7 Chapter Five

We step out of the train to meet the Tilem family. Queen Josephine and King Ronald stand with their elbows linked, smiling as my parents greet them. I step up after my mother and shake their hands, thanking them for their hospitality.

Members of the court do not bow to each other. We are all equal. Bowing would make us inferior to the person we knell to. Inferior is one of the thousand things that Legibus is not.

I shake hands with Josie and Ron before seeing Travis.

Aside from my cousin Nick, Travis is one o the few people I call my friend. Along with Philip and Felicity. No, Felicity isn't one of us anymore. She's a Queen.

Travis and I fall into step behind our parents. Walking towards the front of the Aedifex palace to greet the rest of the Court. But as soon as we are out of their hearing range Travis pushes me with his arm.

"You look like shit."

I scoff and shove him back. "I look better than you."

"Not possible," Travis replies batting his eyes.

"Keep telling yourself that." I murmur patting him on the shoulder.

The walk to the front of the palace is short. Soon enough I stand between my mother and father as Travis stands between his. Which only leaves the arrivals to ensue. Along with the brief pleasantries to please the cameras.

This considerably dampens my mood. Taking away whatever joy I felt from seeing my friend quickly. It doesn't help that we stand under Aedifex's beating sun for twenty minutes.

"Are they ever going to arrive?" I whisper bitterly to my father.

The cameras don't see his lip twitch at my tone, they're focus is outwards. Some point up at the clouds and others at the horizon of the sea. The palace is on the beach, the wet sand a short walk from the front door. The capital of Aedifex stretches over two countries formerly known as Yemen and Oman.

The countries were probably split up and renamed during the Burning Period. People of power would rise in hopes to build an empire, their shaky governments would form only to crumble under the pressures of war. The records from the Burning Period aren't reliable enough to accurately portray the events of history. So we stick we the information we know to be true.

"Patience, Emmalyne." My father responds. "They will come, but not before the Faust family. We have always arrived first."

My mother finishes his sentence for him. "Always have, always will."

My father nods before cocking his head slightly. "They're arriving."

Just on the horizon of the sea, a large glass ball is spinning across the surface of the water. Drawing closer to the beach. Inside of the ball in a stationary cube. The kingdom of Amet has arrived. The giant orb only slows when the waves begin to carry it, coming to a stop only when the bottom scrapes the sand. Two doors appear. First in the cube, where a staircase uncurls itself. The from the orb, where a walkway ejects out onto the sand.

The Addams family appears. Wrapped up in their blue and green silks. Their feet hit the sand with the crashes of the waves. People of the ocean for sure.

I could care less about King Dwight and Queen Rainn, I want to see Philip. He steps out last. the sun glaring against his stupid gorgeous ginger hair.

They greet the Tilems first. Thanking them for hosting the Conference. Then they greet us, the cameras are now focused entirely on us. Monitoring our every move. As he shakes my hand Philip slips me a wink. I reply with a small grin before he moves on.

Seconds after the Addams settle, a blinding white, needle-like aircraft descends from the sky. The Arrow was always her favorite.

The ship touches down on the cleared space of sand. It's enormous. I have to crane my neck just to see the top. An oval panel glows blue before slabs of metal jut out creating a staircase. The oval rises revealing Queen Felicity and King Roman.

Air hisses from below the ship making their hair flutter as the couple descends the stairs and crosses the sand. Felicity and Roman are decked out in puffy coats and long pants. It's freezing in Obses, but they're going to sweat our of their heavy attire quickly.

Felicity was coordinated just over a year ago. She hasn't had any children, yet. She greets each of us graciously, flashing her perfect white teeth. Her dark, chocolate-colored skin glows in the afternoon light and her raven-black hair is plaited into hundreds of tiny braids that glimmer with her every movement.

Felicity is easily the prettiest member of the Court.

As soon as the cameras are shut off we all quickly shuffle inside. The cool air blasting from the vents washes over me almost instantly. The Kings and Queens are quick to disperse. Leaving Travis, Philip, and me standing in the entrance hall alone.

"What are you two thinking?" Travis askes. "Kitchens, garden, or the observatory?"

"Kitchens!" I gasp.

