Slave Princess

Chapter Six: First Impressions

Ashonee practiced playing songs that would not be recognized as traditionally Lankanese for most of the morning. A few hours after she’d left, Leilelle returned in a rush long enough to let Ashonee know that she would soon be escorted to the midday meal. Ashonee barely had time to thank her before Leilelle dashed off to be with the other princess once more.

Deciding against more practice, Ashonee instead took some time to prepare for the meal. She brushed her hair and re-braided it. Ashonee wished that she had something more formal to change into, but the day old tunic and leggings would have to do. 

As Leilelle had promised, the same two men who’d brought her the lyre arrived to escort Ashonee to the meal. She followed them through the winding hallways of the Veshian palace towards the center of the massive structure.

The two men led Ashonee past the main doors of the dinning chamber. Further down the wall was a much smaller door, barren of any embellishments, Ashonee knew immediately it was the servants’ entrance. As the men moved out of the way, Ashonee could hear joyful laughter emanate from within, meaning that she was most likely the last to arrive.

Quietly, one of the men opened the door and Ashonee walked inside, not waiting to be told what to do. She already had her orders, given to her much earlier by Banece. She was not about to let another slave give her instructions. Ashonee knew from her many years within her own palace that there is always a distinct hierarchy amongst slaves. For her own benefit she was determined to be at the top.  

Entering the dining chamber, Ashonee should have marveled at the interior of the room. It was not the main throne room but a smaller dinning area for to royal family. Being such, it was still elaborately decorated.  However, refusing to be amazed, Ashonee assured herself that the Lankanese palace was just as, no, even more exquisite than the Veshian palace.

Confident in her opinion, Ashonee took a seat behind the massive lyre. It was located in a corner of the room, which afforded her some privacy in which to play. Or more likely, the position of the lyre gave the royal family privacy against the prying eyes of a mere slave, Ashonee thought bitterly.

Shaking off her negative thoughts, Ashonee ran her hand through the air over the strings of the lyre a few times before she actually started to play. As soon as she did music filled the room and the laughter ceased.

Ignoring the Veshian royals, as she was sure they would soon go back to ignoring her as well, Ashonee continued to play. However, she kept her voice to herself. They would have to demand that she sing before Ashonee would voluntarily give up her voice for the family she was entertaining under the shroud of slavery.   

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Alrali was awestruck. His hand hung in the air clutching a glass that was yet to reach his open mouth.

The music he’d heard earlier that day had been unbearably lovely, but from a much closer distance the sounds the girl was creating on the lyre were beyond exquisite. Her musical talents were overwhelming. Yet, something was missing from the melodic sound, something that had been there this morning.

Frowning, Alrali glanced around at his siblings. Banece was smiling as her eyes drifted closed to better enjoy the music. Clora was half swaying and half bouncing along to the tune the slave girl was creating. And Denapan, Alrali’s sweet baby brother, looked as if he’d been struck upside the head by a lake trout caught straight from the Great Water.

Shaking his head, Alrali continued to puzzle over what was missing from the girl’s music. Obviously his family didn’t notice anything wrong, or they simply didn’t care. But Alrali, a true coinsure of the arts, could hear the difference in the pretty noise the slave was making now and the beautiful music she had created earlier.