ayzrules

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Liv couldn't help but outright stare at Niklas. What was... what was that thing on his head? It was so... strange. Liv could understand a laurel wreath or even a wrapped scarf, as was favored by the inhabitants of the furthest southern city-states to keep off the sun. But... what was that thing? it looked terribly impractical, and while she supposed it might work aesthetically for some, it certainly didn't work for others. Like Niklas. ... wait, a feh-door-uh? What a strange name for an item of clothing.

She finally had the decency to avert her eyes, as she was quite bluntly staring... and then silently choked as Niklas referred to her as a "beautiful gem." Really. Really, Niklas? At the least you could have told me something believable. You could have even called me "cute"-- it's more easy to accept as truthful than "beautiful".

She belatedly realized that the "beautiful gem" comment had been leading up to a question, so she answered politely, if somewhat flatly, "peior consuetudinem fui." She sat still for a moment, then went even paler than usual, shrinking in embarrassment and gently clapping her hand over her mouth. In flustered English, even more heavily accented -and less coherent- than usual, she mumbled, "I am sorry, I slip languages when I am thinking less, I so am sorry."

And then, of course, she realized that she'd still not properly answered the question, but rather than babble /again/ she just squeaked out another "I am sorry..." and let her hair fall in front of her face, hiding her blush and embarrassed tears from the others.

Gods. Mother and Father were right. I really am useless at this. Girls really are too stupid to learn English. Except for Aeli and Claudia cause they managed it fine but they were taught by better tutors cause they were supposed to go with Felix to... wherever he went and they needed to know english so they were taught and I wasn't cause I'm just a stupid little girl who just needs to go home and get married down to some wealthy pleb who offers a good bride price and get forgotten about. The tears that had welled up in her eyes spilled over then, though she was mostly sure her hair hid it.

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Mai chuckled softly. "Oh, yes! I am very much looking forward to seeing what everybody is wearing as well," she answered Liviana cheerfully. Other than the obvious statement about fashion that one's attire made, Mai fervently believed that clothing said a great deal about personality as a whole. "It will really be quite the experience, all of us dressed up in a room together." And it will be quite an informative experience as well.

Mai was secretly relieved that her cousin, Zhou, was not scheduled to arrive at Aciras until a couple days after the ball. Other than the fact that his personality would invariably clash with Casimir's (as it had when they visited Ortha), Mai really did not relish the idea of keeping an eye on her unruly cousin for the entire ball. She could only cross her fingers and hope that he didn't cause too much trouble once he did actually arrive.

Just then, the doors to the library's ornate entrance hall burst open, and in came Mai's betrothed-Prince Niklas Konig of Konig der Welten, who had been noticeably absent at breakfast, which Mai had found to be rather peculiar. He wore jeans, a casual black collared shirt, and...was that a fedora? The ensemble would have made Mai cringe slightly, if she was the type to outwardly show her feelings. He looks like he came straight out of a Western magazine, she thought. I...I don't see why he thought the addition of headwear was necessary. It ruins the look for him, really, especially because he's wearing jeans. Mai sighed silently. I suppose it doesn't really matter. I'm just being very judgmental.

Niklas was as dramatic and as lighthearted as always, giving Mai, Fareeha, and Liviana an overdone bow and greeting everybody good naturedly. Mai smiled at Niklas, glancing up at her betrothed through lowered lashes.

"I am doing wonderful, thank you for asking," she replied warmly, subtly readjusting her dress. She pushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear, looking down then looking back up again with a small smile. "And yes, we did indeed miss you at breakfast," Mai added with a soft laugh. "Come join us, Prince Niklas," she invited, patting the spot on the ground beside her. "We were just discussing the ball that will be held tonight. I am sure that you are just as excited as we are."

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Fareeha was about to reply when the doors behind them abruptly shoved open. In strode Niklas Konig of Konigreich der Welten, more casually clad in a simple, solid-color black collared shirt and a pair of jeans. Simple shoes, and he was wearing a fedora.

