Niya had finally calmed down. She made her way to the stable and tried to avoid thinking about what had happened or she knew that it would further frustrate her. First, the fight with Ralph then the thing that happened between Leh and her, and she had thought that the day she won the duel would be the best day of her life. She internally scoffed, so much for the best day of her life.
Niya took her horse thunderstorm and made her way back to the general's mansion. When she arrived, the steward was standing at the door waiting for her arrival.
"My Lady." He bowed,
A servant came and took her horse to the stable. Usually, Niya would tend to thunderstorm on her own but today it seemed like she would not have the time to do so.
"The general has asked for you to appear at the drawing room for tea."
"Any particular reason for that?" Niya knew that her father cared for her deeply but he did not have much time for her, and when he did spend time with her it was usually due to official duties, she had to do being the general's daughter.
"The general himself will inform you about it, my Lady." As always, like most servants, the steward's loyalty was to her father.
Not saying another word Niya made her way to the drawing room. On arriving she noticed her father dressed in his casual home clothes, if they can even be called that, with how fancy they were. But most of the time she saw her father he was in armor, not that she saw much of him.
He was sitting on the couch completely relaxed or that was what he made everyone believe. But Niya was not fooled. The general of the empire of Jyon was a predator to his bones. The empire of Jyon had won more wars than Niya's age all because of the general.
Now, sitting on his couch sipping tea, he looked like a rich merchant rather than a warrior.
"You asked for me, Father?"
"Niya, my daughter, take a seat." Niya sat down on the couch opposite him.
Without saying anything the general started making tea for his daughter. Silence filled the room except for the occasional sound that came from the general making tea for his daughter.
"Sugar?"
"Two spoons." Niya's heart warmed at her father's actions. For the whole kingdom, he was the fierce general, but when it came to Niya, he was just a father that wanted his daughter happy at all costs. His soldiers often described him as an impatient man, but when it came to Niya, he had all the patience in the world.
He made the tea and forwarded it to Niya. Niya took it and sipped,
"How is it?" her father asked.
"Warm."
"Hm, the crown prince has invited you to have tea at the palace gardens."
"What for?"
"I do not know. Since it is his highness who has asked for you to go. We cannot decline it would be a humiliation to the royal family."
"So, I have no option but to go?" Niya raised her eyebrows at her father as she lightly sipped the tea.
"It would appear so. But Niya be careful. He is the crown prince and future emperor of our empire but I do not trust him. The emperor is getting old and he would soon step down. I am trying to send you out of the empire before it happens."
"Why? Does the crown prince plan on harming the general's household once he is crowned the emperor?"
"No, he has not shown any hostility toward our household yet, but the crown prince should not be trusted. He is far too arrogant and the emperor has turned blind eye to it due to his years of guilt."
Niya knew about this, the whole empire did. The emperor felt guilty about his first son because he married someone else after his mother died and then gave all his love and attention to the second prince. The emperor favored Prince Leh more than the crown prince. Had Prince Leh asked for the crown the emperor although might have hesitated but then would have agreed to give it to Leh. The only reason the first prince had was due to the emperor's guilt and Leh's desire to not have anything to do with it. Though Niya sometimes wondered whether it was a wise decision or not.
"Then we might not have anything to worry about, after all, we came under his camp?"
Even though it was decided that Sural was going to be the future emperor some nobles did not agree with the decision. They did not directly try to go against the emperor's decision but they made their dissatisfaction clear. So, the nobles were divided into two factions, one that believed that Leh should be the one to ascend the throne and the other that was happy with the emperor's decision to make Sural the crown prince.
Niya's father let out a sigh and said,
"The crown prince might never even ascend the throne. Once the emperor abdicates, it might be peaceful for a while with the crown prince on the throne. But we cannot deny the possibility that he might try to take revenge for the second prince by humiliating him in all sorts of ways. And the second prince, he is also a prideful creature he might not take it well and start to go directly against the crown."
"I understand." The atmosphere in the room had turned solemn as Niya discussed the future of their empire with her father.
"Another possibility is that the emperor would die before crowning the crown prince next emperor. That might be the worst outcome and would lead to pure chaos in the empire. I do not wish to see you getting trapped in the crossfire. That is why soon I am trying to get you out of the empire."
"But Father I am capable of taking care of myself. And if I leave the empire what about you?"
"Niya, I do not doubt your capabilities but even you are not good at politics and that is to say whether the princes even follow politics or not. And about me, I made an escape plan for myself since the day any hint of feud arose."
Niya knew what her father was saying was true. He really might have been preparing for battle his whole life.
"I will follow your orders."
Saying this Niya got up and started to leave. Still upset that she might soon not have the life she wanted for herself. She knew what her father wanted was the best option for her but she was filled with regret nonetheless.
"And, Niya?" her father called as she was opening the door to the drawing room.
"The safest option to send you out of the empire is through marriage. So, be ready."
Niya opened the door and made her way to her quarters already tired. But she knew she did not have the time to rest or have her lunch as she had to go to the royal palace to have tea with the crown prince and the rest of the time would be spent just getting ready for it. Ugh, she hated social etiquette.
When Niya entered her room, her handmaiden was already there prepared with all the things Niya would need to get ready for the afternoon tea.
There was a monstrosity of a dress kept on the bed. She could smell the roses from the bath all the way here. There was jewelry kept at the dressing table that matched the dress kept on the bed together with makeup. Niya groaned inwardly.
Niya did not complain but instead made her way to the bath. After twenty minutes she was sitting in front of the dressing table dressed in a dress that was so fluffed up that it was difficult to even walk in it. Her handmaiden worked on her hair with a brush untangling it. Her hair fell a bit above her hip. Though she wanted to cut it short that would have horrified her handmaiden.
Her handmaiden made a half bun and kept the half hair open then she put some jewelry on it that made it look like she was wearing a crown made of her own hair braided elaborately and beautiful silver flowers and leaves. Her handmaiden picked up a brush with makeup but before she could start applying it Niya held her hand,
"No"
"But—"
"I said no."
Her handmaiden sighed and put the brush away and then presented Niya with heeled shoes to wear.
After wearing it Niya motioned for the handmaiden to leave and get the carriage ready for her to leave.
Alone in her room. Niya went toward the floor-length mirror that was present on the other side of her room. The mirror had beautiful veins of flowers drawn on it on all four sides. Niya looked at herself. She looked like a beautiful princess, she was not an earth-shattering beauty like Lady Ashtah, but she had a face that made people feel comfortable looking at her. The most impressive thing about her was the regality that she held in herself. The way her shoulders were always straight and her chin held high enough to look into people's eyes when talking.
That was how the general taught his daughter to be like to never bow in front of anyone other than the royal family.
Niya did not want to look beautiful. No, she wanted to look like what she looked before dressing up. She wanted to be clad in armor or her usual cotton shirts with leather leggings that had pockets made in them to hide knives, which she was still wearing under her dress.
Niya knew that once she got married according to her father's wishes. She might be saved but she would also be locked in a pretty mansion forever. So, she savored these little moments of freedom she still had.
She took a knife from the dressing table drawer and hid it under her sleeve. The cold feel of her knife always made her feel confident and if her father was right and the situation in the empire was as dire as he suggested. Then she might need all the confidence she can get.
Glancing at herself in the mirror last time she made her way outside where a carriage was waiting for her.