Chapter Eight
Possibilities
With only two days left of the gala and having only gotten to spend a few moments alone with Cesar, Ayanda felt pressured to put forth more effort into winning him over. So, after breakfast, Ayanda racked her brain with ideas of how best to go about endearing herself to him when she randomly bumped into him while walking through the hall. "Oh!" She said before blinking twice and realizing who had nearly knocked her down. "Are you alright?" Cesar asked with one hand against her elbow to steady her. She felt her heart begin to race from the feel of his touch through her sleeve as he looked at her with what she felt was genuine concern. 'Keep it together. You're supposed to play him, not get played by him.' She shook her head and artfully pulled her arm away from him while she stepped back to collect herself. "Yes, I'm fine. Forgive me milord I wasn't looking ahead of myself." Cesar's eyes were serious while he studied for a second. The weight of his gaze caused her to ask why he was looking at her the way he was. A smile crept upon his face, and he dropped his head, looked back up at her and said, "that title sounds so different falling from your lips than when it comes from the mouths of others." It took everything in Ayanda to keep from letting her jaw drop open from shock at his flirting with her as she curiously titled her head to the side. "In a good way or a bad one?" A certain tension rose between them before he answered. "I'll allow you to think on which one. Tell me, do you plan on spending tonight cackling with the nobles the way you did the night prior?" Ayanda bit her lip, cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. "I'm unsure of what you mean milord?" Cesar placed his hands behind his back. "You say that you aren't used to dining with men but seem to have no issue fraternizing with them." 'Oh my gosh,' she thought. 'Is he actually jealous?' she wondered with hopeful excitement while fighting back a satisfied grin. "Some habits prove difficult to break," she said while slowly strolling down the hallway. Cesar fell in step with her as she continued. "When I was in America, it was much like Craorus what with the mixing of both sexes, but Obren was vastly different, and I needed to acclimate quickly." "So, you're use to speaking with men but not eating with them?" Ayanda shrugged and let out a dramatic sigh. "What can I say? One never knows which tendencies will stick with them or why." Cesar gave her a thoughtful nod while they walked. "May I ask you a question milord?" "Yes, although I may not answer depending on what you ask." Ayanda scoffed to herself, stopped walking, and turned to face him. "Why do you accessorize your outfits with silver?" Cesar's brows pulled together as Ayanda dared to touch the sleeve of his closed mahogany medieval jacket that was designed and trimmed with silver. His eyes travelled down to where her fingers lingered before looking back into her face. "Ahh yes. I'm so accustomed to it that I had nearly forgotten." Ayanda pulled her hand back. "I've noticed the staff does too, I'm just curious as to the reason for it." Cesar looked down at the hem of her dress and nodded his head once. "I'll tell you if you inform me as to why the royals of Obren adorn their clothes with gold." Ayanda smirked. "To be honest, I'm not sure. I never thought to ask." 'And I'm surprised you even noticed since you're just now paying me any attention,' she badly wanted to say out loud. "Perhaps the reason is similar to ours. Walk with me will you?" Cesar began to head towards one of the study's and Ayanda followed.
