Chapter 3

Valda struggled not to groan as the chambermaids tailored her clothing. Her birthday was a couple of days away and the royal garment for a special occasion needed to look good and still fit. The dark orange silk blouse popped under the yellow corduroy coat. The coat was embellished with fine, intricate designs down the front and back. The suit was tight around her shoulders and arms, then again, it had been years since she'd worn it.

She casually mentioned her discomfort to one of the chambermaids, who nodded and took notes. A young maid pulled on the jacket carefully while another eyed Valda hungrily. The princess smirked, knowing full well the effect she had on women and some men. Valda knew her reputation with the maids. Never soldiers, never men. Yet, as much as she enjoyed the company in bed, nothing filled her heart with contentment. It never felt right.

Cerberus stared from the other side of the room. Her fluffy tail swayed from side to side as she casually tossed slow blinks to Valda. Her dear pet was never far away from her. She always found a vantage point to watch Valda's every move.

Snapping her fingers, Cerberus made a bird-like shrill before sauntering over and rubbing her large body against Valda's pants. The maids around her tried not to step on Cerberus, her intrusion comical to Valda's eyes.

"I think we are done here," Valda announced when she heard someone at the door. Her mother's voice sounded on the other side, and she asked a fleeing maid to open the door.?

With a bow, the remaining maids left the room, leaving Valda alone with her mother. Valda smiled, bright and content. "Hello."

"Hello there," Rionach said, watching Valda struggle with the heavy jacket. "Let me." She grabbed it and placed it neatly over a chair. "This is the look you are going for?" She chuckled, touching the golden designs.

"Is there a problem?" Valda gave Rionach a playful look before she began to undo the button at the high neck of the silk blouse.

"Not at all. I like the look. It reminds me of your father. The man exudes power just as you do when you decide to dress up." Rionach smiled at her daughter before pushing her hands away and undoing the button for her. "Tomorrow is the big day," she began. "And I know what the Oracle said, but we have no way of knowing if that Sealian mate of yours will be there. So," Rionach bit her lower lip. "I invited all the royalty from the neighboring kingdoms."

"All of them?" Valda raised her eyebrows, surprised.

"Yes." Rionach took a step back as Valda took the blouse and tossed it near the jacket."If anything happens, I want you to at least think about having a heart mate."

Valda frowned. Not liking what her mother was saying or implying. She spoke as ifthe Oracle was wrong. "I don't want a heart mate," she said, picking up Cerberus and scratching under her chin.

"A lot of people have heart mates, Valda. They grow old together, have children together even," Rionach muttered, rubbing her hands together. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before blurting. "What about Kayden?"

Cerberus sneezed and Valda's eyes went wide and took a dramatic step back, almost dropping her cat. She couldn't believe her mother would even suggest something like that. Kayden was her best friend. They met when they were still kids when her mother went on a diplomatic visit to Harmonia. After making fun of his red hair, and wrestling him in the castle's garden, they became inseparable. She loved Kayden, but he was a man and she thought she had made it more than clear growing up that she was not attracted to men.

"Excuse you?"

"But Valda, an alliance with Harmonia is an alliance with the Vulcanians! Can you imagine? We have the numbers; they have the power and fire!"

"Have you gone mad? I am not marrying Kayden. He is currently sinking his cock into every single person he sees."

"So…" Rionach cringed, waving her hand as if in a balance.

"Except me!" Valda released her hold on Cerberus, allowing the animal to gracefully fall on the floor. The cat found a spot n the living space, allowing her to keep an eye on her owner.

Valda paced in her chamber, her arms akimbo before she stopped before her mother. "Do you think I will not find her?" Rionach opened her mouth, but Valda spoke before she could answer, "Do you not want me to find her?"

"Why would I not want my daughter to find her soulmate and experience the beauty of a bond?"

"I don't know. Why aren't the Sealians allowed near Oberon castle then? Why are we treating them the way we are?"

"Oh, Valda, please. We've raised taxes on everyone, not only the Sealians."

"And do you think that is the correct thing to do? Tartarus! They are not even permitted to come to our castle to ask for help. The last Sealian to come here, was dragged out."

"She wanted more money, more resources, what more do they want? We've done enough by keeping them here, giving them the aid of our people!"

"They are our people too! If you didn't know, that woman's brother is a soldier in our army."

