Chapter 3
Anger put her into a deep sleep. She thought she must have still been dreaming when she woke up to the noise of a rooster crowing in her ear. The shock threw her from the bed and onto the floor. From a crouching stance, she peered over and saw Ivan standing there holding a cage with a rooster inside.
"Is that a rooster...?"
She already knew the answer was yes but couldn't think of any other way to ask just what the hell was going on.
"Good morning, and yes it is."
He cleared his throat as he took a step back to hold the cage up better for her to see.
"I was doing some research about your home country and came across an interesting statement that said a large majority of the population keep roosters and that their crowing helps you wake up in the morning. I was hoping that by getting you one, you'd feel more at home."
As the cockerel crowed once more, she narrowed her eyes and let her jaw drop open. It was such a stupid move and yet, he seemed quite pleased with himself. It was an impressive bird, honestly. It was a rather big one and looked quite healthy with bright red skin, and shiny brown and black feathers.
"We also have alarm clocks in my country," she told him. "And the people that keep roosters aren't keeping them for pets. They're either for eating or for fighting."
Ivan went from smiling at the bird to staring at her with a wide expression.
"Game fighting is illegal here," he said with a hint of fear.
"They also poop everywhere and then fling it." She pointed this out just as the bird began scratching at the bottom of his cage.
"I'll get rid of it immediately," he said without hesitance. He held the cage at arm's length and rushed from the room before she could suggest they fry and eat it.
She shook her head at his curious behavior. She wondered what would possess him to get a rooster, not to mention just where he got one from so fast. She went about what was now her morning routine of getting ready. By the time she was done showering, getting dressed, and dressing her hair, he had returned.
"Ms. Alex, please allow me to apologize," he began.
"For the rooster?"
"I suppose that as well. More importantly, I want to apologize for what I said last night."
She took a seat on the bed and stared at him with her arms crossed and her full lips pulled into a thin line. She did feel an apology was owed but wasn't sure if she was ready to accept it.
"Go on," she answered.
He was surprised by her sudden commanding air but didn't let that derail him from the task at hand.
"My words were arrogant and hurtful and I am ashamed of them. You are right, that I am no one to judge you from on high. Especially since like you, I too was once a foreigner to this country. I should be, and I will try to be from now on, more compassionate towards your situation. Will you please forgive me?"
"Wait a minute," she stomped her feet and stood up in objection. "You weren't born here, so you know what it's like to have trouble getting used to new stuff, but you gave me such a hard time about it!?"
"Yes," he answered with a sigh and a nod, "and I'm apologizing. I am sorry I was so harsh."
She clenched her fists at her sides and growled in defeat. She then crossed her arms over her chest and smiled.
"Fine. I'll accept your apology, but you have to do something to show you mean it."
"Oh," he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You have to go all day today without scolding me," she said triumphantly. "Only then, will I fully believe you!"
His shock turned into a bemused smile at her request.
"Very well. I shall do just that."
"Yeah, we'll see," she smirked. "So what are we doing today?"
"As you have another joint dinner tonight, we'll be going over table manners once more."
"I thought so."
Although not how he had intended it, his callous words had struck a chord with her. The king had been gracious enough to excuse her mishaps but she couldn't expect him to excuse her every time. Her problem was her ignorance; she had no previous exposure to this country or its customs.
"We'll need to go to the kitchen than," she said. "I think it would be better for me to try again at eating that kind of food so I can learn the rules that go with it, right?"
He nodded along, slightly surprised by her forethought.
"Arab cuisine is the cultural food of this country," he answered. "It's commonly served at the palace. European and Asian dishes are as well." With a bow he added, "I must apologize again, as it was my assumption you'd be served something from a familiar palette."
She shrugged it off with a smile.
"If I try a bit of everything then I won't be surprised no matter what the menu is. So let's get started."
"And while we're at it, we shall work on your social skills as well."
Her confident air turned demure and uncertain. He opened the door to her room and held it, again waiting for her to pass first.
"You shall walk a ways ahead of me. I will be just over your shoulder to instruct you but if you've properly remembered all I taught you, you shouldn't need me at all."
"You can't go fifteen minutes without making a crack at me, can you," she said as she walked out into the hall.
"I am sincerely wishing you the best," he smirked. "Your request was that I not scold you. You said nothing of sarcasm."
