𝔽𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 ℂ𝕣𝕠𝕨𝕟 || 𝕂𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕤𝕒𝕥𝕠 𝔸𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕠

7. Advisor, Princess, King

Disappointment stalked her every step as Kanari left the meeting room. She could still hear Sara's calm voice echoing in her mind as she followed the king along the carpeted hall.

The plan failed. The camp still stands.

She pressed her lips in a thin line as she thought back to the meeting she'd just left. The failure of this attack was sure to boost the morale of the raiders and bring about even more attacks, which seemed impossible as the sheer amount of reports Sara showed her was already ginormous. Not only that, but their enemies would most definitely change the layout of the camp and the trap positions now that they knew of a leak. The investigation team would be back where they were before.

Concern was splayed all over her face, its presence haunting her every movement. The report said that no lives were lost, but many of the knights had injuries. She dug her nails deeper into her wrist as she continued walking. She hadn't any news from Sara, so perhaps her friends weren't in grave danger. But then again, the report said a bomb went off.

"You're distracted today."

A voice broke Kanari from her thoughts and she felt a hand lightly grasp her shoulder. She looked up and turned around to see that the king was about to head off in a different direction.

"I believe we're having lunch with my sister today, aren't we?" He asked, his tone gentle. He beckoned to the direction he was headed in. "She had her retainer arrange a room over on this side of the palace."

Kanari's eyes widened. She was so lost in her thoughts that she forgot she was supposed to meet the princess today. She quickly corrected her path and the two set out once again. As she walked, Kanari could feel embarrassment creeping up her face. In the few weeks she'd been here, she only got lost twice. It didn't take her long to learn the daunting hallways of the castle, and soon she was able to recall the paths to all the important rooms she consistently went to. Yet today her mind seemed to float in the air, detached from reality.

She followed the king, trying her best not to think about the state of her friends. All she knew was that the injured knights were currently in the royal hospital wing. She'd have to go there tomorrow, seeing as she was swamped with work and was spending today's lunch with the princess. Kanari could only hope that this luncheon would distract her in a good way.

The king led her to a white door at the end of a hallway. He glanced behind him for a small moment, before twisting the silver knob with a sharp jerk. They walked into a small room where a young lady sat at a square table. The light blue curtains on the wall opposite to the door were drawn, the windows pouring warm sunny rays into the room. Planks of cypress covered the floor, matching the grey shades of the walls. The table in the middle held china the color of ivory, with glistening silverware completing the setup.

Kanari sat down on the seat facing the windows, while the king sat on her left. As they sat down, the lady gave them a bright smile.

"Ayato! It's nice to see you again." The girl turned toward Kanari. "And you must be Kanari!"

Kanari nodded slowly. The Shirasagi Himegimi often stood in the king's stead during royal events, so her image was a familiar one. Kanari had glimpsed her numerous times prior to this meeting, but never saw her quite as close as this. She noticed that the princess's hair was a similar shade to the king's, if not a little whiter. She thought back to the portrait of the royal family she passed nearly everyday. Blue hair seemed to be a dominant gene in their family.

"A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness," she said with the slightest of smiles.

The princess clutched her royal blue fan, her grin widening.