Rionach frowned. "A Sealian in our army? Who agreed to this?"

"I did."

Scoffing, Rionach folded her hands, and looked away. "Well! What do you want me to do then?"

"Don't hate them."

"I don't hate them, Valda."

"Mother, you made a decree stablishing that if the Sealian ever revolt against us, it will be seen as an act of war, and they will be either kicked out or ‘eliminated', whatever that means."

Rionach swallowed, her gaze darkening as she stared at Valda. "Biting the hand that feeds you is an act of war, Valda. I will not tolerate them revolting against us after all we have done."

"We can do more. And if you cared about me actually finding my mate, you would do more to have an amicable relationship with the Sealians."

Rionach inhaled deeply and waved her hand dismissively. "You are obsessed with helping everyone."

"Because everyone needs a helping hand."

"And yet, we help and help, and we get more and more rebels trying to destabilize what we built," Rionach said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Some people are ungrateful, Valda. They will always be like that. When you become queen, you will see that it doesn't matter what you do, there will be someone who disagrees with what you do."

Valda frowned, her hand touching the now scarring wound in her arm.

"Let Arwin take care of the rebellion. Now is not the time to talk about this. What bothers me is your birthday and your expectation of what will happen."

"What about it?"

"We don't even know if what you will find tomorrow is your heart mate or soulmate, Valda. Your sixteen-year-old self didn't ask the question correctly. You asked the Oracle when you would meet your mate. You didn't specify what type of mate."

Valda closed her eyes tightly just as her mother stood from the bed. "You don't have to remind me every single year."

"Oh, but I feel like I should. Don't be so adamant and open your heart to the possibility of finding someone that will work for you. Yes, I would love nothing more for you to find your soulmate, but there is a possibility that you won't. The Sealian royalty is dead, buried under their own castle."

Valda's lips parted. Her mother wasn't often rash with her words, but hearing the fact that the Sealian royals were dead, squeezed Valda's heart. The death of people she didn't knew shouldn't affect her and yet it did.

As if feeling her distress, Cerberus stood and ran up to her, rubbing her tail against Valda's calf.

"I need to get going. There are so many things that I must take care of," Rionach said, giving Valda a harsh kiss on her cheek. "Meet me for supper."

Valda nodded, as Rionach bowed her head, opened the door and left.

Maris was inside Oberon Castle. Placing her hand over her neck, she touched her necklace. Two wedding bands dangled from it, hidden behind her silk blouse. Maris didn't have a lot of things. She walked inside the castle with only one large bag and a broken violin inside a worn-out case. Her most precious possession was her parents' wedding bands, which she carried everywhere since their passing.

Melvian was more excited than she was. She pulled her along the halls as fast as she could, greeting the guards while they stared at Maris curiously.

As she walked in, Maris's thought of ways to get closer to General Arwin but everything proved to be ridiculous and alarmingly suspicious. She couldn't just ask to be his handmaiden. A Sealian working inside the castle was unheard of. If it wasn't for Melvian, she wondered how she could've even put a foot inside.

Then, there was the fact that Maris could barely remember what the man looked like except his graying hair and the scar on his face.

Maris took a deep breath, clutching the necklace.

What could she ask him if she were ever in front of him? How would she react? Would she have enough strength to even talk to him? Her parents were petrified of him when they met the general on the outskirts of Ophelia Plaza during the Patrons Festivals nine years ago. She had been playing around with Melvian, eating from the kiosk when she bumped into Arwin.

Her parents had been so afraid. Her father stood between the general and his family. Maris wasn't sure what they said, all she knew was that at the end of that day, her mother had locked herself up with Maris underneath a secret compartment under a desk in their study room as the sounds of marching boots, gruff voices, and slamming doors muffled through the wooden secret door.

Maris had tried to scream and call for Raan, to ask him to come back, but the commotion outside wouldn't allow her screams to reach her father. Her mother made sure she stayed quiet, covering her mouth and holding her down with an iron grip.

But then the footsteps moved on, her father's desperate screams dissipated through the house, until all went quiet.

It took her mother a while to release her. When they did, the house was incomplete disarray. The living room's furniture was upturned. In the kitchen, the pantry was scattered about, food spilling on the floor as if whoever walked in had searched for something.

