Chapter 6

Niris was fast asleep when he was awakened by repeated knocks on his door.

"Your Highness! Your Highness, wake up!

Inja's voice insidiously penetrated his mind like a distant echo before imposing itself on him, forcing him to emerge from the arms of Morpheus that were holding him tightly. Rubbing his still sleepy eyes, he got up and walked to the door like a zombie, wondering what could be causing the anguish in his guard's voice as she pounded on his door.

He opened the door and answered in a voice broken by lack of sleep.

"What's going on Inja, why did you wake me up like this when..."

He didn't have time to finish his sentence when the guard rushed into his room, dragging him behind her.

"Get ready, quickly! There's no time to lose!"

Completely lost, the angel tried to resist the grip of her comrade, but without result. Inja had already dived into his dressing room to find an outfit to put on.

"Inja, tell me what's going on! Why are you getting so excited? I didn't even tell you what happened last night, and I got home super late..."

"You can tell me later! Right now we have an emergency! You are invited to have tea with Yousmaïl Namar, the representative of Amadea and the crown princess of the Amadean throne! Then everything else will wait, you must concentrate on that first because I don't have the impression that she has good intentions towards you, and this tea she invites you to sounds very fishy."

"Yousmaïl Namar...?" the prince repeated, trying to put a face to the name he had heard.

But he was terrible at it. So he decided to go back to the intergalactic diplomacy courses he had taken during his studies. That's when he opened his eyes wide.

"Princess Yousmaïl Namar? The daughter of the King of Amadea? This planet where the main vampire species in the inter galaxy lives?"

"The very one!" replied Inja, who placed a midnight blue tunic before the prince to judge its suitability for the occasion.

The tunic was made of precious fabric and embroidered very finely with silver thread in delicate patterns. Sober and elegant, the outfit was one of the most prestigious that the young prince had taken with him. It corresponded perfectly to the most fashionable style of dress on Egea. Satisfied with the vision she had, she placed it on a velvet bench and set about undressing Niris, who was still trying to understand what was happening to him.

"But why? What does she want from me? I'm just a low-level guest, why is she interested in me?" questioned Niris, who relented as the guard lifted his nightgown over his head and removed it.

"I don't know, and that worries me," replied the guard. "All I know about her is that she's interested in Prince Seiran and that she's among the favourites for the wedding. But I don't quite see how that concerns you since you have no pretensions regarding this marriage!"

Helping him put on the tunic from above, the angel paused long enough to guide him to put his head through the middle hole and his arms through the side holes. Once each body member was in the right opening, she smoothed the fabric, running her hand over it quickly to make sure it wasn't wrinkled.

"I'm just as surprised as you are that she would summon you like this," she admitted. "She shouldn't even know you exist, it's incomprehensible."

"What does this mean in terms of diplomacy? What is Meripea's relationship with her?" asked Niris, who was now fully awake.

After putting on the trousers that came with the outfit and slipping on the ceremonial belt that adorned it, he sat down facing the pedestal table and began to put on his make-up while Inja did his hair.

"Meripea has no direct relationship with Amadea, they are far too small even to enter the sphere of Amadean interests," the guard analysed as she brushed the prince's silky hair carefully. "The only connection they have is through Ornikarn, the demons. Meripea is close to the demons economically speaking, she's even dependent on them, and the demons are dependent on Meripea's government regarding the slave trade, so you could consider them allies by necessity. And Amadea is also a very important commercial and diplomatic partner of Ornikarn, which explains, among other things, the fact that Yousmaïl Namar is one of the favourites for the wedding. By the play of alliances, we can thus consider that Meripaea and Amadea are two planets members of the same sphere of influence, and thus allied through Ornikarn, their common interlocutor."

Niris finished using the pencil to underline the line of his eyes. He was thinking hard about what Inja had just told him. Two planets with no known differences but not necessarily allies. He grabbed his lip balm and rubbed it on his lips to give them a peony pink colour. The situation was delicate and the interview was highly perilous for the young angel. He had to clarify at all costs the reason for the request for such an informal exchange so early in the day and in the middle of festivities on a planet foreign to the two representatives. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to conduct the interview.

Quickly rubbing a dab of oil into the prince's jet-black hair, the guard finished his preparation with an expert hand. Niris inspected himself one last time in the mirror and then stood up. The guard helped him put on his jewelry and made a final check of the outfit before letting him go.

In diplomacy, appearance was a major factor in the intergalactic world. It was an asset that could be decisive if well handled by the person who used it. It was also a codified means of conveying certain messages, notably on the importance given to the exchange by the person, the information they wished to transmit, notably concerning the stakes of power through wealth, education, or even food, which could easily show through the clothing or the dishes offered for consumption during the exchange.

