Chapter 14

She had gotten used to life in the palace now. Her mornings were routine as usual, but without Ivan, they were less lively than before. That wasn't to say she didn't enjoy Medina's company. They were closer in age and Medina was less strict when it came to formalities. She also enjoyed gossiping with her. It was through her that she learned that many secrets easily got around the palace through closed hands and meaningful glances.

"So that woman is engaged to Prince Lambert?"

"She's promised to marry whoever becomes the next king," answered Medina. "Lady Falitna comes from another royal tribe. Her marriage is to end an old feud between the two families."

"So it's a diplomatic marriage." Now it made more sense to her as to why Falitna was so hostile. It didn't make it right, but it made sense.

"It's such a waste too," Medina grumbled with remorse. "Prince Lambert is so handsome. He would be a good catch if you could get past his personality!"

"No, thanks."

Her lips curled in distaste of the idea. She didn't dislike him as much as she had before but she was still put off by the memory of their 'skinship' and what it took just to become friends with him. Hopefully he had something less bizarre planned for their time together today. Even though she enjoyed the lavish bath and it left her skin feeling soft and her body relaxed, it was not an experience she wanted to share.

"Medina, about Ivan, is it true that he's as busy as you've been saying?"

She looked away as she asked that question. Apart of her didn't want to seem anxious but another part of her, a bigger and stronger part, was her growing insecurity. She hadn't seen him since the day they went horseback riding. She wondered why he would suddenly stop looking after her. When she asked herself what between them had changed between then and now, the answer was obvious. She didn't want to think that he had used and then jilted her.

Medina smiled a wide nervous smile. She of course had heard rumors. In fact she had started a few of them. But when she had accepted this position from Ivan himself, she didn't think that he would be throwing her in the middle of the drama.

"He is," she nodded. "He manages his majesty's affairs and the princes as well. He does have assistants but if you were to ask any of the staff, it's always him over our shoulders one way or another…"

She made a grim expression as she recalled a few unfond memories of previous encounters with him.

"He just appears before you know it. We don't know when or if he ever takes his breaks. He starts work earlier and gets off later than any of us too…"

Alex tensed up as she listened to her go on about what it was like to work under him. Although by now it had become less gossip and more like a ghost story. She wouldn't have believed it if she had never met him before, but knowing him as she did, she couldn't tell what was exaggerated and what wasn't.

"I often wonder if he even sleeps at all. Or if he's even human. Did you know there are stories about these kinds of things? Where people die but they continue doing their work long after they're dead because they don't know it. No one else notices it either until..."

"Stop it," she cried. "That's too scary!"

"The senior staff would tell us that if we messed up at work, he'd show up behind us and drag us to Hell. No one knows where his living quarters are so maybe he really is -"

A knock on the door interrupted her and caused them to both jump in surprise. It was a messenger with a summons from Prince Lambert. He had finished his own morning routine and was requesting her company for the rest of the day. She took the news in stride until they told her told that she'd was required to bring her own 'lady's maid'. Medina's unsettled reaction made her wonder what unusual thing Lambert had planned this time.

They were led to the palace garage and from there, she got in to what could only be described as a crossbreed of a tank and a limousine. Medina was taken to another car to share the ride with Lambert's own team of valets.

"Er, Mr. Lambert," she greeted him reluctantly. It felt ridiculous for her to call someone her own age mister. "If I may ask, what is all this?"

He was regally dressed and surrounded by papers. They were spread across his lap and the seats next to him. Even when he was away from his office, he brought his work with him.

"I am making several goodwill appearances at various sites throughout the kingdom," he answered without pausing. "You are accompanying me as a guest so please behave as expected."

She smiled but she wanted to choke him. He had just brought her along to be an accessory. The question she couldn't answer was why. From what she knew, usually important persons were presented with their spouse or partner, not their friends. Of course she thought that maybe this was his way of trying to win her favor for the bracelet.

The first place they visited was a park that was home to a large flower garden. As soon as they got out of the car, they were swept up by a crowd and taken away to a building off to the side. She found out why she had to bring Medina along; she and the hands of other maids worked quick to change her clothes, hair, and makeup. Her modesty was saved with a dress slip as they worked to make her camera ready from head-to-toe before they allowed her to step a foot outside.

As repugnant as it all was, she felt sorrier for Lambert. Over on his side of the room, not only was he being treated like a display figure, but through it all, he still had to turn his attention to the papers held in-front of him. After they were both prepared, they walked out of the building and into the garden.

The sight of it was enough for her to forget her previous discomfort. There was nothing but colorful bushes of flowers in every shape and color as far as her eyes could see. Some were arranged into cute shapes and patterns, others grew wild and free. It was as if the scenery had come out of a storybook. Lambert lightly took her arm and pulled her along for a stroll.

"This is called the Valentine Garden," he explained. "There are over 45 million different species of flowers that grow here and it is one of the largest gardens in the world."

