Chapter 3 - The Sun & The Moon (1)

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐍𝐎𝐎𝐑

A dark blue carriage, with intricate silver carvings, moved along the golden route. It bore the flag of the Mahina Kingdom, which fluttered in the air with strength and spirit.

Following this grand carriage was another — a bit rustier-looking — coach, which was more modest and made to carry a dozen or so maids.

Overlooking these two swiftly moving vehicles, were various clusters of armed soldiers on horseback. Each soldier wore black armor made of polished leather and carried a sword or spear, that shined with a sharp glint.

These men were purposefully armed this heavily, as they had been assigned the task of safely transporting an extremely important person to an extremely important place.

And this 'extremely important' person currently resided within the first carriage, which was both heavily guarded and heavily decorated.

It was a single lady.

She wore a beautiful ivory-white dress, the traditional wedding dress of the Moonsmen, which was a long, ankle-length skirt, that needed to be pleated, and was embroidered with intricate golden embellishments.

Paired with a tight-fitting blouse — that only covered the woman's bosom and left her entire back and midriff bare — and an accompanying veil, which was a long swiftly-fluttering piece of glistening cloth that covered her body in a translucent film, the lady looked both aesthetically and sensually pleasing to the eye.

[𝙰/𝙽: 𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜, 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝙶𝙾𝙾𝙶𝙻𝙴 𝚏𝚘𝚛: '𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚊𝚕 𝙻𝚎𝚑𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊' 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚜!]

Along with the dress, the lady also wore several accessories, like creme bangles in each hand, heavy golden necklaces around her neck, and fat opaline earrings in her ears, which were connected with a nosepiece, and the decorated jeweled headband that sat on her forehead.

[𝙰/𝙽: 𝙰𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗, 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝙶𝙾𝙾𝙶𝙻𝙴 𝚏𝚘𝚛: '𝙸𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝙹𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚛𝚢']

She was a walking money mine — wrapped in the finest silks and the most expensive jewelry in all of the Mahina Kingdom. In fact, it wasn't only her attire that was exceedingly rich, but even her appearance, that shined brighter than the brightest star in the sky.

The woman was gifted with natural poise befitting those of an exalted lineage. In retrospect, she even had the physical allure of a mystical beauty — what with her beautiful raven hair, that shimmered like water droplets under the sunlight, or her silver eyes, that seemed like two little moon's. Including her shaped cheekbones, clear skin, and sharp nose, she seemed like one of the many legendary statues made by Darwin, the great sculpturist.

Yet, despite her timeless beauty, or the tremendous wealth that adorned her, the woman was in an inconsolable mood. As she sat, with her soft lips pressed into a thin line, various thoughts passed her mind.

Her name — as many knew it — was Amaris el-Sharaf Noor, which meant the 'Child of Moon that honored light.' She was the first 'Shehzadi', the first Royal princess, of the Mahina Kingdom.

And right now, she was on her way to her future husband's abode.

To distract herself from any thoughts of this 'husband', Amaris focused on the tiny window at the side of her carriage.

As she watched the unchanging scenery of trees and even more trees, cynical theories popped into her mind, weakening the little resolve she held in her heart. The negativity of her views ate away at her soul, and she felt even gloomier as more time passed.

For example, one of the many things that she found extremely depressing, were the garments that she currently wore...

Amaris thought, that these expensive clothes were probably her father's last courtesy towards her. After all — even if she was despised by the bottom of the Sultan's heart — she STILL remained his child, and also the bridal candidate of the most powerful ruler in all of Godsland.

But graciously gifting her a few roles of high-quality silk? Why did His Imperial Highness even bother? It didn't matter either way — her being tossed away in rags or in a dress.

At the end of the day, it was all the same.

She was still being tossed away.

Such thoughts were a constant reminder that her life till the present had been pathetically lonely, and was only going to grow even worse when she reached her future home.

To Amaris, who had never had the chance to ever travel, it was almost pitiful how her first carriage ride might as well be her last.

With a painfully expressionless face, a memory from a seemingly distant past surfaced inside her head. It was the memory when the Sultan, her Father, had announced that she was to be engaged — no, to be sacrificed.