A highly complex codified exercise that requires constant intellectual gymnastics and uncommon analytical skills. An exercise that Niris was used to. Everything was based on the information he had before the interview and the information he would be able to decipher throughout the interview. And for this, he had with him one of the greatest experts in intergalactic relations in Egea: Inja. Before being an extremely efficient guard, the angel was also a notorious expert on all diplomatic matters in the intergalaxy. And that was the main reason she had been sent with Niris.

Readjusting his collar, he took one last look at his reflection before heading for the door, determined. He was mentally and physically ready for the diplomatic confrontation. The silent battle could begin. After all, diplomacy was only the continuation of war by peaceful means. And that was why it was legal, unlike war, which had become forbidden since the advent of the intergalactic organisation.

"You come with me to the door and wait for me outside," he indicated to the guard before going out into the corridor. "Whatever happens, never enter the room. You are free to move around outside unless you have to use armed force. Use it only to defend yourself in case of absolute necessity."

The guard nodded firmly. She was used to these situations. For the last ten years, she was a guard from the special unit of diplomatic operations, she has faced so many situations where they were flirting with danger. She was more than familiar with the insidious tensions that always came close to exploding but never did during diplomatic meetings.

The only difference was that today, the person she had to protect was Niris, and he couldn't die or get injured at all costs. At least that's what she decided. Even though he was sent as an intergalactic agent undercover like any other else, he was too important to the angels for her to allow him to die on this mission. As a guard, she won't fail, even if it means going against diplomatic rules. But that, she won't tell Niris of course...

Putting an end to her inner thinking, Niris put his hand on the door handle and hesitated for a moment. Finally, he turned to give his comrade a final instruction.

"I know it's an informal meeting, so it's potentially riskier, but whatever happens, don't open the door, even if I give an SOS. And as usual, trust me."

They exchanged a long look charged with the intensity of the reflections caused by the anticipation of all the possible scenarios for which their two brains were preparing.

"All right," finally replied the guard, completely focused on her task.

Niris turned the handle, and they found themselves in the corridor. Twenty minutes later, they stood before the sumptuous front door of Princess Yousmaïl Namar's suite. Of all the guest flats, it was one of the most beautiful, marking the importance that was given to her presence at the ceremony.

They were met at the entrance by two guards who were waiting for them. These guards were the palace guards provided for the most prestigious guests. One of them invited Niris to follow him inside. The angel did so, leaving Inja behind with the second guard. The game was on.

---

Niris was ushered into a small private room decorated in such a way as to give it a rather intimate atmosphere. The walls were lined with dark green hangings and the woodwork was very dark. The furnishings were made to fit the comfort of the occupant, and the daylight was replaced by a dim light, hidden by heavy velvet curtains matching the walls of the room.

In the middle of the room, a woman sat in the most imposing armchair of all. Her red curls cascaded over her breasts, which were exposed to view by a long red silk gown that highlighted the beauty of her undeniably voluptuous body. There was no doubt about it, she was there to ensure her dominance over her guest.

Everything in her appearance, her dress, and even her make-up was made to underline her superiority of rank and to assert her power by her femininity which she used here as an asset for conquest. Her body was at the service of her objective, and she displayed it very clear to the one she considered her rival and whom she intended to make feel inferior to her in this respect.

Something that the angels had a lot of trouble with, given that gender was for them a non-determining factor in the definition of a person. But they were, unfortunately, the only ones in this vast intergalactic population to dissociate gender and value, physical appearance and appreciation, and judgment. For them, whether one was a man or a woman, one could determine oneself as one wished. And making one's body an object of power and oppression over others was something they strongly disapproved of.

Deep down, Niris felt sorry for this woman who felt obliged to use her femininity in the dirtiest way possible for herself to get what she wanted. He, therefore, deduced that the question was much more personal than diplomatic and that it must surely have had something to do with Prince Seiran's commitment. But this was a game that greedy suitors played and from which he, as a small representative of Meripea, should be exempted as the last person interested in the matter. This analysis, therefore, did not answer all his questions, and he remained extremely attentive under his well-practiced air of professional courtesy.

He did so with the same poise that he displayed during exchanges of this type. The guard who had led him inside then stood next to the other guard already in the room, in front of the door, blocking any attempt to leave.

Niris was blocked. That was the message. He couldn't leave until he was allowed to. The prince tensed inwardly. He knew the Amadeans to be particularly cold and harsh in their negotiating methods, but this was the first time he had been in a situation so threatening to his safety.

Once seated, an Amadean maid who was probably the princess's assistant served him tea. He drank a sip in icy silence. One should always honour the food that was served at an interview like this, even if it bordered on the limits of diplomatic codes. Niris had the rule to be exemplary in his behaviour, whatever the situation. That way, nothing could be held against him. And in diplomacy, that was ultimately the most important thing. Not to do or say anything that could justify a legal or even an armed response.

