A Tale of Crowns and Stars

Blood & Sunlight

Sunlight danced through the open windows, gracing the young High Prince with its warm rays.

"Wake up. We have work to do." Shekmir's chastisement did not spur Halewijn into immediate action, but he rose anyways, disentangling himself from Cyra slowly. The sleeping Princess did not stir - thankfully - and Halewijn leaned over her to place a kiss on her exposed cheek as he shrugged his nightshirt back on. Shekmir - ever the gentleman - hummed low in his throat as Hal assessed her one last time, then whistled his appreciation.

"Another night like that and I might have to-"

"Hush up," Halewijn whispered, pulling on his pants. "You did enough talking last night." Shekmir only laughed, leaning back in his chair and kicking his heels up. The High Prince shut the door to Cyra's room softly, readjusting himself before walking away. On the way to his room, he could clearly hear his father's voice from the foyer, his tone laced with anger and confusion. Shekmir straightened up in his chair, squinting his eyes.

"Sounds like a conversation we need to check out." Halewijn followed Shekmir's advice and walked over to the edge of the staircase, peering down slowly.

At the bottom of the stairs, a woman with reddish-brown hair spoke animatedly, explaining something with her hands as Omar paced around her.

"That's why I was delayed again. I am truly sorry to have upset you, your Majesty."

"Armantha," Halewijn craned his neck to get a better look at the South's traitor. "You know how much this all means to me. I trust that this won't happen again." Omar was not pleased with the late arrival, but Halewijn couldn't see his face to determine how displeased he was.

"Never again, your Majesty." The sounds of receding steps came from his father as he left Armantha alone in the foyer. She waited a moment before looking up, catching Hal's gaze. His lips parted as he beheld the beautiful young woman, and her lips curled up into a wry smile before she followed behind his father, not daring to mention who she had seen.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was only after her bath that Cyra learned Armantha arrived that morning.

The Princess growled at the sound of the woman's name but said nothing else, lacing her fingers together and closing her eyes.

"Omar did not sound pleased," Halewijn noted, buttoning his tunic up to his neck.

"But she's still here." Cyra pointed out, and Hal shrugged. Cyra rolled her eyes as Mirabel sat her tiara on her curly head, exhaling deeply. "I swear if that traitor says one word to me -"

"You'll keep your head, my love," Halewijn interjected, giving Cyra a sideways glance. She rolled a finger underneath her yellow Qipao collar, adjusting it before sliding her hand back down to her lap. "Play the game, or we both lose our heads."

Breakfast initially didn't seem like it would be a peaceful occasion, but Cyra held her tongue, only daring to glance at Armantha twice but never speaking. To speak to the traitor would mean she acknowledged the woman, and to acknowledge her would imply that Cyra would have to continue to watch her tongue.

Though, the Princess had to admit... Armantha was more beautiful now than she had been all those years ago. Her auburn hair seemed to shine in the light of the sun, and when Cyra looked at Armantha's brown eyes, they glittered as the woman spoke. Too bad her beauty wouldn't keep Cyra from giving her a well-deserved slew of rebukes when the time was right.

Armantha glanced up from her cup of wine, caught Cyra staring at her, and then offered a timid smile. Cyra looked away immediately, scowling at her own wine glass before leaning over to retrieve a boiled goose egg from the other side of the table. When Cyra's fingers accidentally brushed the edge of Armantha's plate in her quest, the woman leaned forward to get the goose egg herself, handing it to Cyra carefully.