When he opened the door for her, Ayanda remembered seeing the room with the door closed during her short tour but was only told that it was the king's personal study. She took a step back. "I don't think just anyone is allowed entrance." Cesar raised a brow and she said, "I was told that it's your father's personal study when I first arrived." Cesar's eyes stretched. "I see. I assume it was Katherine who informed you of that?" Ayanda nodded in response and Cesar said, "well she wasn't entirely correct. It belongs to the king of Craorus and my father may currently hold that position but it will soon fall to me after I choose a-" "Bride?" Ayanda decided to interrupt since she knew of his aversion to any word relating to marriage. He grinned but there was a hint of tension behind his eyes. "Yes. But if you're uncomfortable stepping inside then just have a gander at the portrait over the mantle." Ayanda leaned forward and looked inside the room. It resembled a showroom; clean but looked as though it hadn't been lived in in quite a while which made sense given the king's secret condition. She focused in on the picture of a man standing proudly in what looked like the study only decorated differently with one foot atop the head of bear skin rug. "Who is he?" "His name is Bernart Graviel Abel the fourth. He's my ancestor on my father's side." Ayanda looked from the portrait to Cesar while he spoke and took notice of the subtle similarities they shared. "It's said he was among the first who founded this land. There was nothing but vegetation far as the eye could see when Bernart and his comrades first arrived. They shared the land between them and lived side by side for five years until something caused division between them." "What happened?" "No one knows," he said with a slight shrug. "It's one those things that becomes lost to history. What we do know is that they fought and Bernart was made victorious thanks to the silver he found on his portion of land. He was gravely injured and used the silver to heal himself. As he waited for his strength to return, his former companions continued the battle until none of them were left." Ayanda made a face of disgust. "They were so consumed with greed that they destroyed each other?" Cesar nodded. "Leaving only Bernart left. It's not entirely clear what happened afterward but we know that he offered some of the silver of his land as a dowry for the hand of the woman who would become his wife. I suppose he was superstitious because he attributed his future victories to the silver and decreed that those of his lineage must always have silver around them to ensure they would also be successful." Ayanda's brow furrowed in confusion. "Then why does the staff also have silver in their clothes?" "That tradition came much later through my great-great uncle Antonio. He came into succession during a time of war and was felled by a man he thought was loyal. So, after ascending the throne and avenging Antonio's death, his brother made it so that silver would represent the rulers of castle Craorus, and those that served it." Ayanda thoughtfully pursed her lips. "So, when one dresses themselves in silver here, they are declaring themselves an ally of your family?" "Or that you are a member of the royal family of Craorus." He slowly closed the door and looked her up and down. "I imagine the rulers of Obren's reason for adorning themselves with gold is similar." Ayanda instinctively touched the edge of her sleeve which was lined with gold. "I suppose it is. I've seen only a few of the other candidates holding the same tradition as both of ours. The princess of Prumor is always wearing a piece of jewelry made of pearls or has it sewn into her clothing. The princess of Xidal always wears Jade earrings or necklaces or accessorizes her hair with Jade. The princess of Kahba wears a Ruby ring on her forefinger and I have never seen the princess of Pithia without her opal pendant." A corner of Cesar's mouth curled up and he looked away from Ayanda for a bit. "Yes, I've noticed that as well." Ayanda's eyes narrowed as she studied his expression. The memory of watching him sneak away with both the princess of Tratish and the Princess of Pithia on the second night came to mind and dampened her mood. 'Just when I was feeling like I was talking to Cesar the person instead of the stud... she probably wore the pendant the whole time that night.' Ayanda thought bitterly before turning her attention back to Cesar. "Well I suppose I should get going." He looked back at her. "More plans with the nobles?" Ayanda scoffed inwardly. 'You're one to talk. Surprisingly, there are still a couple of princesses you haven't screwed yet.' She thought before saying, "Darby did ask me to join him for a walk around the grounds," a small smile spread across her face as she saw Cesar's expression sour at the mere mention of her spending time with another man. "But I figured that you would be even busier. Seeing you without an entourage is truly a rare occurrence." Cesar smirked tersely. "As a matter of fact, I do have things to tend to before the party tonight," he moved until he was standing beside her and leaned in until his lips were only an inch from her ear. "I look forward to seeing you there," he whispered before walking away, leaving Ayanda with an odd lustful quake in her stomach from his flirting.
