A/N: I would like to apologize in advance, as this chapter have a lot of explanations of the culture and history of Metallum and at times I really start to ramble. I am going to go back to fix that, as well as a lot of other things. Please see the important note at the bottom of the chapter to see the explanation about my upcoming massive edit, and how it's going to affect how long it takes to write and post the next chapter.
Chapter Ten
Fighting Fire with Fire
Adara stared at her reflection in the mirror.
Her burns stood out on her face, huge, red, ugly, shiny, and textured. She gently reached up to touch them, but stopped herself, recalling the skin crawling sensation she would feel. They were hard like some foreign material had been glued to her face, like she could just peel it off and feel normal again.
It would be a lie to say she hadn't thought about it. How easy it would be to grab a knife and just cut it off, but she knew there was no perfect sheet of new skin hiding beneath the surface and that it would leave her with a bloody, life-threatening mess and even worse scars. She knew she was stuck with this for the rest of her life, to look ugly, to be a freak.
"Milady?" There was a soft knock on the door.
Adara didn't look away from her image as she called, "Come in."
Her handmaiden, Israt, entered the room and instantly curtsied, holding her arm in front of her body, bent into a C, reaching inward, and bowing her head below her elbow, as was the fashion in Metallum.
Israt glanced up at her Mistress, who had yet to release her from her bow. She instantly noticed the sorrowful look on the Princess in the reflection of the mirror, and the maid stood up.
"If you please, Milady," Israt dared to speak, and Adara turned to her in surprise. Israt's head was hung, clearly upset about something. "I'm sorry about the incident with the fireplace. Every thing's just so new here; I forgot some of my instructions. I won't make that mistake again."
"I'm sure you will," Adara bitterly swallowed. "That is, if my Mother has anything to say about it. She thinks the only way to confront this fear is head on, actually deal with fire until I'm comfortable."
Israt frowned, "And do you think it will work?"
Adara looked the maid directly an eye, something almost never done between people of their stations.
"Israt," Adara's voice was shaky as a tear threatened to slip out of her good eye, "when I see a fire, I can't breathe. I feel like I'm bearing a thousand pound weight on my chest, and I'm gasping for air that just won't come. My throat tightens and I wheeze, desperate not to die. I get dizzy, my head spins, and my vision goes black as I shake and use all of my strength to just stay upright. Does it sound like simply standing next to a fire is going to fix the problem?"
"No," Israt answered honestly.
"No, it's not," Adara looked back at herself in her mirror. "For the rest of my life, I will be afraid, ugly, and a coward."
"Hey," Israt walked over to the girl and gently placed her hands on Adara's shoulders.
She was breaking so many social rules that not only was she risking her job with these actions, but because Adara was technically a Princess, touching her and speaking to her in such a familiar tone without being invited, was risking her life.
But it didn't matter; Adara needed it.
"I know deep down, you're brave. We all are," Israt said feeling the tension in Adara's shoulders. Sensing the girl didn't like to be touched, Israt removed her hands, but still stood behind Adara. "Your fear may never disappear, but one day you'll have something that makes you strong enough to handle it, even if it's for but a moment. Just because you can handle something, doesn't mean you're no longer afraid. As for the beauty, you are a beautiful girl, just with a little more character than some people. Besides, you still have a lot of growing to do, so you'll be even more beautiful in the years to come."
"And what if I'm not?" Adara's lip trembled as she desperately tried to hold back the tears. "What if I'm ugly?"
"You won't be," Israt assured her. "There's no such thing as an ugly girl. We're all beautiful, but we've let the world tell us otherwise."
"Thank you," Adara wiped a tear away, regaining some of her composure.
"I'm sorry for touching you and speaking to you like an equal," Israt formally stated, recognizing that the situation was under control and that she had to slip back into her subservient role.
"It's alright," Adara assured her. "I give you permission to do so any time you wish."
"Thank you, Milady," Israt curtsied once more. "Now, the Lady Princess sent me to ensure you were properly dressed for the Midday Worship. So let's get you into a more formal half-sari."
So the two went about dressing Adara into her proper attire.
Having not yet begun her cycle, Adara was not allowed to wear a full sari like her mother usually did, although for a formal ceremony like the Midday Worship, Tahira rather than her restricting petticoat, she would be wearing a larger and more swirling skirt called a lehenga. A lehenga was actually always worn with a half-sari, and thus it was identified with vulnerability and innocence, which is why mature women wore them during the daily ceremonies.
Both styles of dress had the women wearing a choli, a tight-fitting blouse that may or may not be backless, but always had a low neckline and cropped high enough to expose the navel, so there was less material and made it easier to bear the desert heat. Adara had been known to pull at her choli, attempting to cover her bare stomach as her burn scars had made her feel unattractive in more than just her face.
Other than the skirts, the only real difference between a full and half sari, was simply the sari, itself. A half sari didn't actually involve a sari, but rather a stole called a voni which was tucked into the front of the lehenga, wrapped around the waist and draped over the opposite shoulder. When a girl graduated to the use of an actual sari, she was allowed style in more ways than just the traditional method always worn with vonis.
Lately, Tahira had been attempting to teach Adara in the beautiful variations of the sari, but somehow it always ended in a tangled mess, a frustrated Adara, and a coolly disappointed Tahira.
For this ceremony, Adara chose her favorite half sari: a deep crimson number tastefully covered with prominent gold embroidery bearing desert symbols, snakes, flowers, and her favorite part, a few horses near her waist. As Israt helped wrap the Princess' voni, Adara couldn't help but admire herself in the mirror. It was that outfit alone that made her feel mildly pretty as the richness of it portrayed the pampered life she was lucky enough to be born into, while at the same time, the lehenga was loose enough that she was able to ride her beloved horse, Kismet, properly.
She could pretend she was worthy of being a princess… if only for a minute.
"Keep it down, please," Adara instructed, watching as Israt tended to her hair, pulling it away from her scars. "I like it covering my face. I feel safer."
"As you wish," Israt nodded, and arranged it to cover Adara's scars.
As the Princess slid a few golden bangles on her arms, Israt observed the empty vanity table. There were none of the lovely perfumes, lotions, oils, or make up jars that was customary of a noble ranking woman to possess.
"You know," Israt hesitated, "if your mother would allow it, Adara, I think I could show you a few makeup tricks to help cover up these scars, if you wanted. I can't promise I can make them disappear, but I could probably take the focus away from them. Maybe bring out your eyes some more? You've got lovely brown eyes that I know the boys would adore."
"My daughter is still too young to be wearing makeup," a cool voice replied. "But thank you for your offer, Israt."