༄

The Imperial Court of the Mahina Kingdom was a gorgeous place, filled with extravagant decorations, like pearl-rimmed carpets and rare paintings made by the best Painters in all the land. Supported by huge marble pillars, that were carved with intricate patterns, as well as the massive gold and silver throne that was decorated with symbols of the Moon, it was one of the most lavish areas in the entire Palace, where the Sultan and his Sultana sat, listening to their country's affairs.

[𝙰/𝙽: 𝚂𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 "𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚐" 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚂𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚊 𝚒𝚜 "𝚀𝚞𝚎𝚎𝚗"]

The room was such a wondrous sight to behold, that almost all the people who ever visited it were taken aback by the riches that the mysterious country of Mahina possessed.

With its own culture and religion that was exceedingly different from the other Southern and Western Kingdoms of Godsland, Mahina was a unique place, where not many outsiders were allowed to enter. Only a select few traders and merchants, who had been screened by the Sultan's henchmen, were permitted entry, while immigration was almost impossible within the borders.

Mahina was secluded, and perhaps that was the reason why it was so wealthy. It didn't need to share or covet others. It stood by itself, isolated and beautiful like the very Moon its people worshipped.

However, despite all its glory, Amaris — who, at this moment, was inside this very famed Court — could not understand what had occurred to bring her to this position.

As she sat on the ground, pinned by two soldiers holding spears to her throat, she turned her face slightly to the sky, where the throne was located — where the Sultan sat — surrounded by his viziers and servants.

Amaris was shocked and yet dazed, as she stared at her father's cruel gaze. He was looking down at her, his massive turban crown glittering in the light of the Court, while he lazily leaned his head on his hand.

Amaris watched her emotionless father, feeling the weight of the soldiers on her shoulders and listening to the whispers of the Court officials, scorning her secretly at her disgraced position.

She could not understand why she was in this position. But then again, she could never understand her father.

"Welcome, Shehzadi Noor," The Sultan's voice passed in her ears, and Amaris blinked, listening to the title that she was called by.

It wasn't the first time she had been addressed this way, and yet, it felt like a piercing knife to her heart.

'Shehzadi' meant princess. However, 'Noor' was the surname given to bastard children of nobility, who were deemed inferior to adopt the actual 'family name'. And the fact that she was called 'Shehzadi Noor' in front of all these officials must mean...

... was she was being deposed? Abandoned? Killed?

All sorts of scenarios filtered in her head, yet Amaris maintained her composure.

"O Sultan, God-blessed, and Divine; the brilliant Moon and Savior of Mahina. This Shehzadi humbly greets your Royal Highness."

The most ceremonious greeting to the Sultan, taught to Amaris since she was a toddler, easily escaped her lips. It was as if it was automatic, and she did not need to consciously think to greet him so formally.

"At ease, Noor." The Sultan spoke.

Amaris noticed that his voice was void of all sentiments, just like his face, and that the cruel look in his eyes was only growing as more time passed.

Amaris, unable to speak or ask any questions as to why she was bought to the Court, swallowed her nervousness down.

'Patience, Ari...' She told herself, 'Be patient and silent, or he will take your head.'

Just when silence had covered the Courtroom, a nameless official shouted out to the Sultan, the burning question that had been in the mind of every person there.

"If I may be so impudent to ask, your Royal Highness! Why has the Shehzadi been summoned to the Court?"

The official seemed contemptuous and proud as if he could not believe that he had been forced into the same room as a mere 'Noor' princess.

Amaris and all the other officials present were almost sure that this impertinent man, who dared question the Sultan's orders, would suffer a fate worse than a hunting deer. However, contrary to their expectations, instead of barking out punishments, a smirk slowly emerged on their King's stoic face.

Amaris felt chills on her neck, and she quickly turned her head down, to avoid meeting her Father's eyes.

Just as much as her Father disliked her, or perhaps even more, Amaris felt a deep fear for her father. Even the slightest annoyance from her side and the Sultan could easily end her insignificant life.

This constant terror was one of the worst things about her world.

"O Noor," His Royal Highness slowly started to explain, "On normal occasions, your filthy kind would have been starved until it ceased. But I have been exceptionally kind. You have lived to pass your Coming of Age ceremony and now, you are 18. It is time you return what you owe to your King."