"Hello ladies! I heard through the grapevine that my dear betrothed was here. Just came to say good morning and give apologize for missing breakfast."

"But you haven't apologized or said good morning yet, and by Nekhbet, what is on your head?" Fareeha immediately sniped back, good-humoredly.

Niklas just gave a goofy grin at the trio of girls and replied, "A fedora. Aciras-born and made, from what I've seen, since I've never heard of it before. And, my apologizes, m'ladies, for missing breakfast, and therefore, your companies. May your morning be blessed in every way." Niklas gave an overexaggerated half-bow, dipping forward and twirling his hand a little.

He ruined the sincerity of his gesture by adding, "It's even more blessed with me around. Fareeha, you've already said hello. Princess Mai, Princess Liviana, how do you two beautiful gems do?"

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Liv blushed, taking some solace from Fareeha’s answer. Her littlest sparrow, the little cream-colored one named Lumina, chirped and began preening a strand of her hair that had fallen over her shoulder. Liv cracked a small smile, lightly running a fingernail through the sparrow’s soft feathers.

She looked up sharply at Fareeha’s mention of a happy… hy…hyena?! A hyena. A happy hyena. What in all the heavens….?! But Mai took the offer in grace, and then turned the subject away from terrifying animals to a much less stressful one- the royal ball.

Liv giggled softly, happy that the mood had relaxed. “I am looking forward to it very much.” She said. “I can’t wait to see everyone’s formal outfits… In Lusitania everyone more or less wore the same thing.” What she didn’t say was that she had never been outside of Lusitania- well, save for visits to Athens, but their attire and social customs were all very similar to what Liv was used to. Sure, she’d read a few books on the matter- glossy magazines from Trelins and Aciras. Her father had confiscated them when he’d seen, telling her that it was improper to turn her back on her people’s traditions for the “glossy lies” of the fashion publications.

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Mai noted Liviana's reaction with interest. Is she...surprised by this? Did she not know of it before? Mai herself had already been familiar with the story-it was not very hard to find this type of information-but of course she had allowed Fareeha to speak. It would have been horribly rude to interrupt the other princess in the middle of a retelling of what was obviously an experience that had profoundly affected her.

Then, Liviana voiced her own concerns about Fareeha's snake eating her sparrows, and Mai felt that horrible, horrible thought come to her mind again.

Oh, goodness gracious. Liviana is absolutely adorable, and if she ever knew that I thought this, she would probably stab my eyes out with one of my own hairpins, Mai said to herself, mentally shaking her head. I really must refrain from calling her cute or adorable or anything along those lines, even in my head. I'm sure she loathes it when people call her that out loud.

Mai hoped that Liviana's fears were at least partially assuaged by Fareeha's reassurance. The poor girl seemed nervous enough already. She certainly didn't need to be worrying about the lives of her sparrows!

Then, Fareeha invited Mai to meet her 'second habyeeb'-a hyena named Farih Mushmus (which meant Sunny Joy in English, according to Fareeha). Mai was taken aback, though she was careful not to let it show. Only Fareeha Amari would bring a hyena to a gathering like this, thought Mai wryly. And her royal mother and father had absolutely no qualms about this? I suppose that shouldn't be so surprising, given that they are the rulers of Mamlakat Alssahra...

"It would be an honor," Mai answered with a friendly smile. "Oh, goodness. We have so much planned, and I simply cannot wait to get started!" she laughed softly. Mai tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and looked at the other two princesses. "I trust that both of you shall be at the Grand Ball tonight? It will be such fun to meet the others, and I do very much look forward to seeing you there," she said, letting a grin slip onto her face.

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Fareeha cracked a grin at Mai, at her comments. To think, given her background, she probably wished she grew up as a princess, and not as someone considerably messier. Fareeha liked to be fair, and didn't think poorly of those of another, lower class, but she'd never want to be one. She didn't know Mai's thoughts, but figured it to be the same.

And yet, she also had green things. It'd be amazing to grow up in a place where things actually grew, beyond shrubbery or the like in the ever burning desert.