"I second that!" Philip agrees. "I'm starved."

"To the kitchens!" Travis shouts.

Once we're settled on one of the stray countertops with a platter of fruit between I'm finally able to get a good look at the two boys.

"So Trav," I start, sucking the juice from a strawberry off my finger. "How's the wife? What was her name? Annie? Aubrey?"

"It's Eloise." Travis corrects. "She's fine. I don't see her much. She's not allowed anywhere near the conference."

"Then whatever does she do all day without the pleasure of your company?" Philip laughs, biting into an apple.

Travis just shrugs. "She likes to dance. She might have some of her friends over. I don't know. I only ever see her at night."

"Oh really?" I exclaim, wiggling my eyebrows.

"I didn't realize you were so serious!" Philip adds.

"It's not like that and you know it!" Travis groans throwing a blueberry at Philip.

"What about you Phil?" I ask. "Find a suitor yet?"

Philip sombers quickly. "If my me you mean my mother and by suitor you mean some random officials daughter, then yes."

"Ouch," Travis groans. "When?"

"August eighth."

I give Phillip a comforting pat on the back. "If it makes you feel any better my parents invited sixty men to the palace for a suitors ball."

"You know what? That does make me feel better!" Philip smiles. "Only because I know you're going to hate every second of it."

Travis laughs loudly and gives Philip a high-five. I roll my eyes and glance at the clock. Seeing the time I lose my balance and almost fall off the counter. I swear loudly causing a few cooks to glace at my sideways.

"Sorry guys," I say, regaining my balance and hopping off the counter. "I have to go."

"Ah, no fun!" Travis pouts.

"My stylists get here in ten minutes," I explain. "I'll see you at dinner."

As I walk away I hear Philip whisper to Travis, "She's turning into Felicity."

That stings more than it should.

This is only my second time in Aedifex, but the bedrooms haven't gotten any better. Maybe it's different for the Tilem family but the guest suites leave something to be desired. The attached bathroom is tiny. The bedroom has no attached study, just a desk for the Court to do their work at, and the closet is too small for even a quarter of my wardrobe. I have to wheel in a rack to hang my clothing on.

But at least I get a front view, I get to look at the ocean, the back view of the palace is their expansive sand gardens and a desert. My things have been brought up and some random servant who I do not know is unpacking my possessions.

In Aedifex their uniforms are brown and their masks are red, which gives the visual that their faces are bleeding, which is always pleasant. Aedifex's capital is so unbearably hot this time of year. I feel bad for the servants who have to walk around in those stuffy uniforms all day.

I've already stripped myself of the blazer I was wearing when we got off the carriage. Leaving just my black pants and white undershirt that clings tightly to my skin.

My hair which was parted down the center of my head and beautifully straight has been lost to my messy ponytail. I kicked off my heels at the door and I now lounge in my small sitting area sipping iced water.

All of my clothing is slowly unpacked and neatly hung up on the golden rack outside my bathroom door. Next to it is the vanity, chair, and full-body mirror where I will be for the next five hours.

Grateful I slept in the carriage I take the box of jewelry from the servant and begin unpacking it onto the vanity's surface carefully. The door bangs open and I whip around startled. A man with bone-white hair and an all-denim outfit walks in. He whips off his mirrored sunglasses and takes a deep breath in.

He closes his eyes and holds his hands out at his sides. Exhaling sharply he finally speaks. "Ladies, gentleman, take a good look around you because this is what it looks like on the top."

This cannot be the man Kennedy selected. He then walks over to me, followed by two men and two women. "Princess Emmalyne! I cannot thank you enough for selecting me to be your hairdresser for the next three days!"

I don't bother correcting him. "Well, I only choose the best. So let's see what you can do."

"Right!" This guy is all hands. He gestures them wildly with every word. "These are my assistants. Bea, Conner, Amy, and Derek. I'm Brady Forth. Let's see what we're working with."

I walk over to my clothing rack and pull off the gown I'll be wearing to the banquet tonight. It's a black and white gradient. The dress has a thin sleeve over my right shoulder with jewels on the top, the jewels wrap around my back and peek around at the edges of my left side. The skirt fades from black to white, which sweeps the floor.

