Chapter 5

"Do you need help with your chopsticks?"

"I practiced a bit so I think I should be okay. But if I make a mistake, please correct me!"

Nagit seemed disappointed by her answer but smiled none the less.

He and Alex were seated alone at a small dining table in his quarters. He, like the other princes, didn't have just a bedroom, but had an entire apartment to himself. It was decorated in much of the same style as his mother's, serene and minimalist. The difference was that it was undoubtedly masculine while still being airy and bright.

It was the perfect environment for relaxing and with his well-played charm, she felt she could easily let her guard down. At least she did when it came to friendliness; there was no way she was going to forget her manners. She was by no means a master when it came to using chopsticks but at least made sure to always keep her arms off the table and to never pick up more than she could chew.

"Prince Nagit, what do you think about becoming king?"

"I won't," he answered. His smile stayed but his eyes and sudden bluntness alerted her to his foul mood.

"What do you mean," she asked. "You don't want to become king?"

"Whether I want to or not doesn't matter. I won't. It's as simple of that."

"I don't understand. I thought-"

"I know you don't understand," he snapped back. "That's why I'm telling you it won't happen!"

She was stunned by his sudden outburst and said nothing else. She couldn't even meet his eyes anymore and stared only at the plate in front of her. She had obviously touched some kind of button.

He softened his glare and sighed in disappointment. It was a fight to both keep his cheery image and be assertive. It never worked for him the way it did for his brothers, Melchiorre and Jun. Instead, no one took him seriously until he had no choice left but to lose his temper. Even when he tried to be mature, everyone still regarded him as a child. And even when there were times he wanted to be a child, he was always reminded that he was a prince first.

"I'm the youngest in the line of succession. I've already accepted that one of my elder brothers will become king instead of me. I'm fine with it, really. So you'd only be wasting your time considering me."

He spoke confidently and he hadn't lied when he said that he had accepted his place. She couldn't argue with him even if she wanted to. She was too unfamiliar with the rules of succession to say anything against him. But she couldn't leave him with such a forlorn look on his face.

"I think," she said carefully, "if you tried, you could become king."

"You don't believe me, do you? Even after what I just said?!"

He sat irritated that she was just about to give him the same speech everyone always gave him about 'trying his best', while ignoring the reality he had just pointed out.

"I do believe you. I'm just saying, so what if your brothers are in line before you? Just because you're younger doesn't mean you're less than they are. If you try, you can surpass them-"

"I'm never going to get the throne," he shouted over her.

"You don't have to have it to be better than them," she screamed back.

Their exchange had been loud enough to be heard down the halls. She clamped her hand over her mouth and stared in wide-eyed fear. She hadn't meant to yell at him. He stared back with the same surprised expression. Just a moment before, his ears were red from anger. There was a panicked knock on the door followed by Ivan's voice as he entered.

"Master Nagit, is everything alright?"

His eyes were already surveying the scene, unsure of what to expect. Alex kept her head down, trying her best to turn invisible by sheer thought. She had yelled at the prince. He had been nice enough to wish her well and invite her to dinner and what had she done? He had even confided in her and she had yelled in his face.

To their surprise, Nagit erupted into peals of laughter. It wasn't the polite excusable laughter that the ladies of the court used to conceal their gossip. This was genuine 'something is so funny that it's too funny' type of laughter. The carefully controlled prince put both his hands over his mouth as he tried to come back to his senses.

"Master Nagit?" Ivan raised a brow and stared carefully at him. "Should I call for a doctor?"

He shook his head and coughed to clear the remaining giggles from his throat.

"That's okay. I'm fine."

"Very well. Before I take my leave, will you be needing anything?"

"I'm ready for dessert," he said with a clap of his hands.

"Right away, your highness."

Ivan bowed and left the room. When he said 'right away', he meant it. Hardly any time had passed from his dismissal to his return, followed by another servant with a cart of assorted Japanese sweets. Speedy service meant nothing to a staff that had prepared well ahead of time. When they were alone again, and with something sweet on her tongue, she finally gathered the courage to speak again.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you," she said with a bow of her head.

"It's alright. I yelled first after all. And it was kind of funny."

"Funny?" She wasn't sure what he thought was fun about it, but the mere mention of it was enough to get him giggling again.

"I guess... Don't you think you were acting a bit silly just now," he grinned as he explained, "but your face was so serious!"

Even though she tried to wrap her head around it, she still couldn't understand him. Wasn't the succession important? She did crack a small smile; perhaps he was right and they were both taking it too passionately.

"By the way," he added, "you're eating that wrong. Yokan is supposed to be sliced into smaller pieces, not eaten like a candy bar."

"I'm sorry!"

She immediately sat the dessert down, nearly dropping it on a plate, and began looking for a knife. He only laughed again as he watched her. He sat aside his own dessert of choice to help her out. He found the knife first and began cutting up the gelatinous brick. It was only for etiquette as he let her have the whole thing and wanted none for himself.

"Has Lambert apologized yet," he asked.

She looked at him for a hesitant moment and thought of how best to answer.

"Yes, I think so. He brought roses to my room as a gesture."

