We Meet Again
Merlin's ward: Thank you for reviewing. I'm hoping this chapter is kinda what you had in mind. I know what you meant about chapter 1, but I don't really know how to change it while sticking to the story. Any ideas?
So...on with the show
I was being followed. I didn't really know that for a fact, but I was quite sure.
Maybe it was just the fear consuming me making me imagine things, but I didn't think so.
I tried to comfort myself. Maybe it was Lucinda. Or a simple peasant. At least I knew that it couldn't be Arae. She would have told me by now, she had a weapon and I didn't. Besides, I couldn't have caught up to her yet, Lucinda hadn't allowed it.
I turned around. I couldn't see anyone. But I could hear another horse. And I was assuming that it came with a rider.
Maybe someone was watching out for me, like Lucinda had suggested. That would be good.
It turned out she was right. It appeared I was getting that a lot lately.
'Mubdi!' I cried.
'Your highness.'
It felt good to be called that again. It showed respect, that people acknowledged me.
I really had changed.
'You must tell what had happened.' I was curious to know how he had escaped.
'I will, in due time. But you need to know I have been sent on a mission to see if you are alive, and I will soon have to return to the others.'
'The others? How many are there. Could they help me to Ontio?'
He shook his head grimly.
'There are only 3. This is our only horse, and I feel that you would be safer as you are. Where is Arae?'
'I will tell you after you tell me of yourself.'
'I see I cannot win this battle. I will tell you the story of my survival, but be warned, it is not pleasant.'
'I have seen many horrors these last few weeks, so I'm sure I will be fine.'
Mubdi took a deep breath and began.
'Your highness, when I warned you to run, was because of a disturbance from the ogres.'
I tried to show surprise, but I had already known from Falada that that was the case.
'Go on.'
Mubdi frowned at my calmness.
'Perhaps you have experienced worse than I thought.'
'I will answer that question when I have heard the rest of your story.'
He smiled.
'I watched you leave, but then hurried off to help my friends. Good lot of help I was.' His tone had turned bitter.
'There were three ogres, and they were talking to the others. They had put everyone in a trance, and no-one heard my arrival. I threw a rock at one of their backs, and ran quickly. Ogres are slow things you see. When they turned around I grabbed two others and ran. They could have followed us, but I think they decided that we weren't worth the effort.'
I didn't agree with the ogres, Mubdi had saved my life.
'We walked for a while, trying to track you down. Unfortunately, the other two fell ill. They quickly recovered, but they hadn't the strength to go on. They told me to continue, and I did. I found my way to you alright, but I have to get back to them. They had decided to only wait a week for me. It has been three days now. If I don't get back in another four, they will send a message to the queen informing her of your death.'
I now felt fear for my mother's sake.
'I must keep riding; I have had a long enough rest. Come to me when you have received news from my mother. I should be at the palace.'
Unless...no, I wasn't going to think of that right now.
'Yes, your highness. I will see you as soon as I can'
He left without another word. I hoped for him to return, he was the only person I knew of that could help me.
I realised that I couldn't let anyone know my true identity. Though the thought had evaded me during my ride, I knew that I was still in danger.
I couldn't tell anyone who I truly was.
I swore on the name of my mother, that for both my own good and the good of others, I would never tell anyone my true identity. I would have to work this out on my own.
From midday onwards, I started frantically searching for any sign of the city. I'd hoped my sense of direction hadn't been wrong.
Occasionally I would urge Southwind to hurry, but overall I was to occupied thinking about what I would do when I got there.
I wouldn't be recognised as the princess.
Finally, I caught glimpse of the palace. I got past the guards saying I was a servant of Arae's, and asked them where I could find her.
I was told that she would be at the main hall with the Royal family.
On noticing that I didn't know what I was doing, a younger guard offered to show me the way.'
He was very friendly (perhaps too much so) and shared stories of Ayorthaia's past with me.
'Queen Aza, who you'll be meeting, once saved my Grandfather, you know that?'
