The other princesses call out for the bride-to-be and sweep Flora away. I stay behind, looking at both Faraha and Flavia. "Don't ruin this for Flora," I say, walking away. I cast a cold spell, leaving the two as cool as they had wanted to be earlier.
I head to my chambers to relieve myself but come across the king's meeting as the gentlemen are heading out. I quickly turn to try to go unnoticed, but my father, as usual, yells out my name. I have no choice but to head in his direction.
"Yes, Father," I say, taking a bow. I know he's definitely eager to introduce me to some potential suitors. But to my surprise, I look up and see it's a lady covered with a niqab, her eyes strong and adorned with gold jewelry.
"Valide Sultana of Arapannia, this is my second-born daughter, Princess Daniella. She has a great talent in magic and is unmarried." I feel a bit uncomfortable but bow. To my surprise, she stretches out a hand to me without saying a word. I hesitate for a moment but place my hand in hers. For a moment, I feel like all my locked magic is resurfacing. I usually use a magic blocker to hide the range of my magic, but she is breaking it. She gently lets go of my hand, and my magic goes back under control.
"What was your name again, child?" she says in a low, soft voice.
"Princess Daniella," I say.
"That's some deal of magic you've got," she says. "I hope you put it to good use." She takes a gentle bow and starts walking away.
I look up at my father, trying to figure out the point of this introduction. "You can now go, Daniella," says Father, as he walks away to talk to other kings. In the distance, I see Sinbad walking towards me.
"I didn't know you were a king," he teases.
"I was heading to my chamber, then my father stopped me," I say.
"I see you have met Alibaba's mother," Sinbad says, glancing at the lady disappearing in the distance. "She's great at magic too—the best magician in all the northern territories."
"I don't think she likes me much," I say.
"She likes no one," he says, causing me to giggle.
"Why aren't you at the bachelor party?" I ask.
"I'm heading there right now. I didn't think the meeting was gonna drag the whole morning..."
Sinbad pauses as Alibaba pokes his side. "Let's go get drunk," says Alibaba in a teasing way. "Good morning, Princess," he says with the widest smile.
"I think you're already drunk," says Sinbad, putting some distance between himself and Alibaba.
"Drunk with boredom," he says. "This meeting took so long."
I smile at their banter, feeling a little more relaxed. "Well, don't let me keep you from your fun. Enjoy the bachelor party."
"Thank you, Princess," says Alibaba with a mock bow. "We'll try not to cause too much trouble."
Sinbad chuckles. "No promises."
I watch them walk away, feeling a strange mix of relief and longing. The encounter with the Valide Sultana lingers in my mind. Her words about my magic were both intriguing and unsettling. I wonder what she saw in me and what it might mean for my future.