She forced a smile even though she disagreed with herself. While maybe he had meant it as an apology, she hadn't accepted it as genuine on his part. But there was nothing to be gained if either of them drew out the conflict longer than it needed to be. She decided to just bury the hatchet in a shallow grave for now.

"Then I have to apologize to you too, at least a little bit."

"But you didn't do anything?"

"That's not entirely true," he blushed. "I got angry and after you left, I scolded him. Everyone thinks I was defending you... and I was, but I was also defending myself too."

She put a slice of the yokan in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

"I guess you can already tell that nativism is kind of a problem," he said with a sad smile. "My father doesn't pay it any mind and he tells us not to either. But that doesn't mean we don't hear the things people say about us, especially when he's not around. My mother, because she's both a foreigner and doesn't speak English well, gets treated worse than I do."

Alex swallowed hard as she listened. So this is what Minister Balam meant when he said none of the king's wives were worthy of being queen, nor his sons worthy of taking the throne. It saddened her to learn that he wasn't the only one in the palace with such a mindset.

"Learning the customs and adjusting to the culture here was hard for her too," he continued. "When Lambert said 'you didn't belong', it just reminded me of how unwelcome we were made to feel. I know he didn't mean it that way, but it still made me upset."

She nodded that she understood but didn't know what to say. She had no way of relating to him and couldn't even say she understood what it was like, to be made to feel as if you don't belong in your own home. She did the only thing she could think of to comfort him. She got out of her chair, walked around the table, and hugged him. She felt she understood his circumstances a little better. It wasn't that he did or didn't want to become king, it was because of the attitude of the court towards him and of his heritage that he felt he couldn't.

"I still mean what I said," she told him. "Even without becoming king, I think you'll still beat everyone's expectations of you. So considering you for the throne is a definitely not a waste of time!"

He was surprised by the gesture but not unpleasantly so. He wrapped his arms around her in return. His face scrunched up to hold back his tears. When he could hold them no longer, he held her tighter and laughed.

It was at this second occurrence of such a disconcerting noise that Ivan decided to end their dinner. The hour was getting late and, in his words, the day ahead would be a busy one that required a full night of rest.

As soon as Alex reached the door to her room, she stopped in the doorway. There wasn't a corner, desk, windowsill, or alcove that didn't have a vase filled with roses. It was all at once charming, scary, and very pungent. Lambert had found a way to make her uncomfortable even when he wasn't around.

"Ivan," she muttered.

"Shall I make a date for you and Master Lambert?"

He still asked although at this point, there wasn't much of a choice.

"Yeah. Prince Nagit gave me some things I want to talk to him about anyway."

She sighed in defeat and threw herself face down onto the bed. She hoped she wouldn't smell the flowers in her sleep. It was far later in the evening than she expected and likewise, dinner was more tiring then she thought. She didn't so much as yawn during the walk back but as soon as she hit the mattress, sleep was the only thing she wanted.

Ivan didn't need to say a word. All the same, she knew he was standing over her with a look of disapproval. With an aggravated sigh, she got up from the bed and went to grab a change of night clothes from the dresser.

"You are worse than my mom," she grumbled.

"I'm not surprised you still need your mother to correct you," he replied as he pulled back the bed sheets.

The curtains were already closed and the temperature already set for the night, leaving him with not much else to do. He went over everything again and straightened what minuscule disarray he could find just to keep her company.

"I don't," she answered. "I'm just saying at least she lets me sleep."

"Forgive my prying but may I ask, just what happened between you and Master Nagit?"

"Yes, you may!"

Her face was alight with mocking joy. As much as he corrected her grammar, she jumped at the first opportunity to correct his. She didn't expect him to laugh but figured he could at least find it a little funny. The straight expression on his face said he did not.

"We ate dinner" she shrugged. "We laughed, we yelled, we cried. Not all in that order. It's kind of hard to put into words."

"I see..." he answered, wondering if maybe again, the food was to blame. Surely no one was having a rougher week than the kitchen staff. "Do you think you're any closer to fulfilling your duty?"

She finished dressing and stepped out, immediately hopping on the bed. Her actions were playful but she was in serious thought.

"I don't think so. But," she pointed an accusing finger at him, "you are going to help me. I have questions and you're not leaving until I have answers... to my questions. Until you give me the answers, I mean. I'm going to ask you questions and you're going to answer them."

"Yes," he interrupted with furrowed brows and a shake of his head. "I know what you're trying to say."

She narrowed her eyes and wanted to poke her tongue out at him but honestly felt she should be saving her luck, especially now that she might need it in just a few minutes.

"Good. You'll want to be sitting down then."

He took a seat in a chair opposite the bed and was curious at what was to come.

"First question, the king's wives..."

And just like that, it was gone.

"Miss Alexandra, I've already told you. We are not discussing his majesty's marital affairs."

"Well not the sexy parts," she objected. "But some of the other stuff is still important! That's not what I wanted to ask about, anyway. What I want to know is if the king has so many wives, he has to have more than just six children, right? So how is it that there are only six princes eligible for the throne? How is it decided that who gets a shot and who doesn't?"

He held up his head with pride.