Brady gasps and takes the dress in. "Derek, what do you think?"

The man directly to Brady's right clicks his tongue before speaking. "An updo of sorts to highlight the jewel work on the back, making the dress the star of the show, but the hair still compliments it."

"A curled piece by piece wrap would be best." The woman Bea says. "It will portray the right amount of elegance needed.

Brady snaps his fingers. "Perfect. Conner finds the diamond strands when you get the supplies. Amy, start her on a full blowout wash."

"The Princess does not go anywhere until I see her." Two more people have entered my room.

A woman with multicolored dreadlocks and a black outfit has a finger pointed at Brady. She stands next to a woman whois holding two large makeup bags.

She walks up to me and gives a small curtsy. "Is that the dress?"

"Yes," I reply.

"Very well." The woman says. "My name is Anastasia Hilshire. But call me Ana. This is my assistant Nickole. We're here to do your makeup. Brady, start her blowout, but Nickole with be in there prepping her face with you."

Then in a flurry, the dress is taken from my hands and I'm ushered into the bathroom by the three female assistants.

"Take a quick shower to rinse yourself off." One of them instructs.

"Use this to clean your face."

"Don't get your hair wet."

As they're shoving me into the shower my clothes diaper and I'm only left in silence once the water turns on. I breathe out and let the scalding water glide down my front. I've been styled before but none of them have ever been this overbearing.

I hear the people rummaging around by the sink and talking. Glass bottles clink and I hear one woman call to the stylists. I know I only have five hours to get ready so I recently turn off the water after washing my face.

Before stepping out of the shower I press the moisturize button. A slew of warm thick air rushes over my body, instantly hydrating my skin. I open the door and pull on the golden robe waiting for me.

I walk over to the sink where a chair has been set up and I sit down. Closing my eyes helps as then run water over my hair and apply, gel, after, shampoo, after conditioner, into my hair. My face is assaulted with rubs and masks.

An hour later my face is clear and my hair is dry. Walking back out to the bedroom I see what the stylists have done. Hair equipment that could pass for torture devices line one of the counters. A rainbow of makeup lines the other. They sit me in yet another chair and I stare at myself in the mirror.

This entire time Brady hasn't lifted a finger. He's just been extra and loud. But when he grabs a comb and sets to work on my hair I see when Kennedy chose him. He combs my hair up into a ponytail and begins adding curlers at lightning speed.

Ana then pushes a layer of foundation into my face, followed with slews of concealer and powder, until my lips are as pale as my cheeks. She pulls out many eyeshadow pallets and holds them next to my face before she settles on one.

It takes hours to transform me. Giving me far too much time with my thoughts. The ringlets in my hair form a complicated twist held together by thousands of bobby pins. The curls weave around one another until they form a perfect half-sphere on the top of my head. The hairs around my face are curled just enough to make it look natural.

My makeup is bold, where my hair is subtle. A reflective silver shadow gleams on my eyelids. Black eyeliner is laid thick around my eyes creating beautiful wings. Lashes are applied and my cheeks shimmer with the shiniest highlight I've ever seen. To top it all off they color my lips is a shiny crimson. At first glance, it looks like my mouth is bleeding but as I look at myself for a little longer I can see my face merge through the mask of beauty and my court face.

I tear my eyes away from the mirror and turn around to see all of the stylists watching me. Some of them have their hands over their mouths or clasped tightly, each of them waiting for my comments.

"It's beautiful," I finally say. "Thank you."

The relief that floods the room is astonishing, they all seem to let out a collective breath.

"Well, we're going to have to start bright and early tomorrow," I say, with a note of dismissal. "I will see you again at eight tomorrow morning."

I wait for them to leave before walking from the room. I walk down the single flight of stairs before seeing my parents. The dining room is behind the solid wooden doors. But before we can enter we must walk through an entire corridor of cameras.

There is a small entrance hall at the front of the castle where we congregate. My parents are dressed in their best evening clothes. My mother is wearing a dark red evening gown made of very complicated lace layers. Along with her ruby and silver crown. My father wears a black suit with a red sash across his chest along with one of his actual crowns. It's made of raw gold and it wraps around his head setting off his salt and pepper hair.