Ayanda breathed in deeply through her nose as she and Darby walked the grounds and let the clean air and different aromas of the fruit trees and flowers fill her lungs. Darby walked with his hands behind his back and looked to Ayanda, admiring how she looked while she took in the nature around them. Ayanda smiled and gave a satisfying 'ahh' which made Darby smirk to himself. "Would it be presumptuous of me to think you've enjoyed your time here?" "Oh, not at all. I miss my home, but I can't deny the allure of castle Craorus. The land is so massive that they're able to house, two tennis courts, two racetracks, three gardens, several helipads, a maze, and a lake on it while still having room for whatever else they may choose to build." "Well it is one of the eight richest countries in the world." Ayanda blew out dramatically through her lips and said, "I can't even imagine what the richest one is like. They probably have their own rocket pads right at their doorsteps." Darby laughed. "Perhaps they do." They continued their walk for a full minute in shared silence before Darby spoke again. "Forgive me your highness but you seem mildly distressed." Ayanda gave him a look as he clarified. "I would guess it has something to do with Prince Cesar's decision being almost upon us all?" Ayanda sighed heavily. "Yes, that has been weighing on me." She straightened up. "I'm not a fool you know." Darby furrowed his brow. "Princess?" "I know I'm the least likely suitress to be chosen for his bride due to what he and even the other princesses view as my shortcomings." Ayanda was grateful for Darby's manners as she knew he would take her feelings into consideration in a way no one else has since she was first forced onto this journey, save for the maidens and staff who have tended to her needs. Darby gave a quiet, short exhale. "We all have our preferences milady, but not everything about them is set in stone." Ayanda turned her head to him, and he gave a thoughtful sigh while looking around before suddenly snapping his fingers as his face brightened. "Think of it like this; women to the prince are like wine. Though there are many different kinds, he has his favorite vintage which he hasn't yet felt the desire to deviate from." Ayanda pouted thoughtfully. "Because no one's made him see that a different wine can be just as delicious as what he's used to?" Darby held out a finger to her. "Maybe even more so than what he's been use to." Ayanda bobbed her head as she let Darby's words soak in her mind. "In this instance, her highness reminds me a bit of King Henry the eighth's second wife, Queen Anne Boleyn." Ayanda's eyes widened as she scoffed in surprise. "In what way?" "Well Queen Anne was not exactly King Henry's type, but her wit and charm beguiled him so much that he changed laws and broke tradition which changed things in England forever. She may be gone but even after all this time, she has never been forgotten." Ayanda stared at him while her mind travelled back to when she learned about Anne Boleyn in high school. Despite her gruesome end, Ayanda remembered so many girls, her best friend included idolizing how Anne dazzled the king and got everything she wanted, no matter how short-lived. "Well, I certainly hope my death doesn't come as swiftly or as brutally as hers." "Things took the course they did for her because she reached too high and overestimated the size of her ego against that of her husband's. I'm fairly confident had she been less cocky, she would've lasted long enough to see her husband buried rather than losing her head to him." Ayanda's eyes narrowed and her brow pulled together as she came to a stop which prompted Darby to do the same. "Nobleman Darby, are you encouraging me to win the king-to-be's favor through underhanded means?" Darby's chest rose while he took a deep breath in. "I'm simply stating that much like the late queen, you have the power to change what some may deem impossible and forever imprint your essence upon whomever has the good fortune to know you." Ayanda's cheeks warmed as she cast her eyes down and sucked her lips in. 'If only I could get Cesar to be as fond of me as the nobles seem to be.'