"So you are finally taking this seriously? In that case, I'll be more than happy to answer your questions."

"I've been serious about not dying from day one," she said flatly.

"Now I do admit that it can be complicated. The easiest explanation and," he looked at her with a deadly serious stare as they met eye to eye, "you must never repeat this to anyone, do you understand?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"Good."

He took a look at the door and again at the window. She decided that whatever it was that scared him was worth being afraid of and she too looked around the room for a possible eavesdropper. If it demanded this level of caution, was she ready for this kind of secret?

"The word 'concubine' is not allowed at the palace. Say it to the wrong person and even I won't be able to save you from the trouble you'll be in. Are we clear?"

She nodded again but was a little confused. The deadly secret was just a word?

"So..." she said slowly, "this is because..."

"You could say that its use has fallen out of favor. The word 'wives' is used instead as a generalization," he explained. "However, not all of the king's wives have have the same political power."

She crossed her arms as she thought it over. No matter the status of any woman the king married, they were all equally called wives, but they weren't all held in the same favor like wives usually were. Concubines was what they were by definition but the word had become taboo.

"Ninety-nine is still a big number."

"The harem has held ninety-nine women once upon a time," he corrected her. "Most of the women residing there are his majesty's female relatives. When you subtract them and dismiss the women with no status or authority, the number of suitable companions for his majesty becomes strikingly smaller. There's also mortality, divorce, disgrace, and exile. After all that, the actual number of available women residing in the harem is exactly… twenty-four."

While Ivan seemed pleasantly surprised, she was slightly mortified that the list had included 'mortality' of all things.

"And there being only six princes...?"

"The reality is that of these women, only a handful have ever seen his majesty's bedchamber. Those whom he favors are the only ones that are granted privileges that can allow them to be truly called wives. One of these privileges is that their children are eligible for the throne. The princes you've met are from his majesty's six favored wives."

She nodded that she understood but honestly still had trouble grasping the concept. It seemed that despite being said to have a large harem, King Tamir only slept with the women he personally selected. If he liked them enough, then she supposed it was like winning the lottery or access to an exclusive club. You became more important, were treated better than the others, and any children you had were considered royalty. It was certainly a strange kind of intimacy.

"What about the women who aren't his favorites, what if they have kids?"

"Tradition dictates that daughters are ineligible to ascend the throne," Ivan answered. "So they are of no concern to the succession and aren't considered heirs."

"Well that's not fair," she sulked.

"It is tradition," he shot back blankly. "They are not stifled from holding other powerful positions of court however. As for the offspring born from less popular wives, there are those who have taken lesser positions of court or as ruling governors of fiefdoms throughout the country. They thought it better to take an assured position of power than to await an opportunity that would never arise. And again, there's abdication, mortality, disgrace, and exile. That leaves only the six princes you've met. Any more questions?"

"Why is mortality on the list twice!?"

"Some are natural causes," he said in an attempt to calm her down. "Things like fatal illnesses or difficulties during childbirth and infancy. Some tragedies cannot be avoided."

"That implies that some aren't natural causes though," she pointed out.

"Well there are also the occasional murders, assassinations, accidents, and... mysterious disappearances. You look surprised?"

To say she looked surprised was an understatement. The look on her face was tranquil for lack of being able to show any other emotion. But in her eyes, it was mixed with the shock of learning that life in the palace, even for the princes, was fraught with danger. There was also a heavy uncertainty and mistrust at the casual and slightly amused way Ivan had listed off such violent causes of death. And she, a now presumptive heir, was alone in a room with him.

"So there are six eligible princes out of a total of...?"

"Thirteen."

"Oh my god!"

"Before you worry yourself to death and I'll have to add that to the list," he said with a smile, "you should know that most of his majesty's children have chosen abdication. Neither you, nor Prince Nagit, nor any of the other princes are in any danger."

She relaxed a little at hearing that. In her head, she had imagined some sort of extreme death match that she was now unwittingly apart of. She breathed a sigh of relief at knowing that the would-be heirs were just impatient, instead of homicidal and possibly coming to kill her in her sleep to eliminate a potential competitor.

"That's good to know. I feel better."

"Immediate danger is what I mean."

"Don't do that," she whined, shaking her fists at him.

"I apologize," he said with a voice that was definitely not apologetic. "I am only having a bit of fun. I understand that it is frightening. But I promise, I'll protect you."

He removed his glasses and without them, she could his face was less malevolent and more mischievous then she would've thought. They made him seem softer and almost human. He took her hands in his and without breaking eye contact, brushed his lips across her knuckles. Just watching made her hair stand on end.

"You trust my word, don't you?"

"Yes," she nodded gently.

"Good. Now get to bed. Tomorrow is a full schedule and as much as everyone would like to believe, I, to the contrary, am not a wizard with time."

He rose from his seat and dropped her hands. He grabbed her shoulders and shooed her to the bed. Then he turned to head for the door.

"Before I forget," he said as he took one last look back. "I beg of you, my dying wish if I am to ever be granted one, is that you wake up on time."

"Hi mom, when'd you get here," she shot back as she climbed into bed.

"Goodnight, Miss Alexandra."

"Godnight, Ivan."