There were whispers the moment they stepped onto the stairs. How could there not be? Three members of the Fae royal family, two winged and one walking. It seemed like every time she attended, the ballroom felt even larger than the last time. She followed her father down the stairs, picking her dress up to avoid stepping on it. The last thing she needed was to tumble down the stairs.
There were many people here. Fae and Phoenix alike. The hairs on the back of her neck rose. Someone was watching her. As Saffron's eyes scanned the room she noticed a member of the Dragon Guards nearby. The only dragons permitted to enter the Phoenix Kingdom's inner city were members of the Royal Family's personal guards.
Saffron followed her father through the crowds of people. She had no doubt he was looking for influential people to talk to. These events were not about celebration for the two Kings, but rather about forging and maintaining connections with the nobility throughout both kingdoms. It was no more than a few minutes before Blossom was whisked away by some eligible noble to dance. Saffron had no doubt that those who sought out her sister coveted her power, money or beauty, but not Blossom herself.
The party dragged on for hours as Saffron followed her father throughout the hall and engaged in hollow niceties. It was when the clock struck midnight that King Ignis made an announcement. His strong voice boomed across the room.
"Honoured Guests, let us head outside into the gardens for the late celebrations."
With that, the room began to empty out through three sets of enormous glass doors into the gardens. The mingling and music continued outside, though there was now less dancing. The area was enormous. Filled with flowers and bushes, all centred around a circular lake.
Blossom rejoined them soon after, clearly bored with the endless mingling. Saffron tried to ignore the smug looks that her sister constantly seemed to shoot in her direction. Saffron did not care that she did not get attention. She didn't want it.
"Oleander, I hope you've enjoyed the party this year."
The sharp, warm voice of King Ignis started Saffron and she dropped into a bow quickly. Noticing Blossom had not bowed, Saffron elbowed her sister in the leg, causing her to drop down beside her.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," Saffron murmured.
King Ignis watched her for a moment before returning a smile.
"You have such a polite daughter, Oleander. She is well-mannered and lovely."
Blossom's face screwed up at the clear snub.
"Your Majesty." She attempted to add on, but King Ignis ignored her and continued to converse with their father.
Saffron did not listen much to their conversation; it was always the same. Trade routes, political agreements, exchanging information about the neighbouring kingdoms... It was all dreadfully boring.
"Your highness!" Blossom's shrill voice cut through the air, raising the hair on the back of Saffron's neck.
She turned her eyes to follow her Sister. Prince Ash, the eldest of Ignis' sons and his heir, was walking over. He paid little attention to either of them. Saffron could see that eyes followed him wherever he went, and not just his guards. There were innumerable ladies watching him from afar and giggling or whispering to each other. She could see the appeal. He was not much older than Saffron, perhaps one or two years? His dark hair had tinges of red at the tips and his jaw was sharp and chiselled.
Many women in the Fae Kingdom preferred a softer-faced man, but even they could not keep their eyes off the angular Prince, whether it was for his looks, power or money she did not know. Perhaps it was a combination of it all.
Saffron had met him once or twice before, to her recollection. He was always the same distant and cold man. His manners and polite conversation always seemed so false to Saffron. She tried to avoid him whenever she could. Blossom, on the other hand, would try to talk with him every chance she got. She had never been successful.
"Father, I think you should send Fifth Brother back to his room. He's gotten himself drunk and is making a scene."
King Ignis nodded in acknowledgement at his son.
"Oleander, I'm afraid I'll have to cut our conversation short this time."
Saffron turned to look out over the lake, watching the moon's glistening reflection ripple with the movement of the water. A servant with a tray passed by her. She turned to see if there was a drink she could take, only to see a flash of movement. A splash rang out along with shrieks and cries.
"The Crown Prince!" Someone yelled.
Saffron turned quickly to see the Prince's head bob below the water. He was eerily still. She had seen a man drown before, it had been just like this.
"Someone save him!"
"I can't, my wings will get wet!"
Saffron filled her lungs with air and dove into the water. She ducked under the Prince's arm and kicked her legs to fight her way back to the surface. The water filled her dress and dragged her down. Focusing as hard as she could, Saffron pushed all of her magic into her legs. Feeling a burst of strength, she broke the surface, dragging the Prince along with her back to the shore.
Two dragon guards helped her pull him onto the bank.
"How did the Prince fall in?!"
"Is he going to lose one of his lives from this?"
"How embarrassing for a Prince to lose a life in his own lake."
Saffron tried to ignore the whispering around her. She knew the Prince would not die, a Phoenix was born with eight lives after all, but he would be humiliated. In a split-second decision, Saffron knelt beside the Prince.
"Everybody, please give me space." She declared.
Filling herself with air, she bent to the Prince's mouth and blew air into his lungs. She pumped rhythmically on his chest between breaths. Ignoring the shocked whispering, she continued working until the Prince began to breathe on his own. He coughed, hacked and wretched up water.
A team of physicians soon arrived, checking the Prince over. As Saffron stepped away from the scene, a warm fabric was draped around her shoulders. Someone had fetched a blanket for her. She shivered in the cold air. She had been so filled with adrenaline that she had not felt it until now. She turned to see who had been so kind, only to be met with the faces of her father and King Ignis.
"You are a very brave young woman." King Ignis said, patting her shoulder lightly.
His face seemed almost conflicted.
"I'm terribly sorry, Oleander. It seems your daughter's act of selflessness has tainted her image."