Maris remembered her mother quietly putting everything back in its place, every pencil, furniture, blanket.

But then, in the middle of the living room, while she cleaned up, Maris had found her father's wedding band on the ground.

"I can feel his fear," her mother had said, taking the wedding band from Maris's hand, kissing it and hiding it somewhere in her clothing. Quiet hours ensued, mixed only with the sound of her mother's hesitating footsteps through the house, mending what was destroyed.

Then came the sudden gasp, the tearing of something deep within her mother's visage. Maris would never forget, her mother's tears as she turned to Maris to whisper, "The bond is broken…"

A shiver ran down her spine at the mere thought of standing face to face with General Arwin.

What have I done?Maris thought, knowing well it was too late to back out now. She needed to somehow find that man, ask him about her father, and then what?

What could she ever do with the answer? Get some closure of course, but…

He was the general of the army, she was… well…

A Sealian.

As Maris stepped through the kitchen's arched doorway the smell of spices and roasting meat greeted her, mingling with the sounds of clanging pots and crackling flames. She found herself standing in the heart of the castle's bustling kitchen, a vast room filled with cooks, scullery maids, and kitchen hands, all working tirelessly.

In the center of the room, a massive stone hearth blazed with a roaring fire, around which skilled chefs are busily turning spits and basting joints of succulent meat. The air was thick with smoke and steam, and the heat was almost overwhelming.

Nearby, a team of maids bustled about, scrubbing pots and pans with abrasive ash, and cleaning vegetables and herbs for the chefs to use. In the far corner of the room, a group of kitchen hands were busy chopping wood and bringing in fresh water from the castle's well.

Despite the chaos and frenzied activity, Maris could tell the kitchen ran with a well-oiled efficiency.

Melvian patted her arm, gaining her attention before saying she was to find the headmistress. Maris nodded at her best friend and stood by a corner as she watched everything unfold. After a brief respite, the doors by the archway burst open as a tall man with the reddest hair she had ever seen waltzed in as if he owned the place. He bellowed a salutation, which some maids and cooks answered, and went straight to the winery. Maris arched her brow at the man's familiarity with the place and wondered if he was one of the young men at the Skylian court.

He grabbed a bottle, inspected it and then bit on the cork before pulling it off. He took a swig and approved of the taste with a hoot before locking eyes with her.

Maris tensed and straightened as the red-haired man blatantly stared at her. His face was a contortion of bewilderment and curiosity. She noticed him eyeing her hair.

As he walked towards her, Maris's heart quickening with nervousness. Was he going to kick her out? He looked like he was in charge.

"A Sealian inside Oberon?"

The man was tall, tall enough to make Maris take a step back and bump into the wall. She tilted her chin to her chest in a subtle bow. "I am waiting for a friend."

"Oh?" The man looked behind him and shrugged. "Who?"

"Melvian. She is a maid here."

"Are you a new hire?"

Maris opened her mouth, unaware of what to say. Was she a new hire or not? "I guess?"

"Wow, Queen Rionach is really getting soft with your people. A Sealian. So, what will you do? Kitchen? Cleaning? Chambermaid?" he asked, moving closer to her.

A sudden shift of emotions made her frown. She felt calm, safe, and for some reason oddly attracted to the man. His red hair and orange stubble were somehow appealing.

What the actual fuck?

"Are you all right?" He grinned, a perfect welcoming smile that drew Maris's stare to his lips.

"Maris!"

Oh, praise Ouranos. Maris released a breath, shook off the strange daze, and turned to Melvian.

"Sir Kayden," Melvian greeted, bowing her head low.

Maris made a mental note on the name. Sir Kayden. He must be royalty.

"I can't find the headmistress. I think she is out and about…" Melvian whispered to Maris but by the way the strange man chuckled, it seemed he'd heard her too.

"Ah. I see." Kayden nodded, taking another swig of the wine bottle. "What's your name?"

Maris shot Melvian a glare before answering. "Maris."

"Looking for a job at the castle, Maris?"

Maris nodded at the same time as Melvian.

"I was just about to meet the queen for some dinner. I can take you to her, if she is in a good mood, she can hire you right on the spot. The gods know they need all the help they can get," Kayden said as he waved his hand around the busy kitchen.

Melvian's eyes grew wide, her hand slipping to grab Maris and squeezing it tightly. "You would do that, Sir Kayden?"

