Right when the drums and the other instruments were brought in, Mai left Lady's body and gave the latter the freedom over her body.
"Care to give a warning before we go all possessive again?" Lady sneered in her head as she was sure Mai was sure to hear it.
"Then where will the fun be?" Mai sure enough heard and replied.
Lady groaned mentally and ignored the presence of Mai as she stood tauntingly over with a silly smirk on her face which clearly spelled doom. Lady watched as the instruments were striked and after a few moments, the atmosphere became filled with rich harmonious sounds and Lady was more than pleased that she couldn't help but allow the ghost of a smile to appear on her face.
"You seem to be enjoying" Mai chuckled.
"Let's keep the conversations down a notch before I talk out loud and be taken as lunatic because you, my dear goddess has your way with words and I wouldn't like to take a risk with you" Lady warned with an exhale mentally.
"Alright, if that's what you want" Mai shrugged and disappeared.
Lady shook her head and snorted lightly and enjoyed the unfolding events before her as dancers entered and moved their bodies to entertain them.
Vesi who was standing a few metres away from where Lady sat, by his throne now occupied by his father stole occasional glances at Lady as she sat on the throne admiring her beauty and grace. He smiled unconsciously and looked down from embarrassment as his mind started wandering to places he wasn't exactly so much pleased with, he deemed those thoughts silly. Lady was after all a Makri, the very epitome of the goddess and as such, he as a mere mortal had no chance with her, not even the gods had some chances with her.
He turn to steal another peek at Lady but what happened made his heart stop beating for a moment, right as he turned his head, Lady turned hers and their eyes clashed, an unspoken conversation brewing with their stare. Vesi felt as if Lady was looking into his soul, gazing so directly into it that he felt shivers down his spine and goosebumps took liberty to overcrowd his skin. They stared fro far too long till his mind told him of his status beside Lady and then he took his eyes off her and directed them back to the ground, afraid that the crowd might sense how his heart was beating beyond comprehension.
*******
Amira was sure having the time of the day as she manoeuvred through the crowd greeting and exchanging pleasantries like she had been granted a boon from the very heavens. Her merry nature in the event didn't go unnoticed and she was sure not being subtle about it.
"Don't make a sound and just listen to me" Aya appeared beside Amira and said to her right after she sat down after greeting almost everyone.
"Silly goddess, how am I supposed to even ask questions when I can't make a sound" Amira thought in her head.
"The same way you used to just insult me now" Aya sounded not.... pissed as she laughed.
But Amira on the hand gasped from shock that earned a few attention from those near to her. She dismissed them with an awkward smile and thought again,
"Did you just hear what I thought?"
"Yes, I did and I can hear each and every one of your thoughts. We are bounded, soul, mind and body so I am you in a sense so don't be so surprised" Aya explained.
"Wow" Amira smiled "That's amazing"
"Yes, it is. Now hurry and get something from the prince for me as you said" Aya ordered.
"But pray do tell me, why exactly do we need the something from the prince when we could have obtained it from any other man?" Amira asked.
"It's simple, just as you said, your daughter seems to have some sort of feelings for him and I'm very sure the Prince has feelings for her so using the basis of their feelings would serve as a big reinforcement for the spell" Aya said as Amira nodded thoughtfully.
"That actually makes sense" Amira agreed.
"Now look" Aya pointed to a direction where Lady stood with Vesi conversing "Hurry and go there. It's a perfect opportunity"
"Alright, here we go"
*******
"So why didn't you tell me that you were the prince?" Lady asked Vesi with a chuckle.
"It would have spoiled this very pleasant surprise" Vesi chuckled back.
"But seriously, Lady paused for a moment "What if I said something offensive?"
"Trust me on this, Your Excellency-"
"Wait, don't tell me that's what you are going to call me now?" Lady asked with a tilted head and a raised eyebrow.
Vesi just shrugged and gave her a look that said ' isn't it obvious'
"Come on, I'm the same Lady you know and if everyone is going with honorifics then you should really exempt yourself. " Lady smiled "Would you like it if I called you Prince Vesi?"
"Not really" Vesi shook her head and Lady gave him a ' see what I'm talking about"
"Alright, alright" Vesi raised his hand in surrender "I get you and back to what I was saying, you are last person in this room that I wouldn't even have a mild assumption about that you would offend me"
"You are really good with your words" Lady laughed.
"It's good to see the two strongholds of our community talking heartily with each other" the voice of the King came from behind Vesi.
"It sure is, Your Majesty" Amira's voice came from Lady.
"Father, Your Grace" Vesi bowed her head in greeting to the new personas who joined them.
Lady just nodded to them, courtesy of Mai whisking into existence from nowhere and whispering into her ear that she was now a very important figure way above the likes of the king and I shouldn't really greet the king and of course Lady retorted but she chose to listen as she understood the position she was in besides the King never greets when he is at a place so it was very understandable that she also do same.
"Your Excellency, I believe this King did please you in your welcoming ceremony" The king said to Lady.
"You need not worry, Your Majesty, everything is in order and indeed well thought and pleasing" Lady gave an alluring smile.
"Amira, you did raise a good Makri for us" The King laughed.
"That I did" Amira coyly replied "Please may I have a word with the Prince?" she added humbly.
"Sure, please excuse us" Vesi said and left his father and Lady with Amira trailing behind him.
The moment they left, Mai became restless and she said to Lady " I think Amira is up to no good, I just have this feeling that she is about to do something"
"And what are we going to do about it?" Lady answered mentally, distress written on her face.
"Is something the matter?" The King read Lady's face and grew worried.
"No, Your Majesty, it's just that I'm feeling a little restless. Now worries, I'm fine" she answered.
"Alright, then please take a seat and don't worry too much, I'll handle everything here" The King said and smiled gesturing to the throne.
"Thank you" Lady smiled and went up to sit on the throne.
"I'm going to take a look at what Amira is doing with the Prince, I'll be back" Mai stated and disappeared.
Lady sighed and prayed whatever that her mother was up to wouldn't be so bad like what Mai was thinking.
Mai found Amira and the Prince talking at a corner of the room, clearly isolated from the rest. They seemed to be talking in hushed tones but what was weird was that when she was a little far from them, it seemed that they were taking heartily. Mai became weirded out and she went closer them but then she felt a strong magical sense around them.
Mai became confused beyond belief and she went back a little just confirm her theory. And truly at a distance, they seemed to be talking heartily but when she went closer to them, they were talking so quietly that it seemed that they were sharing a top secret. She lifted her right hand, levitating around them and casted a spell. Whatever was around them fell down and then a figurine, or rather a being surfaced and cracked her bones.
"Ah, we finally meet" The being said as it slowly lifted it's head.
Mai's eyes widened and she gasped, that voice was unmistakable, that voice could only belong to only one person, one Mai would never mistake anyone for.
"Aya?"
"Took you long enough, sister" Aya laughed.
"And it seemed you never got rid of that laugh" Mai countered.
"And what would I have traded it for, dear sister" Aya laughed again "I believe we have some catching up to do, don't we"
"That we do" Mai smirked and snapped her fingers.