Israt and Adara winced, glancing at each other in recognition of the voice, before turning to see Tahira standing in the bedroom doorway, almost shining in beauteous glory.
The Lady Princess was tall with her daughter's complexion, had thick wavy raven hair, perfect curves achieved by years of rigorously disciplined eating and exercising habits, sharp grey eyes reflecting the power and pride of her station, and full naturally red lips, that were stretched into an unimpressed grimace. Her gorgeous sari was pure white with embroidery of scarlet flowers, and small corn snakes, her banner animal.
As her husband joined her side, Tahira was a frightening image that easily portrayed the idea that the girls were standing in the presence of the most powerful woman, south of the Great Desert. Even her sister-in-law, Queen Bashiyra, being of lesser blood, had to bow when Tahira entered a room.
"Mother," Adara quickly stood, and bowed with Israt. "Israt was just-"
"Have you given her permission?" Tahira cut her daughter off, fixing the maid with a terrible glare.
"Permission?" Adara frowned.
"She used your given name sans any titles," Tahira's voice was sharp, clearly ready to dismiss Israt with one word from her daughter.
"Oh," Adara glanced back at her maid, "sorry. Yes, I gave her permission to use my name, touch me, and speak to me as an equal."
"And encourage these perception issues from which you suffer?" Tahira was no less angry than she had been before Adara's confirmation. She turned to the maid, "I am sure you will not assume you have the same liberties with the rest of the household, unless individually granted?"
"Of course, Milady," Israt bowed once more. "Forgive me, I did not mean-"
"Any harm?" Tahira shot and Israt winced, taking a step back. "I'm sure you didn't, but by complying with her belief that she needs to hide this issue rather than deal with it at the root, whether it be through makeup or styling her hair in a certain way…"
At this, Tahira fixed a disapproving look at the hair hanging over the right side of Adara's face. The girl bowed her head in shame, and uneasily pulled the hair back, exposing her scars to the world.
Tahira's frown picked up ever so slightly in response, and she turned back to Israt.
"Then you harm the process of healing," Tahira finished her sentence. Her voice was calm, holding back the storm that threatened to break loose at a single wrong word. It was more frightening to Israt, than if the Lady Princess had just screamed at her. Tahira took a threatening step toward the maid, and met the Israt's eyes directly. "Let me make one thing clear-"
"Tahira," Kasim warned, ready to talk some sense into his wife, but she simply held up a hand and, recognizing his lower position, he closed his mouth.
"Israt," Tahira started again. "I fully intent on finding a way to get my daughter over these issues, and if you are unwilling to help, I can easily find a dozen others to replace you before you've even packed a bag. Do you understand me?"
Israt bowed her head like a pack dog to an alpha; she knew how to play the part of doting servant.
"Of course, Milady," Israt swept into a low bow. When Tahira signalled for her to stand, Israt took a glance at Adara, "Besides, your daughter is already infinitely more beautiful than any coloured paste could ever make her."
Adara met the maid's eyes, and she could feel the warmth and honesty in Israt's demeanour: the maid's words were genuine.
The thought of this made Adara smile ever so slightly.
Out of the corner of her eye, Israt saw the look of shock run over Kasim's face as he glanced between Israt and his smiling daughter. After a moment, he crossed his arms in front of him, grinning, overall looking very satisfied as he glanced to his wife.
Tahira nodded, a small smile catching on her face too.
"Very well," Tahira addressed the maid. "It seems as if we've made a smart choice in our daughter's handmaiden."
"I told you she needed a girl closer to age," Kasim said, nodding to his twelve year old daughter, and the seventeen year old handmaiden.
"You're right," Tahira nodded to her husband, "it certainly gives her something sisterly. Winds know she can't turn to her brother, and Zahid, a role model for her I'm willing to stand behind, visits far too rarely."
Israt glanced curiously at Adara, and the Princess nodded, answering the unspoken question.
Do they often talk about people standing in front of them, as if they're not there?
Yep.
"Now, speaking of conquering fears," Tahira said, approaching her daughter, "I have a special surprise for you."
"You do?" Adara swallowed. She would be excited if her mother hadn't prefaced it with that bit about conquering fears. Dealing with her appearance was the last thing she wanted to do.
"Yes," Tahira smiled, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "I have decided that I'm going to help you conquer your fear of fire today, by letting you light the incense in today's ceremony."
Adara's heart dropped.
Correction: dealing with fire was the last thing she wanted to do.
"L- L- Light the incense?" Adara's voice trembled, panic overtaking her. "As in all four?"
"Now, Darling," Tahira laughed, wrapping her arm around her daughter, and leading Adara toward the door, "I wouldn't push you that quickly into it. We'll start with one today, do another tomorrow, and so on until the fifth day when you get to lead the whole ceremony."
"The whole ceremony?" Adara squeaked, trying to root her feet into the ground, but her mother kept pushing her forward. "But that means I have to light all four, and our whole household would stare at me-"
"Well you have to learn," Tahira tittered. "When I pass away, and you go visit the Palace, being the highest female of royal blood, you will have to lead the Palace of Ferrum in not only the Midday Ceremony, but the Sunrise, and Moon Ceremonies, not to mention the New Moon Celebration."
"Daddy," Adara whimpered, glancing at her father as Tahira dragged her past Kasim, standing in the doorway.
The Lord of the Household gave his daughter a sympathetic smile. He would save her if he could, but it was Tahira's orders, and the Lady Princess severely outranked him on several levels.
Watching as the Princesses exited the room, Israt waited a minute before she would follow them to the Midday Ceremony. But before she could exit the room, Kasim put his arm across the door, halting the maid.
"Yes, My Lord?" Israt gave a considerably less involved bow than she would to the Princesses, taking into consideration Kasim's station of birth, and that of his marriage. She didn't even wait for him to signal that she could stand once more before she straightened.
"After the ceremony, I want you to come to my office," Kasim instructed. "We must review the terms of payment for your services."
"Of course," Israt tried to keep the disappointment from her face as she bowed again. "I understand my wage should be lowered as punishment for suggesting your daughter wear makeup."
Kasim raised a brow, "Actually, I was going to raise your wage."
Israt's eyes widened and she shot up straight.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You're getting a raise," Kasim repeated.
"Thank you, My Lord," Israt gave a slight curtsey. "But why?"
"Because you made my daughter smile for the first time in seven months."
Israt stared at him in shock at the statement, "Seven months?"
"My daughter doesn't let herself find joy in many things," Kasim explained. "She punishes herself for being happy when she believes she has no right to. Those scars on her face go much deeper than the skin. The only time I ever see her smile is when Tahira's nephew comes to visit."
"Prince Zahid?"