"That will be next," she grumbled.
She practiced her walk down the empty hallway and took in a deep breath of air before stepping outside. This debut into court life as he called it, were her first steps into the palace courtyard since she had arrived. It had only been a few days but she realized she hadn't set foot outside of her room unless it was to eat. She gave herself a pitiful laugh as she wondered just how much longer she'd have to be confined for 'lessons'.
As they walked, she kept a smile on her face and greeted everyone just how he had taught her to. There was the polite courtesy and patiently following the rhythm of the conversation as it went from introductions, quick small talk, and then farewells and partings. As it was considered rude to brush by anyone without acknowledging them, she had to stop and greet everyone she passed.
"You're doing very well," said Ivan after they had gotten out of earshot of some minister or another.
True to his word, he was her shadow and trailed behind her a few feet away. He was the voice in her ear that gave her the names of everyone she met, told her which titles to address them by, and which greeting was most appropriate. She didn't even have to turn her head or stop to talk to him.
"This is exhausting..." She was happy at his compliment but let out a tired sigh.
"That's only because you're doing introductions. You only have to do it when meeting new people. Then when you pass them again, a short 'hello' and a smile will suffice."
"My mouth is a little dry..."
"Then step off the path here to your left. Just a stroll away through this garden, there should be a gazebo. I'll bring you a glass of water while you sit and rest."
As she turned through the garden, she could see the gazebo in the distance. It was a white wooden structure surrounded by flowery bushes that were kept at bay by its low walls. She quickened her pace towards it but stopped upon seeing two women having a picnic under its shade.
They sat serenely composed on a blanket. One woman, whom she correctly guessed was a maid of some kind, sat just to the right of the other. She smiled politely at the women and curtsied. The women laughed and nodded their heads in return.
"Ivan, someone's already here..."
"She is one of his majesty's wives," Ivan gasped. "She's waving you over. Stay calm."
Her expression turned to shock and her smile became uneasy. She was fine meeting lesser members of the court but a queen was another matter entirely.
She was dressed in a splendid bright kimono that gracefully draped her frame. Her black hair was pulled back and done in an ornate bun. She had deep brown eyes, slender but not thin lips, and a kind face that softened her appearance.
The woman attending her was also dressed in a kimono but with a simple pattern and neutral colors. Her short brown hair hung down to her shoulders, with the very ends being pulled back into a low ponytail. Her eyes were a lighter shade of brown and already laughing as she motioned for her to come closer.
"I'm going to cry," she said under her breath.
"Just do as I taught you," he whispered. "You will address her as Princess Aiko. Her attendant is Lady Masao. They are Prince Nagit's mother and second aunt, respectively."
Alex nodded her head and at once bowed deeply as she greeted them both by their full titles. Princess Aiko nodded to Alex then turned and spoke to Masao. Alex watched the exchange and it was then that she understood that Princess Aiko didn't seem to speak English.
Lady Masao translated for her, turning to Alex and speaking on her behalf.
"Her royal highness returns your greeting and is pleased to make you acquaintance. She's heard a great deal about you from Prince Nagit. Tell us, how do you find life in the palace?"
Her mind drew a blank and it took everything in her not to start with 'uhm'.
"It seems...," she began slowly as she thought it over, "very difficult. It is not at all what I'm used to but I'm learning how to adjust to it. It's certainly the most beautiful place I have ever been. But you're so pretty, you fit right in like something out of a fairy-tale."
She stopped and blushed at her own words. Now Ivan would break his promise and scold her for being too forward with the princess, who was sure to be offended. She waited as Masao repeated her words and watched a blush come over her face. But instead of anger, she gave an embarrassed smile and spoke softly.
"You're much too kind," spoke Masao. "She hopes you'll continue learning but reminds you to find enjoyment as well."
"Thank you very much," she said with a relieved bow, "and thank you too, Lady Masao."
She bowed again in parting and both ladies nodded their heads, a sign that she had been given permission to leave their presence. She turned around to check Ivan's face for some sign of how she did when Prince Nagit ran towards her. The quiver of arrows was slung across his back and the bow in his hand said he had just come from archery practice.
"Miss Alex, how are you today," he sang in his exuberantly cheerful voice.
He laid down his bow and quiver and took a seat by his mother as Masao began serving him tea.
