A wide paved road led from the center of the Imperial City straight to the Palace. There were actually four of such roads, which met at the center of the Imperial City, where there was a garden with a fountain. I later realized that the other three roads led to the Manors of the other Three Families.
A palanquin was waiting when we descended from the transport creatures.
"Your Highness, please," Nildan grabbed my hand before I could wrench it away, with a grin, "His Majesty and Her Grace are already waiting,"
My heart skipped a beat. My parents!
I sat comfortably in the palanquin. It was raised by four eunuchs whose uniform I could see through the beads hanging from the roof of the palanquin; a character embroidered on their backs: Laoren.
I was startled. How did I know the character? It was different from both Valencia's and Hakorhi's, the two languages I'd ever learnt in my lifetime.
"Aunt Royan," I called. She had the most probability of explaining this.
She came to my side at once.
"Her Highness should refrain from calling this surbodinate 'aunt'--"
I ignored her.
"How come I am able to understand the character?" I pointed at the eunuch's back.
Royan smiled.
"Our language is born with us. Her Highness never knew because you never came in contact with Canolitan text before."
Oh.
So that was it.
The palanquin came to a halt and was gently let down. Savitria jumped forward and snatched my hand before Aunt Royan got to it. She helped me out of the palanquin.
"Stop being childish," Aunt Royan grumbled. These people were so comical!
We were outside a building. The benches by the side were shaped like butterfly wings, four of them surrounding a fountain. With a jolt, I realized I had seen it before. The Royal Study!
Savitria noticed my shock.
"Is Her Highness alright?"
I calmed myself.
"I'm fine." I nodded. I still had to find the person who had placed the mind image on the Lion-Ant King.
Two people came out of the Royal Study, followed by their retinue. The maids were clothed in a uniform of purple and green, while the eunuchs were robed in white. Embroidered on their fronts was the character 'Imperial Palace'
Someone rammed into my middle, in what they thought was a hug.
"Mo' Sen!"
I looked down.
He was a chubby kid, with bright blue eyes that twinkled.
I looked up.
The Emperor and Empress were gawking at me, short of words.
I smiled.
They smiled back shyly. The kid called Mo' Sen broke the silence.
"Elder cousin!"
"Mo' Sen, refer to Her Highness properly!" I realized it was Aunt Royan who was scolding. Was he her son?
"Elder cousin!" Mo' Sen ignored her, pulling at my hand, "Elder cousin, play with me!"
I approached the monarchs, and curtsied, Valencian fashion.
"Respect to the Emperor and Empress,"
"Rise," the Emperor reached out quickly to set me straight, "you-- you're so grown up!"
Of course.
Your daughter got snatched away when she was a baby, and returned as a full grown woman. No wonder they were stunned witless.
I looked at the two of them. I resembled my father. He was huge, with ash brown hair held up by a jade crest, hazel eyes which were full of warmth. The Empress, on her part, had green eyes, short hair and a pretty figure. She was looking at me like I was a stranger.
I approached her.
"Mother,"
She reached out to touch my cheek.
"Neiman?"
I almost rolled my eyes.
Were they expecting a swaddled baby? Really?!!
Nildan Laoren coughed.
"Your Majesty, Your Grace," he bowed, "Her Highness has had a rough trip. Please let her rest at the Palace of Tranquility,"
Wow. We hadn't said twenty words and he was whisking me away? And wait, how could I have had a rough journey mounted on a Flying Phoenix??!
"Alright," said the Emperor, pulling the Empress back, "yes. Let her rest. We'll see in the morning,"
Nildan Laoren bowed again.
"Elder cousin! Let me accompany you!" Mo' Sen snatched my hand before anyone else could.
Aunt Royan flicked his forehead.
"If you hadn't obtained the benevolence of Her Grace, I'm not certain what your fate would be now!"
"Huuu," Mo' Sen rubbed his forehead. I reached out to hold him. He was just behaving like a typical four year old.
"It's alright," I said, and raised him up into my arms. He gleefully planted a kiss on my cheek.
Everyone around me looked embarrassed. But I liked it. It had been long since I had been taken advantage of like that. I missed the times when Rudolph was a very young child.
"Elder cousin is so pweety," he said with a grin, "Elder cousin is pweetier than Elder sister!"
Aunt Royan shook her head, exasperated.
"Really?" I asked, "then go and call her. Say Elder cousin wants to see her," I set him down, and he raced away with glee.