"He's her only friend in this world, other than her horse. Now, I think, if we play our cards right, she might find one in you, too." Kasim placed a hand on the maid's shoulder, "Keep up what you're doing, Israt, and someday, it's going to take you far."
"To be honest," Israt glanced down the hall where Tahira and Adara had since disappeared, "I'd much stay here, and have Adara go far, far enough that she finds where she belongs."
"She will," Kasim smiled. "I know she will."
"Enter!" Piper called, fixing her appearance as the tiny looking glass sitting on her small desk/vanity/dresser. As much as Richard prided himself on the luxuries given to his servants, one had to admit that there certainly was a difference between the quarters of the lowliest maids, and those of Matron or Handmaiden ranks.
As the door swung open, Piper deeply bowed.
"Your Highness," she greeted as Jamal entered the room. "It is a pleasure."
But when Jamal opened his mouth to speak, Piper straightened herself, placed a hand on her hip, cocked her head, and stuck out her chest in the most flirtatious and coy position she could manage.
Jamal just frowned at the maid's actions, "You didn't wait for me to signal you could end you bow."
Piper blinked, thrown off her game by the sudden interruption of plan.
"Forgive me, Your Highness," Piper bowed once more, and stayed frozen, waiting for the Prince's instructions. "I was just so eager to see your handsome face."
Jamal smirked, clearly pleased by the flattery, "Alright you can straighten. Are you Piper?"
"Piper Magwood, at your service."
"Magwood?" Jamal frowned, glancing around the room, grimacing at the low standards.
"It's for Magpie," Piper explained, as Jamal's gaze fixed itself on the looking glass.
His eyes shot wide, and the Prince lunged for the mirror, quickly turning it face down on the desk.
"Well, Magwood," Jamal panted from adrenaline of the sudden action, "are you stupid or just ignorant? Here we are to discuss something in private, and you do something as fundamentally stupid as leaving a mirror uncovered. Rayhan was wrong, I can't depend on you."
"No, wait," Piper ran to block his path to the door. "I'm sorry, I won't make a mistake like that again, but you still need me. I can help you."
"Oh, really?" Jamal raised a brow. "And why do I need you?"
"Because you hate Aileen," Piper smirked, and seductively reached out to trace her finger over the Prince's chest. "Aileen has rejected your advances, and now everyone is telling you that you can't touch her. But you're a Prince, so nothing should be forbidden, and that's why you need me. Because I hate her too."
"And why do you hate her?"
"Because she acts like she's a member of the Royal Family, pretending like she wasn't some orphaned scamp who happened to be in the right gutter at the right time," Piper sneered. "And everyone treats her like she's some Princess among our ranks. Princess of the servants just because she's best friends with the favored Princess. Aileen only got the position of Handmaiden because of that friendship. She had never put in a day of work in up keeping this Palace when she was given the rank."
"And let guess," Jamal chuckled was a bemused smile, "you wanted the position?"
"I was born into this life," Piper snapped. "My father was the head stableman before that stupid criminal, Marshall came along. My mother was one of the Palace Midwives, and had been the one who had suggested the caesarian section when the youngest Princess had been in distress, and although she helped saved Princess Harley's life, the servants wouldn't stop whispering about how the Queen died when the midwives couldn't get the bleeding under control. My mother resigned to keep our honour when the Queen died in childbirth, and she died of shame."
"Of shame?" Jamal raised a brow, not buying the explanation.
"Okay, it was an extreme case of the flu, but she had lost the fight in her," Piper waved off. "I cleaned dishes, scrubbed bed sheets, ruined my hands in hot water and needlework, and put my blood and sweat into this Palace. And what did Aileen do? She just flitted in here and got the good life handed to her on a platter."
"Well, as interesting as your life story is failing to be," Jamal rolled his eyes, "I fail to see how your tragic backstory is going to help me."
"Well then, I guess the new information I got this morning, involving Princess Talia, that could surely help both of us get revenge on Aileen, will be of no interest to you."
Jamal sighed, "Alright what is it."
Piper took a step back, and Jamal couldn't help but notice how few stride he would have to take to pin her down on the simple bed in the center of the room. There was no escape, save for the door, which he was successfully blocking, and a tiny window directly above the bed, high enough that one would have to claim onto said bed to reach, and regardless, it was barely the size of her hips. There was no way out.
"Now you really don't think, I'm going to give it up to you without getting anything in return?" Piper smirked.
"Well, I have a feeling that you need me to get this revenge," Jamal replied. "Otherwise you would have already proceeded with your plan."
"Prince Jamal, you underestimate me," Piper chuckled, taking another step back, when Jamal naturally met. "If I had just wanted revenge, I could easily already spread this information all over the Palace, and Aileen would be in trouble. Sure, it would less severe punishment than if I had teamed up with you, but more than enough to make me smile."
"Then what do you want?" Jamal took another step forward.
Piper didn't match the step, but still smirking, she reached out once more, and gently caressed the Prince's chest.
"I think you know," her voice was husky and there was a mischievous sparkle in her eye.
Jamal just groaned and rolled his eyes, "Please, I have no interest in a maid who comes willingly to me. There's no fun in it."
"Oh, we can have as much fun as you want, You Highness," Piper laughed. "There's no fun in the carnal acts of man and women without a little struggle. I'm not some obedient slave under the sheets. You want this; you're going to have to take it from me."
"Right, so I can get set up for assaulting a maid?"
"Please," Piper rolled her eyes. "Just because some people don't understand the kind of fun you can get while mixing pain and pleasure, doesn't mean I'm about to stab you in the back. Besides, you've been here and travelling to Lignum for a very long time now. When was the last time you had a little fun?"
The Prince looked over the girl, assessing the goods offered.
The girl was tall for a woman, but not taller than him. She had dark brown hair, it was long and straight. He could imagine it fan out beneath her on pillow. Her skin wasn't as pale as Aileen's, nor certainly Princess Odette, but it was certainly a lot lighter than the Metallite maids whom he had coupled with. Her chest was a little more generous than average, her waist could stand to lose a few inches, but her hips were very well shaped. She had more muscles in her arms and legs than he usually liked, but her feet were tiny, a feature he particularly liked. Her eyes were dark and angry under the seduction; she was a girl just as upset at the world as he was.
Certainly not the best he had ever been offered, but very suitable for a foreigner.
"Far too long," Jamal clenched his jaw, the battle raging inside of him. "What about my cousin? He mentioned you were willing. What exactly did you do?"
"Oh, Rayhan? It was barely anything," Piper smiled. "He wanted information from me, and I had no mutual benefit, so his arrangement with me was one of receiving pleasure purely on my end. He didn't even take off so much as a shoe."