"I'm fine, thank you very much for asking," she said back, catching his infectiously good mood. "I'm happy to see you're well."
"And where are you off to," he asked.
"I'm going to the kitchen. I'm going to practice more on table manners and things like that so dinner won't be as awkward as last night."
She stood proud of her determination and he stared at her with a bewildered curiosity before turning to speak to his mother. Her response to him broke his confusion and as he nodded in understanding, he turned back to Alex and smiled once more.
"Well I'm wishing you good luck, okay?"
"Thank you!"
With a happy bounce, she walked away from them and back to the main road to continue her way to the kitchen. She felt better now that she knew someone was cheering for her.
"Ivan, how did I do," she asked happily but still nervous.
"You were excellent," he replied. Like her, the encounter seemed to brighten his mood as well. "Princess Aiko is a gentle woman. It is where Prince Nagit gets his kindness from."
"So... Are all of the king's wives okay with each other?"
"Not at all," he answered with a sudden somberness. "It's far too complex and dramatic a topic to discuss right now."
"I thought so," she said, giving him a smirk before stopping to think just where her own mortality came into play. "Wait, but if one of his wives likes me, does that mean the others won't? Why is she a princess and not a queen? Is there a queen? Is there more than one queen at a time? Do they take turns... you know, doing their 'wifely duties'?"
"Miss Alex, if you don't want me to scold you, than please don't give me a reason to. Such a topic is too crass to discuss."
She was tut-tutting his refusal when a hand suddenly grabbed her arm. She turned in surprise not only as a natural reaction but, as he had told her, the audacity of those who would touch a lady without introductions or permission wouldn't be treated kindly in the high society life of the palace. She had pulled her arm back and was ready to let her fist fly but Ivan grabbed her first and pulled her behind him.
The assailant and would-be victim was a short, round man with tanned complexion, darker then the king's but not as dark as her own. He had light brown hair, with short ends sticking out from under a white kufiyah, a headdress of square cloth with a black circlet braided all the way around of it. He had a portly frame and a scraggly beard that only covered his jawline.
"Minister Balam, may I help you?"
Ivan addressed the man with a cold voice and even though he tried to remain passive, his facial expression was clearly displeased. She wondered if he really took that much of an issue with her being grabbed or if something else was at play. She was soon to find out as the minister put his beady eyes on her.
"No, no," he responded. "I wish to talk to that girl. She's a guest of his majesty, is she not? Then it's only natural we should make acquaintance."
"Allow me to introduce you-" Ivan began cordially only to be cut off as Minister Balam waved him aside.
"I can introduce myself just fine," he interrupted. Stepping around Ivan, he linked his arm with hers and began pulling her away, out towards the garden.
"We shall only be a moment. You can stay there, no need for you to follow her like a vulture!"
Alex looked back at Ivan in utter bewilderment. He remained where he stood but had the darkest look on his face that she had ever seen him give. It made her worry more about what kind of trouble she had gotten into now. She turned back around and took in her surroundings and wondered just where Balam was taking her, so far from the main road and further into the gardens.
"So you're a guest of the king," he asked. "Do you have any familial relation? Or are you another concubine?"
"No, Sir," she answered, further unnerved by his line of questioning.
He stopped and stared in feigned indignation but kept hold of her.
"You mean you really are some urchin he plucked off the street then? You poor girl!"
"Yes, well," she smiled and tried to ignore that he had just called her an urchin. "His majesty has been very nice to me."
"With your pretty face, I'm sure he has," said the minister in a huff. "And with that bracelet on your arm! To think that you, a commoner and a foreigner, are to choose who shall be the next king! Isn't it ludicrous?"
Although she wanted to agree that it was crazy, she was further offended by his comment about her looks putting her in the king's good graces and bit her tongue.
"I'm sure his majesty knows what he means to do," she lied. The king seemed like a nice man but she was unsure how much confidence to have in him and his decisions.
"Ha! You may be a foreigner but I'm sure you have eyes that can see," he snapped back. "The king boasts of such a large harem but not a single one of those women are fit to make a proper queen! His sons are all half-bred and I'm certain none of them will be accepted by the people, yet they squabble over the throne anyway. The king himself is flippant towards the tradition that has ruled this land for years! His reign has been a marked decline of even common decency!"
"Is that so," she said in a clearly irritated tone.