"Of course!"

"Maris. You must go with Sir Kayden. I am sure he will help you more than I can."

"Melvian…" Maris hissed a warning before looking at the grinning, fiery red-haired man. "Are you sure?"

"You will be fine. Trust me." Turning to Kayden, Melvian chuckled awkwardly before pushing Maris towards him. "She is all yours."

Kayden huffed with delight. "If only! Come, Maris." He waved his hand at the door and waited for her to grab her things.

Maris's stomach dropped as she walked next to the unknown man as he made his way through narrow halls to a large and open alley.

The Great Hall…

I am truly inside Oberon Castle…

All Maris could do was stare up at the tall ceiling. Large chandeliers embellished the long hall, burning long candles. She counted them absentmindedly, taking in the details and the intricate golden design, interlocking upon themselves like vines. The marble ceiling and walls reflected the burning light in a welcoming, warm golden aura.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" Kayden asked. "My castle is small and lonely compared to this one. Oberon is always alive with people," Kayden said.

Maris frowned at the new information. He had a castle? So, he is royalty. She wondered what kingdom he was from. She would guess he was from Harmonia or Vulcan from his fiery red hair.

As they walked through the halls, she took in the guards, the walls, the columns, and the different paintings of the rulers. She recognized most of them, especially Brontes, Rionach, and at last, a young child. She stopped to stare at the painting, marveling at how realistic it looked. The picture was of a young princess. The child's right hand rested lazily over the pommel of a sheathed sword; her left hand dangled from her side in a tight fist. Her royal blue corduroy suit and silk blouse were adorned with countless gold medals. Her eyes, like her face, showed no happiness. Her mouth was void of any hint of a smile, and her honey eyes didn't shine. They looked hollow, empty.

Maris couldn't help but feel sadness for the child. Tilting her head to the side, she scrutinized the oil painting one last time before she felt Kayden's presence behind her, making her jump. "Forgive me! I got distracted."

Kayden shook his head and looked at the painting. "Do not worry. I should've walked slower."

"This is the princess?"

"Yes, this is Princess Valda."

"Does this picture do her any justice?" Maris asked before pointing out the darkness within the princess's features.

Kayden stared at Valda's picture. He inhaled deeply and seemed lost in thought before he decided to give Maris a definitive answer. "It doesn't. She is much more than a painting."

"You are her consort?"

Kayden snorted and shook his head. "Gods, no!"

It was hard to determine what he was. If he was royalty, why did he parade around like he owned the place? As if he had been here his entire life. Maris tried to comprehend everything, anything she could later use to her advantage. As they continued down the long hall, they stopped by two grand doors. Her stomach turned.

"Is this..."

"The throne room. You are correct. Now, mind you, there has been a lot of activity in the castle. If you see chaos, do not panic." He smiled another perfect smile and her jittering nerves subsided as if magic.

As Kayden opened the door, Maris took everything in. She saw maids running around with plates, drapes, napkins, and towels. Some were holding buckets of water while others carried some brooms and mops.

"Kayden!"

The man stretched his neck to see further back, and Maris noticed a certain woman waving at him. It was the queen.

"Queen Rionach!"Kayden hollered, waving back.

As the queen got closer, Maris's stomach jumped within itself. She had never been before royalty, much less talked to one. Rionach wasn't tall, she was close to her size. Unlike Maris, she was slender with dark hair tied up in a perfect bun. She didn't look a year over forty. Her face lit up when she saw Kayden, but Maris noticed the dark circles under her eyes. No doubt the queen had a lot of sleepless nights.

"I'm so glad to see you. What happened last night? You didn't make it to the castle."

Kayden chuckled nervously. "Yes, I was celebrating Valda's return." He arched a brow at the queen.

"Oh."Rionach's smile disappeared. "Well, I hope you stay around. I just came from Valda's chambers," she added before noticing Maris. The happiness in her eyes dissipated to something else.

Maris frowned. Was the queen mad at her?

"Who is your friend there?"

"Oh!" Kayden pushed Maris forward in between Rionach and himself.

Maris bowed low. "My name is Maris Era, your highness."

"She needs a job," Kayden simply said.

"A job, huh?" Rionach raised her right eyebrow at Kayden. Maris noted the discouragement in her voice. "What can you do, girl?"