"It's breathtaking…," she answered nervously.

Despite the supposedly romantic setting, they were far from alone. There were crowds of people with cameras standing just behind barricades and guards shadowed their every step. Lambert was more than aware of the presence and refused to let her forget it either. She could hear it in his voice that he was putting on a show. In-between reciting facts, he smiled for the cameras, and waved to the crowds.

Just as she thought, she was only brought along for the ride to make him look better. She was to be by his side for pictures, to ask him questions when prompted, and to behave as a refined lady doting on her partner. On the bright side, she did enjoy viewing the garden. She was near to crying with joy when the public kept confusing her for an actual princess. It still begged the question of why had he brought her and not Falitna. As far as things royal couples do together, this seemed like it would be one of them.

They were walking arm in arm back to the car when she happened to catch sight of Ivan. She had turned around for just a moment to wave goodbye. There he stood with the rest of the security team. She was certain their eyes met. She looked right at him and, smiling, she began to say hello. He turned his face away before she could mouth a word. Then he was gone from her view completely as the car door shut in her face.

Lambert paid her no attention and was already going on about the next place they were to visit. Unlike him, she couldn't multi-task quite as well. The smile was wiped off her face and her mind was far away from him and his royal duties. It was only when she didn't answer him that he took any notice of her change in mood.

"Alex," he snapped.

"Yes?"

She swallowed her dismay as she listened to what Lambert was saying. Perhaps Ivan just hadn't seen her as well as she thought. Perhaps he had been distracted. She shook off her feelings and thought it best to first survive the day.

The next stop was a sports stadium. Again, they changed clothes before stepping out into the venue, this time in casual wear befitting the arena. He explained to her that it was a redevelopment project. It had only held local events before but now, it had been completely redesigned to host international events. These upgraded features included a bigger field, more seating, and a completely independent power source and backup generator so that even if the city experienced a blackout, next to nothing would disturb the stadium or its spectators. Even the land around it had been rebuilt from a quiet neighborhood to a posh city of high-end boutiques, luxury hotels, five-star restaurants, and ceaseless entertainment venues catering to rich tourists and high-society locals.

As he went on describing the area's radical transformation, she was filled with a mixture of awe but also fear at wondering what had happened to the neighborhood's previous residents. She knew gentrification when she heard it. She knew that having a trendy new building right next door meant that your rent suddenly cost more and not being able to pay it meant being thrown out or arrested. Not long after, your old home was torn down altogether and replaced. Building by building, the neighborhood you had grew up in became unrecognizable and there were no more cute landmarks like 'the tree where you had your first kiss' or 'the playground where you got your first nosebleed'. And it was all done in favor of earning more money; by raising prices and catering only to the people who could pay such demands.

Her mind turned to Prince Jun and his own redevelopment project. Was he really saving his old neighborhood or just doing the same?

Everything but the stadium had been opened to the public, Lambert explained. Its debut had been pushed back due to multiple problems but he wouldn't say what they were. All she needed to know was that their public appearance was to bolster morale from the public and inspire the investors to loosen their wallets.

She and Lambert were introduced to the athletes and their coaches of the country's national team. After shaking hands, they were escorted to their seats and watched the teams put on an impromptu soccer match. She had never been interested in sports but Lambert followed the game like a cat with the way his eyes were glued on the ball. From his expression alone, she was half-convinced that he was soon going to hop over the divider and referee the game himself. He offered to give her a short explanation of the game but refused to look elsewhere. She passed on the offer and silently watched alongside him.

After the match, they were invited down to the pitch to play. Much to her surprise, she discovered he had a bit of athletic ability. Neither of them could do much in the clothes they were in, but he showed off what he could by juggling the ball on his feet and knees. He may have just been smiling for the cameras but she wondered if he was actually enjoying himself as he laughed and got caught up in the excitement of a battle of who could do the best tricks along with the athletes. She had to admit that it was amusing that he only consented to signing autographs and taking pictures with the team on the condition that they return the favor.

"It's for Alvah," he claimed, as he was awarded his own autographed jersey.

"But it has your name on it?"

"An honest mistake, I'm sure. It would still be rude not to accept it."

"Right...," she giggled.

Then they were off to visit an open-air market in a part of the city that had been historically preserved. It was a maze of narrow alleys, crowded side-walks, and densely packed shops. The buildings had doors inside of doors and impossibly placed windows. It was filled wall-to-wall with people carrying unmarked bags and packages of all shapes and sizes. It was a place that the security team had lovingly come to hate.

They were forced to walk hand in hand as the guards boxed them in. Despite it, Lambert still did his best to leave a good impression. He visited various stalls to buy trinkets and make small talk with the vendors. She tossed her head like an impatient child as she looked from one brightly colored display to the next. It was her first time in a souk and although she was glad to be lead around, she couldn't stop herself from being distracted by every thing they passed and disappointed that they couldn't stay longer to see more.