He waited patiently, and seeing that his host wouldn't speak first, he took the initiative of introducing himself and asking her about the reason for this unannounced meeting.

"I am Sir Jangta of Maripea, I am honoured to be your host even if I do not quite understand the reason for our meeting," he said.

"Let's leave aside the politeness, Sir Jangta, we are not here for that," the princess replied bluntly.

A total deviation from solemnity. We were the most informal. The most total danger. Yousmaïl Namar had just made it clear to him with this simple sentence that he did not represent the slightest danger to her, and that she did not care about the responses that her actions might entail. She was not afraid of the Prince of Meripea, that is what she was saying.

"Do you agree that there is a hierarchy of guests?

"Indeed," Niris replied without losing his Olympian calm.

"You also agree that some guests have been invited only as a courtesy and that their place in the ceremony is purely symbolic?"

"I don't deny it," continued the angel, stoically.

"And you do agree that I am one of the most important guests at this event, don't you?

She had said this last sentence with the most disdainful look possible.

"This is out of all doubts," the angel replied, still not blinking.

Pausing for a moment, the Amadean leaned forward, threatening the angel with all her vampiric height. He could see in her eyes the hatred she had for him and all the evil she wanted from him. If she could kill him with her own eyes, she probably would have done so without hesitation. Impassive, the angel did not let anything of the danger he was aware of impact him in any way. He let her continue, still searching for the fateful information that would allow him to unravel the situation.

"So why do you dare to ignore this and act as if it doesn't apply to you?

She had almost spat her words in his face. Not knowing what to say, Niris just stared at her boiling with anger without saying anything.

"You're just the courtesy guest, the one we have no choice but to invite but don't need!"

A cruel smile split her face in two. She had sat down again and while looking at him with her smug look, she rubbed her chin. Niris maintained his position, giving nothing away.

"I am well aware of all this, and I make it a point to behave every day according to my rank and status in this ceremony," he began, controlling his facial expressions to perfection to look as deferential as possible. "If I have behaved in any way that has offended you, I apologise, for that was never my intention."

Niris excelled in the art of telling the person in front of him what he expected. Hypocrisy. When it was justified by a higher purpose, a goal of general interest, he knew how to use it to perfection. His experience as an agent on a mission for Egea and the organisations in a whole host of different situations had trained him in the difficult exercise of lying while believing his lie. So it was impossible to break through his mask most of the time. Unfortunately, in this situation, he was missing a fundamental piece of information. And that could be fatal.

The princess laughed at his answer.

"Some kind of behaviour..." she gave him the worst smile she could muster. "I didn't know that the Lord of Meripea had raised such a good diplomat son. Your feigned ignorance won't work with me though, be warned!"

Niris held his gaze with the same calmness he had displayed since the beginning of the conversation. The vampire reached out and her maid handed her a digital picture which she threw violently on the glass table in front of her toward the angel.

Realizing that he had to look at the contents of the tablet, he slowly grabbed it and turned it over. He blushed inwardly. It was a picture of him and A-ran on Azure's back returning from the slave cave last night. His brain sped up instantly. She had to be involved in the smuggling somehow, that was for sure!

"My maid caught you coming in through the back door of the palace last night with A-ran," she said menacingly. "Do you have anything to say about that?"

Niris began to think quickly, giving only the impression that he was studying the pictures in amazement. He was going to have to play it smart to get out of this situation. At the same time as his thoughts raced to find a way to keep his cover, he thought to himself that the setting for the interview was strange for a dispute that involved trafficking in conscious species.

"Why summon me to a place as intimate as her living room to discuss such a sensitive subject? And in this outfit?" he wondered, worried. Was she planning to get rid of him now to ensure that the matter did not get out? If so, the situation was more than critical. He decided to play for all he had.

Letting out a deep sigh and wearing a dismayed expression, he put the tablet back on the coffee table before opening his mouth to answer.

"I see you've caught us in the act..." He closed his eyes for a moment, pretending to gather his courage to confess his act. "A-ran and I have been secretly dating for some time, and last night we escaped to... have some privacy for an evening..."

He forced himself to look embarrassed as he fiddled with his fingers, dutifully avoiding the vampire's gaze.

"I beg you to keep it a secret, though I know it may be offensive for you to see..."

He didn't have time to finish his sentence when the princess grabbed him by the collar, suddenly bringing her face close to his in a gesture of superhuman strength characteristic of vampires. Niris hiccupped. With a glance, he looked into the princess' hazel eyes and realised that his attempt at appeasement had only made things worse. The vampire's lips trembled with rage.

"How dare you! HOW DARE YOU!" she screamed as she sent the angel flying over the table into the wall he was sitting opposite, catching him completely off guard.