It was the only thing she could think of to say that wouldn't make Ivan scold her for obscenity. Even if it was none of her business, she didn't think it right that this man should be throwing around something as derogatory as the word 'half-bred'.
"It is," he replied. He lowered his voice to a whisper and pulled her closer, even as she tried to lean away from him. "Let us keep this conversation between ourselves. I will relieve you of the burden of that bracelet."
"I don't think so," she answered and held it tight.
He grabbed her wrist with a heavy hand and used a much tighter grip that pained her.
"Let me go," she shouted.
He ignored her and pulled harder, even as she dug her heals into the ground. He continued on as if nothing were amiss about his behavior but angrily continued his appeal.
"Think of the position you're in, commoner. What do you want? Money? Land? Jewels or titles? I can get you anything, make sure you're well taken care of for the rest of your life but only after you give me the bracelet!"
"Stop it," she screamed louder. "I said let go!"
As he tried to pull off either the bracelet or her hand, another hand joined the fray. It came from behind her and grabbed Balam's wrist, digging its fingernails into his skin.
"We're not forcing ourselves on a lady, are we?"
Balam tore back his hand and they both stared in awe at the figure that protectively draped itself around her. The nonchalant yet lethal sing-song voice belonged to Prince Melchiorre. He had one hand on her hip and the other held her formerly imprisoned wrist as he inspected it for bruising.
"What unattractive behavior, Minister Balam," he said softly. "Is this how we treat guests?"
"Prince Melchiorre!" He worked hard to overcome his shocked expression. "I was... showing her the gardens. She tripped and I grabbed her to keep her from falling. You'll have to forgive me if I was heavy-handed in my eagerness to help."
"I see," he answered. He lightly dropped her wrist, but kept his arm around her. She was still in a state of shock that he had saved her.
"Then all that detraction of his majesty I heard must have been my imagination, right?" He let out an airy laugh as he accepted the excuse but his eyes were far from the same emotion. "You're free to go, Minister."
"Yes. Thank you, Prince Melchiorre."
Balam bowed graciously and quickly to the prince, and took one last look at Alex before leaving. With him gone, she breathed a sigh of relief and relinquished herself from Melchiorre's grasp.
"Thank you, Prince Melchiorre."
She bowed her head and closed her eyes for just a moment. He put a fingertip to her chin to lift her gaze.
"Are you all right," he asked with genuine concern.
"I am now, thank you. What were you doing all the way out here?"
"Oh, just taking a stroll," he said with another fake laugh. "Admiring the flowers in bloom."
She narrowed her eyes in suspicion and peered around him just in time to see some half-dressed woman scurrying away through trampled bushes.
"I'm sure you were..."
"You're very much like a flower in bloom yourself. How does that line go? Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
She jumped and stepped aside as he whispered in her ear.
"Uhm, no," she answered. "You shall... not."
"Then how about I compare you to a summer's night," he winked.
"... If you'll excuse me." She took off running through the garden in the direction she remembered having come from. She spotted Ivan, who received her with outstretched arms.
"What happened to Minister Balam," he asked. His voice sounded concerned but still furious.
"Prince Melchiorre took care of him," she gasped, nearly doubling over. "I think he did. He ran off when he showed up."
"I see." His voice softened but the steely unnerving tone remained. "Miss Alex, You don't want me to scold you and yet you run across the palace grounds?"
"I'm sorry. I was also running from Prince Melchiorre."
"Oh. Well that's understandable. I'm afraid he can be rather forward,."
Although the mention of Melchiorre was all it took to excuse her behavior, he reminded her they still had lessons to get to. She straightened up and they made their way to the kitchen, with him drilling her on social mores all the while.
Once they arrived in the kitchen, he, with the assistance of the kitchen staff, began teaching her about the culture of the country through its food. She learned that lunch was the big family meal and dinner was usually light snacks before bed. When not using cutlery, it was rude to eat with your left hand and even left-handed people were taught to pick up food with their right. She sampled various dishes while practicing her posture and etiquette all the while.
She considered most of what hit her tongue to be strange in taste but not at all disagreeable. Ivan disapproved of her method of quickly swallowing what she didn't like and instead, taught her the polite way to spit it out onto a napkin or simply move it to the edge of her plate. Again, they practiced until sundown and the joint meal was announced.
