The sun was low in the sky when the wandering pair returned. The Games wore on rather uneventfully and Arshtat found thoughts ever returning to the dark haired fighter from the morning. His wild hair flowing as he side-stepped the lunge of his opponent, the quick and efficient movements that brought his opponent to the ground.
He knows what he is doing, and he is brave enough to face this task on his own. She sighed, heavily thinking about all the nobles who hired others to fight for them. What lazy slobs our people have become… I hope this Ferid beats them all.
Sialeeds slipped quietly back into the royal box and settled near her sister. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were bright.
"What happened after I left?" her whisper pulled Arshtat from her thoughts.
"Hmm? Oh, you got engaged…" she replied, matter-of-factly.
"What? To whom? Why?" Sialeeds' voice raised slightly with each question.
"You've been betrothed. To Gizel Godwin. Because our parents can't deal with a troublemaker like you and want to marry you off…" Arshtat looked her younger and slightly annoying sister square in the eye, and then cracked a smile. "I don't know why, probably so they don't completely alienate the Godwin family after their champion gets stomped in the second round."
"Oh." Sialeeds said plainly trying to keep the grin threatening to erupt on her face at bay as she turned to watch the final match-up of the day.
"So, did you enjoy your walk?"
"Oh yes, very much so."
"What did you two do?"
"He showed me around, we listened to a traveling bard in the main tavern near the arena, and…" she leaned in to whisper to her older sister more of the less than innocent details, details that their mother would have been shocked to overhear her youngest child discussing. Arshtat's eyes grew wide as she listened to the tale.
"Seriously?" Arshtat asked quietly, her cheeks flushing a slight pink. She was both shocked and slightly jealous of her sister's free spirit and carefree life. Sialeeds just grinned.
"Girls," Falzrahm called to her daughters as she stood to leave the royal box at the end of the games. "We will be dinning at the Godwin estate tonight. I expect you both to be on your best behavior."
"Yes Mother." They chorused as they followed her to their apartment.
Arshtat sat staring into nothingness as her mind replayed the one contest that had caught her attention. She sighed heavily as she recalled the flippant grin he had thrown before he left the arena. Realizing that she was pining away for some boy like a common maid, she looked at herself in the mirror.
"Stop it." She commanded of herself. "This is not the way a Queen should act."
"Stop what?" Sialeeds sat down at the neighboring mirror, scrunching her curly hair and pulling it up into a cute pony tail.
"Nothing," She turned back to brushing out her long hair. "Hey, do you remember any of the contestants today?"
"I didn't see half of them."
"Oh yeah… right."
"Why? Sissy has a crush on one of them?" Sialeeds teased. Arshtat blushed.
"I do not." She lied firmly. "I just think that it's rather brave for someone to enter the Games and fight on his own. So many of the combatants are champions hired by or gladiators enslaved by the noble families, that it's refreshing."
"Ooohhhh… it's that Ferid guy, isn't it. Didn't the nobles want to disqualify him?"
Arshtat sighed.
"I want to meet him." She admitted as she quickly braided her hair. "I want to know what made him…"
"You want him to kiss you." Sialeeds teased as she primped further, giggling as Arshtat turned crimson.
"Well, I bet I'm not the only one wishing for a kiss tonight. You going to try and sneak out with Gizel during dinner, aren't you?"
Sialeeds looked hurt as she regarded her sister.
"What would make you think that?"
"Because you've been grinning ever since Mother told us we were having dinner there."
Sialeeds giggled in response.
"And because you like to cause trouble."
"Yeah, that's true. Maybe you should cause a little trouble of your own sometime, Sissy."
Arshtat sighed.
Oh I hope that the Godwin champion doesn't win the Games. Laren is such a bore. Dinner was a chore, Arshtat thought, but it is the kind of task a Queen must suffer through. She was as gracious as she could be to her hosts. Lady Godwin was the only bright part of the evening… well that and when Sialeeds and Gizel were caught by Rubetha in the garden making out. Arshtat pretended to be as surprised as the rest about her sister's actions, but deep down she was chuckling. Leave it to Sialeeds to make a scene on the night her betrothal is announced.
"I don't know why everyone's so upset." Sialeeds stated as she flopped onto her temporary bed in the arena apartment. "We are betrothed after all." She let out an annoyed sigh. Arshtat chuckled.
"It's because that sort of behavior is more suited to a common maid than a princess, Dum-Dum."
"Yeah, well, I'd rather be a common maid then." She rolled over and looked at her sister.
"You were awful quiet during dinner. Still thinking about that guy?" Arshtat had a look of shock cross her face. She thought for a moment, trying to give a reason that did not relate to the Games and the combatant from afar. She could find no good excuse.
"Why am I so transparent to you?"
Sialeeds shrugged.
"Hey, I've got an idea. You remember how Laren Godwin asked for a token of your favor for his champion?"
"Yes. That dolt, like I can show favoritism in the Games." Arshtat looked at her sister skeptically.
"Well, why don't you send a token to this Ferid guy?"
"Sialeeds, I'm not supposed to show favoritism."
"No no, not in support of him, but in honor of his courage and bravery to fight for himself rather than hiring a champion. That would sure shake everyone up."
"It would still show preference." She said sadly. It was a good idea, and she wanted to act on it. She was aching to tell him that she had noticed him somehow.
"Well, send it secretly."
"I can't." She sighed again. "Good night Sialeeds. It's going to be a long day tomorrow."
"Ugh. It's going to be a boring day for me…"
Arshtat could not sleep. Questions about this Ferid guy kept racing through her head. She realized she would not be fit to be present at the Games in the morning if she did not get some rest. And to get some rest, she would have to quiet her thoughts. Slipping quietly out of bed, she lit a small lamp and found some writing materials. Quill scratched parchment as she scribbled a brief note to the young man who had captured her imagination. Folding the piece of paper, she slipped out of the room to find Galleon, her bodyguard and the only Knight she could trust to deliver her message without making a big deal of it or telling her mother.
The middle-aged knight found the young foreigner asleep in the barracks beneath the arena where all the combatants slept during the games. He quietly woke the young man and discretely passes him the note from the princess. Ferid rubbed his eyes as he opened the letter and read it in the dim light in the barracks.
"I'm sorry; I'm having a difficult time with the writing. The language here is different from what I'm used to." He handed the note back to the older man.
Galleon read the note quietly to him.
"I applaud your bravery for fighting on your own, and I would like to congratulate you on your victory in the arena today. I wish you the best of luck as you face your challengers tomorrow. Arshtat, Princess of Falena"
"Is this serious?" the younger man asked quietly, a small hopeful smile turning up the corners of his mouth.
"The princess gave it to me herself." Galleon gave the letter back to him. "Well anyway, get your rest and best of luck tomorrow." He headed to the door.
"Thanks." Ferid sat back on the hard cot. He ran his fingers over the delicate and looped writing. Smiling, he tucked the note into his shirt and drifted off to sleep.
So she did notice me…
