Chapter 3
3
Victoria froze, startled by my grip.
"What is it? What's wrong with the North?"
I tightened my hold.
"Don't go. Victoria, please don't go to the Northern Border."
She let out a soft laugh.
"Why wouldn't I? Father is at Fort Northwatch."
"Besides—"
Her eyes lit up with a familiar, fierce spark.
"I've always wanted to see the North for myself."
My voice choked in my throat.
"It's dangerous there. The battlefield doesn't spare anyone. What if you—"
Victoria covered my hand with hers, her tone softening.
"Claire, I've been training with Father since I was a child. You know I've been practicing my marksmanship for over a decade."
"I love shooting. I love off-roading. I love studying tactics."
She looked out the window, her gaze stretching far beyond the estate walls.
"Crown City is fine. It's prosperous and safe."
"But this city was never going to be my whole life."
"I want to go further. I want to see the land Father protects. I want to see if the moon in the North is really brighter than it is in the capital."
I stared at her, completely captivated.
This was a Victoria I had never truly understood in my past life. She was so alive, so radiant, with an entire world reflected in her eyes.
My throat tightened painfully.
"And if... if you die?"
She turned back to me.
She smiled, her eyes holding the light of a thousand stars.
"Then I die."
She said it so lightly.
"If I fall while protecting civilians and fighting alongside my comrades, then I will have lived exactly the way I wanted to."
Tears spilled down my cheeks.
She reached out and wiped them away with her thumb.
"Silly girl, what are you crying for?"
Her voice dropped to a comforting murmur.
"Who knows? Maybe I'll meet a good man in the North. Just like in the romance novels—finding someone who belongs to me under that vast, open sky."
She patted my cheek.
"Alright, go back to your embroidery. I need to pack."
She turned to leave.
"Victoria!"
She looked back.
I scrubbed the tears from my face and forced a small smile.
"I'm going to make you a custom tactical vest."
"I'll sew the outer shell and the inner lining myself. Then I'll have the equipment technicians at Fort Northwatch fit it with lightweight ballistic plates tailored to your exact measurements."
Victoria’s eyes crinkled with a massive grin.
"Deal. I'll be waiting for it."
After she left, I stood alone in the room for a long time.
I had always known Victoria was different. But it wasn't until this moment that I truly realized she was never a woman meant to be caged in a capital mansion.
She belonged to the snow, the wilderness, the battlefield, and the open sky.
I called for my maid, instructing her to prepare the strongest silk threads. Then, I contacted my father's adjutant to connect me with the armorers at the North to confirm the dimensions and ballistic standards.
If Victoria was going to the front lines, I was going to do everything in my power to keep her alive.
Three days later, Victoria burst into my room, practically vibrating with excitement.