“Today’s the big day. So tell me, my prince, do you have a preference in mind?” asked Gabriella as she helped Victor with his clothes.

Victor glanced at the freshly baked muffin on the end table right next to him, “Nothing particular in mind. Gabriella...the muffins…?”

“Yes? What’s wrong with them?”

“It looks lovely as always.” Victor forged a fake smile.

“Thank you, my prince.” The smile on Gabriella’s face ached his heart and caused him to glance away.

“I could never guess that you were getting married at such a young age,” Gabriella sighed, “I always thought that you were going to get married after you grew into a fine gentleman. I kinda feel sorry for your future wife.”

“Wait, excuse me? Feeling sorry for my would-be-wife? Explain yourself,” Victor glanced at the maid with a raised eyebrow.

“I felt sorry for her because she's about to have such a bratty husband by her side,” Gabriella smiled as she teased his ego.

“Again with the ‘Brat’ thing? I am not a brat,” chuckled Victor.

"There you go, you shouldn't have an ugly frown on your face. It just doesn't suit you, my prince," she brushed Victor's cape before stepping back.

“You’re right, I shouldn’t frown especially when I’m about to meet my future-to-be wife,” Victor sighed as his shoulder relaxed. They both turned to the door, the guards guarding by it opened and revealed a bustling throne room.

Red linens hang from the ceilings, gold and red curtains decorated the stained windows of the throne room. Sittings and tables set across each other, separated only by the red carpet that laid out in the middle of the throne room. It’s obvious that the color theme for today is red and gold. A single beautifully crafted chair stood beside the throne meant for none other than the Prince. However, his heart squeezed tightly while his grip tightened when he saw the empty spot right next to the throne, that spot was meant for his mother.

As he walked toward the chair, the servants finished their last task and quickly stood where their backs met the wall with their gazes cast down. Gabriella joined the rest of the servants with an expressionless face and a downcast gaze. 

"King David Lawson of Frozehaven!"

The door opened wide and Victor's father, The King stepped into the room, and in quick response, his subject bowed and curtsied. Victor set his gaze down, avoiding eye contact and bowed slightly.

"Don't do anything foolish," said David to his son as he walked past him without a single glance.

The Prince gritted his teeth and took a.long breath. As if Victor would do such a thing, truly his father thinks less of him. The old knight interrupted Victor's raging thought, "What he meant was 'you look good, kid’." Victor raised his head to meet the smiling old knight and responded with his own small smile.

The King sat on his throne while his Commander, Duke, Duchess, and other advisors stood a few feet closer to him, waiting for the King to consult them anytime he wished. Victor walked to his chair when the walls shook to the sound of drums, Victor searched for the source and gravitated his gaze at the door as it got louder. The announcer’s declaration was drowned by the exotic melody of a foreign country. The door burst open and revealed twenty tough-looking men with some kind of ball-like hat on their heads and vibrant tunic with chest armors. It doesn’t look like normal civilian clothes, so they must be military men but with nice-looking clothes. Yet, their swords were different, it’s not the usual straight crossguard sword that the knight used. The blade was curved with a bigger surface area and a single edge.

The armed men stood back to let the dozen of half-naked dancers into the room. Victor was astounded by their revealing clothes, colorful and bright; see-through silk that is foreign to his country. The veil under their eyes was a foreign concept to the Prince, it doesn’t hide the bottom half of their faces, but still emitted a strong suggestion of mysterious beauty hidden underneath every veil. They took their side with the armed men and let in servants carrying what it seems to be twelve golden camels into the room, a varying degree of exotic birds inside two cages, a giant gold cauldron, and many more strange objects into the room.

Victor couldn't help but be giddy at the abundance of new things presented before the room. The announcer growled his cough to interrupt the music and took a big breath as a beautiful chocolate-skinned woman walked into the room with escorts by her side. A whiff of her fragrance lingered under Victor’s nose, it caught his attention and when he saw her, his face reddened as her gorgeous dark eyes focused solely on him.

“Princess Aburah Mahdavi, The Jewel of Ghadah.” The Princess halted before The King and curtsied slightly.

“Welcome to Frozehaven, Princess Aburah Mahdavi,” nodded The King as a sign of respect.

“The Sultan sent his best regards,” curated the Princess as she curtsied for the second time.

Aburah presented a small smile at the Prince before taking her seat at the table. Victor glanced away, embarrassed by the cute smile directed at him. As quiet as the wind, Victor didn’t even notice the four men in the middle of the room, clad in different clothes than Aburah’s envoy. Even the weapons by their side were widely different, a single-edged blade, thin and long with a wooden hilt and strings wrapped around the grip; the weapon sheathed in a smooth wooden scabbard. Finally, everyone noticed the strange men and quickly reached for their weapons, but the King stopped their concern with a raised hand.

Another four men without weapons carrying a closed palanquin entered the room with an escort of luxurious fabrics, glimmering jewels, and exotic paintings.

“Empress Shihong of Yakawa,” announced the trumpet wielding man. The men carefully placed the palanquin in the middle of the room.

