Of Blood and Fire

Chapter 2 - Khani

This chapter has been edited and finalized.

Khani took pride in being the self-proclaimed best baker in the palace kitchens. She could whip up a meringue in three minutes flat and fill macaroons to perfection. She had given herself the job of making sure nobody needed help – there were always people cycling in and out, and Khani wanted everything for the royals to be as good as possible.

Khani had harbored an undying crush on the prince for years. She'd always volunteer to bring him his food when he was sick. They'd never exchanged words except for a "Here is your platter, Your Highness," and a replied "Thank you" in various shades of weakness. But Khani didn't mind. She knew that someday, something would happen, and everything would fall into place for her and Prince Henri to begin their fairy-tale lives together in a cottage by the sea.

Or a palace smack-dab in the middle of a mountain range. That'd work too.

Khani had spent hours and hours daydreaming about him when work got dull. She was only needed closer to dinnertime when the royals had dessert. Tonight she'd fix them brownie crumbles with ice cream and whipped cream and strawberries imported from Rised only this morning. It was one of Henri's favorites.

I'll never have a chance with him. Khani sighed. She tried really hard to be optimistic, but sometimes the annoying niggling voice at the back of her head butted in. It was like having her own personal storm cloud to rain on her.

She poured some flour into a sifter and watched as the clumps rattled around. I wonder how Sora's doing. Khani had lots of friends, but Sora interested her. She couldn't call Sora her "best friend", not when Sora had only worked at the palace for three months. It didn't seem appropriate quite yet. Especially since Khani had been in the kitchens for her whole life and had made many relationships with the people she'd grown up knowing. She could vaguely remember helping add chocolate chunks to cookie dough. That had been years and years ago.

"Hey! The holovision!" someone yelled. Khani turned on her heel, still holding the sifter over the mixing bowl she'd chosen. Immediately whispers spread through the kitchen. The royal seal – a mountain in front of the rising sun, with a prowling snowfox – appeared on-holo. It faded to black. Khani shivered and waited, motionless. What kind of announcement could this possibly be? The darkness then was replaced by an image of Merrick Reimer, the famous Arehlian comedian and talk-show host, who regularly interviewed the royal family. His dark brown hair was gelled back.

The sound system vibrated. "This interview is mandatory viewing," Merrick said cheerfully. Khani glanced at the chefs nearest her. They seemed confused.

"Has this ever happened before?" Khani asked. Her stomach clenched. Has something happened to Henri?

"He's WHAT?" a girl yelped.

Giggles and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Khani had missed what Merrick had said next, lost in her worries. She focused on the hologram, not wanting to miss a single word. The cameras had panned to the royal family, sitting fancily on velvet cushions in the studio. Khani felt a tug of longing as they zoomed in on Henri's face. His hairline had beaded with sweat.

"So, Prince Henri," Merrick teased, "tell me how this feels."

Henri let out a chuckle. "I feel that my father should have given me perhaps a bit of a warning before announcing this live to the kingdom."