"So, if we have an arrangement of mutual benefit," Jamal said, the wheels turning in his head, "what exactly will you do to me?"
Piper slowly trailed her hands across his chest, fingertips pressing pleasurably into his flesh, sliding her hands up his shoulders and around the back of his neck.
"Tell me what you want," she whispered.
"What I want," Jamal leaned in, his lips ghosting her hers, his voice low and silky. His slid his hand up and down her smooth, muscled arms, and whispered, "Is your information first."
Jamal pulled back from the maid, leaving Piper was a startled expression.
"You will tell me the information first," Jamal demanded, "and then he'll see what kind of fight you can put up for me."
Piper smiled, considering it.
"Alright," Piper agreed. "I'll tell you my information, but I get to tell you what to do with it, after you pay me back."
Jamal glanced between Piper and the bed.
"Deal."
As Tahira was the daughter of a King, she had been rich enough to afford a separate room for the ceremonies. It was a room shaped like half an oval with a straight open wall capping the end, facing the east. It was perfectly positioned so that the sun's light flooded the room every morning.
The entrance of the ceremony room was in the middle the side to the left of the open wall, and had four steps into the room which, like stairs, and walls, and structural feature of the house, was made of metal.
It was only after the custom of nobility making their houses entirely of metal to honour their element, was firmly established, that people realised how terrible that idea was when most of said houses were built in the desert. Of course, they were too proud to admit defeat, and the houses stood, burning in the blinding sun.
Placed in the center of room was a small table, that folded up and was kept in the shelves lining the walls of the room, where all four ceremonies' supplies were stored.
The roof had a long rectangular opening in the metal structure, so every night the Household could see the moon and the stars, and a same pulley system rigged to a tarp to cover the opening when precipitation fell. It would be opened regardless, during the ceremonies, as they were to be performed no matter what the weather was, and there were times where the Metallites would fight to light incense against a barrage of rain.
People liked to joke that it was the Stars taking their revenge, as their Kingdom of Aqua was based on the element of water.
The Kingdom of Metallum had been founded by a woman named Zayna, the most cynical and violent of Asteria's group. She had been treated the worst out of all of Asteria's companions by the dog eat dog society, the ungoverned humans formed in their struggle to survive under Celestella's rule.
She had been abused, assaulted, and cast out simply because she had no attraction to men. After one assault resulted in her becoming pregnant with her daughter, Zayna lost her faith in the justice the Stars were supposed to bring.
The Stars were the children of Yue and Yang, and the Moon and the Sun, and they had been charged by Yue, Yang, and the Four Winds to care for the humans and the world, but Zayna had felt that the Stars had failed when they allowed Celestella to take over.
So when Zayna created Metallum, despite her friendship with Asteria and Hesperus, she had forbidden her people from deluding themselves into treating the Stars like Gods, instead directing them into worshipping the Sun, Moon, and Four Winds, who had helped Asteria and the Companions into overthrowing the Tyrant.
The tradition remained to that day, and thus you would never hear a Metallite swear by the Stars, or utter the names Asteria or Hesperus as an exclamation.
So, three times a day, households all across Metallum would observe the three ceremonies: Sun, Winds, and Moon, and once a month, they would celebrate the New Moon, the time when Yue and Yang would reunite for but one night.
As Israt and Kasim entered the ceremony room, Tahira and Adara were busy arranging their tools on the table for the Ceremony of the Winds.
The mass of servants settled themselves in proper order, the highest ranking servants being the closest to the table, the rows working back to the lowliest servants at the end.
"You get to kneel behind Adara," Kasim instructed the maid.
Israt nodded and followed the Lord to the front of the room, waiting patiently as the Noble Family took their places around the table.
Tahira knelt, placing herself on the North end, no one sitting behind her, instead facing all who were assembled. She knelt with such grace, and her movements practised so that her legs flashed no bare skin. For her whole life, Adara had endured Tahira's speeches about how a proper leg never showed her legs, save in the bed chamber on the marital bed, and it was a belief Tahira followed meticulously. In fact, Adara was sure she never ever seen her mother's legs.
Kasim placed himself on the Western side, looking across to the East end, which sat empty, ceremonially left for Jamal.
Adara knelt at the Southern spot, glad that she was facing her mother, and she couldn't see anyone staring at her. She was shaking slightly, eyeing the flint and steel placed in front of Tahira, waiting to be struck. Next to the flint, were four sticks of incense, laid out neatly in front of the four translucent coloured glass vases arranged in a compass cross on the table. Each stick of incense had a small band of colour on it to match its vase.
"You'll do fine," Adara heard Israt mutter from behind her, and though the Princess didn't smile, it did make her feel a little better.
"The Winds," Tahira began, and the crowd fell silent. "These four beings are as elusive as a desert oasis. The Four Winds had helped hide the love of Yue and Yang, and when the rendezvous were discovered, the Four Winds went willingly with their friends into this unknown land. Yue entrusted them with the maintenance of this world, and for years they have watched us, helped us, and blessed us. Though in this day and age, others praise the name of Asteria for defeating the Tyrant, it was only with the help of the Four Winds that she was even able to find Celestella's kingdom, west of the Sun, and east of the Moon. For all of their blessings and accomplishment, we come to them on this noon, to give them our thanks, and appeal to them for further blessing, with our offering of scents, the sensation carried by the winds, an impossible sense without the presence of wind and intake of air."
Tahira picked up the stick of incense in front of her.
"We begin with Shui," Tahira placed the black banded incense into the black vase. "The North Wind. North is where everything begins, and there is no better place in life to go, but up, the direction of North."
Tahira picked up the flint and steel, and in the same practised movements she had done for year, she struck them with an ease of confidence and indifference over the incense. When the flint sparked, Adara couldn't help but jolt slightly, as she had done four times a day for six years, every time she saw her mother's sparks.
And today, she would have to do it herself.
The incense immediately caught fire, and soon the room was filled with smoke the scent of hydrangeas and orchids.
"Shui blesses us with the greatest gift one can receive," Tahira deeply inhaled the some, closing her eyes and letting the sweet scent overtake her body. "She gives us love, and she blesses us with the creation of life, the blessing of fertility. So we provide this offering of hydrangea, representing love, and orchid in representation of fertility, to thank Shui for her blessing, and to ask for the continuation of her gifts."
"Shui, protect us, and bless us," the audience chanted.
"One down, two to go," Adara nervously eyed the final incense as her mother blew it out.
Tahira stood, taking the flint and steel with her, and walked over to the empty Eastern spot where Jamal usually sat. Had he been there, it would have been his duty to hand the incense to his mother, but with his absence, Tahira merely took the stick herself and placed it into the green vase.
