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“Do I put this in the dinette or the kitchen for you?” She asked about the wrapped venison.

Zavian stopped walking. “I don’t understand. I bought more for you. You loved it.”

Neera’s eyes brightened at that. “Thank you so much!” She said at once. The first thought that came to her mind was to share it with Pen, but as the thought came, so it fizzled away at the reminder that Pen no longer stayed at the castle.

She smiled at the King nonetheless. “It means a lot to me. Thank you.” She said again.

Zavian smiled in return. With that, he let a guard lead the horse to the stable while he went to his throne room for a meeting. Neera treasured every bite of the venison as she ate it in the King’s room. She thought she had no space for more in her stomach, but each bite begged to be eaten.

She left some for Zavian. Even if he ended up not eating from it, she would gladly eat the venison that night.

She had thought the venison was one of the sweetest things Zavian would do for her, but she was mistaken when she woke up the next morning. She had gone for a walk in the garden, and that was when she saw many men approaching with flower pots.

She approached the one leading them to the garden and asked, “What are all these?”

.....

“Hydrangeas”, the man replied. “The King ordered for them yesterday evening.”

Neera was speechless as she watched them move on, and they were instructed to plant them right next to the roses as she had suggested. Tears found their way down her face. If this phase of her life was a dream; she never wanted to wake up from it.

...

Kitana saw Zavian head towards the stables, and she was quick to follow him.

The day before, when she and the two remaining princesses were having tea, they had both mentioned how the King had kept each of them company for one afternoon. Kitana was shocked and panicked at her chances of being Queen. Why hadn’t the King come to seek out her company?

So she had been watchful of his movements and spent most time outside her room to get a good view of his outdoor activities. So when she saw him go to the stable alone, she knew it was her chance.

He was grooming his horse when she stepped in. He only spared her a glance and resumed his activity. That was bad. That was not the kind of reaction she wanted to get from him, so she loosened the scarf around her neck to expose her bare shoulders.

“Your Majesty”, she greeted.

“Kitana.” He acknowledged.

She moved closer to him, placed her hand on the horse, and stroked its mane. The horse moved away from her touch and grumbled a neigh, and she pulled her hand back.

“It doesn’t like strangers,” Zavian said. “Just me and the stable boys.”

“And the maid as well,” Kitana added.

“And Neera, yes.” Zavian corrected her.

“Forgive me, your Majesty. And Neera as well,” she said.

“What do you want, Kitana?” Zavian asked. “The stable is no place for a Princess.”

True, for she hated the stable herself, with the dry smell of hay and horseshit, but time was running out for her, and a Princess had to do what a Princess had to do.

“I love animals”, Kitana lied through her teeth. “And also, I was hoping for a chance to meet with you, seeing as you only met with the other Princesses.”

“And they are really lovely”, Zavian admitted. He put down the brush and made to exit the stables. Kitana moved in front of him, too close for his likening.

“Your Majesty,” her voice took a slow, sultry turn. “I know I have been bad, and I mean it when I ask for your forgiveness. But trust me, there is more to me than meets the eye.”

Zavian folded his arms, one eyebrow raised; “Is that so?”

“Yes”, she ran a finger down the emblems on his shirt. Zavian caught her hand and held it in his with a vice grip.

“What do you seek my forgiveness for, exactly?” He asked. “The time you stripped Neera in the public’s eye? The times you demeaned her? Or when Lyra insisted you have something to do with her kidnap? I have been thinking about that a lot lately.”

Kitana tried to free her hand from his iron grip, but he didn’t let go.

“I did nothing Lyra accused me of, your Majesty,” she said. “And I shouldn’t have done all that I did to the... Neera. I was clouded by my anger then.”

Things were not going how she wanted them to. She didn’t want to add more to his anger toward her. It would make her further away from being queen.

“I am sorry, your Majesty”, Kitana apologized again. Zavian’s eyes held hers for a while, and he released his grip. She rubbed at the throbbing hand and stepped back away from him.

“There will be no harm towards her from me”, Kitana promised earnestly. “This is a way to show you my apology. If you want me to take the blood oath to prove my point...”

“There will be no need for that, Kitana,” Zavian said.

“Then let us have a talk.” She suggested. “I am certain there is a lot we have to talk about.”

Neera must have rubbed her forgiving spirit on him, for he agreed to an afternoon tour of the castle with her. Kitana, taking what she was given, smiled and walked away.

Her presence brought with her the reminder of what lay for him in a week’s time. The Night of selection. He would have to choose a Queen and the more it drew closer, the more he was unsure of what he was going to do.

How could he pick between three princesses when he wanted just the one woman who lay beside him at night?