She turned a gentler smile on Liviana, though, in response to her concern.

"Being a snake, yes, my little sun does eat birds. I keep him well fed, however, so he won't try to eat your little birdies. Only when my habyeeb is very hungry would he try to go after your birdies. Which is, maybe, once every couple weeks, if I haven't fed him. Your birdies are safe. Now, if I brought my real favorite, a king cobra, then he'd probably eat everything he could get. But he's not here, so don't worry."

She gave the girl a reassuring smile and turned back to Mai.

"You've never had a pet, so you might as well start off looking at some exotic types. Would you like to meet my second habyeeb later, Farih Mushmus? Or Farih, for short. In this language, it translates to Sunny Joy. Quite the happy hyena."

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Liv frowned for a moment as the bubbly, confident princess seemingly deflated a bit, before beginning to tell her tale in a much-more-serious tone. The little princess listened wordlessly to Fareeha’s speech, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth at those simple words. “he died.” How could one be so matter-of-fact about that? About the termination of life?

After the story finished Liv just sat there, speechless. Mai seemed equally confused, but she finally said how… interesting it was. Then she gave her own comment about rabbits.

Finally Liv spoke, turning first to Fareeha. “I am sorry for your loss, Fareeha. It is- it must not be easy to lose a friend.” She let those words settle for a moment, then glanced at Mai. A soft smile settled over the small girl’s face as she thought back to the fluffy rabbits kept by a few of the girls at court. In Lusitania rabbits were mostly bred for food, but sometimes a soft-hearted young girl would rescue one and keep it as a pet.

Speaking of rabbits… Liv thought again to Fareeha’s snake. Snakes were known to eat rabbits and other small fluffy things.

Including birds.

Liv subconsciously reached up to her shoulders with both hands, running the tips of her fingers lightly over the heads of the four birds perched there. “U-um… Fareeha… does your snake, um… does it eat birds?...” the question trailed off awkwardly and the girl swallowed, blushing and looking down.

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Mai listened to Fareeha delve into the details of how she developed her fondness for snakes with interest. She was struck by how frank the other princess was, but she supposed that she should not have been so surprised. Fareeha Amari was known to be blunt and straightforward; her comment to Mai's face about snakes was evidence enough. Not very subtle, is she? Mai thought to herself. Still, though, it was a refreshing change from the veiled threats and fake smiles that Mai had grown accustomed to back in Liang.

I suppose that Princess Fareeha and I are complete opposites in this regard, Mai mused contemplatively. Fareeha is extremely direct. She reminds me of Niklas, actually. Direct, and unashamedly so-she's got this look in her eye that practically dares you to challenge what she's saying. It was quite clear when she publicly rejected Casimir's 'gift'. My oh my. She doesn't seem like much of a politician, though. In fact, I would venture to guess that politics bores her. She'd rather be out with her snakes or hyenas than sitting in a conference room with a bunch of prissy officials discussing things in polite, boring language. At least, that's what it seems like to me, although I really shouldn't make such a judgement so soon. It's much too early for me to accurately assess her character.

Fareeha's story about the cobra and the guide was different from what Mai was used to when other royalty talked about their pets, that much was for sure. She thinks I'm a snake, hmm? Like I'm something dangerous yet something she's intimately familiar with and immune to? Mai would have let a small smile fall over her face if she were alone. However, seeing as she was in the company of Fareeha and Liviana, Mai did not let her expression change from the one of polite interest as she listened to Fareeha. Oh no, Princess Fareeha. I'm a rat. When the animals were racing across the Heavenly River, the rat rode on the water-ox and jumped off at the last second, securing its place as the first animal of our zodiac. Rats are much more intelligent than you would think they would be...and much more dangerous too, if the occasion arises.

Fareeha finished her story. Mai let her words soak in for a moment before speaking. "How...intriguing," she replied, slowly, deliberately. "It must have been quite an experience, living near such a desert." It must have been quite an experience growing up in an actual palace as well, thought Mai, though she did not voice her feelings out loud. "Surely you must have mourned the death of your guide. He sounds like a genuine friend and a wonderful companion."