"Next comes Mu," Tahira continued. "The Eastern Wind is one of coveted material, and though not necessary for physical survival, it is what makes all dealings possible, and life worth living. For he gives us wealth and comfort."
Tahira struck the flint again, and Adara clenched her hand into a fist, digging her fingernails into her palms.
"We light an incense of hibiscus and peony," Tahira said as the scent filled the room. "Hibiscus represents fame and riches, while peony represents much the same with fame and wealth. May we continue to be blessed as fickle Mu's favourites, and may he turn his gaze unto the misfortunate poor."
"Mu, protect us, and bless us," the audience chanted.
"One more," Adara watched as Tahira blew out the incense and crossed all the way back around the table to her husband on the opposite end.
Whenever Tahira performed any of the ceremonies, she was dead serious, never cracking the slightest of frowns, but every now at then, Adara would be treated to a testament to her parents' marriage for love, when Kasim would try to trick his wife into losing her composure mid-ceremony.
On this day, Tahira reached out her hand for Kasim to hand her the white banded incense, but instead of handing her the stick, he quickly grabbed her hand, pulled it forward, and kissed the inside of her wrist.
He looked up at her with a smirk, and fighting to keep a smile from her face, Tahira gently pushed his head away, pulled her hand out of his grasp, and pointed at the incense, which he handed to her.
"Jin comes next," Tahira announced, placing the stick in the white vase and lighting it. "The West Wind maintains all life with her selfless blessing of nourishment and health. For her we offer the scents of chrysanthemum for curing illness, and peach for long life. We ask that Jin maintain our health, keep our stomachs full, and in a special request, we beg of her that she heal my brother, the King, was these blood clots he suffers, and give him long life."
"Jin, protect us, and bless us," the audience chanted. "Jin, bless King Makeen, may he live long, and heal him of his illness."
Tahira bent over the incense and blew it out. Her eye flittered up, and met those fearful ones of her daughter.
Adara swallowed; it was time.
"Today, we will have a slight change of plans," Tahira announced to the crowd, and though they were clearly confused, they knew better than to mutter among themselves during a Ceremony. "Today, my daughter, Lady Adara, shall light the incense, and lead us in the blessing of Huo. Adara?"
Adara shakily stood, reaching out to take the flint and steel offered her.
"Take a deep breath," Tahira whispered, handing her daughter the red banded incense. "Turn to face them, look confidant, and speak loudly. The sparks will be there for but a minute. There is no reason to be afraid."
"Yes, Mother," Adara bowed her head, and turned to face the audience as her mother went to kneel next to Kasim.
In that moment, it was not the judgemental eyes, hundreds of which pointed at her, assessing the girl, and gawking at her scars, that Adara was afraid of. It was the flint and steel, heavy in her left hand that terrified her very soul.
"H- Huo," Adara struggled to keep a straight face, and control the quiver of her voice.
It was with horror that Adara realised she could not recall what she was supposed to say, her mind blank of anything but the forthcoming fire. Stalling for time, she placed the incense in the vase, struggling to come up with words.
"Huo…" Adara's breathing was so fast that it was a wonder she wasn't choking on the air itself. "Huo is the South Wind. Yeah, and, uh… he, he's the one who, um…"
Then it hit her. She remembered what cruel position she had always been assigned to represent around the table. What the Southern Wind's gift was.
"Beauty," Adara bitterly choked out. "He's in charge of beauty and purity. Something that doesn't always go hand in hand, because sometimes no matter how pure or innocent you are, he decides to take beauty from you."
Tahira loudly cleared her throat and shot her daughter a look: this was not an appropriate place for Adara to rant about her scars.
"Sorry," Adara dropped her gaze at the vase of incense. "So, we now light this incense…"
Adara's hands shook violently as she raised the steel above the flint.
All she had to do was strike it.
"To thank him for beauty…"
Israt frowned, watching the Princess, recalling in horror, the young girl's early words.
When I see a fire, I can't breathe.
Adara struggled to inhale as her eyes frozen on the flint.
I feel like I'm bearing a thousand pound weight on my chest, and I'm gasping for air that just won't come.
The Princess was getting whiter by the second, her hands shaking so hard, it was a miracle she did not drop her tools.
The tears clouded her eyes. Adara could remember how the flames felt, burning her face, Jamal and Rayhan laughing as she screamed for help that only came too late.
"And purity…" Adara barely managed out.
My throat tightens and I wheeze, desperate not to die.
Her breathing was erratic as she tried with all her might to get her hands to cooperate.
Just one little flame was all she needed.
"Adara," she heard her mother chide, but she couldn't bring herself to light it.
The room was swirling before her, everything dark and concerning as she began to sway.
I get dizzy, my head spins, and my vision goes black as I shake and use all of my strength to just stay upright.
No help was coming now.
She had to do it.
Barely keeping herself upright, there was a loud buzzing in her ears as she tried to urge her hands to move. The world was shifting around her, and the room filled with hurried whispers.
Behind the Princess, Israt was frowning.
Adara looked half a second away from collapsing to the floor, and being the closest to the girl, the maid shifted her position, ready to sprung to her feet and catch the Princess, should the young girl fall.
The maid looked over at the Masters of the House. Kasim too was starting to rise, ready to save his daughter, but despite the concerned look on Tahira's face, the Lady Princess pulled her husband down.
"She can't do it, Tahira," Kasim whispered fervently, trying to stand once more, but once again his wife held him back.
"She has to face this fear, Kasim," Tahira replied in a mess of a whisper. She sounded angry, commanding, and at the same time as fearful as her husband.
"Not. Like. This," Kasim snapped.
He rarely used a commanding tone with his wife, but as he uttered each word as its own emphatic sentence, he rose to his feet, knocking aside his wife's attempt to lower him.
There was a loud commotion from the audience, and a great shuffling of feet, but neither Kasim, nor Israt took notice of the disruption as they dared to defy the most powerful woman in the kingdom, and rose to their feet.
Suddenly, there was a clattering sound: that of the flint and steel hitting the floor.
Adara was chalk white, gaping at nothing, but fear riddling every inch of her body. Her knees buckled, and people were shoved away as Israt and every member of the Royal family present, rushed to catch the Princess.
She barely registered a pair of arms catching her before the world went black.
"May the Winds, protect us, and bless us, and forever contain us," Rayhan murmured, his head bowed as Sarah and Henry carefully watched him complete his small ceremony. "We thank you, and adore you."
Without a word, Rayhan began to pack away his tools, aware of the two sets of eyes studying him.
"Thank you, Princess Odette," Rayhan said carefully wrapping the four tiny travel vases in cloth and securing them in his satchel. "I completely forgot that it was Ceremony time."