Aware of his inability to react to the physical attack without risking his cover being blown, Niris let it happen, cushioning the blow as best he could. The shock emptied his lungs of the air they contained and he slumped to the ground, looking as if he had hardly taken the blow. The princess stood up and walked back and forth a few paces before grabbing a vase and throwing it at the wall next to the angel's head. Closing his eyes, he avoided having pieces of it damaged in extremis. He felt the sharp pieces of the vase cut through his clothes and sink into his flesh. The pain rekindled the anxiety that was growing inside him.

With an imperceptible gesture, he quickly pressed his electronic chip to send an SOS to Inja. He just had to pray that she would find a way to get someone to intervene because she couldn't come to his rescue herself. Not with the guard posted outside with her.

He thought that diverting the vampire's attention from the subject of slaves would be the best way to solve the problem with the least amount of damage. He had complete confidence in his acting skills. So what was the problem? Why hadn't it worked? Worse! Why did she seem even angrier at him now?

He glanced at the guards who stood impassively at the door. They hadn't moved an inch when the vampire had sent him tumbling against the wall. He sighed inwardly. Of course, they wouldn't move. Palace guards were neutral and did not interfere in the personal and diplomatic affairs of guests. Even more so if they involved a very high-ranking guest.

The angel closed his eyes for a moment. He had to hold his ground without responding to any of the princess's physical attacks under any circumstances. A lowly guest like him had no legitimacy against a guest of such high rank as Yousmaïl Namar. He was about to get up when he felt himself being lifted off the ground again.

The vampire had grabbed him by the toga and straightened him up without mercy before throwing him back against the wall, but less violently this time. Niris was able to withstand the blow without falling to the ground. The princess then approached him, more threatening than ever. The angel wanted to escape, but she held him firmly against the wall with one arm. Unable to escape without using force, the angel tried to struggle in vain as he turned his mind in all directions to find a way out of the threat the vampire posed to his life.

"Why...why are you...how dare you say such a thing to me! Who do you think you are? An angel like you? How dare you insult me like that! You deserve nothing more than to be enslaved, you dirty vermin!"

Niris was about to attempt a quick and gentle dodge when she grabbed him right by the neck, gripping him as tightly as she could. The angel gasped for air. The vampire's hand was like an iron vise on his throat. Clutching at her hand, which was pinning him to the wall by his spine, he tried to get her to let go, but to no avail. Soon he ran out of air.

-Die! DIE!" the vampire's eyes were wild. Angry tears were streaming down her cheeks and her lips had curled into the most unhealthy sneer Niris had ever seen.

Struggling to stay conscious, the angel struggled against his attacker with Herculean strength. "Inja...quickly..." he thought on the verge of unconsciousness.

Just then the door to the living room suddenly opened and a guard in golden armour stood in front of the two castle guards.

"Lady Namar, as a representative of Prince Seiran, I ask that you let his guest Jangta of Meripea leave immediately," he said in an authoritative voice.

The vampire turned her head towards him in disbelief. The demon approached, beginning to draw his sword from its sheath.

"I shall have to use force if you refuse to comply at once," he warned her in the same cold tone in which he had addressed her on her entrance. "Lord Jangta is a valued guest of our prince, and it would be extremely harmful to see him injured by your hands. He asks me to convey his orders to you in his absence and to ensure the good health of his distinguished guest."

The princess trembled with rage. Her eyes went from the demon to the angel, and she seemed to be in the grip of indecision that her feelings would not allow her to decide. It was not until the royal guard pulled the blade from its scabbard and placed it against her own throat that she finally decided to release her grip on the angel, who collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Inja, who was standing right behind the guard, rushed towards him.

"You know who I am, don't you? Why did you intervene?" the vampire was shaking with rage.

Her whole body seemed to be in the grip of deep anger. Anger that came from the depths of her soul. Filled with rage, she faced the impassive gaze of the guard who didn't waver an inch.

"His Highness Seiran would like to remind you that the inhabitants of Meripaea are angels under the protection of Egea, and that to harm one of them would be to harm Egea. His Highness does not want any diplomatic tension with the Egean government. That is why he asks you to respect the physical integrity of his guest."

The guard had spoken with absolute detachment. His professionalism was ironclad in the face of the vampire who had gone mad with rage. With a hateful gesture, she pushed aside the demon's blade and approached him, panting as she struggled to contain her emotions.

"I will remember this affront," she said through gritted teeth, her jaw set in anger.

The guard did not answer. He turned towards the door, followed by Inja, who had put the young prince on her shoulders to carry him after making sure he was breathing at a steady pace. He escorted her out, leaving a Yousmail inside the living room who was raving about the furniture in the small, richly furnished room. The sound of lamps and vases smashing against the wall faded as they moved away from the Amadean princess's flats.