The curtains were parted by a man with short white-haired, unnatural since the man was still young to have such hair. A fog of smoke poured out from the palanquin, but it wasn’t the scent of burning tobacco, but sweeter, Victor couldn’t put his finger on it. Her purple striking eyes, her purple long hair raised to reveal her smooth neck, her milky skin untouched and tainted; her vibrant red robe with long sleeves, tied up by a wide fabric belt around her waist. Even though she smokes a long thin pipe, her look screams elegance, the way she turned her head and looked at Victor caused him to look away and flattened his lips.

She took one leg out, and instantly all men’s gaze except for the King and the old knight gravitated toward it, trying to peek at the paradise hidden between those succulent thighs, but none of them got their wishes as she stepped out of the palanquin without revealing a glimpse of her undergarments.

“My condolences for the Queen, King Julius. May her health grow better than before.”

“Your concerns are appreciated, Empress Shihong,” the elegant woman curtsied lightly before she started walking toward her table.

After The Empress took a seat, the King raised his hand and a bunch of servants served a hefty lunch at each and every table in the throne room. However, before The King could tempt his guest to eat, Princess Aburah stood up and signaled her men. 

“As a sign of celebration for our soon to be Alliance. The Sultan had prepared the ingredients to be served for today’s dinner,” the men opened the cauldron and revealed a large magnificent rainbow fish, unlike anything Victor had ever seen.

“Wait, you’re going to kill it?” Victor stood up in fear of what he had heard.

A nobleman beside the Princess stood and spoke up, “Of course, Your Highness. It would be a waste if we let it go, besides, it is a tradition for my people to catch this elusive rainbow fish and feast upon its flesh. For it may bring us great luck and long prosperity for both our Kingdoms.”

“If what you said is the truth then this fish is ‘rare’?”

“Yes, your highness. Only a few of its kind.”

“Then it is more important for us to care for it so future generations could witness its magnificent nature. We can’t just hunt it until extinction.”

“Sorry your highness, but that kind of thought is just nonsense, there’s no way this fish can become extinct,” chuckled the Nobleman as he shook his head.

“On the contrary, Mr. Nobleman. A number of research papers have-” the King interrupted Victor’s rant with a raised hand.

“Victor…” said The King after a glance.

“Forgive me, your highness,” Victor sat back with downcast gaze and a small frown while the Nobleman lowered his head.

"Please excuse my son...easily excitable nature."

Before the Nobleman could say anything, Princess Aburah rose up with a smile, "Your Highness, your son has enlightened me with his words. If you may, I would like to preserve this special fish and give it to your son so he may take care of it." 

Victor raised his gaze and met with the Princess'. A grateful smile carved on his face as he whispered 'thank you' and the Princess winked as a reply to Victor’s gratitude.

"There’s no need for that, Princess Aburah, it would be rude for us to break your people tradition.”

“It’s nothing to be concerned about your Highness. Because It is quite refreshing to break tradition once in a while.”

“If your mind has made its decision then I shall oppose no more. If anyone would like to raise any argument at today’s lunch then please, let it be known now or we shall continue the merrymaking,” everyone held their tongues and the room continued to be silent. The King took the silence as an answer and signaled the small troupe to start producing a melody.

Victor glanced around him with a smile, watching as the guests happily ate their foods without any complaint, but as his gaze gravitated onto the Empress, his smile began to fade as a raised eyebrow began to emerge. The Empress hadn't eaten anything or touched anything on the plate, instead, one of her men had arrived beside her and tasted the food first. Curiosity aroused, but he wouldn't dare ask anyone about it because of the ruckus he caused earlier.

The lunch went surprisingly well. After everyone left the throne room for a tour of the castle, Victor remained behind and took a breather in the library with his maid. The smell of old books always managed to bring a serene sensation to his heart, always felt like home, especially here, but no matter how much he tried to forget, at the end of the day, nothing is alright. Gabriella gently placed a letter on top of the pages Victor was reading.

"What's this?" Victor looked to his left and a small devilish grin etched on his maid's face.

“It seems someone got a date.”

“What?” chuckled Victor as he tore the letter open. A potent fragrance immediately bombarded his nostrils as he pulled the content out.

 

Dear Prince Victor,

 

I know it seems bold of me to make the first move, but the earnest kind nature you showed earlier sent shivers down my spine. I’ve never seen someone so brave and kind as you are when it comes to protecting helpless animals, perhaps that kindness does not limit only to animals, perhaps that kindness is also directed to all living things. Yet, making assumptions like this is pointless, I would like to meet you, to know you, to know the man I would marry or so I assume, and maybe the man I could fall in love with.

 

I shall await you in the Garden, if you may indulge me with your company.

 

Sincerely from, Aburah Mahdavi.

 

“Oh my, a love letter, a secret meeting, love at first sight, and whatnot. All of these feel like one of those young maiden love stories. My hands are sweating from the anticipation," cooed Gabriella.

“Calm yourself, Gabriella, it’s nothing of the sort.”

“Speaking for yourself, you’re blushing,” a smug grin appeared on her face as she teased the embarrassed Prince.

“No, I'm not!”

“Yes, you are, your highness. You have feelings for that Princess.”

“No! I’m not.”

“Denied all you want, but the truth is as bright as the sun.”

“No, I’m not. Stop making false accusations. Anyway, I got a date--I mean a meeting! To attend.” The Prince stormed out of the library, huffing and grunting. Gabriella only had a satisfied smirk on her face as she watched Victor leave the room.