"Go back to your chambers. I'm sorry to have made you worried. "
Mother Aray turned to speak after exchanging a few words with everyone. Her message was clear. She didn't want anyone to disturb her daughter who was exhausted and still healing.
"Let me stay too."
Helion Moonshail quickly remarked. He dearly wanted to hold his wife and check on his daughter. How could he leave when his second wife had not spoken a single word with him.
"This wife is thankful for my lords concern. I'm alright now and can take care of my daughter,the second princess. Allow me to have a short rest as I accompany my daughter."
Mother Aray gently answered back without turning to look at her husband. She had politely denied the king's request to stay back.
The king's shoulders drooped down , sensing the woman's anger towards him. He wanted to appease her but knew this was clearly not the right time.
How funny to see a mighty king acting like a henpecked husband for his wife.
The king let out a resigned sigh before turning to walk out of the room. Other watched in amusement as the king left sulking while the woman was too lazy to care for him.Thus was a normal scene in the palace as the king was often given a cold-shoulder by his wives.
The second wife sneered at the man's behaviour. She felt angrier the more she thought about his careless behaviour. He,the king who was usually all intelligent ,let his daughters travel across the sea at a time like this.
The matter was known between few elders due to the confidential nature of the matter. The snake tribe was eyeing their land recently and had launched several secret attacks.
The discussion was still ongoing between the two cities thus the situation required a lot of security and tactics. The three princesses were valiant and would have wanted to join in the war if had they known.
In a matter as heated and dangerous as this, the three daughters of the city have actually been to the enemies land. She couldn't even imagine what would have occured if they were kidnapped by the snake tribe.
Mother Aray spread open her palms where appeared a blue crystal ring. This was the safety ring her mother had passed to her when she was married. Her mother was a water element and this ring could protect one from any potential harm from water species.
She had never used this ring thinking thinking it was more of a use for her children. Now, taking in the graveness of the situation,she shall pass this ring to her child.
She rarely gave presents to Iah. In fact ,she had given more to the other two girls compared to the middle child. This girl had a high self esteem and stubbornness. She insisted her sisters needed the gifts more as they tended to be careless sometimes.
This was apparently the second gift the second wife of the king gave to Iah. The first one was a flying pheonix which was the returning gift to the send princess when she had returned from the monestry.
Mother Aray gently helped her daughter to wear the safety ring before she continued stroking the girls head.
Iah Moonshail slept peacefully till the next morning. When she woke up , she realised that she was in her second mother's room , sleeping in her bed. As she had slept early and the sleeping spell cast upon her, she had slept exceptionally well.
After coming to her senses , she noticed the warmness she was enveloped in, only to find herself snuggled in her mother's embrace. She quietly moved to sit up, she still needed to check up on the patient after all.
"It's still early, sleep more, mother will go prepare the morning feast for you "
Mother Aray's loving,soft voice sounded besides her. The elder woman patted the latter's head before she got up to take a bath herself.
Alas, her mother still had sharp senses. She was too naive to go unnoticed by the attentive woman.
Iah Moonshail who was usually up and training,decided to have her swordsmanship practiced. She looked at her mother's departing figure who soon emerged in the spring room. The woman had just recovered yet still insisted on getting the feast ready.
Why were these people around her so stubborn?
The reticent young girl failed to notice the same trait in herself. Who was going to correct her of her misconceptions?
Well, someone just as stubborn as her would make her reflect her every trait in the coming days.
Iah Moonshail walked upto the the fifth chamber in quite far distance where her room was located. The Moonshail chambers was a mini palace in itself. It has individual chambers for every royal member.
When she was getting prepared for the bath, she noticed the blue crystal ring in her left hand's middle finger. She remembered seeing her second mother wearing this ring once. Iah seemed to have realised the reason of this ring's sudden appearance.
Iah Moonshail had a bath whereafter her personal maids, Lia and Nia ,a pair of twins helped her with her clothes and hair. Soon, she sat off towards the training ground.
When she passed by the imperial garden, she found her father and her two sisters sitting in the pavilion.They seemed to have noticed her presence as they turned to look at her.
Iah Moonshail walked on the pathway leading towards the pavilion to greet the trio.
"This daughter greets father ,the Emperor a pleasant morning. good morning sisters."
Iah Moonshail greeted them one after another.
"Wishing you a good morning too, Iah. Come sit with us."
"Iah."
"Sister."
The three greeted back one after another enthusiastically with their signature cheerful smiles.
"What do you think about this painting here."
The emperor asked as soon as the latter's butt touched the cold seat. Turning to look at the table, Iah saw a landscape painting lying on top of it.