"I hear the queen of the wolves tribe gave birth to a healthy son yesterday"
Huan ran her hand over the various colorful fabrics and looked at them. Hama next to her smiled softly.
"That's right, she gave birth two weeks earlier. Nice for her, she had had enough. Just a pity that she cannot attend the ball in honor of the first birthday of the triplets tonight "
Huan grinned
"My lovely cousin, how do you know so much? It looks like you have spent a lot of your time with the twin brother of a certain queen. The past four months must have been wonderful for you "
Hama blushed and quickly looked away
"It has only been a coincidence and since the envoys of all three other tribes are staying here, there are more opportunity to meet each other!"
Huan laughing grabbed Hama's arm and pulled her across the market.
"My cousin you don't have to hide anything for me. I know that someone is already in your heart. Come with me I hear good stories lately about an older lady who gives love advice for little . I hear her advice has always helped so far! "
Hama let herself be dragged by Huan to a small shop. She looked at the shop from head to toe and looked doubtful. It was the first time she had seen the shop and she was sure that the shop was not there at first. But still she felt that she had seen the shope once before.
She pulled on Huan's arm that held her and stopped.
"I think it is better if we return to the palace, there are still a lot of preparations to be made for the ball"
Huan frowned at her, but when she saw that Hama was really unwilling, she prepared to leave for the palace when the shop door suddenly opened.
The aroma that came from the shop was so inviting that Huan and Hama walked in almost hypnotized.
The shop was small and was only lighed from the candles that were lit. There was a fireplace on which a large black kettle burned. On the wall there were several shelves with pots of herbs. In the middle of the shop there was a low round table with surrounding seat cushions.
Hama looked around and the disturbing feeling she had got worse by the minute. She felt she had seen this before, but she couldn't place it.
"Huan let's go!"
Hama turned and wanted to walk to the door when it suddenly slammed shut.
"Take a seat ladies, the doors of my shop does not open for everyone. It must have had a reason that you were allowed to enter "
Hama and Huan turned and shouted when they suddenly saw an older lady sitting at the low round table in the middle of the shop
'a witch!'
They both thought the same and tried to control their nerves
"Mmm a witch? Yes, many have called me that, but the second royal princess Haruka of the fox tribe is not considered that way. Also the princess Rana of the dragon tribe who performs miracles medically is not seen that way. No, I am neither a seer nor a healer, but knowledge about the different ways of how the future can be seen and medicine makes miracles "
Hama looked at Huan in surprise
The older women laughed
"No, I cannot hear or read your thoughts. But your expression speaks volumes."
Hama carefully walked to the low round table in the middle of the shop and sat down. Huan sat down next to her and together they made a small bow
"I'm sorry we didn't want to hurt you with our words"
The older lady waved her hands and grabbed a candle. She placed the candle in the middle of the low round table and lit it. She picked up a pile of cards and started shuffle them.
"What a strange couple today. One who has already found her soul mate and a marriage that is already established. And then the other who has found her soul mate but is bound by the rules that are additional to your position and his position as heir to the throne. "
Hama and Huan looked at the older woman in amazement. If she had only made the first comment, they could have said that the old woman was a scammer.
Since the engagement of Ringo and Huan was well known. But hardly anyone knew that Hama had lost her heart to Kenta. And certainly nobody knew what Kenta's feelings were for Hama.
The scent of the candle filled the shop and while Hama and Huan breathe in the scent, they watched the older woman shuffle the cards.
The longer they looked at how the card were shuffeld their mind went blank and they only had eyes for what was happening in the shop.
The woman stopped shuffling the cards and put down three cards. She looked at it and then scratched her hand over her chin and walked over to the kettle above the fireplace.
She picked up a bottle with liquid in it and then grabbed a couple pots of herbs in it and put it in the kettle. While she was stirring in the kettle, she looked at Hama and said
"The decision has already been made and it is not to your advantage. Take this drink with you and make a tea out of it. Make sure you both drink the tea as quickly as possible "
The older woman took an empty bottle and poured the contents of the kettle into it and went back to the low round table in the middle of the shop
She placed the bottle on the table and grabbed a cup. She poured hot water into it and unscrewed the bottle. She put some of the liquid in the bottle cap and put it in the cup with the hot water.
"To show you that I have no bad intentions and that the drink is not harmful, I would first drink a cup of it for you. You only need hot water to make a tea out of it. The taste of the drink adapts to the taste of the drinker."
The older woman closed the bottle and pushed it toward Hama. She nodded a little and then drank the cup of tea.
"There is nothing as pure as love itself and I am very lucky to be able to help someone spend their lives together with their true love. Unfortunately I have not been lucky and my heart has never recovered "
Hama and Huan looked at the older woman and felt a pain in their heart when they saw the older woman sitting defeated at the table with intense sorrow in her eyes.
Hama took the bottle from the table and took the older woman's hand with her other hand
"I am very grateful, I will never forget your help and when I am married, I will richly reward you"
Huan stood up and bowed slightly
"I am also very grateful. My niece is dear to me and I like to see her happy. I will ensure that many hear your name and your business will grow if the result is what we want "