three.” Callia groaned invery real pain.

“Then you’ll take this one, and thisone and….this one. Now come on!”

Callia watched, dumbfounded, asThaleia snatched three volumes at random out of the pile and stuffed them intothe bag waiting on the chair. She didnot even get the chance to look at the books her sister had selected for her;Thaleia shoved the bag into her arms and then grabbed her hand, pulling her ata half-run out of the library and down the stairs to the middle hall.

The two princesses did not stopmoving until they were outside the front doors of the castle. The rest of theroyal family was waiting for them in the palace yard, along with twelve mountedguards, all stationed around the Kyorian family carriage. Callia winced to see the enclosed transport. Eurielle had gotten violently ill on the lastoccasion they had ridden in it. BothPetra’s and Callia’s good shoes had never recovered, and they’d had to bediscarded. Fortunately, the carriagewould only be needed on this voyage for luggage transport, as well as possibleshelter in cases of acclimate weather. For the most part, the princesses would be riding astride like themembers of their mounted escort, all of whom were seasoned travellers highlyfamiliar with the route they were to take.

The guards were also all male, forthough a decree had been passed nearly two years prior allowing women to enlistin the royal guard, training for the position took at least four years tocomplete. As such, none of the women whohad since joined the ranks were yet properly trained to serve as escort to theroyal family.

“We’re here!” Thaleia called outcheerfully. “I found her!”

Raia and Eurielle clapped andcheered. Both were already mounted ontheir horses, ready to depart. Petra wasadjusting the stirrups of her mount, having just bid goodbye to Gustave, Eralie,and Ty.

Callia stepped towards the threebeing left behind. “Sorry, Father. I lost track of the time.”

Gustave chuckled. “I guessed asmuch. Did you select well?”

Callia nodded, then hesitated. “At least, I think so.”

“Then travel well, my bookworm.” Hekissed her forehead and gave her a squeeze, a sheen of tears in his eyes. She breathed in the familiar woodsy scent ofhis doublet, committing it to memory

Callia stepped back and turned toEralie and Ty, throwing her arms around her sister without a moment’shesitation. “I wish you were comingtoo!” she murmured, and felt, rather than saw, her sister nod.

“I know.” Eralie’s voice wasmuffled. “But you’ll just have to write, won’t you, and tell me all aboutit? We all know that’ll be no sacrificefor you.”

“We certainly do. I’m expecting a whole book,” Ty joked.

Callia laughed, stepping out of hersister’s arms and embracing Ty as well.

Hergoodbyes completed, she walked to where her horse stood waiting. A stable boy held onto the reins to preventthe mount from moving suddenly, but this was unnecessary. Azure was a bay gelding that she’d riddencountless times before; he stood still as a rock as Callia stuffed the canvasbag with her books into the saddlebag, and then mounted with no need forassistance.

Seeing theentire party mounted and ready to leave, captain of the guard Alexandremotioned them all forward into a line, leading the way himself. Callia waved goodbye one last time, thennudged Azure’s side with her heels so he fell in line with the rest of thehorses.

Shortlyafter leaving the palace gates, Thaleia led her mount to walk beside Callia’s,grinning at her excitedly. “And we’re onour way! At last! Adventure awaits!”

Calliasmiled as well. Thaleia cocked her heada bit, twisting her mouth to the side.

“I’m sorry for pulling,” she said,and Callia glanced at her in surprise.

“Oh, myarm?” Callia shrugged. “It didn’t hurt. Besides, I needed the push—or pull, really. I could have stayed there for hours!”

Thaleia snorted. “I’ll say. You sure didn’t notice the rest of us waiting for you.”

Calliaopened her mouth to apologize, but Thaleia was already shaking her head toforestall her.

“It’s okay,really. You think you’re the only onewho has a hard time picking what to bring along? I swear, it took me three hours last night tosettle on my second-best blade. I wasafraid of tarnishing my first, or even losing it! And this one’s nearly asgood, anyway.”” She patted her hip, andfor the first time Callia noticed the sword attached to her sister’s belt. She shouldn’t have been surprised; Thaleiahad been training in swordplay for years. Still, Callia wasn’t accustomed to seeing her sister actually wearing a sword.

Adventureawaits.

Thaleia leaned slightly closer toher as if to share a secret, and jerked her head up to where Raia was ridingnext to Eurielle.

“And Rayhas been changing her mind every ten minutes for the last two days. Couldn’t decide which of her dresses shewanted to debut—the one she made or the otherone she made.”

Raia’svoice drifted back to them. “I heardthat.”

Callialaughed, and Thaleia joined in rather sheepishly.

It was onlyafter they had been riding for well over an hour that Callia realized she hadyet to look at the books Thaleia had grabbed for her. She knotted Azure’s reins and wedged thembehind the saddle horn, confident that he would continue following the horse infront of him. Twisting in her saddle,she pulled the books from the saddlebag and read the titles. There was theduBois volume of poetry, as well as a collection of one-act plays that she’dread at least ten times, and a book on edible plants and fungi that she’d beenintending to study for ages.

“Hmm. Not bad.” Perhaps letting Thaleia pick her books at random was the packingstrategy she’d needed all along.