As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, a hush fell over the crowd, and all eyes were on them. Some gazes were filled with curiosity, others cautious admiration, while a few were simply unwelcoming. Liora moved closer to Malzahar, her stuffed animal still clutched protectively under her arm. "Breathe, Moonbud," Nyra whispered soothingly. "They're going to love you." Liora nodded and looked around. "Good morning, everyone! I hope you all slept well." Malzahar's voice reverberated through the yard, drawing everyone's attention. "Allow me to introduce my beautiful mate, Liora."
Liora spotted Elowen approaching with a proud expression. She grinned and rushed forward to hug her. Elowen chuckled at Liora's eagerness and embraced her just as warmly. "Hope you slept okay?" Liora nodded. Elowen's gaze fell on the doll tucked under Liora's arm, a mirror of her own expression. "You're welcome, Your Highness," Liora heard voices from the crowd murmur. Stepping closer, she addressed them, "Thank you all for your kind words. I may not be what you expected—dressed this way and clutching a stuffed animal—but I assure you, it won't hinder my duties as Malzahar's mate and your future queen." The crowd erupted in applause.
"That's what I was talking about, Moonbud! You did wonderfully," Nyra purred, beaming with pride. Liora's smile widened at the sight of her mate watching her with amusement. She scanned the crowd for her mother but didn't spot her right away, so she took small steps toward Elowen, who was deep in conversation with some elderly women. "Your Highness, have you seen my mum?" Elowen shot her a disapproving look but then stood up, excusing herself from the group. "Oh dear, no need to be so formal. You can call me Elowen or Mama; after all, you'll soon be my daughter-in-law." Liora blushed at that but nodded.
"Look, there's your mother," Elowen pointed to the center of the yard where Liora's mother was standing, waving gently. Grateful, Liora thanked the queen and hurried off toward her, not paying attention to her surroundings. Eager to see her mother after what felt like an eternity, she dashed forward. "Where are you rushing off to, little troublemaker?" In an instant, Malzahar pulled her back by the waist, casting a mock scolding look her way. He leaned in, whispering in her ear, then kissed her softly. "There's something else you need to know. Come here." Liora shot an apologetic glance at her mother and followed Malzahar. Clearing his throat, he called for silence once more. "I have another announcement to make." He glanced down at her and nodded, but before she could speak, everything froze around them.
"No, now isn't the right time for the announcement; something feels off about some of them. You need to wait, don't rush into this," the mysterious woman from the day before appeared next to her, elegantly dressed with her hair pulled into a tight bun. The woman began mumbling in irritation. "Didn't I tell you not to make this so tight?" Liora looked around, puzzled. "I'm talking to you, come here." Suddenly, a figure dashed toward the woman. "I'm so sorry! I didn't realize it was this tight; it just looks good on you." The figure made some gestures, and in an instant, the hairstyle transformed into soft, bouncy curls. "Do you feel better?" The woman rolled her eyes and nodded. The figure turned to Liora, stepping closer until they were face-to-face. They held each other's gaze before the figure gently touched her hair. "Don't mind him; he's my hairstylist, and yes, he's completely fine." The figure furrowed his brow and glanced back at the woman. "Really? Who are you talking to?" Before she could answer, he let out a startled scream and dashed behind her.
The guy gasped and peeked at Liora. "Why is she breathing on my neck?" The woman shook her head at his silliness. "Oh, Edmond, don't be silly. This is Liora, the one I've been telling you about. Liora, this is Edmond, my hairstylist and best friend."
Liora walked over and looked at him, smiling as she pulled him out of his hiding spot. "That's not the right spot." He adjusted his glasses and took cautious steps toward her. "She is the one! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I'm going to faint!"
Suddenly, Edmond flung his hands around and disappeared from view. "He wasn't being helpful anyway. You need to stop the announcement he's about to make. We'll meet later," the woman said, smiling warmly at Liora, her gaze filled with longing and sadness.