The next location they went to was an old military fort that had become a museum. A guide told them stories of the fort's history and how it had been used as both a palace and a prison for past rulers. To her surprise, the list of incarcerated royals included none other than his reigning majesty, King Tamir. She started to ask for more information but then Lambert gave her a small pinch on the hand. He shot her a warning look and she glared back with a hard smile. He was reminding her that she wasn't allowed to speak freely so long as there were cameras in front of them.

She was forced to pay more attention to the pictures and documents on the wall to try and find out more. She couldn't read Arabic but she did recognize the pictures of Tamir. She had to admit that even in his younger years, he looked handsome. There was always a woman beside him in every picture and more often than not, it was never the same woman twice. She did recognize one of the women as Jahara's grandmother; the name underneath read 'Mariyah'.

They were changed into formal attire after the tour. Lambert gave a speech to the press in the museum's lobby. While he talked about the proud past and bright future of the country, her job was to sit nearby and look pretty. She glanced around to see if she could spot Ivan out of the crowd but no matter how hard she looked, her eyes couldn't find him again. At the back of her mind, she wondered just how much truth there was to Medina's ghost stories.

The last stop on their tour was a mosque for evening prayer. She stepped out of the car and looked around, as if searching for some supernatural entity. They had arrived just in time to hear the evening 'Adhan', the call to prayer. It rang out over the area and never before had she believed in the tidal wave of sound until then as the voice washed over them and rang out over the city. To be surprised by such booming depth was startling but not off-putting. It was entrancing, somewhere between a song and a chant.

More and more people appeared as it continued. Instead of just her and Lambert, their entire entourage, even the chauffeurs, joined them. Everyone was required to change into demure clothing before entering. She was briefly reunited with Medina, who helped her put on the proper attire and briefed her on what to do once they got inside.

They all removed their shoes before entering. The air inside was quiet and it was to stay that way. There was no speaking, no body contact, no crowds, and no cameras. Visitors who did not observe the faith were to sit quietly in the back of the room during prayer, while those who did went toward the front of the room to pray. The men and women were further separated; she sat with the other women who had come just to observe and the men sat on the other side of the room.

Even though she didn't understand the meaning of what was going on, or even the words of the prayer being said, her eyes still took in the grace of the mosque. It was a serene place that eased the spirit. There was no describing the precious feelings that had gone into its construction. Its grandeur had no rival that she had ever seen.

They left after prayer and returned to the palace.

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

Lambert's question came as a surprise. He had put away the papers he had around him earlier and was staring at her impatiently.

"Yes, thank you," she answered without thinking about it. Even though the day hadn't been what she expected, she did have some fun. He breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing her answer.

"You didn't do all this just for me, did you," she asked quickly.

"I didn't," was his abrupt response. "I don't often work away from the palace. When I do go into the city, it's only for business. These media appearances were to boost tourism. I thought it best to bring you along as proof of how inviting our country is to foreigners."

She nodded in agreement. That sounded about right and it answered the question of why he didn't bring Falitna. She also had to laugh at the memory of the beginning of her trip. As a tourist herself, the threat of execution wasn't what she thought of as inviting.

"But I did say I would make time for you and I have. I've kept my word."

She was again confused as to why he seemed so pleased with himself. He was the one who had made the promise; it was not as if she had particularly asked for it. She was starting to admire his arrogance though. It was the same way you felt about a puppy who had been caught misbehaving; it looked so proud of itself that you couldn't stay mad for long. She smiled in disbelief that he was growing on her.

"Well, thank you again. I did enjoy getting to see so many different places. I appreciate that you thought to bring me along."

"I've already said there's no need to thank me." He sounded bitter but looked away as he blushed. "I'm only doing my duty to the country. Besides… as a friend, I enjoyed your company."

She didn't move a muscle but she could feel the sentiment resonating in her, he was pitiably cute. He had sealed himself in her mind as dumb but cute. There were still her feelings of contempt for him but those fires were slowly starting to die down.

"I'm glad I could help. You're a lot easier to get along with when you're not being condescending."

It took her a moment to think of another way to say 'have a stick up your ass'. Instead of taking offense as he normally would, he let a snort of laughter and smiled.

"As are you, when you're not acting childishly ill-tempered."

"For a spoiled prince, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?"

"Not for a hotheaded commoner, I'm sure. Did I mention how absolutely tactless you are," he added angrily.

"No, you didn't," she said in fake surprise. "Was it because you were too busy stroking your own ego?"

"Have you looked in a mirror at all lately?"

They went back and forth trading insults all the way to the palace and their spite faded with each barb. So this was going to be their relationship, friends who hated each other. She supposed it wasn't as bad as it could've been. He had little in the way of recognizing his own faults. He was prideful and aggravatingly pompous but at least they could now joke about it. She supposed he had to have at least one redeeming quality.