She walked through the doors of the dining hall with confidence. When her eyes met with those of Prince Nagit, she gave him a quick and thumbs up. Not even the smirk on Prince Lambert's face could dash her high spirits.
Lambert cleared his throat and stood with his hand outstretched to her.
"Our guest of honor," he said. "Late as usual. But please, sit by me."
She took hesitant steps toward him but did her best to hide her suspicion.
"Well, thank you."
The strangeness of the situation wasn't lost on anyone as they all watched with apprehensive looks. All except Prince Jun, whose smile was anything but innocent.
"Think nothing of it," responded Lambert. "As an apology for my rudeness yesterday, I've arranged a special meal. As encouragement of our exchange of cultures, tonight's dinner will be cuisine from my mother country, France."
"That sounds lovely. I'm sure I'll enjoy it."
She immediately wondered if it was poisoned. However, she stared back at his haughtiness with her own. Ivan had gone over French etiquette with her and although she didn't remember everything, she at least knew what cutlery went with what meal. This knowledge alone fueled her thoughts of victory that if nothing else, she would at least eat.
"Yes, I hope you will."
Lambert gave a clap of his hands and suddenly the dining room was a flurry of white coats as servers brought out shiny metal dishes and trays and placed one in front of each person. Even though eating wasn't a race, she waited with baited breath to show off her proper manners and hopefully shut him up once and for all. When the cover of her plate was lifted, everything stopped dead.
"Escargot," said Lambert. "Roman snails sautéed in butter and garlic sauce. They're a great delicacy."
She looked at her plate in horror. There were six of them forming a neat circle; turned over roasted shells, with their sickly green insides completely exposed as they gave off a pale greasy scent. Her expression slowly turned to revulsion as it hit her nose.
A cracking sound caught her attention and she turned to see Lambert staring at her with a malicious grin as he made a grand display of eating. The cracking had come from the breaking of the delicate shell as he picked it up with a special pair of tongs that had arrived with his plate.
Then he picked up a fork and slowly stabbed the soft flesh. It pulsed back against the prongs and was punctured without a sound as its insides pooled out. He pulled it from its shell and it hung there on his fork like a trophy, a limp and shapeless dead meat that had once been an entire animal.
He put it in his mouth, on his tongue, relishing in the taboo. He ate with his mouth closed but made sure to give her a graphic description of its evisceration through his muscle movements as he chewed dramatically and slowly.
She watched transfixed and disgusted, her stomach churning sour with each action. Somewhere along the way, her reaction was slowly becoming more violent. She was sweating, her breathing was ragged, she felt light headed and weak. The sickness turned her pale as her blood flushed from her face.
She tore her eyes away when he was done and back to her plate. There they still sat, the ghastly cauldrons of barely living slime. She clamped her mouth shut and turned toward the other princes and the king with frantic eyes. They were watching her just as carefully, with wide eyes and bated breath.
Even Prince Alvah, who had already begun eating, was thoughtlessly doing so as he was captivated by the scene. This dare between Lambert and herself had become a fascinatingly grotesque display of cruelty and sadistic amusement.
Only Nagit's movements gave the sign of any time having passed in this warped theater. He slowly shook his head no, his mouth slightly ajar.
"Is something the matter," asked Lambert in a twisted playful tone. "You don't want to be rude do you?"
Before he could laugh in triumph, she bit the bullet. With sudden hands, she picked up the shell, picked up a fork, stabbed the thing and hurriedly put it on its way down her throat.
"I accept your apology," she answered as she dropped the shell onto her plate and picked up a napkin.
King Tamir chuckled to himself as he pulled a pocket book out of his breast pocket and updated the score. So far, they were evenly matched in temperament. He shrugged in an 'it can't be helped' way as he leaned to his right to share the results with a curious but not surprised Prince Melchiorre.
Lambert stared at her in shock. She stared back with a smug look. Abhorrent manners aside, she had called his bluff.
"That was delicious, thank you. What's next?"
Her patronizing tone was cut off by a sudden internal unrest. Her stomach had entertained a lot of new and unusual tastes but took a stand at this textureless addition. It grumbled as it turned about this way and that. She swallowed hard in an attempt to calm it but that did nothing as her mouth only salivated more in preparation for the purge of this threat.
"Ms. Alex, are you alright!?" Nagit looked on with a worried expression.