I shook my head politely. He seemed nice enough, but I really didn't know. I didn't want to get to comfortable with this man, just to be cautious.
'I'll see you again soon, then.' The air between us was awkward, and I could tell he was waiting for some kind of reply. I realised that I may not have been too nice to him.
'I thank you for assistance, sir.' I wondered if I would ever see him again.
He smiled and we parted, him heading back to his post at the gate and me to the room beyond the antique, wooden door.
I walked several steps in before halting. There were seven people in front of me who appeared to be in some kind of meeting I guessed these were the king's council, who I had read so much about. A civil war had been fought over them, and the disbandment of them in later years was a contributing factor of a near revolution against the queen.
The first I saw was Arae. She was there looking quite lonely, as it seemed she hadn't met the prince yet. She did, nonetheless, look victorious. She thought she had won this battle, but I hoped I could prove her wrong.
Next to her was a man who looked just over thirty. I guessed that this was Prince Oscar. He was tall, quite handsome and had black hair and big ears. Next to him was a lady I assumed to be Princess Hana. She was very beautiful; she had dark eyes, Chocolate brown hair, and olive skin.
There was another lady next to her, pretty, but in a different way. She had white skin, blood red lips and black hair. She was Queen Aza, I guessed, and was standing next to King Ijori.
Next to King Ijori were two other men, one dressed as a sir, one as a commoner.
The man I assumed to be Prince Oscar spoke.
'We hope you've had a pleasant journey. You shall meet the Prince soon, but unfortunately he is busy at the moment. Have you brought your own servants? Until the wedding next week, we believe it would be better if you use your own.'
At last, some luck! It seemed that Arae had only just arrived.
'Unfortunately we met with some problems early in our journey, and I was separated from the group.'
The King pursed his lips, but spoke merrily.
'That is unlucky, but I'm sure all will be well.'
'I thank you all for your kindness.' Arae bowed.
I realised that I would have to talk soon, or I could be blamed for treachery.
'Excuse me, I am sorry to interrupt, but I must speak to Princess Anidori,'
It felt so wrong to call someone by my own name.
Arae gasped, and let fear take possession of her. I waited patiently, knowing that this was quite probably just an act. I felt like I could play along with anything she said.
She turned to the King.
'This woman has been following me for several days. I fear the worse about her.'
Rather than trying to deny this, I decided to accept it.
'I'm sorry if it seemed that way to you, I am just a commoner who saw you when working. I was taken by your beauty and wanted to offer assistance, but I was always to shy when I had the chance. I was just curious to see you were riding alone.'
Arae was smart, but I hoped to win with that performance.
'You spied on me! You lied!'
'I never wished to hurt you.'
The Prince spoke up.
'Then you may go back to where you came from, I have no work for you here.'
I needed to stay here if there was any hope of me beating Arae.
'I'm sorry your majesty, but I am poor and cannot get enough money off the land. Is there no way I can stay.'
He shook his head. Then the lady I assumed to be Queen Aza spoke up for the first time.
'Forgive me son, but I think we should give this girl a position here.' The Prince opened his mouth to argue, but the Queen cut him off.
'I know that you don't like to be too generous with work, but I have already let you have your way with the arranged marriage, and I don't think that it could hurt to give this girl a job. Rack your brain, is there no work you can give her.'
'Well, we do need someone to care for the song birds' he admitted reluctantly. Perhaps maid... I'm sorry; I've forgotten your name.'
Of course the problem there was that I hadn't told him my name. This man was quite cunning, really. But I had prepared a name.
'I am...Samaiya. 'That had been the name of my doll was younger, but now it served me another purpose. ' Everyone calls me Aiya though.'
'Thank you, Samaiya. I will send for a guard to take you to your sleeping quarters. You will start work early tomorrow morning. Someone will wake you. If you have any further questions you can ask Conrad, the boy who you'll be working with.
A/N I hope you like that chapter, it is a bit longer again, and I'm quite happy with it at the moment (though I'm sure I won't be by about ten seconds after I post this.)
Never2Old4Disney
