AMITY

Chapter 7

“Amity, huh"

The prince said it like he was just testing the feel of her name, like he was just pondering about the uniqueness of the name but Amity knew he was taunting her again.

He knew Amity would not be able to say anything back, that she would not even be able to look at him in any way other than with respect.

Be it under pretence or not.

The princess nodded “Yes that is her name” .

“Is it not a pretty name, brother?”
The prince shrugged “It is unique alright.’’

And the princess nodded eagerly.
The queen cleared her throat again, this time, with less subtlety and both the royal children stopped their conversation at once.

Amity breathed out a sigh of relief. She would be able to avoid any kind of altercations for now.

So she thought. But it was not to be so as the prince spoke up again “You do not look like an Amity, I would have thought you would be named something like Glory? Perhaps.’’

The scoundrel. Amity risked a look up and she saw the light of mirth that danced in his eyes and the smirk that touched his lips.

Amity was not so stupid that she would dare to speak up in front of the royals, especially when all of said royals were starring at her in shock.
Well all except the king. He was as aloof as ever, looking at the food being laid out by servants with no form of emotions on his face.

The queen cleared her throat for the third time. More loudly this time and everyone’s attention moved back to their meals.

Amity did not miss the smirk the prince sent her way, the wide eyed look of the princess and the – well Amity could not decipher what the look meant, but a look from the queen nonetheless.

After dinner, back in the princess's room, Amity helped the princess get ready for bed. Taking out a silk night gown and laying it on the bed as the princess to her bath, then making sure that the bed was properly laid for the princess's rest.

When it got to the princess’s hair, again the princess hesitated and Amity let her know that it was okay if she wanted to do it by herself. After a while of consideration, the princess handed Amity the hair brush and sat on the chair at the dresser.

Amity used a wash cloth to get the extra moisture out of the princess’s hair and then  set to brushing the long sandy blonde hair. As Amity did so, she could not help but remember when she did same for Coral before they went to bed.

“Are you alright Amity?”It seemed the melancholic thoughts had found ways to seep onto Amity's face and had altered the expression on it to something sorrowful and the princess had noticed it.

“Yes your highness”. The princess nodded in response but did not look like she believed it as she still kept her eyes on Amity’s face in the mirror.  Amity tried to give the royal the best smile she could manage and then out of habit, began to gather up the princess’s hair and tie it up into a style she had learnt when she was outside the palace.

“What are you doing Amity?” the princess asks with a cocked head and Amity realised what she had been doing. Amity immediately took the princess’s hair out of the style she had put it in.

“I apologise your highness. It is a habit".

“Amity, I was not asking because I wanted you to take it out, I was just wondering what it was and I liked it” said the princess .

“Ah, it was something I learnt outside the palace" At that, the princess’s eyes widened and Amity noticed it but did not go further into that part of the story.