As if his voice was the signal, she clasped her hand tightly over her mouth, pushed back her chair and quickly ran from the room.
"Who knew commoners had such delicate stomachs," laughed Lambert.
As Nagit clenched his teeth, Alvah suddenly grabbed his own stomach and dropped his head on the table.
"Alvah," called Melchiorre, "what's the matter?"
"I don't think it's just a commoner problem," he said as he winced through the pain. "These aren't sitting right here either!" Before any comfort could come to him, he too jumped up and ran for the exit, "I need a bathroom!"
King Tamir relaxed his shocked expression and shook his head in disbelief. This wasn't a victory for Lambert as much as it was for the snails. As Lambert returned to his plate with a satisfied smile, Nagit stared him down with a stern look of disapproval.
"You're a bully, Lambert!"
The unfamiliar anger in their youngest brother's voice made them all stop and stare. King Tamir continued to see no need to intervene as the dinner theater continued. Lambert sat still in shock and then hastily rebuffed his the accusations.
"I did nothing," he responded. "It's not my fault if she can't stomach our food. A commoner like her doesn't belong in the palace anyway!"
"You're a bully and a jerk, but don't be a coward too!"
The dining room fell silent and all commotion stopped. Everyone froze stock still as Nagit called him out. He stomped his feet as he stood up, leaning on the table to impress his words upon his self-important older brother.
"What you did wasn't just mean but was also unfair! She may be a commoner and it may be that she doesn't belong here but she's trying to learn our ways! She spent all day practicing so that everyone could have fun eating dinner together! Then you go and pull this stunt to embarrass her and ruined it! All because she won a fight you started! If you can't lose graciously, then you shouldn't pick fights in the first place!"
Prince Nagit picked up his napkin and threw it down onto his plate as he stood up straight.
"If this is how you say you're sorry, then I don't accept! I'm not eating with you until you offer her a real apology!"
The look on Lambert's face as his brother walked away from him while ignoring the calls of his name was a mixture of astonishment and contrition, feelings that had been previously unknown to him. King Tamir made another of the already numerous tally marks under Nagit's name in his score book.
Prince Melchiorre was next to push his chair back from the table. He wore his ever present smile and stared absent mindedly at his plate. His thoughts were on his encounter with Alex in the garden. It had been the only time he spent with her and he was starting to think that he should change that.
"He's right, Lambert," he said aloud. "Your petty squabbling was entertaining but there was no need for you to drag us all into it like this. I neither approve of your guise of calling it an apology. You've tainted our integrity as well as your own. I'm afraid I must agree with Lady Alexandra; for someone who so resents the insult, tonight you really were an ass."
Lambert gave a sidelong glance at his elder brother with bitter disdain. If there was ever a last person he wanted to hear a lecture from. Melchiorre placed his napkin neatly on his plate and stood. He held onto the edge of the back of his chair and lingered a moment after pushing it in.
"Your majesty, I will be taking my meals in my room until Prince Nagit returns to the table."
"Understood," he answered the king, permitting Melchiorre's request to leave. It piqued his curiosity that Alex should have made quick friends and a quicker enemy amongst his sons. This game was getting interesting and he was sure it would grow more so as time went on.
Prince Chezem quietly placed his still folded napkin onto his plate as he next rose from the table.
"Are you supporting her too," Lambert asked in derision.
Chezem returned his look with his usual emotionless expression.
"No. I just don't care for French food," he stated plainly.
King Tamir nodded his approval as Chezem left. He already knew that he would take any excuse to not eat most European food. As the prince was lactose intolerant, nearly everything had a way of disagreeing with his stomach. They always sat there refusing to leave. The last time indigestion had made him ill, he had been bedridden for almost a week.
Lambert dropped his fork, threw himself back in his chair, and sighed. The only ones left now were his father, himself, and Jun.
"Aren't you going to scold me as well," he asked his father.
"Eh... I don't know, your brothers kind of already did that for me."
King Tamir took a moment before taking his eyes off his book. Food was proving to be quite the dark horse. He tucked it away and stared at his son with softer eyes than his brothers.
"If you become king, you can neither look to me nor them to give you approval. Your decisions, their benefits and their consequences will be on your shoulders alone. With that having been said, you'll also have a lot of people who'll smile in your face with knives to your back. You don't need to go making enemies unnecessarily. Do you understand?"
