After breakfast, Prince Kóen walked to his chamber and sat on his bench that was next to the window that overlooked the south mountains. His little sisters, Zúfi and Medizi, played tag in the foyer. Medizi claimed she could scream louder than Zúfi, who didn't argue. The little princess had such a loud voice, their mother and father could hear her across the palace.
"Medizi, why don't you and Zúfi go look for Níya? I think she said she was playing 'conceal-and-locate' with Tarási. Don't you think that'll be fun." Kóen loved his younger sisters, but this morning he wanted to be alone, even if it means lying to Medizi.
Zúfi gave her brother a stern look, but understood Kóen didn't want them around. She grabbed her sister's hand and left the chamber.
Since Níya wasn't at breakfast, Kóen assumed she was up at the Temple. Usually she would leave before sunrise and be back by meal time, but today was different. Níya had always been different than anyone he knew, so it shouldn't bother him that she might still be there.
Kóen heard shouts from below. He looked out his window and looked down to the Palace Courtyard. A crowd of people surrounded what looked like a Dákon caravan. A second later, Zúfi opened the door to his chamber.
"The Royal Dákon Family has arrived early. Mom and Dad want us to go down to the courtyard and meet them. Níya still hasn't come down from the Temple. Mom is very upset. The Dákon Royals want to see Níya now, you know, because that's why they came here. Hurry up. Medizi is already down there." Zúfi always got very agitated when things didn't go as planned.
She ran out and went down the stairs to the square. Kóen put on his royal robe and followed her. He almost dripped on the first step down. The Dákons were not expected to arrive until next week. The halls were full of servants rushing about the palace trying to get everything prepared for the guests. Two maids carrying clean sheets ran into each other and almost fell over. Everything was chaotic.
Kóen reached the courtyard and walked calmly towards his parents. He saw Mású and Tarási in the front of the crowd, admiring the Dákons' beautiful horses. (The valleys of Dákó have the finest grazing land in all of Kabíli and they produce the best horses.) His mother stepped forward to greet the honored guests.
"Welcome King Átris, Queen Lúrahí, Crown Prince Tás, Princess Hessak, and Prince Myhus. I hope your journey had no difficulties." Queen Casta placed her right hand on her left shoulder, dragged it down her arm and placed both hands in front of her with her fingers from each hand touching the fingers of the other, as it was the traditional greeting of the Dákons. Her family welcomed them in the same way and then the Dákons repeated the greeting with their left hand on their right shoulder instead to accept the greeting.
"Queen Casta, King Sívak, we have traveled from our home land to wish a long and prosperous rule to your daughter, the Crown Princess Níya. If I might ask, where is your heir?" King Átris was a slightly impatient man, but he had no excuse to be upset at this particular time. It was evident that Casta and Sívak didn't know how to answer. Kóen stepped forward to explain the situation.
"Your Highness, we had no idea you were to arrive early. My sister went up to Takadí's Temple this morning and has not returned. When she is back, you'll get to see her. She shouldn't be much longer."
Prince Tás grabbed the reins of a horse and stepped toward the Súri Royals.
"We have brought a present for Princess Níya. This horse, Calé, is the finest our herds have produced. If you don't mind, I'd like to personally place her in your stables since the Crown Princess is not here."
From the crowd, Mású came forward and bowed low.
"If I may, I'll escort you to the stables, Your Highness."
The two young men disappeared into a hall way and the people in the crowd went about their daily business. Servants approached the royals and stated the guest suits were prepared for the Dákon royals. Casta and Sívak led Átris and Lúrahí to their chambers and left the children to play at their games.
"Sissy, I wanna see the mines now! Can we go see them, please?" Myhus tugged on Hessak's tunic.
"Alright, Myhus. Prince Kóen, would you mind giving us a tour of the iron mines? My little brother has wanted to see it for weeks."
Kóen didn't like going into the mines, but Zúfi did. She knew the mines better than most miners. She volunteered to give them a tour and they went on their way.
"Come on, Medizi. Let's go find Níya. She's probably back from the Temple by now."
"You said she was playing 'conceal-and-locate'."
"Yeah, she was playing it with Tarási at the Temple. Didn't you see Tarási in the crowd with Mású? That means Níya is probably back. Come on, let's go."
Medizi followed her big brother up the main hall. She was happy she was with him and not in the dark mines. Zúfi and Níya were the only Súri Royals that liked them. Kóen would rather read his novels. Casta and Sívak worried every time their children were down there. Medizi thought there were more fun places to play than the mines.
The courtyard quickly cleared of towns people. Storm clouds formed overhead. The Dákon servants were relieved they reached the palace that day. They did not want to get caught in a storm, but they were comforted by the gentle breeze the storm was bringing. It reminded them of home.