"Just about anything," Maris said, keeping her voice low and her gaze downturned.

Maris felt soft fingertips on her chin, tilting her face upward. The queen's dark gaze lingered over her face. The scrutiny was there, making her extremely uncomfortable. An awkward smile spread out over Maris's lips, hoping that the sincere display of emotions would be enough to calm the queen's examination.

It didn't.

A ghost of a caress brushed over the birthmark on her cheek. Then the queen's thumb rubbed carefully over her face.

"Where did you meet?" Rionach asked Maris.

"I, uh… Well—"

"We met a long time ago at one of the Patrons Festival at Ophelia Plaza. We danced at the square," Kayden lied.

Did they? Maris wouldn't know. She did dance that day, but she wasn't sure she did so with Kayden. Though she would've remembered his hair… She would've remembered a lot of things from that time if it hadn't been overshadowed by something else.

"My queen," Kayden grinned that charming smile that had made Maris quiver moments ago. This time, she didn't feel a thing, as if the charm of that smile was aimed at someone else. "You've said a couple of times that you needed extra help. Why not a Sealian amongst your servitude? It would look great for others to see how both kingdoms are starting to work as one?"

Rionach's upper lip twitched. Her face washed with an inner turmoil Maris couldn't quite pinpoint. The queen's hand moved away, forming a fist by her side.

"Did you talk to Valda?" Rionach asked Kayden.

"Not at all." His smile never wavered; if anything, it widened.

Maris shifted her weight from one foot to the other, anxious at the awkwardness and silence between the two royals. Then out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Melvian walking up down the hall.

"Ah! One of your girls can show her around, if, of course, you accept her working here." Kayden chuckled, his hand moving to touch Maris's lower back.

Her anxiousness disappeared.

As Melvian walked closer, Rionach turned and stopped her with a faint wave of her hand, her eyes never leaving Maris. "Can you take her and show her the servants' quarters?"

Maris eyes widened as did Melvian's.

"Of course, Your Highness," Melvian said, curtseying.

Maris let out a sigh of relief while Rionach placed her hand over her shoulder. "Go with Melvian. She will show you around and give you a change of clothes. You do not mind starting right away, right?"

"No, ma'am! Not at all." Maris gave her the most honest smile she could muster.

"Good. I like hard working people. I would like to see you helping the others around to clean the throne room."

"All right!" Maris turned and almost hugged Kayden. Almost. She bowed her head low and grabbed her things before nodding at Melvian and following her out of the throne room.

***

As soon as Melvian closed the door, she released a high-pitched squeal and wrapped her arms around Maris, squeezing her. Maris dropped her belongings and hugged her best friend back. "You are in! You are actually in!" Melvian exclaimed before turning to the mess inside the room. "Please excuse the chaos," Melvian said as she gathered some dirty clothes and threw them to her side of the room. "It's been a while since I had a roommate. The last one was an older woman. She retired not so long ago."

Maris wasn't paying attention to Melvian as she looked from the ceiling to the walls. The room was not big, but it wasn't small either. It was far larger than where she'd slept yesterday. There were two small beds on opposite walls. Between the two, there was a small desk, probably used for writing letters or reading. On Melvian's side, she already had a stack of books waiting for her. Right at the foot of the bed, a trunk closed off with a lock.

Maris moved closer to look at the titles of the books. They were all about medicine and healing, home remedies, medicinal plants, first response medical treatment. Then on the last board, there were romance novels. She chuckled at some of the titles.

"I don't remember you being into this."

"Don't judge," Melvian warned.

Maris continued her exploration and noticed the small wooden closet, and finally the door to the attached washroom. It wasn't big either. There was a decently sized tub, a cabinet with towels, soaps and oils, a basin on top of a metal table, and a furnace with a cauldron. Maris was pleased. Although it was for two people, the room was comfortable for her standards, not to mention she also had space to put away her clothing and belongings.

"That's your bed. The trunk's lock is inside of it, and the same with the closet. I use the locks as a routine because no one has ever stolen anything from me."

Maris nodded before walking to the bed and sitting down. She collapsed onto her back and let out a pleasurable sigh. Oh, gods, this is comfortable. "Oh, it's been so long since I slept on a bed and not on a dirty futon." She smiled. "I've died and gone to the Elysian Fields."