Mai smoothed out the front of her vivid red dress and shifted slightly, pushing an invisible strand of hair away from her face. "I suppose it is my turn now, is it?" she asked with a soft laugh. "I unfortunately did not have the privilege of a pet when I was growing up, although I'm sure you could count the various animals that came to steal from our vegetable garden as pets if you wanted to," Mai began. "The rabbits were the worst. They would chew through our plants before they even had a chance to ripen! But uncle and I did not mind too terribly much." Mai giggled at the memory.

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Fareeha glanced back and forth between her two audience members, her enthusiasm finally slacking off a bit at the memory. She didn't hate it, or live in denial of it or any of the sort, but it wasn't something she enjoyed talking about, either. And yet, she also wasn't one for secrets or to refuse someone's curiosity in something that isn't really all that private. Anyone could look it up, anyways.

"It started when I was young, very young. I was always a bit of a tomboy, and I'd always skip my tutoring classes and all my princess duties to go wander the desert around my home. I never really acknowledged the land to be dangerous- perhaps that's why I ventured out so far and so often. I knew the desert around my home like the back of my hand.

"My parents were understandably distressed, and always tried to stop me- but I knew the palace just as well as I knew the desert, and I could get around them every time. I'm very resourceful, you know." To accent her point, she winked conspirationally at Liv. She personally didn't know of anything that Liv might do against her parents' will for her own reasons, but she felt like the girl might understand a little more than Mai.

"Eventually, they tired of attempting to cage my wild little soul, so they decided to monitor it instead. A guide would always come with me, and I was perfectly fine with it- because he taught me everything he knew about the land. Knew my father a while back, and had some training in the self-defense, if you know what I mean.

"He died. We had stumbled onto a small cave, and with us being the little adventurers we were, we ventured in. When we came out, we found ourselves on top of a cobra.

"And it was angry."

She paused for a long moment, collecting her thoughts.

"He died. If you've done any background searching on me, then one of the most notable things about my health is that I'm one of the healthiest and the most resilient in the world- because the Mamlakat Alssahra's royal family has had a tradition for some generations now to, weekly, inject ourselves with a small dose of some of the more potent serpent venom. It makes our immune system stronger, and our resistance to poison and venom even more. He died where I lived. We were both bitten by the cobra, and instead of hating them forever, I was intrigued. I didn't tame it, but I wanted to know more, and it seemed to accept me before it left me and my dead friend."

"After that, I just... pursued my interest. I researched the snakes, sought them out in the desert, learned how to handle them. I may not be able to go and pick up most cobras out in the wild without being bitten, but within a few minutes I can get them calmed down. It's just... being calm, I guess. And being immune. You'd have to be immune to permanently handle the venomous varieties. They're just too dangerous.

"I learned to handle them like you'd handle any dangerous animal. They're dangerous, they're to be taken seriously, but they're still animals. They're just as much an animal as a dog, or a cat. Or a sparrow."

The Royal Potato (aka When Royalty Collides but not really)

Liv's blush, which had nearly faded, came back with a vengeance at the comment about her clothing. She herself found her people's clothing, while pretty, to be confining and bulky. "You're too kind, Princess Mai." she mumbled. She finally noticed that Mai's eyes were focused and sharp, though the rest of her had seemed relaxed and friendly. A bit of unease settled in the back of Liv's head, though she mostly ignored it. Surely Mai was just being guarded because they were barely acquaintances, right?

As Mai sat on the floor- Gods, she did even /that/ gracefully!- and asked Fareeha about her snake, Liv quickly turned her focus to the tall, muscular princess. She had been meaning to ask it as well- snakes were an odd choice of pet, and this was coming from a girl who kept a small flock of sparrows! She folded her hands in her lap, recrossing her ankles (as much to her chagrin her feet were still a good distance off the floor when she was seated on the piano bench) and waited for Fareeha to speak.