My diamond tiara flashes when I turn my head to look at their matching outfits. In a way we all match, but my lips are hardly a comparison to the red fabric covering my parents.

The rest is soon to follow, wearing their best crowns and evening attire. But when Felicity walks in we are hushed. Her sunflower yellow dress with a brown belt buckled just below her breast cannot hide the fact that she is pregnant.

Before I even register the fact that Felicity is carrying a human inside of her, I notice her dress. A long piece of fabric trails behind the dress and it's strapless. She's just twenty-one, and she's already producing an heir. Her dress matches her age, not her body.

"I wanted to make sure everyone knew," Felicity says wrapping her hands around her stomach. "Because once we go out there I'm going to make the announcement."

Everyone is just as shocked by this development as me so we just nod while we try to regain our wits.

"Congratulations, Felicity," I manage to say once some of the fog in my mind has cleared.

She dips her chin and smiles. "Thank you, Emmalyne."

"Well, since you and Roman are making such a huge announcement, it only seems fit that you go out first." King Ronald says.

Felicity smiles before picking up a piece of her skirt and interlacing her fingers with Roman's. He whispers in her ear before two servants open the doors.

The cameras immediately start going off. White flashes fill the air momentarily blinding me. The Tilems step behind Felicity and Roman. My parents follow, with the Addams trailing behind us.

It takes forty-three minutes to walk down that single hall. We have to stop every ten years to pose for a different photo. Answering shouted questions with poise and rationality. The reporters are crammed in shoulder to shoulder, holding out mics and quivering under the bulk of their handheld cameras.

Once we reach the grandest dining room Aedifex has to offer I can finally sit down. The table is a large square, each side inhabited by a different monarchy. My father sits in the middle of our side, my mother to his left, I sit to his right.

Across the table from my family is Travis'. They sit in the same way as we do. King Ronald in the center, Queen Joslyn to his left and Travis to his right. Phillip's family sits to my left, his mother in the center. Felicity and Roman are to my right, sitting side by side. There will be a third chair added once her child turns sixteen.

An ornate glass centerpiece stands in the way of my view of Travis and I can only see half of Phillip. But with a low chime, the ordering panels appear a transparent blue keyboard just below the lip of the table. My fingers fly across the keys ordering a steak with greens, along with other assortments of food that come with it.

Most people close their fist when their done typing and swipe it to the right, removing the keyboard, but I instead type in the codeword. The keyboards are invisible to everyone but the person using them. Years ago Travis figured out how to hack the ordering panels so we could talk during these dull dinners.

A small box appears to my left, a message pops up from Philip.

phil: I can't believe that's she's pregnant.

Trav: It seems like only a few days ago when we were gagging at the very idea of children

The glass centerpiece has been replaced with mountains of food. I can now see the others. We had all perfected the art of typing without our eyes ages ago. I type something out while I pretend to admire Queen Rainn's crown.

Emma: People have been getting pregnant younger and younger these days.

Trav: I bet my left buttcheek it's a boy.

Before I can respond something catches my eyes. Felicity, she gives a small giggle. I train my eyes on her instead, her eyes flick down, just for a second, most people would miss it, but I don't. She's reading our conversation.

Emma: It's a girl.

phil: how do you know?

Emma: Because Lissa laughed when Travis said it was a boy.

Their eyes both fly up to look at Felicity. Her face hardens and she makes her movements clear. Fist, swipe. Ridding herself of the ordering panel. Her message is clear, she wants nothing to do with us. Not anymore.

I remember when Felicity was one of us though. It was my first conference, I had just turned sixteen three weeks before. Philip was seventeen and Travis was eighteen. Felicity was nineteen and had seven more months before she turned twenty. The conference was in Legibus, it freezing that year, forty-six centimeters of snow on the ground.

Dinner had finished and we had all wandered to the guest wing of the palace. It was already late when we stumbled into Felicity's room. At first, we just put a movie on and talked, we ordered coffee and chocolates. As the night carried on we lost all court dignity.

The memory is still hazy, but I remember Travis pulled on one of Feleicy's dress causing us to roll on the floor with laughter. We blasted music and danced on the bed. I tried to give Philip ballroom dancing lessons, which didn't work because I dissolved into giggles with every other step.