Melvian laughed. "They are pretty comfortable." She turned to Maris's closet and opened it for her. "I think your things will fit here."

"Thank you."

"We need to get you ready, though. The queen wants you to get to work right away," Melvian said, grabbing hold of Maris's violin case. This time, Maris jumped off the bed and almost slapped Melvian's hand away.

"I got it." Maris knew that the sudden movement made Melvian uncomfortable. If she was insulted by it, she hid it well, but her friend knew this violin was special to her.

"You still play?"

"Used to," Maris answered. "It has a couple of broken strings, and I haven't been able to buy some new ones," she explained.?

Melvian nodded at that. "All right. Listen, I need to give you the heads up before you start interacting with the entire help and the royals."

Maris turned to look at her with a serious expression.

"Queen Rionach is a bitch, especially to Sealians so stay away from her as much as you can."

"Run away from the queen. Got it."

"Some maids will think they are above you, but they are not. You only take orders from the headmistress and any other royalty that might walk. If they give you an order, stop what you are doing and do what you are told."

"Slave out. Got it."

"Maris, I am serious."

"I am serious too. I am listening."

"You are very very pretty so stay away from the princess."

Maris tilted her head confused. "Should I say thank you for the compliment?"

"I am serious. Stay away from Princess Valda. She is… she is vicious."

"Vicious?"

"She is known to have a horrible temper and she usually lets it out on the maids."

"She beats the maids?" Maris's voice quivered.

"Oh, gods, no." Melvian coughed embarrassed. "She… uh… Does other activities with them?"

Maris shook her head, not understanding what her friend was trying to tell her. "She fucks them to release her anger?"

Melvian pursed her lips. "Yes."

"And that is a problem because…?" Maris teased.

"Maris, really? A royalty sleeping around with the help is not good.Sorry, I don't care if you are the queen of the planet. I won't jump in bed with you. I am not into that."

"You don't like women the way I do, and that's fine," Maris said as she began to pull her hair up in a tight bun.

"No, but I've heard that even girls like me get coaxed. She has… something."

Maris chuckled and shook her head. "Don't worry. I am not that easy."

"Have you seen the princess?" Melvian asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Only in the painting."

"Well, like I said I am not attracted to women, but she is gorgeous and arrogant. She knows she is attractive. You are gorgeous too. I bet she will try to get to you."

"I will stay away from her then," Maris said and placed her hands on her hips.

Melvian shifted her weight from one leg to another, somewhat tense about the awkward conversation. "What size are you again?" Melvian asked as she walked to her closet. "Let's see if we can get you a uniform to fit those tits of yours."

Maris frowned at the comment and looked down at her chest. "You know, your compliments are somewhat violent, Melvian."

"Here," Melvian said, giving Maris one of her shirt uniforms and then a flowy, knee-length, black skirt. "That's our uniform. I will get you your own later today."

Maris grabbed the shirt and took a long look at it. It was a white, fitted cotton shirt with little to no sleeves. She thought that maybe it was to make it easier to move around in it. Her eyes went back to the skirt. It was perfect for the hot weather. She didn't waste a second and began to undress.

"Let me know if it fits."

Maris struggled a bit with the shirt. She got it over her head, the difficult part was to get it over her chest. She let out a frustrated groan as she tried to pull it over her large breasts. "Little help here."

"It's supposed to be skintight, by the way," Melvian explained as she helped Maris with the uniform.

"Who agreed to this uniform?"

"I don't know," Melvian said before Maris was finally able to pull the shirt down.

"Let me guess." She turned around and grabbed the skirt. "The princess?"

"No. No." Melvian snickered and shook her head. "I am going to have fun with you around."

Maris gifted Melvian with a wide and honest smile as she tied the skirt belt. When she was done, she patted her collar and noticed she was still wearing the necklace. "I can keep this on, right? I don't feel like leaving it here just yet."

"I don't think there will be any problem with it," Melvian said before turning towards the door. "Let's go. We have a lot of work to do."

It had been so long since they'd all had dinner together. Her mother's excitement was palpable as she grabbed her hand and squeezed it while Valda sat next to her at the head of the table. Kayden was beside her, his never wavering grin widening as he arched his brow at Valda.