It was only then that Saffron noticed the whispers around her. She had just saved a life, and yet people were calling her terrible names and accusing her of chasing power. Saffron had never understood how people could be so vicious, jealous and very obviously power-hungry.
"I did what was right in the situation, Your Majesty. It does not matter to me what people think."
King Ignis smiled. It was a kind smile, filled with a warmth she had not seen from the man before. It seemed as if he was considering something for a moment before he cleared his throat.
"I, King Ignis, ruler of the Phoenix Kingdom, declare that Princess Saffron of the Fae Kingdom has acted selflessly to save my son. To make amends for tainting her chastity, she is to wed Prince Ash."
The crowd of people fell into a shocked silence. Saffron clutched the blanket around her shoulders tightly, staring at the King with wide eyes.
"Father, no!" Blossom's voice cried as she clung to King Oleander, "Why does SHE get to marry him?"
"Princess Blossom, I did not see you jump into the water to save my son. Hold your tongue." King Ignis barked.
"I thank you, Ignis. You have done my daughter a great honour." Oleander replied, bowing his head in thanks.
"Father!" Prince Ash's voice croaked over the murmurs rippling through the partygoers.
King Ignis held up his hand to stop the Prince.
"I will speak with you once the doctors finish checking on you, son," he turned his head to a servant, "have some maids bring the Princess inside and have her bathe and change before she catches her death."
With those words, Saffron was whisked away by a group of maids. As she left she could hear the murmurs grow louder. The music resumed shortly after, drowning out the people as they obviously gossiped about the events.
"This way, your highness." A maid said, gesturing to a door leading off of the main hall.
Saffron followed the woman, her head bowed as she walked. She was still in shock. She was to marry such a cold man. Had she known this would happen, perhaps she would not have saved him? After all, he would still have been left with seven more lives.
They came to a halt in front of a tall doorway. It creaked open slowly, revealing a large room with marble walls and ornately tiled flooring. As she stepped inside and peered around the door, she saw an enormous bath that stretched almost the length of the room. Saffron was certain she could swim in it if it were any deeper. She had never seen such an enormous bath. Most Fae could not get their wings soaked, as it would make them heavy and prevent them from flying until they dried out. Their bathing was typically done in large wooden tubs that allowed them to sit up to their waists in water.
The maids helped her undress. One whisked away her clothes to have the mud and lake water washed out of them. Another helped her take down her hair and wipe off her makeup. She stepped gingerly down the steps and sank into the water.
It was heavenly. The temperature was perfect and the water smelled like lilac. Saffron closed her eyes, blocking out the world around her as she soaked. Her peace did not last long, however, as a maid soon perched on the edge of the bath and began to wash her hair. It was not the worst feeling, in fact, it was rather enjoyable, however, it also kept her aware of the bizarre situation she had found herself in.
Once the maids were satisfied that Saffron had been thoroughly washed and groomed, they brought her through a smaller door into another room. Inside, the side walls were lined with wardrobes, and against the back wall was a small fireplace, floor-length mirror and a chair. Saffron wondered for a moment, why the room was so small given the grand bathing room, but as the fire warmed the room, she realised that it was the perfect size to help her dry off quickly.
As soon as she was dry, the maids searched the wardrobes for something to fit her.
"She seems to be the same size as the first princess." one maid commented.
Another nodded and grabbed a soft green dress. She brought it over and held it up against Saffron.
"You will look lovely in this one, your highness."
Saffron nodded but did not reply, she felt thoroughly smothered by the situation. At home, she had only Nanny Pine to serve her. Being surrounded by so many maids was exhausting.
The women made quick work of dressing Saffron. With five of them, it was easy to layer her in slips, petticoats, skirts and bodices. One maid cranked her corset so tight that she had to beg them to loosen it. She hated corsets.
"What do you think, your highness?"
Saffron examined herself in the mirror for a moment. She did indeed look lovely. The sea-green gown was delicately embroidered with a white floral pattern. The first princess had wonderful taste in dresses. The maids had not bothered to put her hair back up, instead letting it fall down her shoulders. She preferred it this way. Hair pins gave her a terrible headache after a while.
"You should go back and see His Majesty now, your highness."
Saffron nodded quietly, following behind the group of maids. She expected them to lead her back to the ballroom, but instead, they brought her down another corridor and stopped outside another room.
Saffron could hear yelling from inside. The maids exchanged a worried look and backed away.
"We must go now, your highness. Please, go on in."
Before Saffron, could reply, the maids turned and walked briskly back around the corner, leaving her alone.
"Father, I will not marry her!"
Saffron could hear their argument getting louder. Prince Ash sounded livid.
"That girl was the only one who jumped in to save you, did I raise an ungrateful brat?" King Ignis bellowed.
"The dragon guard would have saved me. She is clearly just trying to boost her status, and you fell right into her trap!"
The sound of a slap echoed and the room fell silent.
"You fool, do you think I can be tricked so easily? If they meant to trick us for power, then it would have been their crown princess who saved you!"
"Father, she is a wingless fae. Even her own family does not want her. How can she possibly be my wife? That would make her Queen one day. She is hardly worthy!"
"Regardless of her identity, she is a princess. She acted selflessly to spare you from humiliation by tainting her chastity, and you are still throwing a tantrum because I wish to make it right. Get out of my sight. My word is final!"
A door slammed and the room fell into silence.
"You can come in now, dear."
Saffron froze for a moment. The King was aware she had been listening. She drew a deep, shaky breath and readied herself to enter.