The trip had gone well, Izana reflected. Him and his entourage passed under the completed aqueducts yesterday morning. They were a magnificent sight to behold. The long stone bridges carried water from the mountain lakes all the way down into the valley. From there they fed into a new irrigation system that had been developed by a young man who lived in the town nearby. The young prince was very curious about not just the inventor, but the person who had brought all the different people and ideas together that were necessary for such an under taking. Whispers from the different houses said that the lord's heir and first born son was well on his way to being a good leader. Izana disagreed with this assessment.
He had just spent most of the morning with this particular nobleman's son and found him quite dull witted. He seemed to have no interest in his people other than how they could help him find good places for hawking and hunting. Not that the man was cruel or stupid. In fact he seemed to get on well with just about anyone, even the child holsters in the stables. However, the man was not very shrewd in his dealings, and careless with his own safety. The dolt had gone so far elude to the fact that his older sister would make a good queen. Izana sighed to himself. He was twenty one, but he would choose his consort based on who would be good for his kingdom. It was actually on this thought that he remembered that the sister; Haki, had been curiously absent during the families greeting of him. He took another turn down a long corridor and an elderly maid crossed his path. She bowed to him,
"Is there any way I can assist you, my lord?" Izana bet that she had been with the family for most of her life. He resisted the urge to grin and was about to send her on her way when inspiration struck. He smiled graciously and asked,
"Yes, I've been looking for Lady Haki." The maid smiled clearly amused.
"She is in her study. Poor girl works tirelessly for everyone. Makes sure her father has everything he needs, keeps those brothers of hers in line." The woman prattled on and Izana got the feeling that he now knew who was quietly working in the shadows keeping this region prospering. They finally reached two large oak doors. "She should be in here." Now the maid took her time to look Izana up and down. "She does have two chaperones so you be on your best behavior young man." Izana chuckled and bowed.
"I'll remember that." She made a sound that said quite a lot then she rapped on the door quickly.
"Come in." A female voice said without infliction or emotion. The maid opened the door and gestured for Izana to walk through. Walking in, Izana took his time to inspect the room before acknowledging the occupants.
The room was circular in shape. Tall bookshelves went all the way around the high walls except for a spectacular window at the opposite end of the room. It rose from floor to ceiling and had a view of not only the castle grounds but the town as well. Comfy armchairs with small side tables were tucked in between each book shelf. Then at the very center of the room was a large desk, stacked with papers, books, and an odd scroll or two. Behind the desk was a high backed chair. The occupant of the chair was a beautiful young woman. Her long hair was tied back out of her face in simple, but elegant fashion. The dress she wore was like her hair, simple and elegant. In one delicate hand she held up a document while she scanned its contents.
She belonged in this scene, he realized. Flanking either side of the young woman were other people. To her right was a man in his late twenties, garbed in a guardsmen's uniform. A short sword and a dagger clipped to his belt. To her left was young woman of indeterminate age, though Izana thought she might be around twenty five. She was dressed as a lady-in-waiting, a simple powder blue gown and hair tied back fashionably. He thought he saw a faint impression of a dagger in the skirt of her dress. Chaperones indeed, Izana thought to himself.
"Lady Haki." The young woman paused what she was doing and looked up over her work. He saw the instant recognition in her eyes as well as the people beside her. Unlike the maid beside him, these three knew he was the heir to their country's throne.
Anyone would have thought the woman before him regularly hosted surprise visits from the first prince. She slid smoothly from her seat, curtsied to him and even offered him the very seat she had just vacated,
"Welcome your highness. May I offer you a seat?" Izana smiled at both the gasp of the maid beside him and the face that Haki was making. It was an almost perfect mask that hid the annoyance that she felt at been disturbed.
"You may." But instead of taking the seat she offered he took the seat to the left of her desk. It would force her to turn her chair toward him to keep with politeness. It would also prevent her from continuing her work while he was present. Izana sat down and noted a book open on the small table beside it. He picked it up as he sat down. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Haki hesitate for the briefest of moments before excusing her maid and sitting down. She turned her chair so it faced him.
