Red Moon Princess

CHAPTER 10: bye Azar

It was late at night, when the moon took the responsibility of guarding azar as the sun hid beneath the horizon to take a break from shining all day. Maria was in her bedchamber, sitting down on one of the chairs that was on the balcony of her room. She overlooked the distant lights of the sleeping city. Some must still be awake this late.

She did want to take a further look across the thoroughfare of azar before they leave.
but her father insisted that they'll depart when the first ray of the morning star escapes its owner and falls upon them. And in that, she had no say in it. Her mind kidnapped her attention to the incident earlier today. She looked down at her palms. "I'm sure i awakened my gift."

The words escaped her lips as a soft whisper that didn't demand to be heard.
"Did i make it up?" Her gaze shifted away and to the moon. After a beat of silence of admiring the moon, her lips parted to make a way for the words to flow. "You looked prettier back in monaler." A sweet laughing sound made its way from her mouth and faded into the air.

"You're still beautiful on wherever sky you shine on, though." Her eyes of the rainy sky reflected the soft glow that emitted from the floating eye of the sky.
"Will i ever awaken my gift, Moon?" With a sigh, she looked down at her left palm. Before raising it to the sky. as if trying to grab the moon and hold it close, or waving to a lover far away from her reach. "I feel useless."

She took a deep breath, looked at her left palm, and then up at the moon again. There was something about it that filled Maria with a sense of calm and peace.

"Goodnight." She casted one more glance at the sky before heading inside to sleep the night and worries away.

---
A soft knock on her door drew her mind back to reality as she opened her eyes to welcome the new day.

"Princess. May i come in?" A female voice travelled across the wooden door and to her ears. Still a little bit shaken from the sleep, she made a humming sound as an approval.
Not one minute after, and the sound of the knock entered her ears again. "I said you can come in."

"You need to open the door, princess." The maid called out softly from the other side of the door.

"Oh."

"What is it?" Maria asked, still feeling drowsy from sleep, but also eager to have this day get started. She slowly swung her legs over the side of the bed, rubbing her eyes to clear them of the remnants of sleep. She leaned forward to open the door, letting her hand rest on the carved ivory handle for a second before she twisted it and pulled the door open.

"Good morning, princess." The maid said. Bowing down her head.

"Good morning." Maria stepped into the side,allowing for the maid to enter.

"I hope you slept well." the maid said, walking in.
"I didn't." Maria mumbled quietly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

The maid turned her with a blank look before letting out a sigh. "The king has requested you to gather your belongings for the departure soon." Maria blinked at her. After a beat of silence, she opened her lips, letting the words escape free from her mind. "I'm the only belongings that i own in here."

"What?"

"Nothing." The maid narrowed her eyes at her statement but nonetheless nodded.
"You need to wash up. There was a dress put on your wardrobe. Would you need any kind of assistance in getting ready?"

"No." The word came swift and sharp. Maria needed time to clear her head before having to be on the move again. She hated how she was getting babied sometimes by the maids. she wasn't a child of 5, she's of 7. A big girl. Or that's what she believes.
"I can take care of myself." The maid looked like she wanted to protest but said nothing and simply nodded her head.

She then left, leaving Maria to her thoughts again.

***
Maria headed down to the dining chamber. Happy this time, she didn't mistaken the direction. Even if it took her 10 minutes of walking to find the room. When the guards pulled the double doors for her, all the Ezori family was there, and so was her father.

"Too many eyes. Look away, people." She mumbled quietly to herself before putting on a smile. "Good morning." She spoke aloud and got greeted back with some smiles before approaching the table and sitting between Aiden and Ashton. Ashbel sat next to her father, and by the look of it, they were talking about an interesting topic. To them only, of course.

"How's Azar so far, Maria?" The Queen turned to her speaking in a highpitched voice and a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Maria stared at the Queen for a minute before responding.

"Not that i saw it, but I'm sure it's beautiful and hot too." She said with a shrug, digging into her steak and bread. Aiden, who was sitting next to her, let out a faint chuckle, but she was sure it was mockery. Diona exchanged a look with Delvin before laughing. "She's a talker."
"But, why can't you go to see the city?" The Queen asked again. Maria gave her dad a blank look before shipping her eyes away and to the amber of the Queen.

"Punishment for playing with fire, and i qoute." She muttered.

"The least you father could say, no?" Aiden spoke, turning to her, to which she scowled at him. "Are you always like this?" Maria asked, stealing the attention of everyone on the table.

"Like what?" Aiden questioned, raising a curious brow at her.

"An assh-" Ashton pinched her on the arm before she could finish her sentence.

"Ow! What was that for?" She turned to him with an annoyed frown before Ashbel's laughing sound made her look up at him across the table with curiosity and an annoyed frown.

"I have a feeling that you're going to grow up to be such a defiant and brave woman, Maria." He stated, with a smile full of admiration.

"She's is not afraid of speaking her mind up. even when it gets her in trouble sometimes." Delvin added to which she sighed with a roll of her eyes.

***

"Well, I'll look forward to seeing you. So long, my friend." Eze and delvin exchanged hand shakes, so ashbel and him. Aiden was in the far corner of the room, leaning on a pillar with arms crossed. He simply bowed his head down as a goodbye and shipped his gaze away.

"I want to see monaler." Ashton said next to her. "Someday," he added.

"Come with us." She stated.

"Trust me, I would like to have a friend other than those spoiled wanna-be- royals, noble children." Maria turned to him with a soft grin. "Would your father disagree?"

"I have to master my element fully or at least Conjuration. and i also have to get chosen by a pheonix. Then maybe i can go wherever i want. As a third prince, i don't have that much of a responsibility anyway." Ashton replied, looking over at their parent's discussion.

"How long can you master conjuju that?"
"Conjuration." he corrected. "It's the third highest state of fire awakening. It takes 3-5 years most of the time."

"You'd be 12 or 13 by that time." Maria remarked.

"That's not so bad, is it?" His lips curled up into a soft smile as he looked into the grey of her eyes.

"Maybe not."

"We're leaving, Maria." Her father called out to her.

"Friends?" She offered him her fist, a soft smile lightning up her face.

"Friends." He replied as he bumped his fist with hers.