I notice the tall vase of flowers by the entrance door as soon as I walk into the large, long dining room with matching porcelain furniture. The room is done in light colors and overall has an elegant look. The dining hall has a carpeted floor and walls painted with a paneled dado. Wall and floor lamps, as well as an intricately designed chandelier suspended from the ceiling, illuminate the entire room.
Four of my brothers have already taken their seats on the dining table and are quietly conversing. "Ohoy, my dear brothers," I say as I lift my skirt and tip my foot to greet them. [1]
"Ohoy!" The same-age brothers cheerfully greet me at the same time. One even gets off his cushioned seat and walks over to me, and guides me in the direction of my seat.
"Thank you, Brother Dion."
"It's nothing," he says. "How are you faring, Sister? Are you nervous?"
"Probably," Brother Darion answers for me. "It's her first time dining with all of us. You must be jittery, Sister. Just remember to not speak out of turn, and you'll be fine."
"Thank you, Brothers. I shall remember that."
Consort Alicia's only son and Father's favorite, Brother Khalil, frowns. Everyone knows how much the mother-son team despises me and my mother because they believe we are stealing Father away from them. "Mayari dwerva, Sister," he spits out with contempt. [2]
"Mayari dwerva, Brother."
"Would you like to join us on our quest, Sister? We will explore the abandoned building in the Inner Palaces' deepest recess after dinner," asks Brother Clarion.
"But if you are a coward, we won't let you join us because we plan to stay there until the sun rises tomorrow," Brother Dion adds.
"Are you a coward?" the other twin inquires, all three pairs of eyes are fixed on me, but Brother Khalil interjects before I can respond.
"How are you going to do that when kids who haven't had their Third Evaluation aren't allowed to leave their residence after a certain time at night? Sneak out? You've already openly discussed your plan, and these are Father's people; you're already busted even before you do what you intend to do."
"You are just jealous because we did not invite you."
"Am not! How impudent! Such childish acts, tsk!"
I pay Brother Khalil no mind even though it is hard not to because of the piercing gaze he is currently throwing at me. While the triplets talk amongst themselves again, Brother Khalil and I fall silent and do not engage in conversation. I wait quietly for the others to arrive, but soon get bored and start quietly moving and repositioning my utensils; the clanging of the metal against each other irritating my dear brother.
He looks at me and says, "It appears that the rumors about Etiketa ng Dayang's disappearance are true." His right upper lip curls upward, his face smug. [3]
This child wants to mess with me? Hmph! Since I'm bored, lemme play with you a little then.
"Weally? I wonder where the last person who used it put it?" I ask Brother Khalil innocently, blinking rapidly and making my eyes pop at the end. "Maybe that person got so fwustwated that she intentionally kept it hidden so as to not be forced to study any longew." I say it in the cutest baby voice I can muster in order to annoy the hell out of him, but it only makes me cringe; nevertheless, I do not falter and continue. "Pewhaps she wealizhed that she'll never be ladylike so she tow it apart then buwned it."
Why don't I sound cute and instead sound like I've downed an entire keg of beer?
I smirk. It's my win. "That person may have believed that now that the book was out of the way, she could begin acting in any way she pleased. What do you think, Brother?"
The other three snicker loudly and don't even try to hide their amusement. Brother Khalil's hands are already curled into fists under the table, just by looking at his quivering lips. Everyone knows that, despite her higher rank than the other wives, Consort Alicia is Father's most recent wife. She is the last person to own the said book that the late High Oracle blessed. Tutris Aiden, who is known for his patience, is said to have given up on her because she was unruly, undignified, and self-centered. [4]
"Burn!" I mouth at the trembling boy.
"Vhar!" yelled Brother Khalil. [5]
The double doors open just as I'm about to taunt him some more. I see Brother Cathan shyly clutching his mother's gown as they enter together with Mother and the other consorts. Mother smiles at me and I wave at her, but I quickly retract my hand as I notice her face sag. They've all taken their seats just in time for Father to enter. Hara Licentia, ever graceful, walks alongside him, her sons following close behind.
