“Anam!!”
The woman was so frightened that she almost tore the book in her hands in half. A pair of arms surrounded her neck and shoulders while her back suddenly had a warm heavy weight on it. Usually, she was more alert, but the numbers really had all her attention.
“Are you really trying to make sure I don’t live to see another day?”
There was a giggle behind her, and she was squeezed in a hug.
“Ey, what are you doing? Aren’t you still injured?” she asked while dragging the person from behind her to a seat next to her.
“It’s not as bad now, I promise,” insisted Kamaria while trying to act cute.
No one had announced Kamaria’s arrival since her presence in the house was nothing new, in fact she even having her own residence in the mansion.
“You should’ve come back as soon as the festival days were over. Why do you think that woman would just let you freely jump around in the palace?”
The little princess pouted slightly when her one cheek was pulled accompanied by the scolding.
It was no surprise that the Lady already knew about what had happened at the palace. The woman Kamaria addressed as Anam[1] could have been asked about what happened in the most solitary part of the city or the furthest kingdom and she would know.
How could anyone stop news from the palace in the same city within the same family?
“Anam knows there wouldn’t have been a good enough excuse for me to leave so soon after entering the palace,” insisted Kamaria and then she smiled while latching onto the older woman’s arm.
“Was Anam worried about me?”
“Obviously I was wasting my time. Get out, go look for the Commander to play,” she said but without much anger behind the words.
“Ahh, he’ll just nag at me the entire time, that’s why I visited you. My beautiful and lovely-”
“Okay, you can stop already. I can’t afford the praise of an imperial princess. Anyway, are you hungry or do you just want a snack?”
Before Kamaria could answer there came another voice.
“My sister…”
The woman felt another weight on her back.
“Little Sister, please feed me.”
“Who is your little sister? Get off me,” she complained.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“Every single one of you in this family is trying to kill me.”
Both Kamaria and Princess Zorya stifled their laughter when their eyes met.
“Oh, I see the prodigal has returned. You finally remembered that you have another family. You seem incredibly busy, how long are you staying this time?” asked Zorya, directing her question at her niece.
“Not long enough to see you two sticking to each other all day,” answered Kamaria while standing.
“If I don’t stick to our lovely wife who else must it be?”
Kamaria rolled her eyes with a smile while the lovely wife, Lady Elnara could only shake her head.
For most households with more than one person married in, the people tended to either avoid each other or always find themselves in conflict. But for the two working generals, having someone to support them with not only household but more covert matters made everyone’s life more pleasant.
In all her hard work, she was adored by all the family members. As such she found herself being attacked by at least one member of the family almost every hour from the oversized children to the adults.
Simply marvellous.
It wasn’t long before the troublesome trio stood in the thick of the city market quarter. Kamaria rested her hand on the dagger at her side as she stood watching the bustle.
It was also her first time taking out one of the daggers since she had received them, and it just felt right.
Even with a dagger at one side, she didn’t stand out of the crowd as it wasn’t uncommon. In fact, she blended right in with the armed travelling merchants and the glorious mix of various people from everywhere across the empire.
The trio looked as if they had just arrived with another caravan. Anyone seeing Kamaria would have assumed that she was a travelling merchant or mercenary leader’s daughter standing there in a trouser outfit with a weapon at one side, a leather flask in the other and vambraces on her arms.
The beaded chiffon veil also added a delicate element of mystery to her but it did not make her stand out among the turbans, headdresses and veils worn by all ages and genders.
“First, pancakes,” she said as they walked down one of the smaller streets lined with stall restaurants.
“Savoury or sweet?” asked Lili walking by her side in an equally impressive outfit.
“Definitely with honey.”
Just as they were speaking about it, the wonderful aroma of pancakes caught their attention. This was among one of their favourite places for pancakes. They were lucky to get a seat as most of the few tables available were already occupied.
“Master, give us three fluffy ones with lots of honey, the fruit of the day and a pot of black tea!” shouted Raisa as they settled down at a table.
The man behind the stove gestured that he had heard the order and started preparing a fresh batch.
A few people were already having their meals and Raisa felt completely in her element as she put one of her feet up on the bench. Without anyone around who knew them, they didn’t have to worry much for high society propriety.
It wasn’t prohibited to leave the palace but most of the women that lived in the palace city barely ever left unless it was for extremely important events. Even higher attendants had the lower servants run errands in the city when required.
When palace nobles were outside and wanted to be modest on an unofficial visit, they were usually transported in an unmarked carriage with guards following so either way people would still know that it was an aristocrat.
It was difficult to really experience the city this way hence Kamaria and company always chose a roundabout way to go on their outings.
If she was at the Commander’s residence, they barely questioned her whereabouts. They all acknowledged that it would do no good having her live her entire life as an ignorant sheltered princess.
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[1] Anam – The family’s playful way of saying zan amoo (father's brother's wife)