WEDDING EVE

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: SAVIOUR ~ IGGY AZALEA]

.....The evening before the wedding....

Clephas moved swiftly towards the shrine, he wanted to offer prayers for the princess's safety. It had become a ritual for him, once every two moons when people were allowed to enter the shrine, Clephas joins them to pray. He knew that bringing the crown prince's mistress under the princess's protection would be trouble if the queen found out.

As he approached the shrine, Clephas saw the female guards who were dressed in all white. They halted him from entering further.

"I work for the princess, and you know me very well. I come here to pray at this time every moon of the dragon," Clephas explained, a confused look on his face.

"We know you very well, but the queen has asked us to give her some privacy. She is speaking with the high priestess," one of the guards replied.

Clephas glanced at the young guard who had prevented him from entering the shrine for few seconds, then he nodded his head and made his way back to the princess's quarters.

Inside the shrine, the high priestess performed her rituals. She moved gracefully, using incense to fill the room with fragrant smoke. Her words were spoken in hushed tones, while her aides rang bells that filled the shrine with melodious sounds.

Queen Almaria watched the high priestess's actions closely, not bothering to close her eyes for the prayer. Her gaze swept over every corner of the shrine. When the priestess concluded her prayers, she approached the queen.

The high priestess, an elderly woman with a slim frame, she had her half of her hair covered in gray, and a face lined with wrinkles, with sharp and wise eyes. She greeted the queen with a bow and then settled herself on a cushion on the shrine's floor.

"Welcome to the shrine, my queen," the priestess began, her legs crossed comfortably.

"Thank you, High Priestess Mubera," the queen replied, raising her teacup to her lips. However, she paused before taking a sip. "You know why I'm here, right?" Almaria asked, with a smile on her face.

Mubera looked at the queen with a momentary sternness before a sly grin appeared, causing her eyes to crinkle at the corners. "It is time, isn't it?" the high priestess responded, waving one of her servants to come over. When the shrine servant arrived, she filled a basin with water for the priestess to wash her hands.

"Do you have anyone you trust?" Mubera spoke while washing her hands, when she was done she picked the towel from the shrine servant and started drying hands.

"I do" Almaria said looking at the shrine servant who was still standing with the basin in her hand. She didn't want to speak further because she knew very well that there were persons in the palace who didn't work for her. Almaria did not trust anyone.

Mubera watched the queen look around the shrine, she smirked. This sly queen, always cautious of her environment when she's the one people should be afraid of. The high priestess thought to herself.

"Leave" she dismissed the servant with a wave. Then she turned to the queen. "I have told you, my girls will never betray me. You should trust me by now. I will never do anything that will implicate you because, I'll be taking a huge fall too" Mubera said picking her own teacup, she brought it closer to her lips,inhaled deeply, before taking a sip.

"You said so, but we can never be too sure. The rest there, are your assistants yeah?" When Mubera nodded in confirmation, the queen continued. "I have someone I trust standing outside the shrine," Almaria disclosed with confidence, after the servant left. 

"Mmmm....Is it someone you know well? Or is it the guard I often see you with, the one from Wahel?" Mubera inquired with curiosity.

"I see you still have your eyes everywhere just like the old days. "Yes, it's him," the queen replied confidently. She believed that if anyone could carry out this task discreetly and effectively, it was Nix.

Mubera nodded, acknowledging the queen's choice. "But you should know that she's no ordinary girl. I've seen many princesses, but she's different. If she were a bird, she would be a phoenix."

"But I am still her mother, and we will get it done. It is tradition," Almaria insisted, brushing away some crumbs from her robe before returning her gaze to the priestess.

"Tsk...tsk...Are you sure it's about tradition, or are you just eager to get rid of her? And to Kitanna, I think you're just the queen, nothing more," The priestess said with a hidden sarcasm. She looked at the queen with a judging look. A mother who was not afraid to end her own blood. Mubera pressed her lips together.

"Let's refrain from mentioning her name. That girl is bad luck....she...."A loud crash from the other side of the room stopped Almaria from completing her sentence. The queen stood up immediately and walked towards the place the noise was heard. She had a feeling that the princess was in the room. Mubera followed her behind. 

"What was that?" Almaria asked looking alarmed. She attempted to remove the veil covering the shrine servant's face, but Mubera stepped in to stop her.

"My queen, shrine servants are not allowed to reveal their faces. Allow me to handle this," the high priestess said, turning her attention to the servant on the floor. "Stand, young one."

The servant stood up immediately, her hands continued to shake in fear. "What was that?" Mubera asked this time around.

The servant trembled in fear but she knew that her survival depended on her honesty. "I... I thought I saw something in the sacred fountain," she stammered, pointing at the fountain with trembling hands.

Almaria rushed to inspect the fountain, but it appeared as calm as it had been when she first entered the shrine. She turned to look at the servant with a stern look.

"I think you need to train your girls better. This one seems to be seeing things now," the queen scolded, her lips curved in a thin line due to annoyance.

"I will, my queen. I will prepare for the ritual, for the wedding, and the coronation as well," the high priestess replied, changing the subject promptly.

Almaria understood quickly what the priestess did, and nodded. When she started walking towards the entrance, she turned to look at the high priestess. "Discard that one, we are not sure if she really saw or heard something" the queen moved her eyes to look at the servant who had interrupted their discussion.

"Immediately my queen. I don't keep trouble " Mubera said bowing deeply.

Almaria got to her chambers, it was already late in the night. She opened the letter Kitanna sent to her. The princess had requested to invite her work friend to the wedding. That girl, Kitanna, was not someone to be taken lightly. Almaria thought to herself. She summoned her personal guard in immediately.

"Nix...I have a very important task for you..."

Kitanna returned to her room drenched in water, Clephas was shocked to see the princess like that. He immediately closed the doors and windows. "What happened my princess?" he asked with a worried look drawn on his face.

"I went for a swim," Kitanna replied with a mischievous grin.