His voice boomed in the Courtroom.

Each word he spoke felt heavier than the last, and as Amaris listened to them, invisible shackles appeared around her limbs, pushing her further down towards the ground — as if drowning her in an invisible lake of tears.

"To prevent the disastrous War with the Sol Kingdom in the South, I have decided that you shall be wed to their King, Mykel von Aseph, the second of his name!" He continued, "You will travel south to Sol, and learn to serve him as a bridal candidate, leaving behind your title and possessions as a Shehzadi of Mahina!"

At what he said, Amaris' eyes widened for the first time, since she stepped into the Courtroom. With her lips sealed with speechlessness, she listened silently as he continued his announcement.

"May the Moonlit Goddess shower you with brilliance, as you set course for the Kingdom in three nights from today," The Sultan's smirk grew wider, as he watched the pale face of his bastard daughter, "The Noor is your savior, citizens! Praise her for offering herself as a tribute to the mighty King of the Sun."

When the Sultan finished, the Courtroom broke into merry applause — but the only problem was, that the recipient of such applause was far from feeling merry.

Amaris, shocked beyond her wits, stared at the shadow on her father's face.

She had paid no attention to the cheers from the Officials, and instead, had busied herself to stare at her father, whose evil smirk had turned into a casual smile. As far as Amaris could remember, her father never smiled — smirked, yes. But never smiled — not in front of her.

But despite its absurdity, she was not fooled.

Amaris knew instantly what lay under the sweetness on his face —

And it was disgust.

Utter.

Absolute.

Disgust.

It wasn't difficult for Amaris to figure out, from a very early age, that her father did not love her like he loved her other half-sisters. It was even more simple to figure out that he absolutely despised her.

And now, she knew for a fact that he wanted to do away with both herself and the unpure blood that flowed through her veins.

But to think that he would be as heartless as to send her to that evil monster, Mykel von Aseph the second!

'Father... your hatred must have run deeper than I thought.'

Her heart trembled with bitterness.

She could always feel the rejection miles away, but to be cast out so publicly?

To say that her father's actions had hurt her, would be the century's understatement.

Amaris felt her placid expression twitch, as she remembered the rumors surrounding the mysterious Sun King.

Mykel von Aseph II was said to be barbaric — both in nature and appearance. Rumors described him as an old, fat, and predatory man, who liked to skin little girls and kill just for fun. He was a plunderer, a tyrant, a pedophilic promiscuous wolf! His inhumane antics were so infamous that they had even reached Amaris' very own ears, inside the barred Kingdom of Mahina, where no outside talk ever entered in the first place!

Gods...

If she were to be married to such a brute, how would she survive?

Amaris' life had already been unbearable since the moment she stepped inside the Nightingale palace, but now it was going to be a hundred — no, a thousand! — times worse.

Her eyes glinted with unshed tears, as she slowly faced the cruel man who was the cause of her eternal misery.

For as long as Amaris could remember, she had never had the courage to call this man her "Father" in public. The way he admonished her, belittled her, scorned her, and ill-treated her, was enough for her to understand that if she ever called him 'Father,' then she would face consequences worse than the ones she already knew.

However, faced with this outlandish situation, Amaris felt that even death would probably prove a better alternative than marrying the tyrant king of another country, so far from the place she called home.

With all her fear evaporating, Amaris sought to accomplish the unassailable feat, that haunted her through her childhood. To justify her actions, she said to herself, 'If I am to leave and never return... At least I should do this... before I disappear from his sight forever...'

Her voice, which was neither weakened nor quivering, bellowed inside the Courtroom.

"I hear my King, and I shall obey your command," She paused, gathering the last bits of her courage, "Father."

With that said, she did not wait for the Sultan's reactions and got up. The soldiers who had been holding her down had left her, once the Sultan had started to speak of her arranged marriage, and Amaris felt no qualms of taking advantage of this.

She immediately curtsied as etiquette dictated she should, and turned around, with a dignified posture and a straight face.

She would rather be damned than show her father her vulnerable tears.

༄

Back to the present, Amaris quietly sighed in the moving carriage.