We all stand up and wait for Father to take his place at the head of the table before we all sit down. To Father's left is Brother Lothario, and to his right is the Queen. Brother Azraq sits next to our eldest brother, Brother Dario sits to his right, and the First Consort sits across from him who is seated next to the Queen. Brother Clarion, Brother Dion, Brother Khalil, and Brother Cathan sit in age order next to each other, with Brother Cathan facing me. Mother and the other consorts are seated to my right, with Consort Ava seated to the Queen's left.
"Let us begin. Serve the food," Father instructed, and the attendants began to do so, starting at the head and working their way down to the foot of the table, finishing with me.
Everyone is silent, no one speaks, none even whispers since those dining with the reigning monarch are expected to remain silent unless spoken to. In addition, there is a specific pattern for how the conversation should flow that must be followed to the letter. As the monarch, Father must first address the people on his left, from the closest to the farthest away; then he'd go over to the people on his right and talk to them. After he has spoken with everyone on both sides, he can begin conversing with anyone on either side at the same time. We, on the other hand, can only take part in the discussion if the king agrees. Anyone who breaks this rule will never be allowed to dine with him again. Hara Licentia is the only one who can speak whenever she wants, and once his successor is crowned, that person will have the same authority as the Queen.
While I was still waiting for my plate, Father began speaking to us and asking how we were. But no one answered him because we all know that the question is only for the Queen and her sons to answer since they are the closest to him.
"Nothing has changed, Father. I am still dealing with Duke Atalens' concern; while we're making progress, we still haven't gotten to the bottom of it yet," reports the first son.
The man at the head of the table nods. "Don't get too worked up about it. Be careful not to burn your brows on this one." [5]
"Yes, Father," Brother Lothario replies.
"How about you, Azraq?"
"Same as always, Father. I'm thinking about going to the temple and asking the High Oracle about the Earl's illness."
"What sickness, Dana?" I ask. Is there going to be a pandemic? What is with isekai and illnesses?
Everyone's shocked gaze is drawn to me. It was my first time in the dining hall and I already spoke out of turn. But I don't care about that. I'm not going to be punished anyway since the King is a simp; he even took an unofficial vacation to watch me walk.
"Sickness is the state of being ill. When a person is sick, they feel bad and their body feels heavy," he says, mistaking my question about the Earl's illness for the definition of sickness.
"But Dana, why is the Duke's son sick?"
"Because he's not feeling well. Didn't Father already explain it to you?" Prince Khalil butts in and I snap at him. I'm going to refer to him as Prince Khalil from now on, to hell with Brother; he's just annoying.
"What I mean is why did the Earl get sick? How? Who was he with before he got sick and where did he get sick?"
"You can do nothing even if you knew, so what's the point of knowing?"
"How would you know I won't be of assistance, dunderhead?" Forget about sibling bonds!
"How can you help if you don't even know what sickness is?" Prince Khalil slams his utensil into the table, completely forgetting that he is in the presence of both Majesties.
"Enough. I prefer to eat quietly," Father says, his voice echoing throughout the room.
Dinner is spent in silence after. It is awkward, but no one dared to speak up for fear of being excluded from the monthly dinner. It is not good for a child's image to have their seat at the monthly dinner empty, especially when the child has not been granted an exemption by the current monarch since people always assume that an empty seat implies that the person is not on the monarch's good side. Their chances of ascending to the throne would dwindle, because no one will stake their money and their lives on an unwanted child being chosen as the next ruler.
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[1] Ohoy = informal Damaris greeting equivalent to hi or hello.
[2] Mayari dwerva = Damaris phrase for good evening or good night, depending on how a person uses it. Mayari means moon or night, while dwerva means good.
[3] Etiketa ng Dayang = a book of etiquettes and virtues that all royal women are required to learn in the Amari Kingdom. Etiketa means etiquette, while Dayang means princess.
[4] Tutris = a title given to teachers.
[5] Vhar = Damari term for the word you, and can be used to express someone's anger.
[6] Author's Note: Burn the/your eyebrows is a loose translation of the phrase "Magsunog [ka] ng kilay" — a Filipino idiom that means to stay late and study hard.