"Yes, father," he answered in a mournfully dutiful tone.
"Good," nodded the king. "Whether your actions were right or wrong, whether or not to heed your brother's words is up to you. I shall leave you to it. Tomorrow, I'll be leaving for a meeting to our neighboring country. Wish me well."
"Have a safe trip, your majesty," said Lambert.
"Return in good health, your majesty," said Jun.
Both princes stood and bowed on ceremony as their father rose from the table and bid them goodnight. After he left, Lambert let out a heavy sigh and leaned forward.
"And what do you have to say," he asked sarcastically to his only remaining company.
Prince Jun dabbed his mouth with a smile and placed his napkin beside his plate as a sign of his holding no animosity.
"Me," he replied incredulously. "Why would I have anything to say? I only suggested the menu. You're the one who ordered it."
As Alex ran through the halls of the palace, a pair of arms swept her off her feet. She still held her hand over her mouth as Ivan cradled her against his chest.
"Hold on," he shouted.
He ran much faster than she could, she closed her eyes to shield herself from the nausea of the blurred hallway as he sped by.
He of course knew the palace much better than she did and rushed to the nearest vacant room. He carried her to the bathroom, set her down next to the toilet and even stayed, knelt by her side with a steady hand on her back as she emptied the contents of her stomach. He breathed a sigh of relief that they had made it in time to shield her from further embarrassment.
A gentle knock on the door frame announced the entrance of a maid. She had been standing next to him in the wings during the banquet and he ordered her to retrieve a glass of water and some stomach medicine the moment he saw Alex's face turn green. She held the items on a tray and stood in the doorway awaiting his next order. He nodded his approval and to wait for further instructions.
Alex had no idea when or how she got to the restroom but knew she had never been happier to feel the cold hard tile of the floor as she dove face first into the toilet bowl. She heaved not only the snail, but also everything else she had eaten that day. When she had no more to give, she gave the toilet a final flush and kept her head bowed in shame. She felt Ivan rubbing her back and lifted her head to apologize through her tears. He was sure to scold her now and she couldn't say she didn't deserve it.
He took a washcloth from the sink and dampened it to wipe her face but it did little good. She couldn't stop crying and even mumbled through the cloth as she tried to apologize profusely.
"I'm sorry... I messed up again."
"Shh," he whispered in his attempt to quiet her.
He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her as she cried into the cloth. He lightly stroked her hair, the first pass had been to slyly check for a temperature. The others were out of a genuine desire to soothe her.
"It's alright," he said softly.
"I can't do this!"
"That's not true at all. For now, just settle down."
"But Ivan!"
He stopped her by turning the cloth over to a clean corner and gently wiping her face once more. He tucked his hand under her chin and lifted her face. As she sniffled to hold back her tears, she was taken aback by his staring. He looked sympathetic but almost strangely happy.
"Listen to me." He kept his soft voice but spoke with a firmer tone than he had before. "It couldn't be helped, I understand. You'll be alright. I will see to it. So please don't cry."
She nodded her head even though she didn't understand his meaning. She had done something horrible; shown disrespect to his majesty by running out with her mouth covered like that. To turn away food in disgust and show revulsion in front of her host, even she would understand if the king thought her helpless after that. She had no idea how Ivan meant to fix it or even if he could. Did he mean to take the punishment in her place?
These thoughts tumbled around in her head, which he had pulled to rest against his chest once more. It was then she noticed the compassion he had shown her. He was sitting next to her on the floor. Not kneeling or leaning, but in fact sitting, with his legs flat against the tile and his back against the sink's bottom cabinet, holding her in his arms like a child. She felt one hand stroking her back and the other, every now and then, would wipe away her tears. This was far from the stern reaction she expected. Lighter transgressions had gotten her insulted but this...
"Do you think you can drink a bit of water," he asked as he motioned for the maid to come forward.
She bent down and held out the tray as he took the glass of water and put down the cloth in its place. With a new free hand, he grabbed the saucer that held two small pills.
"Yeah," was her weak reply. "I can take it."
"Good."
She took medicine and reached out her hand for the glass of water. She wondered if he meant to pour it in her mouth himself from how firmly he held onto it. He had started to tip it in her direction when there was another knock at the door. This time it was a male servant, another butler but not as highly ranked.
