"The coastline looks pretty, doesn't it?", Aluxio said, making small talk with his daughter. The two of them had spent half the journey in relative silence. Aluxio had decided to read a book and Amara was reviewing her amendments.
"It does. How long will it take till we reach the place?", Amara said, watching the view from her ship's cabin. Amara could see the port with its many ships. She looked at the symbols on the ships, some of which she could recognise. Some were of Ephedian kingdoms, some were of trading companies and some had the seal of the Othreran Empire. The ones she couldn't recognise were of, what she had assumed, were the Othreran kingdoms.
"About an hour, I think.", Aluxio answered. He leaned back in his chair and went back to reading his book.
"I can't wait to reach there.", she mused and stared at the deep blue sea from her window.
****
"Is that the Othreran School of Magic? It is like the one back home. But bigger.", Amara said, pointing to the building.
"I think it is.", her father said, looking out at the carriage window. "It is pretty impressive, isn't it.", he said, "I wonder what the one in Guelph looks like?"
Amara continued staring at the buildings whizzing by. Most of them reminded her of Kelasar, especially the government buildings.
****
"We are honoured to have you here, Queen Amara.", Victor said, rising from his throne and stepping down to the dais. It was nerve-wracking to meet him again. As if she was meeting him for the first time, all over again. There was something different about Othrera. She took his hand and stepped on the dais. His hand was much bigger than hers. To be fair, everything about him was much bigger than her. Not that Amara was small in any way, with her height of 5'10".
"The honour is all mine.", Amara replied, hoping that she sounded as composed as Victor right now. She probably wasn't. Amara turned around to better face her audience and started her introduction, "Good evening, fellow royals, I am Amara Xerina, Queen of Kelasar."
Her audience applauded politely. Clearly, Amara didn't leave much of an impression. Amara finally registered them as the rulers of the Othreran kingdoms. Four kings and three queens. All of them were tall, very tall. The shortest among them had to be at least six feet tall. Amara knew the Othrerans were tall, but not this tall. Suddenly, her father didn't seem much of a giant. Also their auras, it was so strong that Amara could barely feel her own.
"Let the celebrations begin.", Victor said.
***
"You were a bit nervous today. Is everything alright? ", Aluxio asked his daughter.
"Everything is fine. It's just that everyone feels so intimidating. It doesn't help that Victor is the only person I know here.", Amara answered.
"I'm sure things will be fine when you get to know them."
"I hope they will. Now that you mention it, have you seen Victor anywhere because I haven't?"
"No, I haven't. I haven't seen his brothers anywhere either?", Aluxio said, looking around the room.
"There he is.", Amara said after spotting him in a dark corner of the room. He was standing there, sipping his drink and ignoring the royals. Pax and Rex were there too. Both of them seemed very busy chatting with one another. She expected Victor to be with the princes and princesses but instead, he seemed way too keen to ignore them. "I'll go talk to him.", Amara told her father and made her way toward Victor.
"Did you need something?", Victor asked Amara after spotting her coming toward him.
"I just wanted to talk.", Amara said, leaning on the wall, beside him, "You and your brothers are the only people I know here."
"That's the worst thing about diplomatic visits, isn't it?", he joked, "It could still be worse though." Lax and Rex stopped talking for a moment to listen to the conversation.
"It can.", Amara chuckled and Victor gave a light smile. "Thank goodness, I have you.", she said and Victor chuckled at the comment.
"You have me. Not that it helps.", he commented.
"You're quite the asocial person, Your Majesty. Aren't you? Hanging around in a corner as if you don't know these people."
"The Othreran Court does that to you.", he commented. Amara wanted to ask him what he meant by that but decided not to.
"Would you indulge me in a dance?", she asked him.
"No, I don't want to be the subject of gossip tomorrow."
"It's my Welcoming Ball, don't refuse me. Besides who cares what they say.", she tried to convince him.
"They will forget about it in a day or two.", Victor said and joined Amara. The two spent the night dancing, ignoring others' stares and whispers.
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Amara of Xeris
फैनफिक्शनHundreds of years ago, Ephedia: then, a bunch of warring kingdoms unified into one single nation. The seven kingdoms :Ephedia, Xeris, Volta, Borealis, Calix, Ydinora and Solinx, all known for their different crystal magical ability put away their lo...