"Oh, it's no problem," Sarah assured the Prince, handing him the four half sticks of incense. "Actually, it was quite fascinating. I've read about Metallite ceremonies, but I've never actually seen one. I love how each stick of incense means something, though I can never remember what the scents for Huo are."
"Magnolia for beauty and lotus for purity," the Prince answered automatically. It was clear that the rituals of the ceremonies had been drilled in him from a young age. "To be honest the best ceremony is the New Moon Ceremony; the rest have too much chanting, and the mooncakes are to die for at the Palace of Ferrum."
"I've always wanted to try one." Sarah smiled coyly, "Any chance you can falcon me one?"
Rayhan laughed, "Sorry, you'd have to be in Ferrum for the new moon to have one. Though I could easily arrange for that, if you wanted."
Sarah's smile dropped, and she sent an uncertain look to Henry.
"You want me to visit Ferrum?" she asked.
"Oh," Rayhan shifted awkwardly, realising his mistake, "well if you wanted to."
Sarah frowned; she had never been outside of Lignum, save for the occasional visit to William's Palace in Arva. But she had never considered wanting to go anywhere else, Lignum was a wonderful country and it was her home. It was large enough as it was, so why would she ever want to go anywhere else? What could Metallum, or Aqua, or even Ignis possibly have that she would want?
"What about love?" asked a small voice in the back of her mind.
In was true, love was the only thing that could ever urge her to leave Lignum. The love of her family, the love of her country, either would get her to set off without hesitation, but the love of a man? If it was a man she loved, she didn't know if she would leave Lignum. If she were to ever marry someone like Rayhan, she would have to live in Metallum, only seeing her home and her family occasionally, and she could never abandon either.
But she had never felt that kind of love, so how could she possibly know what it would make her do?
"The only way Father would ever let me visit Metallum, would be if we were courting," Sarah awkwardly told the Prince.
Rayhan hesitated, "Well… I mean, we could fix that dilemma.
Sarah looked up at the Prince abruptly.
Court him? Hadn't she hated him but a day ago?
But their relationship wasn't the same it had been a day ago. Over the day, Sarah had relaxed in regards to the Prince, and having spent time generally alone on their picnic, Rayhan had in fact proven himself charming and a much better person than she originally thought.
But she had sworn to herself that she would only court someone she thought she could love. And did she love Rayhan? No; of course not. It was much too soon for it to be love. And, yes, she liked him, and maybe it was a little more than a friendly feeling, but was he the kind of man she could fall in love with?
He was like her: kind, attractive, strong, brave, intelligent, and most importantly, mature. Rayhan did not appear to be innocent minded about the world, and if there was one thing Sarah could not stand, it was foolish naïveté based on being stupid enough to think there was no evil in this world. And if anything, it appeared that compared to Rayhan, she would be the more naïve of the two.
They were a very good match; a match Cassandra herself would be proud of.
But could she court him?
"No," Sarah looked down. "I'm, sorry, I can't court you. I mean, I like you-"
"So, then why can't we court?" Rayhan asked. She found his voice strange, it wasn't hostile or unfriendly, but there was the tiniest threat in the strength of it. "If I like you and you like me, and we hold the positions we do, then there's no reason we shouldn't."
"But my father-"
"Does your father get to dictate your personal life?"
"No!" she snapped, echoing the passion she had hen speaking of her father's insistence of her archery practice.
"Plus, wouldn't a courtship strengthen the alliance between Lignum and Metallum?" Rayhan pointed out. "I mean it's not like I'm proposing marriage, but there's a rich history of courtships finalizing alliances."
"It is important that we get this alliance."
"And your brothers and sisters, have any of them been outside of Lignum and Terra? I know that younger blonde twin, Bernard is it? He's pretty stir crazy, and it would be a good idea for Andrew to see some foreign politics in action firsthand."
"It would be a good venture," Sarah had to admit that Caye had always wanted to go off exploring. Richard liked to joke that Caye should have been born with wings. "As for Bernard, sometimes I fear I'll wake to find he's taken a horse and gone in search of adventure. That boy really is going to upset the wrong Star, and get turned into an animal one of these days."
"Well, let's hope not," Rayhan chuckled. "Come on, I'm a Prince that is someday going to be a King. We both know that you're better at this being in charge things than Andrew, and truth be told, I think he might be threatened."
Sarah frowned, "No, he doesn't feel-"
But she stopped; she couldn't say with full confidence that Andrew wasn't threatened.
Originally Sarah had been invited to accompany Andrew when he took audiences with their father, but after one too many times when Sarah had offered better solutions, Andrew had begun to show signs of jealousy.
Then came the day when she and Andrew had overheard a Lord say that it would be better for Lignum if Sarah had been the firstborn, and that she should be Queen.
Sarah remembered the look in her brother's eyes: the pain, the anger, the guilt, and above all, the fear.
After that, Richard had decided that it would be better if she spent audience time with Lindsey, learning how to crochet.
Since then, things had been rather frosty between the siblings when it came to politics, and Sarah worried that part of the reason Andrew floundered so much in King Lessons was because he felt threatened that the title of Monarch would be stolen away by Sarah. It didn't help that Richard showed more outward favor to her, and teach Andrew by challenging him.
If Sarah began to court Rayhan, Andrew would see that she could possibly become Queen of Metallum which meant that she would no longer be a threat. In Elementum a person was not allowed to rule more than one country, regardless if they were a Consort. If Sarah was married to someone like Jamal, who was never actually expected to become King, her position as Andrew's heir would remain, but if she or any of her younger siblings married a King or Crown Prince, they would be bumped down to the final slot in the Order of Succession to after Jane and any children she might have (in the case of Jane marrying a King or Crown Prince, she would retain her position, being the youngest, and Richard having no other family to supersede her in line).
It could only be a marriage to a King or Crown Prince, because at the moment all of the Princesses in Elementum were either one of their sisters, currently married, or not going to receive the throne.
"Just think about it," Rayhan's tone became smooth, as it always did when he was charming someone. "Our courtship would be a great idea for so many reasons. It would benefit Lignum politically, which would mean your siblings would be a lot safer with our help from any threat that may oppose you. You can take them with you to see Metallum and let them live a little in the wall. You can meet my brother, and cousin Adara, and the three of you can team up to complain about me. And it would show your father that he isn't allow to dictate your life. Don't you want that?"
"It does sound good," Sarah bit her lip, guilt and craving swirling in a mass of confused emotions.
Sarah had no idea Rayhan was playing right into her insecurities.
But Henry did.
"Well, Your Highnesses," Henry loudly interrupted, marching over to start cleaning up the picnic, "I think it's time to head back."