"Excuse me," he said with a bow toward Alex. "Pardon my intrusion. Sir, his majesty would like to speak with you right away."
"Understood," he answered. "I'll be right there."
Ivan passed the glass toward her and then stood. He gave parting orders to the maid to look after her.
"Once she's ready accompany her straight to her room. She's to rest immediately."
"Yes, Sir," she answered with a bow.
He gave her a nod and took a final look at Alex. Then he and the other gentleman left for the king's chambers.
With Ivan gone, the maid took a step toward forward. She was a tall young woman, with her dark brown hair worn in a loose braid. It complimented her olive skin and brown eyes, which were framed by perfectly groomed brows.
"If you are ready, Ms. Alex, I will guide you back to your room now."
Alex finished the glass of water with careful sips as she felt the fluid jostle around in her empty stomach. She rose from the floor and after thanking her, they made off toward her room. She kept her head down but as it was late in the evening, it seemed most of the palace was already asleep. They didn't even pass any servants on their journey through the halls.
They made it to her room and Alex immediately went to crack the window. Her body still felt warm and she hoped she wasn't becoming sick instead of just nauseated. After standing in the relief of the fresh night air, she turned to her with a smile and thanked her again. The maid shifted her weight from one foot to the other and returned her smile with a nod.
"Excuse my speaking out of turn but I just want you to know that I'm cheering you on."
Alex stared at her in confusion.
"Cheering for what," she asked.
"You were invited by the king to choose his successor, weren't you?" The maid returned her exprssion. She was surprised to find that Alex hadn't realized the power she held and excitedly explained it her. "To be given such an important task like that... In the end, you could become an important adviser or a diplomat. You could even use your position to marry and become a princess!"
Alex stared at her in wide-eyed shock. She had never thought of how her position looked to other people. To her, it just seemed pitiful to live on someone else's generosity. But this was the king after all; she was grateful, although the punishment of death loomed ever in the back of her mind.
"Thank you," she smiled nervously. "But I don't think I'm doing a good enough job to become any of those things, especially after tonight."
"Yeah, that is true," she answered in quick agreement. "But it's only been a little while! Don't give up. I know you'll do well if you keep trying! You put up with Hurricane Ivan this far and I've never seen him hug anyone before!"
She put her hand over her mouth in shock at her own words and hurried to correct her words. "I mean, except the princes when they were little."
Alex smiled but averted her eyes as she blushed. She didn't know why she was suddenly embarrassed. Was it because someone else had witnessed Ivan's affection? Or was it because its unusualness had been confirmed? Also she was definitely going to call him 'Hurricane Ivan' now, but thought it might be dangerous to do so to his face.
"Thanks. Uhm... what's your name?"
"I am Medina," she said with an instinctive bow.
"Thanks, Medina. I'll keep trying my best!"
"Yes," she answered enthusiastically. "I mean, thank you, Ms. Alex. Good night."
"G'night, Medina. I hope to see you again."
Medina left the room with a smile. She too smiled as she grabbed her nightclothes and headed to the washroom. She was sweaty from her panic and couldn't go to bed without a least a shower. But her smile came from the pleasant thought that she might have just made a friend. It was nice to know that she elicited some reaction other than Lambert's condescension or Ivan's lectures. But he hadn't lectured her at all tonight. Or was it that he hadn't had the chance to lecture her yet? She brushed it off as something she'd find out sooner or later as she went to bed.
It was far late in the night when he returned. He slipped into her room and stood in the darkness as he watched her sleep. His own fatigue called him but he wasn't so stupid as to climb into bed with her. Usually, this kind of news waited until morning but having seen her tears, he wanted to give her firm reassurance. He allowed himself a seat on her bed and gently shook her shoulder as he called her name.
"Miss Alex... Alex... Alexandra!"
She awoke groggy and grumpy, as was clear from her glare.
"Ivan... What? What time is it?"
"I'm sorry to wake you," he whispered as he took a stand. "I just wanted to deliver some good news. His majesty was worried about your health. If you're still feeling ill at all, please let me know at once."
"I'll be okay," she mumbled as her head hit the pillow.
"I'm glad to hear it. Now, I have some good news."
He held up a pink envelope with a broken wax seal of a chrysanthemum.
"I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of answering this invitation for you. Princess Aiko has requested that you join her for tea."