This is What I Dreaded (Part 1)

For this prompt, I set myself an extra challenge. For once, I wanted to write some genuine flash fiction. So I composed two 300 word stories (yes, both stories are exactly 300 words), the first of which is posted below.
. . .

“This is exactly what I dreaded.” Valerian clicked his tongue, sighed and shook his head. “Mother’s making our birthday a big deal.”

“It isn’t Mother,” Dormal protested. “It’s the court. What do you expect? All the royal children are of age. Someone was going to make a fuss.” He tried to keep his tone light but, in truth, he had been dreading this day a long time.

The day his siblings escaped imprisonment.

“Where are you headed?” he asked, when his brother didn’t speak. “You must have the whole trip planned by now.” Valerian had already gotten in trouble a few times for wandering off. Domerin had convinced him to stay until the twins turned eighteen; now even their mother couldn’t argue with his adventures.

“I thought I’d start with Delinar. See where it goes from there.”

Of course. Delinar was on the border, about as far from the palace as it was possible to get. The crown prince’s stomach dropped as he turned to his sister. “What about you, Silver?”

Silverbell arched a perfect eyebrow. “What about me?” she asked primly, a hint of mischief glinting in her eyes.

“Where are you planning to go?”

“What makes you think I’m going anywhere?” his sister huffed.

Dormal was momentarily at a loss. She didn’t wait for him to recover.

“We’re eighteen so we’re going to abandon you?” Guilt flashed across his face before he could stop it and she grinned triumphantly. “I like the court! Why do you think I spent so much time learning the game?”

“And I’m coming to visit,” Valerian added, clapping him on the shoulder. “I’ll tell you everything, I promise.”

“Thanks,” Dormal replied, embracing each fiercely in turn. “I’d never find a better pair of siblings.”

“Unless you had ours,” Silverbell said with a smirk.

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Tune in next week for the second story. In the mean time, check out what my writing partner did with this prompt ;)