The boys crashed sometime around two in the morning. I had gone into the bathroom to take a steamy shower. Once I came back in a pair of Felicity's plum-colored silk pajamas I found them snoring on the bed. They looked as if they had fallen asleep mid-wrestling match. I wrapped a blanket over them to shield them from the cold winter air that was filtering in through the opening balcony doors.

I grabbed the largest wool blanket I could find and carried it outside. Felicity was sitting on the ledge looking out at the flickering lights. I closed the doors behind me as not the wake and boys and leaned against them.

"Aren't you cold?" I asked.

Felicity looked over her shoulder at me. "No, this is how it is in Obses. Cold all the time, but we don't have snow."

"Snow looks the best in the morning. When you wake up and everything has been covered in a thick white blanket. It's like snow erases all the ugly things."

A shiver went down my spine as the breeze blew my hair and I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders. Felicity climbed down from the ledge and we sat on the patio bench.

"Let me in." She said

I opened the blanket and she slid in next to me. I folded my legs up to my chest and sighed. My breath fogged and air and I blew out watching it fill the dark sky. Felicity gave a small laugh and blew out with me.

We just sat watching our breath before I spoke again. "Are you scared? To be coronated?"

Felicity shook her head. "I have a good husband, he'll help me rule. I'm not scared, not anymore."

"Any more?" I questioned.

"For a long time, I was terrified." Felicity admitted."But I can't be a Queen and a coward. So I dropped the fear. There's no room for it."

"I'm scared," I whispered.

"Don't be," Felicity replied. "You'll have me."

I leaned my head on her shoulder and we sat watching the stars until we grew freezing.

I vaguely remember kicking the boys out of the bed so we could take it. Philip stumbled over to the seating area when he could stretch out on the couch. Travis wasn't so bright. He just rolled off the foot of the bed onto the small bench and huddled there for the night.

Those days were so much easier.

I cut into my steak with more aggression than I need as I recollect that night. I very much do not have Felicity. I'm still shitting my pants when I think about ruling. I have no idea how she does it. But that's not my business. Not anymore.

My food loses its taste throughout the night. I reply to the conversation only to placate Philip and Travis. As soon as we're dismissed I push out my chair and rush to my room.

I hurry in readying myself for bed. I clean my face and pull on my nightgown. I'm brushing my hair slowly when there is a knock on my door. I already have my excuse cooked up for the boys who are no doubt waiting on the other side.

I pull it open only to find Felicity Vencos looking down at me. I stumble back a few steps. She is still in her gown and I feel the need to duck back into my bathroom and sweep on the makeup.

"May I come in?" She askes.

"I-uh, yeah." I stammer stepping aside.

She walks a few paces inside before turning to face me. She almost looks anxious. Her hand grips the other's fingers tightly as she bites her lip and shifts her gaze from me to the floor. I wanted to apologize, for what I did at dinner. It was rude."

"That's all right," I say, my cheeks red. "You're a Queen now, I understand."

"Roman and I have already come up with a name for the baby," Felicity says. I'm at a complete loss for why she is sharing this with me. "We're naming her Hannah."

It feels like she dropped a bag of stones on me. My mouth goes dry and I'm barely able to form a sentence. "But, that's my name."

"I'm awake," Felicity cries. "But the name Hannah is very traditional and more commonly and Obses name."

There is no saying no here. This entire conversation is a formality. I lift my chin and look into her eyes. I can feel my chin quiver as I speak. "Then I want Paisley."

Felicity falters. "Pas- Paisley. You want Paisley."

Two years ago, in this exact Kingdom, we went down to the beach with the boys. They ran into the ocean and Felicity and I walked along the wet sand talking. We talked about baby names. I've wanted to name my daughter Hannah for years. She wants to take that from me. So I will take the name she has always wanted from her.

"Yes." I say, losing my nerve with every passing second.

Felicity sighs and hangs her head. "Fine."

She leaves quickly thereafter and once the door to my parlor is closed I take a shaky breath. My hand slides off the golden knob and I drift over to my bed. My cheeks are wet before my face hits the pillow.

Never in my life have I felt so betrayed.