Currently, it had been almost three days since her entourage left the Capital of Mahina, and were on their way to the Kingdom of Sol. They were due to reach in another hour, and that was the reason she had changed into this uncomfortable dress on the insistence of her maids.

The fleet was using the long trade route known as Astrad, which was as far as Amaris knew, the only "legal" way to move between the six Kingdoms of Godsland. In the ancient language, 'Astrad' meant 'The Road to Paradise.'

However, which Kingdom out of the six was this so-called "paradise", was unknown as Astrad was a circular road that never ended, meaning it never reached this "paradise."

To Amaris, the name of this road was a metaphor.

Paradise was non-existent, and that was the reason that this road never ended.

After all, even the famous word 'Utopia' — that was used to signify a country where all were happy and prosperous — actually meant a place that did not exist. To begin with, the philosophy behind absolute happiness within a ruling country was an utter sham.

There was no continent, country, or city in which all could be happy. The mere concept of 'happiness' fell short to Amaris' ears.

It seemed as if the entire ordeal (being sold off to another King by her own Father) had turned her into a skeptic, with no positivity in her outlook of life. There was only sour contempt in the filter of her heart.

With a sigh, her silver eyes turned towards the little box that sat beside her on the carriage seat.

Despite her constant pessimism, though, she hadn't entirely given up all warmth. This box was proof of that.

With a shadow of a faint smile, Amaris picked up the box, that was filled to the brim with sweets of all kinds. It was mostly Western chocolates, though — famous in the Country of Rowan — made by a plant known as 'Cocoa' which was indigenous to the region there.

'Since you are going far away, take this. Eat it whenever you feel down, and it will lift your spirits up... Don't forget me, my dear sister... And please be happy.'

A little voice echoed in Amaris' head.

It was the most wonderful voice she had ever heard in her entire life, belonging to a little boy, no more than 14 years old. The voice was scratchy and kind, muffled because of the tears on his face, and yet filled with an affection that Amaris could never forsake.

The box of sweets was such a lovely gift, and the little boy who gave it to her was even lovelier. At the thought of them, she could not help but break into a sad laugh.

The image of her half-brother, Elijah, wavered in her mind.

With his shining silver hair and silver eyes — the trait of 'true' Royalty, so much different from her own raven hair — Elijah was a growing boy, with a smile as big as his heart. Formally, he was known as the Crown prince, the First Shehzad, of Mahina. But to Amaris, he was her only lifeline.

Elijah had served as the beacon of light in the darkness that was her home. He had been beside her since he was five years old, and she had watched him grow as a sister would, albeit with extra precautions, for she did not want to disclose her close relations with the Shehzad to others — especially, the Sultan.

To be honest, Amaris did not mind being thrown away to the sharks by her own father, as much as she absolutely hated being apart from her brother.

Elijah was the only family, the only friend, and the only ally she ever knew or had. To leave him would be to leave everything she held dear. And to Amaris, who had lived in solitude for the most part of her life, the thought of entering that dark place once again was completely frightening.

Amaris took a shaky breath.

She never wanted to feel that lonely ever again.

Just as she was thinking these thoughts, a noise from the little window, at the side of her carriage, caught her attention. It was a light tapping sound, and Amaris slightly turned towards it, to look down at her caller.

A burly knight came into view, as he rode on his horse, alongside her moving window.

"Yes?" Amaris asked, observing her escort who resembled a mercenary more than he did a noble soldier. Looking at it now, it seemed that these knights were more to prevent her from escaping than to protect her.

"My Shehzadi," The knight bowed slightly, "It seems that due to the recent floods in the area, some trees have fallen and blocked the path up ahead."

Amaris blinked at the sudden advertisity, while the knight continued speaking. It seems he hadn't just bought about complaints but also solutions.

"According to one of the men from a village nearby, there is a mudpath conjoining with Astrad a few acres away. If your highness allows it, we shall continue with that route – although it may be a bit uncomfortable. Otherwise, we shall stop for a few hours, and my men can remove the trees in our path... our arrival at Sol may be a bit later, though, and might be cause for diplomatic concern."

Amaris stared at the Knight, who stared right back. He was a young fellow, but smart. She briefly thought she should remember him.

"What are your orders, Shehzadi?" The Knight asked.

