The desert where Burdett thrived was nothing to the ocean where Middlemist lay. Kanaru couldn't even see the entirety of the ocean and the kingdom walls without moving his head for a panoramic view. When the imposing walls rose in the distance, Kanaru felt like his entire body trembled in fear and awe.
It was his first look at the glorious kingdom of Middlemist, and he was probably the only one who would see it in his entire Burdett family.
Kanaru couldn't help but stare at the pulsing blue lights far away. The lights were drawing him as if they were the morning sun, but there was no warmth or pain in witnessing their glory. Walls covered the perimeter of Middlemist, along with high towers whose peaks glowed with bright blue lights. It looked so fantastical, like a fictional underwater city that the people of the digital age recorded.
Swoosh! The carriage suddenly tanked down into the waters. Kanaru gasped and backed away from the window, falling into Rodnir's arms. "Did we just sink? What's happening?"
"The carriages have a special entrance. This is why I asked you if you want to see the country first. Then again, the sneak peek must have intrigued you." Rodnir chuckled, helping Kanaru sit properly on the seat. He then stroked at the prince's hair. "Calm down for now. It will be bad if you lose your focus during the presentation of new concubines. They're only waiting for us to arrive."
"No wonder you want me to change into my dress." Kanaru hummed as he looked down at his clothes again. Instead of his simple prince ensemble, he was once again donned in the halter-top dress, which his mother prepared for his presentation to the ambassadors.
Today, the king would have to lay his eyes on the new concubines for the first time. Kanaru only waited for their carriage to settle. As soon as they opened the door, the strong and salty scent of the ocean hit Kanaru's nose. He would cover it with a hand, but the fascinating lights and decor of the palace's eastern face caught Kanaru off-guard. It was where the harem court came in and out of the palace.
Kanaru looked around and dragged an awed gasp as he flung his gaze from one side to another. The ornaments were all covered in luminous gems, and the sight was better than seeing gold in Kanaru's opinion. Some were also bone white, while most had pastel glows. In such a dark-themed color scheme, these stood out a lot.
He then smiled at Rodnir some more as they walked along the path. "We're living here?"
"Not really, but if you find yourself moving about a lot, this hallway will be very familiar to you." Rodnir chuckled, catching the strange gazes the standing soldiers were giving him. "The outer harem court's residences are further inside. Someone with the name Natucha will find you in their meeting hall. I have to attend to my duties now."
"Okay. See you around!"
Kanaru gave a little wave, and Rodnir only nodded before leaving Kanaru to the company of the captain and the chef knight. No one caught how the king's ward sighed and hid his dejection. The other knights soon followed Rodnir as if they were about to meet the king first.
At his departure, the feeling of loneliness stung Kanaru. Places like this were only manageable if someone had a friend by their side. The prince only took a deep breath and walked toward the meeting hall. When Kanaru pushed the one panel of the double doors open, he saw the crowd of other royals sitting and standing around.
They were all in their best clothes, but most men were on just one side. Kanaru could even count them using his fingers. It wasn't an overstatement when someone said princes resented benign sent here.
The look in everyone's eyes made Kanaru hope to be unnoticed. It was best if he could carry out his duties without anyone realizing he was even there. The bird prince tried to enter without a sound, but Sir Heinz pushed the other door panel open as loud as he could. Someone would even think he kicked the door just to get inside.
"Natucha, is everyone in the outer harem court accounted for?" Sir Heinz had to yell and be imposing since the ladies were chattering noisily. He got everyone's gaze on him, subsequently putting Kanaru in everyone's line of sight.
"Captain, I think ten of us are still in solitary. Another two joined them just last night," one of the women answered. That woman must be the one called Natucha. Kanaru stared at her image and didn't need more seconds to realize her descent. The woman with long bunny ears walked toward the captain. Her hair was also as white as her fur, while her eyes were red like roses.
Sir Heinz looked down at the woman and walked down the steps to meet with her properly. "Ten are in solitary? What did they do?"
The bunny shook her head before sighing. "Six men tried to escape the country, while two women were caught fooling around with a general. The two additions were caught stealing from Sierra's room."
However, she smiled a little and patted his arm. "All is good now that you're here, though. They will behave again—most certainly. Our lives will be a lot better!"
"I wish my presence is enough of a guarantee. There should be seven new concubines. Have you settled the other six of them?" Sir Heinz didn't mind her touch. It was as if he had been very familiar with her after years of serving the king together.
"Yes, yes, I'm just waiting for the seventh newbie. If she's fetch from very far, I expect her to be very different from all the brats we are getting." Natucha then glanced at the bird prince standing by the doors. Since he had summoned his wings and feathers—without the glow—again for the look, she could easily tell he hailed from a bird race. His unfamiliarity also made her stare.
It was just that… she squinted at him after. "And here I was, expecting a peerless beauty…"
Kanaru heard her, but he just did a little curtsy to deal with it. Yeah, he was not the most beautiful, not even a woman. If they expected one, they were looking at the wrong last newbie to arrive.
The gazes of the other ladies in the outer harem court were not even better. They automatically assumed a few things since Kanaru willingly wore a dress to the occasion. Most male servants sent by the lesser countries were even the most protective of their masculinity. This bird didn't seem to fit the bill—that meant he was willing to be bedded, right?