THE CASCADE PALACE, CAPITAL CITY ZENARLI, KINGDOM OF VENDARYA.
* The people of Vendarya are referred to as Vendes*
"How have you been?" He said, smiling. Adriana stared at him, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. She couldn't control her breathing as different emotions surged at once, feelings buried only to be dug up by this unexpected presence.
"How?" She whispered, and made to stand up when she noticed it. A small detail, so subtle a motion from her ex-accomplice, his thumb rubbing slightly against his index finger. Her eyes widened at that, and she fell back against the bed, eliciting a pretentious groan.
It is him! Adriana exclaimed inwardly, He had just signaled a motion that they were both accustomed to. A non-verbal expression for her to play an ignorant role. But what angle was he playing? If so, why did he call her pet name? Wouldn't that spoil the guise? But that hardly mattered; she had to play a role that any person would feel sorry for, a victim.
But it was Kali, her former member in the Uprising. One whom she had almost shared romantic fantasies with, whom she had seen burn in the fire. He was here standing in front of her, in the flesh.
"How what?" King Hattori asked, looking between his assistant and her, the alien.
"H–how are you here?" Adriana spilled out hurriedly, tearing her eyes away from Kali. "I mean, Your Majesty must be so busy"
Before she could finish and bob her head slightly in a curtsy, Hattori cut in with an amused tone."So you know I'm royalty?"
Of course, she knew him. He was one of those good leaders in kingdoms that the Uprising refused to operate on. But he didn't know that.
"Y–yes Your Majesty." Adriana stuttered, ducking her head nervously. Adriana had to sell the role she wished to acclaim. She had prepared for this in case she was caught.
"How so? You don't look like one of my people," He queried, scanning her slightly tan face.
Curse Antioch's sun. She thought, her skin wasn't bone white like that of the Vendes.
"I'm from Antioch," Adriana answered, truthfully.
"Antioch?" Hattori intoned with a raised eyebrow. "What brings you here then?Last I checked, Antioch is in a fairer condition than Venderya," The king asked, tipped his head to the side. All the while, Kali looked on, his face impassive except for the occasional grin.
"True, Your Majesty, but my occupation necessitates movement from kingdoms of favorable conditions to those of less favorable conditions. No offense," Adriana replied with a blank look on her face.
"And what occupation is that?" Hattori questioned, his eyes searching Adriana's for a flaw of any sort.
Adriana answered in a heartbeat, no one in the room could detect the lie. "I am a trader Your Majesty." Adriana answered shifting her weight on the bed.
"A trader?"
Adriana nodded, chancing a glance at Kali. He was engrossed in his fingernails.
"And what do you trade?"
"Pieces of jewelry. I trade different pieces of jewelry, pawn old and faded antiques for new ones."
"Jewelry?" Hattori inquired.
Adriana almost snorted at his intonation. It seemed he had a habit of intoning every point she laid across. But she was a skilled liar. She could lie on the spot, and that alone reassured Adriana.
"Your physique doesn't suit that of what you practice," Hattori said, examining her lithe arms.
But before Adriana could think of a reply, Kali spoke up. "Where is the trade you speak of?"
Hattori turned to Adriana quizzically, with a frown, no doubt annoyed by Kali's intervention.
"Alas, they fell prey to the desert bandits, I escaped by hair's breadth. Thus, my unprecedented stop in your kingdom," She replied without missing a beat.
"I see," Hattori paused; for a moment Adriana thought she had escaped.
"And you are?"
Adriana blinked.
"What's your name?"
"Adriana."
"Well, Adriana, I am King Hattori and this," He said with a benevolent smile "is my assistant, Kali."
A swift change. Adriana noticed as Hattori's face burst into a small smile.
"It's an honor to meet you both," Adriana said, giving Kali her sweetest smile.
"I apologize for the incident," Hattori stated, his eyes looking a bit downcast. "Our best resources are out there finding a solution to this problem."
"I hope they find it soon," Adriana wished, with a smile. Her mind wavering to Foucault and Lady Marga. Why weren't they here yet?
"Since that is settled, I'll leave you in the hands of Kali," Hattori said turning on his heels. "He will get you settled and hopefully when you recover there would be provisions for your departure."
"You are too kind, milord," Adriana said in a sickly sweet tone.
"Kali." Hattori called as he reached the door. Once Kali drew close enough, he whispered,
"I want you to keep an eye on her. Make sure her story checks out, I need you to gather information on her and maybe she has any idea what is happening in her Kingdom concerning Foucault," Hattori whispered.
"Yes, my liege," Kali said bowing, then Hattori left, leaving the medical wing for Kali and Adriana.
"How?" Adriana muttered as Kali turned around to face her.
"I understand you have a lot of questions to ask." Kali began holding his hands up. "But we can't discuss them here,"
Adriana glared at him for a moment before releasing a sigh. "Lead the way," She said, and together, they left the Cascade Palace, away from its gates and into the city.