It was only a short moment, but Amaris fiddled with the thought.

If they stopped now, it would take longer to reach the meeting point where she was due to meet her future husband, and ultimately — as the Knight mentioned — would cause international stress in the relationship between Mahina and Sol.

However, if they did not stop, and continued with the undocumented path suggested by some random stranger, she would not only be compromising her safety but also her comfort (especially when she was already more than uncomfortable in this damned wedding gown).

Perhaps if it were a month ago, when all Amaris ever thought of was pleasing her Father and the other members of her family, she would have immediately refused the offer to stop and continued on despite the pain in her back.

Yes... she would have stayed the obedient Noor, and followed Royal protocol, suffering through the trouble to reach the chosen time, without delay — just like the "perfect" daughter she was.

But now... What did she have to lose?

All that Amaris ever wanted in life was acknowledgment and perhaps, love. But now... Now that her entire world was already crumbling, what more could matter?

It seems her rebellious phase came a bit later than normal children, but right at that moment, all Amaris could think was the opposite of what her teachings demanded she must do.

'If I am to die anyway, then why shouldn't I do whatever I want before the final end?'

A smile formed on Amaris' lips, as she looked at the knight.

"Yes. Stop the carriages." She ordered.

Her voice was strangely steady, unlike her pounding heart. She had never done anything like this before! She was going against basic Royal etiquette and blowing off her future husband!

And yet, Amaris did not stop speaking.

"And send a messenger to his Highness, the King of Sol, that the Shehzadi of Mahina will arrive later than discussed. Tell him it is because she wishes to take her time, leisurely sightseeing the surroundings. Ask for his understanding and give him my gratitude — ah!"

Amaris, who had been stroking her chin as she said those words, suddenly realized a crucial piece of information that she hadn't mentioned yet and added it into her order.

"But make sure to tell the messenger: he must NEVER utter a word about these floods nor should he apologize for my delay. Did you hear, Knight? Not ONE word of apology shall be uttered in my name, for I have done no wrong. I carry no guilt for my actions as they are not evil like a certain cretin's."

There was some bitterness in her words, and when Amaris finally stopped speaking, her gaze moved towards the knight, to make sure he had noted all that.

However, when Amaris made eye contact with the knight, she noticed he seemed a bit shocked. In fact, he looked speechless.

"Do you understand, good Knight?" Amaris asked, frowning a bit, as she stared at the man's face. He seemed to have not comprehended anything that she had just said.

"Ah — Oh!" The Knight finally showed some sort of reaction, scrambling to nod and speak at the same time, with a confused frown and a trembling pout.

"Um, yes. Yes, I do understand, Shehzadi. I shall inform our fastest messenger to travel south before us, to inform his Majesty of your message. Meanwhile, please rest well. The Shehzadi's geteld will be set up shortly," The knight spoke, his shock turning back into a more normal expression. However, his confusion did not disappear from his eyes.

[𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛'𝚜 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎: 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚊 "𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚍" 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚝𝚢𝚙𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝙼𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚊𝚕 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜]

Amaris stared at the knight for a while and suddenly asked, "What is your name?"

The Knight who hadn't expected to be asked anything, blinked before curtly replying, "I am called Killian, your highness."

"Hmm... Alright, Killian." Amaris said, turning away from the window and dismissing the Knight, "The tree should be out of the way soon. We wouldn't want my temperamental husband to keep waiting for me too long."

The Knight did not reply, and bowed in return. Then he swiftly turned away to relay her orders. But he couldn't help but look back once again, to get another glimpse at the Shehzadi's face.

He noticed that she was looking out her carriage window, with a deep-seated sorrow in her eyes, as if she had fought for a million years and was tired from all that passed during that time. Like a desolate warrior, who had seen much grief and death, she seemed incomplete and inconsistent with her present.

The knight could not help but frown at her profile. He was struck with pity towards this beautiful yet hollow Shehzadi, that was traveling towards her imminent death. And still, he felt another emotion — something akin to resolution.

He lightly swore on a small personal resolve — that he would protect his master during this small journey. There was no complex reasoning behind it; just that mere moments ago, the cold and proud Shehzadi had divulged a painfully truthful statement that hit too close to home.

She had done no evil, and there was no need for apologies.