Sel-Arcadia Palace
Amara winced as her new maid tugged on her hair. Sighing she met the girl's gaze in the vanity mirror.
Nothing about the maid was memorable. She had a plain face with plainer features, she wore the customary black dress and apron, and her red hair was pulled into a bun on the crown of her head.
Her brown eyes met Amera's and widened, her cheeks flushed. "O-Oh. I'm s-sorry P-Princess, I'm-"
"It's quite alright," Amara assured. "I understand this is your first-day doing work like this. I will admit the tugging of the hair has brought on a massive headache. - would you mind fetching Alexander?"
The maid blinked momentarily surprised. She put the brush down on the variety and said shakily, "I-I think they're d-doing research f-for the K-King..I-I mean K-King Alfred."
Amara reached into her vanity and found a sack of coins. She pulled out a few pieces of silver passing it to the maid who blinked at her.
"Find him, quickly. Tell him it's an emergency. You're dismissed."
The maid stared at the coins before taking them and stuffing them in her apron pocket, "O-Of course, P-Princcess."
The girl then slipped out of the room taking the scent of citrus and soap with her.
Amara glanced at her canopy bed, seconds from leaping onto it and burrowing under the covers if she did that the dress she was wearing would be wrinkled.
Her mother - being a perfectionist - is having her wear something heavy and glistening with jewels.
According to multiple sources - Valoria - was in their peak of the summer season. Amara did not want to sweat buckets out there, but too late to worry about that.
She didn't even know why her family was making the sudden three-day trip down there.
The door to her chambers opened and Alexander burst inside.
Alexander had dark brown asking and was wearing a dark blue shirt and dress pants adorned with buttons along the sides. They're wearing silvery eye shadow, and have this pearlescent polish on their nails that changes color in the light streaming in from the windows.
Their dreads have been dyed again to a light purple that are currently sitting in a messy bun on their head.
"When your main said you had an emergency I didn't know it'd be this bad!" Alexander gasped, dramatically covering his eyes. "Good thing I'm always prepared, hm?"
They skip toward Amara's wardrobe after closing the door, Alexander threw the doors open revealing many dress in different colors and varying lengths. Instead of grabbing for a dress, the stoop to grab a small bag hidden amongst the shoes.
Amara laughs. "If I'd known you'd cut me down to the white meat - I would've stuck it out with the maid."
"Her name is Sammy, not 'the maid'" Alexander kicked the door closed, then turned toward her with their lips pursed. "Surely you don't mean that!"
Amara watched them take their place behind her. "If I do?"
"It wouldn't have bothered me - unless I'd seen you - or worse, your mother." they tug on Amara's hair causing her to yelp. "Though I do think an apology is in order."
"Alright. Alright. I'm sorry, Al."
They beam and then drop the bag on the vanity. "Apology accepted." a moment later Alexander pulled out some hair products. "Now, tell me the real reason you summoned me."
Amara opened her mouth to protest but shut it again when they cracked a knot.
Humming, Alexander continued running the brush through her black curls. "I can feel the lie you're trying to come up with. Does this perhaps have anything to do with Jasmine?"
Jasmine is her brother, Axel's wife. That should've been enough to scare Amara away, but the more she tried to forget Jasmine existed or squash her feelings until her heart became ash - neither worked.
Jasmine consumed her every waking thought and haunted her dreams at night.
Amara slumps defeated.
"Hm. I'll take your silence as a 'yes I'm still drooling over Axel's wife.'"
"I'm not drooling!" Amara hissed, her cheeks heating up like a furnace.
Alexander met her gaze in the mirror to raise their brow, perhaps to show off the eye shadow or to tell Amara to stop lying to herself.
"You keep telling yourself that." Alexander smiled gently parting her hair. "Then again, she'll be accompanying us to Valoria - we'll see then won't we?"
Amara blinked. "'Us'?"
"Did I stutter?"
Ever since that attack four years ago that killed Alexander's parents very seldom did they ever leave Arcadia. Before the deaths, they'd been an adventurous person - always in search of magic or fun.
No one claimed the crime, so Amara's father, King Alfred, claimed that street rats from Valoria were behind it.
Even for the poor of Valoria, that seemed too bloody and gruesome for them to have done it. What could they possibly have to gain - nothing had been stolen from the Great estate on the night of the attack.
While Amara had been lost in her thoughts, Alexander had finished her hair. It was done up in an elegant seashell braid adorned with her elemental jewel - water.
The crystals in her hair went well with her layered blue gown—compliments of her mother. The skirt was so voluminous that it hid Amara's shoes from view.
"Does your mother - Queen Gisa - know that dress is too heavy for Valoria weather?" Alexander pondered putting away their things.
Amara sighs, fluffing the heavy skirt. "Who knows."
Has she perhaps picked out extra clothes for you?" Alexander closes the bag and then folds their arms.
"Nope. She left that task to me, thankfully."
With a huff Alexander marches toward the wardrobe unceremoniously tossing the bag inside. They reach inside, pulling out some light and air dresses, to hand them off their arm.
"You failed to mention that your outfits - or in this case lack of - was an emergency too." they glanced at her gown in disgust. "I suppose that gown should've been warning enough, hm?"
Amara groans scratching her head. "No more teasing!"
"Stop!" Alexander throws a scarf that she dodges. They're huffing. "If you ruin that hair I'll kill you."
"Ugh. Some friend you are." Amara lowered her hand. "Have you any idea why we're going on this trip?"
They stop digging through the wardrobe to blink at her. "You don't know?"
"Spit it out, Al."
"The Queen of Valoria was murdered," Alexander whispered their gaze lowered. "But she's your..."
Amara wasn't sure if she'd like their answer. "My what?"
"Your aunt."