"There's no need for Her Highness to bother," Savitria smiled, "all of Her Highness' relatives are waiting at the Palace of Tranquility to greet you,"
I groaned inwardly. Polite greetings were the last thing I wanted right now!!
The Palace of Tranquility was as huge as the whole Hakorhi settlement put together. From the palanquin I could see the cluster of children waiting nervously in the garden. I frowned. I didn't want my cousins to be terrified.
"Would Her Highness like to change into something comfortable?" Aunt Royan came to the side of the palanquin and asked.
"No." I let her guide me and we came to the garden. The children arranged themselves in an orderly manner the moment they saw me. Collectively, they greeted:
"These young ones greet Imperial Princess!"
They were six.
"These are your immediate cousins," Nildan Laoren explained. Turning to the children, he said:
"Come forward and introduce yourselves to Her Highness!"
I sat on the bench in the garden. The first to approach me was a tall beautiful teenage girl, dressed in the exact same attire as Aunt Royan. She came up to me boldly and bowed.
"Ellita Saarhash pays respect to Imperial Princess,"
Her words were broken by a chant of "Elder sister! Elder sister!"
She sent a glare st her brother.
"Nice to meet you, Ellita," I smiled, "can I call you Ellie?"
She looked at me, dumbfounded. Then she looked at her mother, who nodded.
"Yes," she said shyly, "your highness,"
"Call me Cousin Nei," I offered.
Aunt Royan shook her head vigorously.
"I can't, your highness," she murmured, looking down.
"Don't mind her. Call me Elder cousin like your brother," I pressed.
"My brother is badly behaved," she said with a small smile, "but I'll do as Elder cousin says,"
Her brother came next. His name was Karn and he immediately called me elder cousin. He was sixteen, two years younger than Ellie.
After Karn came, according to the genealogy, Mo' Sen, even though he was the youngest.
He leaped into my arms.
"Elder cousin! We will eat together, right?"
I smiled.
Two of the children came forward nervously. They had to be Uncle Arhost's children, considering the way Nildan Laoren and the rest of the Four glared at them. Pitiful children. The twins came up and paid respects in a very subdued manner. I cheered them as much as I could.
The last child was a replica of me.
She looked at me in awe.
"Why do we look like each other?" She asked.
"Neida! Pay your respects!"
Our names were even similar.
She continued looking into my eyes. The only difference between us was our ages and the roughness of my skin.
"Elder cousin, you're hurt?"
"No," I replied, wondering why she asked.
"You have a cut,"
"It's nothing," I replied.
"Neida!..."
She was brought to her senses.
"Neida Saarhash greets elder cousin,"
They were all ushered away. I was led into my bedchamber. A huge bed covered by curtains occupied half the room. I sat at a round table where I supposed I would have my meals. On it was a vase with magical flowers used for relaxing the body. I played with the petals.
"Those twin girls are Uncle Arhost's daughters?" I asked Nildan Laoren.
"Your Highness should refrain--" seeing the look on my face, he sighed, "yes. They are his daughters,"
I tried to work the math.
"But how come they're younger than me??"
"His wife adopted them,"
They're not even his biological children, yet they had to suffer for his deeds.
And what about his wife that hadn't seen her husband in twenty one years? She would be widowed as soon as he was caught!
Savitria came in with two young girls.
"These are your maids,"
I almost blurted out that I had maids, but then I remembered that Siva and Lena were now my disciples.
Behind them was a heavily built guard.
"Your personal guard," Savitria introduced him.
He went on one knee.
"Ao-ye greets Imperial Princess,"
He reminded me somewhat of Arhid and Alistair in turn.
"Rise," I said distractedly.
He was so gourgeous. He reminded me of a certain someone who also wore their hair in this manner, half restrained by a jade hairpin, other half falling down to the shoulders. Except Ao-ye's hair was jet black, and he was not wearing armour.
Savitria noticed me starring, and sent Ao-ye and the maids outside. Coming to crouch by me, she murmured.
"Her Highness need not worry about the future King-Consort. Her Grace has already made provisions.
I blushed furiously.
"What do you mean??!"
Who cared about King-consorts?
Savitria just smiled knowingly at me.
"I'll prepare your bath," as she rose from my side.
"What?" I said "You? Why?"
"The delegates of the Four Families must serve Her Highness personally," Nildan Laoren was quick to explain.
"But, don't you have other duties?!" I was not ready to have four overbearing people by my side day and night!
"Our other duties are nothing compared to the safety of Her Highness," Nildan replied.
Safety? Safety!
Iria was right.
It would be really difficult to return!