Ari finally made her way down the mountain and out of the trees to see a very agitated Vida tapping her foot while waiting next to the city's entrance guards. As soon as Vida caught sight of Ari, she stomped up to her.
"WHERE have you been?!" she asked in a slightly hushed but still rather angry voice. Vida was dressed in the same men's attire that she had worn when they parted yesterday, meaning she had waited all night for Ari's return from the mountain forest to the capital.
Ari scratched at her head nervously. "I was, um, caught in a rainstorm last night and couldn't make it back down until now," she answered quietly as her eyes tried desperately not to meet those of her personal guard's.
Vida made an unattractive snorting noise. "Alright, Your Majesty. I'll pretend to believe you if that gets you inside this city faster."
"Indeed, it will. Don't call me Your Majesty."
Vida rolled her eyes and gestured for Ari to lead the way through the city's gates. Algeva was bustling, just as you would expect of a capital city. The main road that they were on had countless vendors, some displaying gorgeous jewelry or bright and ornate clothing, some selling aromatic foods, some selling different forms of creative art pieces. Many times along the path there were groups of musicians and dancers performing, some very elegant and some just for fun. Ari gazed at the dancers admiringly at she walked past.
Finally, the bustling gave way to some larger homes and estates, until they came upon the golden palace gates. Vida and Ari nodded at the guards who stepped aside and greeted them as they passed through, "Welcome back, Royal Physician."
The girls made their way to the princess's quarters, bowing their heads to greet the guards along the way, until finally reaching her shaded room. Vida immediately let her hair down from the cap she was wearing and put it up into a ponytail, then stuck her head outside to call for the maids to run a bath. She turned around on her heel and folded her arms at Ari.
"Do you want to tell me why your hands and arms are covered in blood?" she asked, tapping her foot angrily again as Ari began dressing into her bathing robe.
"I would much rather not to, actually," Ari replied. She stepped into the bath that the maids prepared and Vida couldn't help but again be amazed at Ari's eyes. It shocked her every time they entered the princess's dark room that those golden eyes changed to a teal color. It was quite convenient when they were in disguise, though. She was the only one who knew about Ari's eyes and what actually happened due to their sensitivity to light. Everyone else just thought that the princess was very frail and couldn't handle bright lights. Vida chuckled to herself remembering several times when Ari would pretend to faint when exposed to harsh light, so as to not show anyone her eyes turning honey.
Vida was going through the princess's dresses when Ari called to her over her shoulder from the bath, "Actually, I have a request for tonight if you could arrange it for me."
Vida pursed her lips. "Your father said that there's an important meeting for tonight. I'm already afraid of what you're planning."
Ari grinned. "It's nothing terrible. I just want to surprise Father."
Vida combed and began braiding Ari's long hair. She braided the top half into a french braid and adorned golden clips on the sides, then smaller braids throughout the bottom, weaving in several golden beads. "I worry when you say things like 'nothing terrible' and 'surprise'..."