"Yes," Rayhan smiled at the Dwarf innocently, holding out a hand to help Sarah up, "I supposed it is."
As the trio began to pack up the picnic, putting food in containers and so on, Sarah thought hard about Rayhan's proposition.
"Okay, if I were interested in courting you," Sarah finally said and Rayhan looked up at her interest, "how could I really consent? I don't know anything about you."
Rayhan smiled, gathering the scraps of food that Henry would dispose in the treeline, "How about I make you a deal?"
"What kind of deal?"
He smirked, "I will answer any question about myself you pose, as long as you answer the same of yourself."
"Anything?"
"Well, anything but what you don't want to answer yourself."
Sarah considered it.
"Alright."
The two Royals bent down and grasped opposite ends of the blanket on the grass.
"First question," Rayhan nodded to Sarah.
"Okay." They folded the blanket in half, gathering their two corners in one hand before grasping the newly formed ones, "What's your favorite colour?"
"Red," Rayhan replied with a slight nod. "Yours?"
"White," Sarah answered, the two folding the blanket in half once more. "Favorite food?"
Rayhan smiled, thinking wistfully of the dish he described, "Chicken with cream sauce, sautéed peas, and onions, over jasmine rice. I think I know yours though."
"Shepherd's pie," Sarah laughed, nodding to the half-eaten container by the basket that had been waiting when they arrived in the clearing, "but only if it has lamb. I don't get people who make it with beef."
"It truly is a mystery. Come on, give me a serious one."
"Alright," Sarah walked towards Rayhan to fold the blanket in the opposite direction. Right when they were face to face, and hands touching as Sarah transferred her half of the blanket into Rayhan's grasp, she asked, "Do you want kids?"
Sarah could barely hold back laughter as Rayhan turned pale, and she used the moment to gather the bottom of the blanket.
"Kids?" Rayhan finally choked out. "Well, yeah, as King, I'll need a few kids. A couple boys, maybe a girl. What about you? Are you like your dad and aiming for your own dozen?"
"Oh, Stars no!" she laughed walking back to flatten out the blanket. "I don't know. I feel mother enough to my siblings, but someday down the line I might have kids if I find the right guy."
"You didn't answer how many."
"I don't know yet, but I definitely want a couple girls. I've dealt with more than my fair share of boys."
"Just when I thought we were clicking," Rayhan teased as they came together again. "Next question."
"Most prized possession."
"My sword," Rayhan answered as they folded the blanket one last time and placed it next to the picnic basket. "Yours?"
"My necklace," Sarah gestured to her bronze and emerald swan. "Can you cook?"
"Absolutely not."
"Me neither," Sarah laughed. "Favorite feature on a person?"
"Wrists," Rayhan playfully glanced at her own.
"Mine is a person's smile. Favorite number?"
"18."
"7," Sarah answered in turn.
"I'm not surprised," Rayhan smirked.
"Odette, I'm going to go spread these in the trees," Henry picked up the plate of table scraps.
"Okay," Sarah waited for him to leave, and then she turned to the Prince. "Alright, I wanted to wait until we were alone for this one. Who was your first kiss?"
"I wondered if you were going to ask that," Rayhan laughed. "I was fifteen and it was one of my mother's servants, a fourteen year old girl named Atiya. It was quick, in a storage closet, and her dad walked in on us."
"Ouch!" Sarah giggled. "What he'd do?"
"Couldn't do anything other than a dirty look because of my station, but I didn't do anything else with her after that," Rayhan admitted. "What about you? Who was the lucky guy?"
Sarah blushed, "No one."
Rayhan's eyes went wide, "No one?"
"No one."
"Wow," Rayhan frowned. "I wasn't expecting that. Saving it for something special?"
"There's never really been any guy I wanted to kiss."
Rayhan took a step toward her, and she did the same. They were standing close enough that they could feel each other's breath.
"And," Rayhan reached out and gently placed a hand on her cheek, "is there now?"
She looked deep into his grey eyes, the colour so foreign, and strange, and forbidden.
"Yes," she whispered.
Without asking, Rayhan leaned in and captured her lips with his own.
For years she had imagined this moment, that of her first kiss. She wanted it to be as if from some epic romance, the sun setting in the background, the rewards of the great adventure they had just taken, laying at their feet, and the kiss perfect, soft, dry lips, the kiss somehow both chaste and passionate as they both poured all of their love and adoration into the act.
What she had was a kiss while her chaperone's back was turned, with a man she had known for only a few days, whom her father and friends despised. Rayhan was the only one putting anything into the kiss, Sarah in more of a state of shock at it actually happening. The kiss was rough and brief; his lips wet, and slightly reminded her of the rubbery way squid tasted.
Were all kisses supposed to feel like this? If so, what was the big fuss over them? This wasn't something special.
There was the sound of some clearing their throat, and the two Royals pulled apart to see Henry watching them with a slight frown and crossed arms.
"So," his tone was both awkward and angry as disapproval shone in his eyes. "I guess Odette has agreed to court you?"
"Oh," Sarah looked at Rayhan. "I guess… Yeah, sure. Let's court."
Somehow this wasn't how she pictured agreeing to court the love of her life.
"Okay, then. If it makes you happy." Henry nervously looked at Rayhan, "If you grab the blanket, Your Highness, I'll take the basket."
"Sure."
As Rayhan went to collect his satchel and the blanket, Sarah went o follow, only to find herself being stopped as Henry gently pulled aside. Sarah looked at him for a second, then lowered her gaze to avoid the disappointed look in the Dwarf's eyes.
"Sarah," Henry dared to whisper her real name, "I don't think this is a good idea."
"I know, Hehnee," Sarah smiled glancing at Rayhan. She attempted to convey exactly how serious she was by using the Dwarf's birth Terran name, rather than the Lignized one he adopted many years ago. "But if it is a mistake, maybe I need to make it."
"You never need to make a mistake."
"Really?" Sarah raised a brow. "Well, tell me this, if you hadn't made the mistake of staying in that Terran inn when you knew Maeveen was ruling with anti-Lignumi sentiments, and stayed long enough for that guy to steal that painting and blame you for it, would you have ever met the Dwarves, and in turn, Theresa?"
Henry sighed, "Maybe not."
"It was a mistake worth making," Sarah said, "and maybe this one will be too."
Henry took a wary glance at Rayhan, "I only hope you're right."
And she was.
Despite all the hardships that would follow in the years to come, Sarah would assert that it had been a mistake worth making, because although Rayhan did not prove to be her true love, it was thanks to him, that she would meet Christian Phoenixflame, the real love of her life.
She just didn't know it yet.