Arwin walked in, freshly clean and looking like a king himself. Nothing like the bloody warrior from a few days ago. He sat on Rionach's left side, staring at Valda.

"It's been much too long since we all sat down to have a meal. This pleases me," Arwin said, fixing the sword attached to his waist.

"It's been long because you two are never around. And if Valda isn't around, neither is Kayden," Rionach said.

"I am so sorry, Rionach, but my sister just found out about her powers, and it is very tiresome teaching her how to control it."

"Oh?" Rionach's amused giggle took Valda by surprise. "How is that going?"

"She gets to do whatever she wants. A spoiled brat, that's what she is. Not even mother see how she is manipulating them." Kayden sighed and grabbed the empty wine glass. "If we could fill this up it would be wonderful."

Valda let out a soft chuckle before rubbing her left eye with the back of her hand. "You get angry at her for things you used to do, Kayden?"

"Used to do?" Kayden laughed and winked at her.

"Kayden, you will get in trouble if you get caught," Rionach scolded while waving a hand at one of the maids.

"I think we are family here. I won't get in trouble unless you tell on me."?Kayden grinned. "I know you wouldn't hurt me."

The help entered the dining room, carrying large platters of steaming food. They placed them on the table in front of the guests, revealing a feast. There were roasted chickens, seasoned with herbs and spices, as well as tender pieces of beef and pork, cooked to perfection.

Alongside the meats were bowls of creamy mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, and freshly baked bread. The smells wafting through the room were enough to make Valda's mouth water, and she eagerly reached for the food, filling her plate with a generous portion. She was tired of eating rations of dried meat whenever she was out in the desert. This feast was what she needed.

As everyone else filled their plates, the maids moved around the room, filling their glasses with a red wine. The drink was rich and full-bodied, with hints of black cherry and vanilla.

As she ate, Valda noticed Arwin's attention had fallen on Kayden. "You are using your powers for what?"

Kayden scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, you know." He made a vulgar gesture which made Arwin chuckle. "You would do the same if you were me."

"I don't need to use any gift to get laid." His eyes drifted to Rionach and Valda's stomach turned.

"I am surprised. With a face like yours, I thought it would be hard to get anyone to suck your—"

"Kayden," Valda's warning growl made her best friend shut his mouth.

"Sorry. I forgot we were eating." He laughed.

Valda sighed and rubbed her eyes again. Since she came back from her last battle, she had felt them burning. Today was no different, if anything they bothered her more. She tried to restrain herself from touching her face again, letting out a frustrated groan.

"Valda, are you well?"?Arwin asked, dipping a piece of bread in the beef fat.

"I think so," she answered. Valda opened her eyes wide and blinked, trying to alleviate the itching. "Must be something in the air," she concluded before grabbing hold of the glass of wine in front of her.

"After being so long out there, it's only normal that you get some eye irritation," Rionach added before patting her hand. "I wish you didn't have to leave so much, dear."

"I wish I was home more often, Mother. But it just seems that these rebels are gaining ground as the months pass."

"It's weird. At first, it was one attack every year or so, then it went up to once every six months, and now once every three. I think they are getting stronger or getting more people," Rionach said, giving Arwin a look. "What do you think?"

"I think they are persistent," Arwin answered, leaning back in his chair.? "Who knows who is behind these movements? I wouldn't be surprised if it were the Sealians themselves."

Valda rolled her eyes. "Why would it be them?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because your mother keeps raising taxes on them?" Kayden blurted. The awkward silence that followed through made Valda uncomfortable, but she couldn't deny that Kayden might be up to something.

"They use our resources, and you expect them to live in my land for free?" Rionach asked.

Valda noticed Kayden's grin falter. "You are right, forgive my lack of tact."

"You might be right, Kayden. I would be pissed too. Not to mention every petition in the last years has been Skylians asking for lower taxes." Valda sighed and finished her glass of wine in one gulp.?"If our people are struggling to pay; I don't want to know what the Sealians are doing to pay."

"You want some more wine, Valda?" Rionach asked, clearly wanting to change the subject.

"Sure, why not?"

Rionach turned around, gave one of the maids a soft smile, and waved her hand at her.

"All the money goes to better our army, Valda. We are not wasting it," Arwin said, shrugging. "Many Skylians understand the need to be protected."

