"I apologize, Lady Lando. I have something on my mind." I smiled at her apologetically. She started with one of her lectures again about what should, what not should. I put back my shoes and stand up while stretching my body. 'What a relief to my tensed muscles.'. The sky has begun to darken.
"We should return to the palace, your highness."
I looked up to the sky. Any moment now, the dark sky will be filled with many beautiful sparkling stars. Lady Lando stood beside me and looked up to the sky as well.
"Do you know the story about the goddess of the star, Lady Lando?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Every child is well versed in the legend."
"That young?"
"Yes. Because this is the gift, she gives to every child when they reach the age of ten."
Yeah, I am well aware of that story. Kirai always narrated it to me, or I heard her narrate it to the children visiting the Grand Temple, or whenever she saw children on the street, she would call out to them and show them some magic that every priestess developed or learned like a hundred times or more. I followed her every way she went and waited on the side for her to finish her chores given by the other senior priestess. I'm almost sick of it.
Desiree. The name they called her. More like a 'desire' to me if you ask me.
She is also called the 'Chosen daughter' of the star.
"What was she like? Have you ever met her in person?"
She shook her head. "I got my wishes from the temple."
"So, you never saw the goddess yourself." I was disappointed with her answer. I lay down on the soft grass, looking up at the dark sky. The moon looks larger and closer than in my era, which scared me when I first looked up from the temple's balcony.
"My grandma did meet her, though. She told us that her beauty was beyond any ladies on land she ever laid eyes on. She appeared at the moment of desperation and helped my grandma."
"Really?" I turned to her as she sat on the grass beside me. "How come she was able to appear in front of your grandma and not you?"
"I don't really know. But, it was a little strange."
"What is?"
"Now that we're discussing the goddess, I remember one time my grandma had a fond childhood memory that she always shared with us. After the meeting with the goddess, she denied having such a memory and told us a different story." Lady Lando pondered the memory.
"Are you sure you are not mistaken?"
"Well, it was the sweetest memory she had with her best friend. Madam Gadi. But she denied it firmly, which left us speechless. Madam Gladi was the living proof of the story."
Lady Lando's story gave me two weeks to think about the reason.
Two weeks passed, Kirai came to visit Ara and to deliver a message.
We were alone inside the greenhouse. It was a relief to escape from the tenacious Lady Lando. Lady Mari didn't say anything to back me up but silently helped me somehow, such as today's meeting with Kirai.
"Oh, my head. Luckily you came to visit, or my head will snap off any second." I groaned as I did my routine body stretching. "Ah, that was so good!" Kirai giggled at my constant lament every time she visited the palace.
"Well, nobody said it was easy to marry a crown prince."
At the mention of the Ephraim, I paused. I still can't figure out what happened to him. Every day, the same dozens of questions keep on pressing me for answers. I am still unable to let this matter go since I was married to him legally. My messy mind thinking all that doesn't help at all.
The complicated project that took six months project, finally completed last week. We had our private small party organised inside the greenhouse, and he was among those invited. But he never showed up. I wonder if I need to let go of those memories. No. I shouldn't have mistaken it as memories with night dreams.
"Hey, come here." Kirai strode towards me and gave me a comforting hug. I want to cry, but I can't. Not because I don't want to cry my eyes out, but I don't remember the last time I cried. "I'm sorry."
I smiled at her with my nose flushed. "Maybe I just ask for annulment for this marriage."
Kirai was baffled by my suggestion or maybe something else. "Prtt… Your nose is red like those mousedeer's."
"Hey, stop it. It's not funny!"
"I apologize for making fun of you, your highness."
"You're unbelievable!"
"You're the one who started it. Don't you ever mention or suggest that anymore." Kirai was furious at me. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything to this era's people about divorce.
I didn't apologize that day since I am still considering leaving the palace.
The next day, Kirai left in a hurry after passing me a small box. Inside it is a crystal clear tear shaped pendant for a necklace. It was so unique that my hand turned it into a gel and cold to touch with a touch with my hand. It frightens me for a second there as if I just did something to make it appear jelly!
"High Priest Romou wants you to have this for your belated marriage gift."
"Where is he right now?" I turned to Kirai, a bit annoyed with Romou. 'I don't need this.' I don't care about this gift that I passed to lady Mari, and Kirai looked disappointed that she wanted to say something disapproving at how I handled the precious gift from a high priest of the empire.
Kirai ignored my inquiries and grabbed the box from my hand before Lady even had the chance to take it from me. She lifted my palm and placed it on top of the lid, slowly covering it with her own hand. Kirai gave a gentle sigh, smiled at me. "You really are mundane." She stares straight into my eyes, giving me a little pat on the gift box. "This is the previous thing a High Priest ever gave to someone, your highness. Please, promise me to look after this, protect it with your whole life depending on it." She presses the word 'please'. She pleaded to me. Somehow the word 'mundane' coming from her doesn't sound that bad at all but gave me a little embarrassment at my own actions earlier.
"He is someone with a complex personality. But he is a good, kind person. He will do whatever he thinks is within reason." And she lifted my hand to cover the lid with her hand tapping my hand softly. "Take care of this gift, your highness. He will surely return to us. That's why he wants you to have this. Please keep it safe. He'll be coming soon. And not to run away."
I dare to ask anything from Kirai anymore.
"Remember that he was the High Priest. He knows everything that he wants to know. Especially you." with that last advice, she left.
I kept it with the rest of my precious and fond items that only I know the existence of.
I am aware of what she was trying to say. 'Trust no one.'
Last night, Kirai words obviously sprouted a hint that a revolt will happen soon. Lady Coriane was one of their plans. Is that why Emperor Aleq insisted on the wedding? Seeing me alive and kicking only means their plan has failed. The incident with Ara was one of their rushed plans since nobody knew about the ancient tree in the middle of an abandoned garden in the west palace. That once housed the late empress of the empire. It gave me goosebumps thinking I'm in the middle of their war. Aye, a war is coming.