“Princess, why did you get in front of me?” scolded Lili.

She barely ever raised her voice at her princess, but this situation was simply outrageous. Although she was angry, she had still insisted on treating Kamaria’s hand herself so Raisa could only stand to the side and sort out the supplies.

“Would it help if I said, I was bored?”

Lili gave her a look, but the princess only smiled cutely making her eyes look half closed which made Raisa giggle. It really wasn’t a laughing matter but what else could they do? Kamaria didn’t make a sound even when Lili cleaned the scratches with a strong solution.

“These precious hands are for important medical work. What will we do if this forms unnecessary scars?” panicked Lili.

“They’re just scratches, in a day or two the swelling will go down and they’ll be gone in a few days. You know I’ve had worse,” insisted Kamaria while pulling her panicked attendant by the cheek.

Lili was annoyed but she continued applying a bright red ointment and then neatly bandaging the area.

“Not bad, the medical assistant might yet turn into a nurse,” playfully commented Kamaria.

“Seriously Princess, don’t ever put yourself in a situation like that because of me.”

“I would do it for either of you, obviously,” said Kamaria as she stood up.

They couldn’t even try to argue with her when she became this way so in the end they just gave up.

“Come on, let’s go. I want to do a bit of gardening.”

Kamaria’s gardening and that of other people was very different but they could only follow her as she happily shuffled out of the bedroom.

After having enjoyed a new play at the theatre and some mingling with distinguished entertainers and art patrons afterwards, Khayri casually returned to the palace in a good mood. There seemed to be more tension than usual.

He was used to the maids always talking in hushed whispers amongst themselves, but something appeared to have happened while he was away.

Eventually, he sent Nima to investigate. He was sure the little maids would be fluttering their eyelashes as soon as they saw him. Whilst they liked observing Khayri, they would have been scared had he approached them himself.

Empress Livinia was very strict on such things and none of the servants wanted unnecessary punishment especially not from the empress. When Nima returned, Khayri had already taken off his outer robe.

“So, what has the palace abuzz about this time? Who poisoned who?”

“Your Highness, it’s best not to joke about something like that,” warned Nima as he helped Khayri with putting on a brocade kaftan over the tunic.

However, he still said nothing about the matter he was supposed to find out.

“Well, why the suspense?”

“From what I could gather, it had something to do with a social gathering, an attendant from the Mercier family and Princess… Kamaria.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Khayri slowly turned to face Nima.

“And where pray tell is this social gathering that is missing the master of all that is social?”

They silently stared at each other.

“Habibi[1], you don’t want me find out myself, do you?” asked the prince.

“They’re outside in one of the main garden’s pavilions.”

Khayri smiled then ruffled Nima’s hair before adjusting his sash and walking out. That type of smile and playfulness was not a good sign. It was a good thing that Nima had a certain sense of measure and had not told him the entire story.

Reza shortly left the gathering after Kamaria, seeing as there was nothing special to see afterwards since he had already met her. More than an hour had passed and Elodie was still fuming but Velia had insisted on them not leaving quite yet even if the atmosphere was slightly tense.

When Khayri saw the company present, he immediately knew that whatever story he was going hear was not a good one.

“Princess Ruwa, can we talk?” asked Khayri as he stepped into the pavilion without bothering to acknowledge anyone else. Almost everyone just gave him a look.

“Prince Khayri didn’t even greet his imperial sisters,” said Edan in a polite enlightening tone making Ruwa slightly happy.

Her youngest brother needed the discipline. His etiquette or lack thereof made him too different from the restrained and calm Crown Prince leaving little chance for their mother to climb from her status. What use was he as a son?

Khayri turned to the smug voice that Urien found so hard to disobey.

“Unless one’s name is Ruwa, this Prince suggests that the gentleman kindly save us some water[2].”

Edan had enough constraint to not grab the youngest prince by the collar, but instead the corner of mouth twitched, and his eyes clashed with Khayri’s.

“Prince Khayri!” Ruwa said while standing up.

She would not take was any further insult to Edan. To stop the situation from escalating, she walked out of the pavilion with Khayri right behind her. He couldn’t ask any of the other people, but he could at least try to talk some sense into his sister.

They finally came to a quieter part of the garden, out of earshot to the pavilion.

“What are you doing here with these people?” he asked as he caught up to her.

“I don’t know what you could be referring to,” she answered while crossing her arms.

“You know damn well what I’m asking.”

“Prince Khayri! Need I remind you that I’m a princess and I’m older than you? How dare you! What gives you the authority to speak to me in this manner?”

“Oh, so you know that you’re older, but you still decided to participate in making a mockery of your younger sister?”

Ruwa just sneered and shook her head at the ridiculous situation. After being silent throughout the entire thing so she couldn’t understand how she was being blamed for it.

She knew that Khayri had developed a soft spot for Kamaria but had never thought that her own brother would take someone else’s side.

“That’s what this is about? You… you would argue with me over her? Very well, if you want to know what happened, ask that runt yourself,” she said before storming off.

Khayri couldn’t understand it, besides him disapproving of these petty tricks, Ruwa should have known better that getting with involved Velia never ended well.

“Am I actually the crazy one here?” he asked himself as made his way to the Consort Johari’s residence.

Asking one of the maids, they found out that Kamaria was in the indoor garden. Khayri had only ever been in the garden a few times and it had been a while since he had stepped in.

In her younger years, Kamaria spent a considerable amount of time in their uncle’s residence and then either in the garden or her own residence especially after falling ill. In that way she started to drift apart from her siblings even more.

It was really in the last year or two where Khayri had found that unlike his other sisters who just thought he was a young and annoying, she was somewhat receptive to his playful behaviour and slowly started interacting with her more.

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[1] Habibi – my love (can also mean my dear, darling, beloved) term of endearment

[2] Save some water (save water) – subtle way of telling a person to keep their mouth shut. If they’re quiet, they won’t be thirsty.