"Can you bring him along next time? I kind of like him," Liora gently requested. The woman nodded, and with a flick of her fingers, everything returned to normal.As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, a hush fell over the crowd, and all eyes were on them. Some gazes were filled with curiosity, others cautious admiration, while a few were simply unwelcoming. Liora moved closer to Malzahar, her stuffed animal still clutched protectively under her arm. "Breathe, Moonbud," Nyra whispered soothingly. "They're going to love you." Liora nodded and looked around. "Good morning, everyone! I hope you all slept well." Malzahar's voice reverberated through the yard, drawing everyone's attention. "Allow me to introduce my beautiful mate, Liora."
Liora spotted Elowen approaching with a proud expression. She grinned and rushed forward to hug her. Elowen chuckled at Liora's eagerness and embraced her just as warmly. "Hope you slept okay?" Liora nodded. Elowen's gaze fell on the doll tucked under Liora's arm, a mirror of her own expression. "You're welcome, Your Highness," Liora heard voices from the crowd murmur. Stepping closer, she addressed them, "Thank you all for your kind words. I may not be what you expected—dressed this way and clutching a stuffed animal—but I assure you, it won't hinder my duties as Malzahar's mate and your future queen." The crowd erupted in applause.
"That's what I was talking about, Moonbud! You did wonderfully," Nyra purred, beaming with pride. Liora's smile widened at the sight of her mate watching her with amusement. She scanned the crowd for her mother but didn't spot her right away, so she took small steps toward Elowen, who was deep in conversation with some elderly women. "Your Highness, have you seen my mum?" Elowen shot her a disapproving look but then stood up, excusing herself from the group. "Oh dear, no need to be so formal. You can call me Elowen or Mama; after all, you'll soon be my daughter-in-law." Liora blushed at that but nodded.
"Look, there's your mother," Elowen pointed to the center of the yard where Liora's mother was standing, waving gently. Grateful, Liora thanked the queen and hurried off toward her, not paying attention to her surroundings. Eager to see her mother after what felt like an eternity, she dashed forward. "Where are you rushing off to, little troublemaker?" In an instant, Malzahar pulled her back by the waist, casting a mock scolding look her way. He leaned in, whispering in her ear, then kissed her softly. "There's something else you need to know. Come here." Liora shot an apologetic glance at her mother and followed Malzahar. Clearing his throat, he called for silence once more. "I have another announcement to make." He glanced down at her and nodded, but before she could speak, everything froze around them.
"No, now isn't the right time for the announcement; something feels off about some of them. You need to wait, don't rush into this," the mysterious woman from the day before appeared next to her, elegantly dressed with her hair pulled into a tight bun. The woman began mumbling in irritation. "Didn't I tell you not to make this so tight?" Liora looked around, puzzled. "I'm talking to you, come here." Suddenly, a figure dashed toward the woman. "I'm so sorry! I didn't realize it was this tight; it just looks good on you." The figure made some gestures, and in an instant, the hairstyle transformed into soft, bouncy curls. "Do you feel better?" The woman rolled her eyes and nodded. The figure turned to Liora, stepping closer until they were face-to-face. They held each other's gaze before the figure gently touched her hair. "Don't mind him; he's my hairstylist, and yes, he's completely fine." The figure furrowed his brow and glanced back at the woman. "Really? Who are you talking to?" Before she could answer, he let out a startled scream and dashed behind her.
The guy gasped and peeked at Liora. "Why is she breathing on my neck?" The woman shook her head at his silliness. "Oh, Edmond, don't be silly. This is Liora, the one I've been telling you about. Liora, this is Edmond, my hairstylist and best friend."
Liora walked over and looked at him, smiling as she pulled him out of his hiding spot. "That's not the right spot." He adjusted his glasses and took cautious steps toward her. "She is the one! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I'm going to faint!"
Suddenly, Edmond flung his hands around and disappeared from view. "He wasn't being helpful anyway. You need to stop the announcement he's about to make. We'll meet later," the woman said, smiling warmly at Liora, her gaze filled with longing and sadness.
"Can you bring him along next time? I kind of like him," Liora gently requested. The woman nodded, and with a flick of her fingers, everything returned to normal.