"From what? All kingdoms are at peace. Besides, can you imagine all the things we could do with that money? Houses, roads, schools. I would even build an Asclepius temple. The more blessed healers, the better," Valda said, quietly thanking a maid after her glass was full.

"A temple for a god that isn't ours?" Rionach recoiled. "Blasphemy."

"No wonder people are rebelling," Kayden muttered, taking a bite of a chicken leg.

"I haven't heard of any kingdom doing so, Mother. Just imagine creating a haven for blessed healers. They wouldn't be running away and hiding out, afraid to be used for ulterior motives."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Arwin said, tilting his glass toward Valda.

"Of course, it doesn't!" Valda said, slapping her hand on the table.

"We are not talking about this now!" Rionach said, her voice exponentially louder than Valda's. She eyed her, straightening her back and tightening her grips on her utensils.

"Then when?" Valda asked, receiving a shove on the knee by Kayden who ate quietly, his focus on his food.

Shrugging, Rionach went back to cutting a piece of meat. "Not now."

Valda sighed, giving up on the conversation and taking another large gulp from her glass.

Melvian and Maris were in the adjacent room. Melvian was still showing Maris around when they saw a group of maids walk in, grab a bottle of wine, and then leave. Melvian peeked her head just as the royal family were sitting down to eat. Melvian pulled Maris aside just enough for her to look out to the dining room too.

"All right. You already met the queen," Melvian began before pointing at Arwin. "There's Arwin. Overall, he is not much of a nuisance, in fact, he is calm and collected."

Maris frowned deeply. "Arwin," she whispered, her hand absentmindedly coming to grab hold of her necklace. From what she could remember, his hair was grayer now, his scar was somewhat hidden underneath a white stubble, but Maris could make it out from where she was standing.

Her stomach turned, and her knees buckled with the need to walk up to him and demand him to tell her what he knew, what he had done. But Maris just stared, watching him eat and drink without a care in the world.

If he had something to do with her father's death, he didn't deserve to be so at peace.

Taking a deep breath, Maris grabbed a bottle of wine and turned to the entry to the dining room. Before she could take a step, Melvian snatched her elbow and pulled her away.

"What do you think you are doing?" Melvian hissed, taking the bottle of wine from Maris's hand and setting it aside. "I know you were not just about to go in there and talk to General Arwin."

"You said he was calm and collected," Maris said with a shrug.

"He is having dinner with Princess Valda, Sir Kayden and the woman who just give you a fucking job. You are here because for some miracle, the queen said ‘yes'." Melvian pulled her closer and whispered, "Don't push your luck."

"The only reason I said yes to this was to get closer to him."

"And you will, but not now," Melvian growled before jutting her chin towards the dining room. "Look at them. Do you think they will be happy to have a maid, a Sealian maid, interrupt them?" Melvian shook her head, answering her own question. "Come on…"

Rubbing the elbow, Maris turned back to the dining table. She recognized Kayden and then the woman next to him.

It was Valda.

The picture did not do her any justice. The smile on the woman's face was bright enough to illuminate the entire galaxy. The wrinkles on her forehead were permanent, the frown making her look older than she might be, yet Maris couldn't look away.

She took in the curves at the corner of her lips, long eyelashes embellished her honey-colored eyes and perfectly plucked eyebrows, square jaw, and plump, naturally rosy lips. Her black hair was short and messy. Continuing her exploration, Maris noticed the thick column of the princess's neck, the broad shoulders hidden under the soft material of her blouse. Muscled arms strained under the princess's clothes as she reached out for her drink. Long fingers curled to grasp the glass of wine before taking a sip.

Maris swallowed the same time that the princess did. Valda wasn't a feminine beauty. She was handsome as well as beautiful, a gorgeous balance. Melvian wasn't joking when she said Valda was a work of art.

"Stop staring. That's not polite."

"I am sorry."

"Stay away from her, Maris. I am serious. You wouldn't want your new job to go to shit, just because you couldn't keep your undergarments on."

Maris didn't say much but did arch a brow at her best friend. The agitation in Melvian's features was evident and it was amusing to some extent.

"Great," Melvian said, closing the door to the throne room and jerking her head to the side.

Maris smiled and touched Melvian's shoulder. "Don't worry about me. I am a grown woman, and I can take care of myself."

"I hope," Melvian said, guiding Maris out.