Queen Sharra’s daughter, the princess, was born with lilac eyes. A rare anomaly in Arla. The day Sharra laid her eyes upon her and saw those lilac eyes, she didn’t care. Because at the end of the day, she was still her little girl, a very special girl.

***

After the male servant retrieved Sharra, she rushed to put on her nursing gown and ran to her daughter’s room. When she walked in, she was greeted by the intoxicating aroma of orange moon flowers. The entire room was crowded with orange moon flowers, in fact. Hanging from the ceilings. In vases. And even in the princess’ cream bassinet….where the baby girl was wide awake.

“Clara!” Sharra gasped as she approached the bassinet. “My princess, my princess.”

Sharra swept the baby girl into her arms, who was wearing a blue floral dress and white socks that had ruffles around her ankles.

“My child, my beautiful child.” Sharra whispered as she held her. “You were sleeping for so long.”

Clara raised her tiny hands in the air, and began to babble nonsense.

Sharra looked down and noticed Clara was trying to touch her icicle shaped necklace.

“That’s a gift from your godmother, Ravyna.” Sharra said. “It has special power. One day, I’ll give it to you.”

To Sharra’s surprise, Clara smiled at her as if she understood her.

Emmar, who followed Sharra into the room, was standing near the door with her right arm placed across her chest and watched the beautiful moment from afar. Her mind was overflowing with warm, fuzzy thoughts about motherhood and raising an heir. She even had a name already picked out for her future child. Mara-Merrash.

As Emmar was thinking about future motherhood, she didn’t realize Sharra had been calling out for her.

“Emmar, are you there?” Sharra yelled for a fourth time.

Emmar noticed the baby’s nurses and servants were all staring at her, their noses turned upside down.

Since her arrival and unofficial move into the Grand Palace, the servants and nurses tried their best in avoiding her. They really didn’t trust her.

Emmar shrugged off their stares and turned her attention back to Sharra, who was now bouncing Clara in her arms.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Well, are you just going to stand there? Or are you going to come and say hello to the princess?”

A small smile then formed on Emmar’s face. “Of course.”

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When she came into Clara’s view, Clara looked at her with wide eyes. A mix of confusion and curiosity.

“Can I hold her?” Emmar asked.

Sharra suddenly stopped bouncing Clara.

“I….I can’t let you do that.” Sharra stuttered slowly, avoiding Emmar’s gaze as she did.

“Oh.”

“Your power lives in not only your tongue, Emmar.” Sharra mumbled. “You know this.”

“I have to wear gloves?”

Sharra, still avoiding Emmar’s eyes, only nodded.

“You don’t trust me with your daughter?” Emmar asked slowly, eyes narrowed.

Sharra finally faced her. “It is our way, my darling. The Incarnate of Desire can never touch the heir or be in a room alone with her.”

“I will never hurt her. You understand that, right?”

Sharra’s face was suddenly void of emotion.

“It is the Isle way.” She responded coldly.

Emmar placed her hands on her hips. “And what if the Princess is in danger and I’m the closest to her? What then?”

“The eldest Child of Elyis will rise from the Thalassian Sea and swiftly come to her rescue.”

“She still has to go through the bonded ceremony with those monsters.” Emmar countered.

“Don’t call them monsters.”

“They feed on Arlans.” Emmar replied, her voice slightly raised.

Sharra shook her head then placed Clara back in the bassinet.

“Enough of your hypotheticals, Emmar. Let’s not ruin our day.”

Before Emmar could respond, a knock on the door came.

“Come in.” Sharra yelled.

The same male servant from earlier walked in.

“Your Majesty.” He said softly.

“What is it?”

“You have a parcel.”

Sharra and Emmar immediately looked at each other. Both were confused. Parcels never come to the palace.

“Parcel to the palace?” Emmar asked. “Are you sure?

The male servant nodded.

“I’ll get it then.” Emmar huffed, then left the room.

As she exited, Sharra decided she wanted to be completely alone with her child and ordered all of the servants out.

When they were finally alone, Sharra picked up Clara once more.

“My girl.” She whispered. “I have news.”

Clara just stared back at Sharra with wide eyes.

“Thanks to an old friend from the Mountains, I think I know where our mystery object is hiding.” She revealed. “I must find it before Desert King does…or we are all going to be in trouble.”

Clara started to babble, earning a smile from Sharra.

“And you want to know something else? I’m not sure my power can even destroy it like Ravyna thinks.”

Clara’s babbles grew louder.

“So instead, I’m going to give it to you…..and you’ll become the next Duad Incarnate as prophesied.”

Clara suddenly stopped babbling.

Before Sharra could go further, a harrowing scream could be heard from the ground floor.

Less than a minute later, Emmar rushed in breathless.

“Sharra, you have to see this.”