The Snake Princess (Magi Fanfiction)

Chapter fifty one

Chapter fifty one

"King Armakan, Princess Amirah," King Alexandros greeted calmly as the pair entered the meeting room just on time, "I'm glad you came."

"Who else is left?" Armakan asked, taking his seat opposite King Alexandros at the other head of the long table. Amirah took her place nervously at his left, Narmes Titi already seated at his right. The ambassador smiled at Amirah, nodding politely.

The table was largely empty, meant for far more than the meeting called for that night. At Alexandros' end, to his left, was Leonidas, to the king's right, three empty chairs, then Ja'far in the fourth. To his right was more empty chairs.

"Just King Sinbad, now," King Alexandros replied, glancing to the empty chair directly to Ja'far's left.

Armakan huffed, "We might as well start without him. It's likely he won't show up."

"Why not...?" Alexandros wondered.

"Sin isn't the greatest at making appointments on time, and I was unable to find him without becoming late myself," said Ja'far, knowing at least one of them had to be present to hear the news and make decisions on Sinbad's behalf.

"I see," Alexandros managed a small chuckle. Being his former jolly self had become difficult the past few days; he felt as though all the light had drained from his life. "Let's begin the meeting, then, shall we?"

King Alexandros led the meeting, King Armakan and Ja'far adding commentary or counter arguments occasionally. Their talk was mostly aimless, which Amirah didn't mind, as she had slipped into a panic, unable to pay much attention to anything besides the fact that she was in the same room as Leonidas again.

She couldn't think, couldn't speak, she found herself only casting glances down the table at the prince, nearly jumping out of her skin the few times he happened to look her way as well.

"....Princess Amirah?"

Shaking her head, Amirah tried to ground herself and reply, "What was the question?" What she said instead wasn't nearly as coherent, her voice soft and stumbling around the words.

Growing somewhat concerned, yet carrying on, Alexandros repeated himself, "I asked where you plan on going. Are you traveling back to Heliohapt with King Armakan or to Sindria with King Sinbad?"

"Uhm...I don't...I don't know, I..."

"You still have time to decide," Armakan spoke. He could tell Amirah was panicking. "If we're leaving tomorrow morning that gives you the rest of tonight to gather yourself and decide."

Amirah nodded, returning to her silence for the rest of the meeting. It didn't last much longer, travel arrangements easily settled between the three countries as well as a few simpler diplomatic relations, mainly decided by Armakan for Heliohapt, as that was outside of Ja'far's jurisdiction for Sindria.

The second the meeting was declared over, Amirah leapt from her seat, slinking behind her brother and Narms Titi in an attempt to avoid contact with Leonidas. Thankfully, the prince didn't attempt to speak with her, instead shoving his hands in his pants pockets and trudging from the room like a sulking teen.

She wasn't sure why he was so upset, he had even looked a bit embarrassed as he left the room. Did he notice her reaction to him? Even if he had, Amirah decided now that she could think rationally, she owed him nothing. Not a word. Yet guilt still weighed heavily on her heart as she watched him go.

~

It was late into the night, several hours after the meeting. Rather than sleeping, Amirah had been searching for Sinbad. She had left Akido with Zaahira after the pair had finished packing their belongings -which didn't take very long as the hadn't had time to unpack to begin with,- saying she needed some time alone to think.