Beyond The Realms

Chapter 29

I didn't expect my palace to look something out of a Disney movie .
OK may be I did

But what my eyes see right now is quite the opposite of it .

It is enormous , yes,but it is all stone bricks and towers.
Disappointment must have shown on my face as I squint to see the huge stone structure sitting on top of the mountain with sun shinning brightly in the sky and it's golden rays spreading over the numerous valleys and canyons that cut through the harsh mountain range.

" It isn't a palace ,it is a fort " Prince Ruslan says from beside me" The fact that it is surrounded by mountains will ensure your safety and make enemy movement difficult and at such elevated level it will be easy for us to spot them"
He points in the direction of a tall and narrow tower that houses a gigantic brass bell " At the sight of any hostile force the guards stationed will ring the bell to alert those present within the fort "

" It's fine " I mutter.
The place may not be as I had expected but it will keep me alive and that is good enough when you are a Princess who's life , kingdom and people are targeted by an evil black magic obsessed Djinn. You certainly can't be vain under such circumstances.

" I almost forgot " Says Prince Ruslan" You will meet your cousin , Jabeen inside " He adds with a hint of good natured warning " She is quite a handful "

" Huh ?" I have a cousin ? And he is bothering to tell that to me now ?

Granted that the last numerous days he had been trying to survive in the forest , training me and fighting off Ayelet's assassins then almost dying but not and holding me to himself in his sleep.
Thinking about it makes my face go warm but at the same time fills me up with irrational anger.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that when he woke up he pretended like it had never happened . And also the fact that there is a certain air of awkwardness between us now , all of it emitting from him. He even avoids looking at me if he can .

Jabeen is probably the only family member I have in this realm.
I want to make a good impression on her.

I look down at myself and almost groan in disappointed. My clothes are covered in mud and what not and....I don't even want to image how my hair look like.

In short , I'm not presentable.

As soon as we reach the fort excited cheers of the soldiers ring through its enormous walls and my eyes eagerly begin scanning the crowd for my cousin.

I recognise her instantly
Not because I have seen her before but because she has a certain way of carrying herself that automatically draws attention .

She is petite with fair porcelain skin and small black eyes and a really pretty face with thick rich brown curls.

She grins at me her eyes shining with warmth but the words I hear out of her mouth are a complete contradiction to her expression " Let's have a sword fight ,cousin "

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We are in the courtyard .

Prince Ruslan and others are standing at the sides watching .

My eyes are on Jabeen just as her eyes are on me.

She gives me a friendly wave as the golden dagger she is holding in hands glints in the sunlight .

I remembered Prince Ruslan telling me that the ones who use dagger are the most daring since it requires getting extremely close to the enemy to attack .