"Princess," Canaria called out as she stepped back inside Nefertari's chambers. "Prince Joon Wo is waiting outside, and he isn't quite happy." She said as she circled behind Nefertari who was sitting on the chair waiting for her maid to fix her hair.
"Sheesh, that man is always in such a hurry," Nefertari mumbled crossing her arms over her chest as her maid got to work with her hair decorating it with golden clips.
"I kept telling you to hurry, princess," Canaria said while struggling to make her princess's hair glamorous as always. "Here all done." She said releasing a satisfied sigh with her handy work.
"Oh, Canaria can you get my crown too?" Nefertari said after she took in her reflection from the mirror.
"Eh? I thought you didn't like to wear it since it's heavy," Canaria puzzled but went to get the golden Cobra crown from its box.
"I just want to wear it today. After all, Papa gave it to me remember?" Nefertari said as she took the crown and adjusted it on her head.
Canaria smiled warmly, remembering the previous owner of this crown. Nefertari's mother Cleopatra. The memory of her younger self running to get Cleopatra her crown was still vivid in her mind, along with the memory of the last time she had it on, and how it came off her head rolling on the grown when it's owner fell to her death in the pharaoh's arms.
The smile that was on her face was now gone, looking at Nefertari, she recalled that that day was still a secret from her. Despite her being an adult, the pharaoh still kept it from his daughter. Canaria knew that telling Nefertari the truth held more pain to the pharaoh than keeping it to himself, he still needed time that was what he last told her regarding this matter and of course, Canaria respected her pharaoh's wishes.
"Tari! Can you please hurry up! We are late!" Joon Wo said as he tried to keep the knock from turning into banging, he was getting impatient. He sighed we heard the same response as every time, he leaned back against the wall opposite to the green double door and crossed his arms over his chest.
His heart was hammering hard in his chest, he has already met Tari many times since he came here, more like he was always with her except when they went to bed but, every time it never ceased to make his heart hammer in joy like a little child.
"Are you waiting for Nefertari?" A voice said.
"She is taking like forever to get ready," Joon Wo said when he turned to look at Ashkan who was coming towards him. " anyway, what brings you here?"
"I wanted to meet up with Nefertari before we all head out," Ashkan said with a warm smile on his face. For a split second, Joon Wo felt a tiny spark of anger.
Along with the fact that Ashkan is the only one who says Nefertari's name without butchering it, it always kind of made Joon Wo jealous. He still remembers the day that he called her with her full name, it was a mess.
The tension that was rising in the air was broken when the double doors burst open revealing Tari with Canaria her handmaid behind her. "Oh! Ashkan is here too!" Tari exclaimed.
"Wanted to see you before meeting with the other," Ashkan said with a sweet voice that made Tari go aw.
"Aw, Ashkan you are so sweet!" she said patting his head making the blood rush to his freckled face.
"H-hey," Ashkan said staggering back trying to get out of Tari's hold.
"I know, I know, you are not a little boy anymore," Tari giggled teasingly.
'Why didn't she ever tell me that?' Joon Wo mumbled in his thoughts, he was blind to his own jealousy but he was aware that Tari was unaware of his feelings for her as well as her own feelings. He wasn't yet sure if she felt the same as him or not, not when Ashkan is there at least. The way she treats him makes him doubt his beliefs.
He was bought back from his misery when he felt an arm wrap around his, when his eyes finally took focus he saw Tari smiling up at him. "Come on let's go!" She said as she wrapped her other arm around Ashkan's arm as well and started dragging them both across the palace and Canaria following them with a grin on her face feeling like a proud mother.
~~~~
As they walked across the palace to meet up with the other, two female figures were spectating them from afar. One looked like a noble while the other looked like her maid.
"Who is that woman acting so shamelessly with the 2nd prince?" the noblewoman asked.
"She is the crown princess of Kemet, my lady," the maid said in a small voice holding her head low.
"Crown Princess?" she said sounding surprised. "And she acts so shamelessly around the prince? Does she have any etiquette?" The noblewoman Lady Hye Su of the Chang family scoffed. Hating the sight of a woman wrapping her arms around the man she has eyes on.
At first, she was just following her mother's order to try to seduce the 2nd princes saying that Queen Eun Ae is for sure going to make her son king, or that what she was told. Then by the time, she found herself getting affectionate towards him. Her mother one of the many pawns of the queen was promised to wed her daughter to the 2nd princes.
"How dare she lay hands on him!" she hissed through clenched teeth. She has only seen the princess this once and she was already feeling the resentment and hate grow inside her.
"And who is that redheaded man?" Hye Su asked her maid after she was able to keep her temper under control.
"A prince from Persia, my lady," She said.
"Interesting…"