With the threat Jamal posed against her, Aileen really shouldn't have been wandering the halls alone, but it still wasn't her fault that upon finding her alone, he grabbed her, covered her mouth and yanked her into a closet.
"Don't worry, I'm letting go of your mouth," Jamal removed his one hand, but the other stayed locked around her waist. "You'd just bite me away, and not in the good way."
"Let me go or I'll scream!" Aileen struggled in his grasp.
"I'm not going to do anything," Jamal let her go, but blocked the door. "I just thought you'd like one last chance to reconsider our arrangement."
"We have no arrangement!" Aileen snapped looking around her some sort of weapon to protect herself. Spotting a broom, she reached out for it, but Jamal locked a hand around her wrist.
"Then let me put it this way," he yanked her against himself. "All I want is just one little round in your room, and I'll leave you alone forever."
"I don't know what impression I gave you, but I have never let anyone have a little round in my room," she mocked, "and I'm not about to have the first time be with you."
"This is your last chance," Jamal threatened, "say yes now, or I will be forced make you sorry."
"You don't scare me," Aileen ripped her arm out of his grasp. "There's nothing you can do to me."
With that Aileen harshly shoved him aside, and stormed out of the closet.
Jamal just smirked.
"If only you knew."
"Henry, I sent you to stop something like this from happening!" Richard exclaimed.
He, Henry, Elton, Rayhan, and Sarah were standing in the training field where the Dwarf and the King had been waiting for Sarah and the Prince to return. Though every man before the young adults was fuming, Sarah and Rayhan were standing their ground.
"Father, I have every right to make this decision, and I have made it," Sarah answered firmly. "Besides, this courtship will seal our alliance."
"You don't need to worry about our alliance," Richard said.
"Actually, I think she does," Rayhan interrupted. "In the entire time I've been here, you have not once approached me to start negotiating terms with me. In fact, I've been insulted and mistreated. Now, my Father has given me the authority to make or reject this alliance, and with the way I've been received, I'm starting to doubt my wish to make one."
Richard sighed, torn between being a King and a father, but he had a responsibility.
"Fine," Richard said, "I will draw up a proposition tonight, and we'll start negotiating in the morning. But in regards of courting my daughter, I will not allow it."
"Forgive me, Your Majesty, but that is not your call the make," Rayhan's voice was cold. "It is Odette. So unless you can come up with some legal impediment to bar me from courting your daughter, I will."
Richard and Elton exchanged a nervous glance, to which Elton fervently shook his head.
"What's going on here?" the group turned to see Theresa heading towards them, followed by Lindsey, Nathaniel, and Aileen.
"Oh, haven't you heard?" Richard said through gritted teeth, "Odette and Rayhan are courting, and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Oh, congratulations!" Theresa beamed at Sarah.
"Actually, it's not a good thing," Henry whispered to his wife.
"So, uh, Talia," Sarah glanced at Rayhan, "is the issue you were having this morning all cleared up?"
"Oh, yeah," Lindsey blushed. "Theresa and Aileen helped me. Daddy, can Nathaniel and I go for a ride? Theresa said she'd come with us?"
"Sure, Honey," Richard sighed. He leaned over to Elton, "Well, I've lost two of them to boys. You think it's too late to invest in a dragon guarded tower for Harley."
"Richard, there's no such thing as dragons," Elton pointed out. "And everyone knows that griffins are better."
"For the last time, Elton, griffins are not better than dragons!" Henry exclaimed. The dragon vs griffins argument had been raging fiercely between the Dwarves for years.
"Oh, come on! It's a lion and an eagle stuck together, it will peck your eyes out and eat your carcass!"
Just as the lawn was about to break out in a fierce debate of dragons and griffins, Lindsey tucked on her father's shirt.
Richard turned to see Jamal sauntering towards the group, with a smile that meant no good.
"Prince Jamal, for the last time, I will not repeal your restriction on being alone with Aileen," Richard said before Jamal had even come to a stop.
"Oh, well that didn't matter, I got to her early just fine," Jamal smirked.
"What?" Richard exclaimed, looking to Aileen who lowered her eyes.
"I thought you said you'd stay away from her!" Rayhan snapped.
"Oh, I said I understood your order," Jamal replied. "I never said I'd obey it. Besides, I have better idea now. King Richard, I would like to court your daughter, Talia."
Richard burst out laughing, "Like, hell you will!"
"Like hell I will, indeed," Jamal grinned, "because I'm calling upon the Courtship Clause of the Hospitality Customs."
Richard laughter stopped dead, horror in his eyes, mirrored in the shocked members of the group around them.
"You what?" Sarah exclaimed.
"You can't!" Theresa objected.
"Daddy, please don't make me," Lindsey begged.
"Don't worry," Richard patted his shoulder, "he can't do that."
"Actually, I can," Jamal said. "I'm a Prince, and she's a Princess, and the rules clearly state that if an heir of one country calls the courtship of another heir, you're obligated to give me twenty days, which would bring us to the day of your Festival."
"Yes, but they also have to be eligible for marriage for it to apply," Richard corrected.
"Based on whichever country's restrictions are the lowest," Jamal pointed out. "That would be Metallum in this case, and I know for a fact that not only am I above the age of sixteen, but that sweet little Talia became eligible this morning by starting her first course."
Theresa gasped and Richard wheeled on Rayhan.
"You told him!" he raged at the elder Prince.
"How could I?" Rayhan looked just as shocked as everyone else.
"Richard," Henry defended, "he's been with us the whole time."
"He's right," Jamal said, "Rayhan told me nothing."
"Then how did you find out?" Richard demanded.
Jamal chuckled, glancing at Aileen; there was a dark look in his eye that she didn't like.
"Jamal!" Richard exclaimed, "Who told you."
Jamal smirked, and said one word.
"Aileen."
A/N: Just a quick note before we go, because I know I'm going to get at least one review about this. I know in this chapter I state that Metallites never worship, honour, nor cry out to the Stars, and I also know that I have had Metallites say things like "By the Stars" in previous chapters. The reason is that I only developed the idea of Metallites not being so entranced by the Stars and refusing to act like they're Gods, while I was developing this chapter.
This is just one of the many things that have now changed since I wrote the previous chapters. So, instead of continuing on with writing the next chapter, I will take this chance to go back and do an overhaul of the currently published chapters. Hopefully, it won't take too long, and I can then continue writing the next chapter, but I have no estimate to give you.
If you have any suggestions for what needs to be fixed, I will be going over reviews to find things to work on, so all suggestions would be helpful.
I thank you all for your patience, and urge you that, when you see the next chapter posted, to go back and reread the edited chapters so that you don't get confused.
Thank you, and hope you enjoyed the chapter.
P. S. Sorry for doing this when we end with a cliffhanger.