"What do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" Izana resisted the urge to laugh. She was extremely annoyed at being interrupted, but she hid it well and was well mannered. However he ignored her question and glanced at the page that the book had been left open to. It was about aqueducts. Izana remembered passing under those great stone water ways. The region they were currently in didn't get enough rain for most crops to grow, though the ground as he understood it was fairly fertile. Merchants had to cart down water from the mountain or very deep wells had to be dug. These were all expensive and not very effective methods. So the aqueducts had been the solution. It had taken two years to build, another year for the irrigating system to be incorporated into the aqueducts, and finally another year for everything to really flourish. Izana glanced quickly at Haki's impatient expression. She was about a year younger than him now, so that meant she was probably about fifteen when the idea was first proposed.
"Your brother couldn't tell me much about the strange bridges in your fields. He said you might have a thought or two on them if I was interested." He expected her to be more irritated that she wasn't getting credit for something she clearly put a lot of work into, but instead she smiled genuinely.
"The aqueducts, yes." She nodded at the book. "The book you are holding could tell you a lot more than I could. If you wish, I will gladly loan it to you." This time Izana did chuckle lightly.
"Or you could save me the trouble and explain what you know." She gave him a look that was equal parts exasperation and scowl. "Unless you have more important things to do than assist your prince." He expected feigned outrage or even a apology, instead she surprised him by laughing. It was a soft sound oddly reminiscent of a song bird. Her two attendants seemed two relax at the sound.
"Prince Izana, we are but your humble servants. All you have to do is command or even ask and I will be happy to help you. There's no need to poke and prod." So he had been seen through.
It turned out that she was indeed very knowledgeable in regards to the aqueducts and a great many other things. Politics, agriculture, banking, law, trade, as well as she was up to date on the most current affairs of the kingdom, but especially in the areas and regions that surrounded her home. Afternoon slipped quickly to evening as they discussed various practices in government. It was only once the female attendant had left and returned carrying a tray laden with food and two cups of tea that the two stopped talking.
"Your highness, my Lady. You have missed lunch so I thought you might enjoy some refreshments on the balcony." Haki turned around in her chair to look out the window. Sure enough, the sun was already starting to sink below the horizon. Haki turned back to Izana and bowed deeply.
"I apologize for taking up so much or your time, your highness." He inclined his head in acceptance of her apology.
"It is not you alone who should be sorry. I've taken you away from your duties. But I confess I wish a few more minutes of your time." She gestured to the window which he now noticed had a balcony. One of the many panes of glass had hinges that allowed it to be opened like a door. Together they sat around the small table that was set outside. Izana watched Haki as she watched the sun set behind the town. Or maybe she was watching the town. There was one more thing he wanted to know. But he waited patiently for the sun to finish setting. "Your brother said something very interesting to me."
"Oh?" She clearly didn't have a high opinion about her brother's thoughts.
"Yes, he seemed to think you'd be a good partner for me." Izana deliberately implied the sexual partner instead of the kind who would rule beside a king. Both of Haki's attendants stiffened and reached for their weapons.
"Oh?" she asked again, this time there was something else in her voice. "And would I get a choice in the matter."
"Would you turn down such a chance." There was a sharp smile across her face.
"If you were such a man or such a king I would take great pleasure in watching you fall to ruin before your last breath." The sharpness was gone in a blink of an eye. "But that is not the kind of man you are." Izana laughed outright this time. When he looked back up at Haki he saw amusement dancing in her bright eyes. Izana got up and bowed.
"It has been a pleasure to meet you, Lady Haki. I must take my leave and head back home, but I look forward to meeting you again." Haki inclined her head graciously.
"Safe travels your highness. Next time I will be sure to greet you with my family." Izana nodded and went to leave. Once he was to the door Haki called after him, "Prince Izana." He turned to her expecting her to say something, but instead she merely stared at him. For a long moment he stood there waiting until she smiled and blushed deeply, "Thank you. I have what I wanted." Her comment surprised him but he continued on and left.
"That was interesting." Anya beamed beside her. Haki nodded.
"Interesting indeed." Garret grunted disdainfully.
"I didn't like him. He showed carelessness and utter disrespect to you my lady with his last comments." Haki was thoughtful, watching the spot where Izana had stood while she had stared at his eyes. Such beautiful eyes they were, and a shame he hid them always.
"You think he said those words carelessly?" Anya smiled brightly and nodded in agreement with her.
"I think he wanted to see if our lady was the kind of woman who would allow herself or this country to be bullied." Haki nodded.
"I agree. though maybe next time he will just come out and say what is on his mind." She chuckled to herself. "Or not." She stretched. "It's time to get back to work."