"No. Not right. Ugh!" Ayanda mumbled while she haphazardly searched through her wardrobe for an adequate enough outfit for tonight's festivities. She yelled out in frustration and cast one of her gowns to the floor which prompted a knock from one of her attendants. The door opened and Astra entered after being told she could come in by Ayanda. Astra gave a quick look around the room at the dresses strewn about over the bed and on the chair and even the vanity before turning her attention to Ayanda. "Is her highness having trouble with her wardrobe?" Ayanda let out an angry huff. "I most certainly am. My gowns are gorgeous but they're not... ugh! I need a dress for tonight that will.... WOW everyone you know what I mean?" Ayanda caught herself and took a deep breath to help regain her composure. "I would greatly appreciate any suggestions you or my other attendants can come up with before tonight's ball." Astra bowed her head and said, "we won't let her highness down." before swiftly turning on her heel and heading back out of the room. Ayanda looked around at all her outfits again while she thought more on her conversation with noblemen Darby. 'I've gotten Cesar to talk and even flirt with me but that might not be enough. I need something more. I have to figure out how to get in his head and under his skin in a way no other woman can or has so that he chooses me.' She fell backward against her bed with her arm draped over her face. Her mind raced with everything that's happened since she arrived in Craorus when it finally hit her. She sat up with a gasp. "He was jealous. He was actually jealous whenever I spent time with other men." She slowly stood from the bed. "Why didn't I realize before? People always want what's popular especially if they can't have it." Ayanda tapped her chin. "I have to do more than make him jealous tonight though. I've gotta..... I've gotta... stake my claim! But how?" She brought her thumb to her mouth and bit at the nail. 'Come on girl. It's RIGHT there. Should I dare to just kiss him in front of everyone like I did with the nobles? No, that might be too bold and scare him off. Oh! Maybe I could completely ignore him like not even look his way while giving all my attention to the nobles and any other man that passes by.' She contemplated before almost yelling out when she stubbed her toe against the bottom of the bedpost. She leaned against it while waiting for the pain to subside when she noticed the rope of her curtains. Her jaw dropped and the corners of her mouth turned up into a smile. "That's it." She thought as she hobbled to the door and called out for Astra who was already returning with the rest of her ladies, all carrying stacks of magazines in their arms. Ayanda gleefully opened her door all the way and let them in. "I have an idea, but I need a designer and a seamstress so let's get to work!"
Ayanda felt like a jumble of nerves as she stood outside the ball room and listened to everyone enjoying themselves inside. 'This might be my last chance. I can't blow it.,' She breathed in deeply a few times and shook out her hands. 'Here goes everything,' she squared her shoulders and walked through the large doorway into the ball room. Gasps followed by silence came from the crowd when they saw Ayanda standing there with her curly hair all pulled to one side of her neck in a low bun, smoky eyeliner and silver eyeshadow with berry red lipstick. The silence was broken by shocked murmurs about her gown; a long, silver, sleeveless, fitted mermaid style bodice with a hidden slit stopping above the knee with a queen Anne neckline and collar that came just above the nape of her neck. "Is she really wearing that?" she heard someone whisper. "Someone's certainly making a statement," muttered another guest as Ayanda walked up to a stunned Cesar who stood near the throne with a few of the other princesses, some monarchs and a couple of the nobles. The music which seemed to halt once she made her grand entrance, started up again as Ayanda glanced at Cesar before greeting everyone else. They all politely returned her greeting, even the princess of Tratish who hung on Cesar's arm although her greeting ended with a sneer. Ayanda took control of the group with stories of her time in the states, most of which she either embellished for effect or claimed as her own when they had actually happened to someone she use to know and before she knew it, like Cesar on the first night of the gala, Ayanda was now the life of the party. For once, Cesar seemed to be at a loss for words and witty repartee as he was much too captivated by Ayanda, who made every effort to engage all those around her except for Cesar. From the corner of her eye, she could tell he was both surprised and annoyed by her behavior which gave her the courage needed to follow through with the rest of her plan.
She laughed while touching the arm of another man and coyly smiled at another as the conversation went on. The tension in Cesar's eyes grew as Ayanda continued flirting with every other man within range of her standing around while behaving like Cesar wasn't even there. Finally, Giles' ears perked up when the song changed, and he asked Ayanda to dance to which she happily agreed. After dancing with Giles, the other noblemen followed suit and every now and then Ayanda slyly looked to Cesar only to find him practically seething. 'This is actually working,' she thought with glee as her dance with nobleman Callum came to an end. She dipped her head while he took her hand in his with a bow before gracing the back of it with a kiss. Feeling thirsty after all the dancing, Ayanda made her way to the refreshment table for a drink when she heard someone behind her say, "it's quite bold of you." Ayanda who had already begun gulping some punch as gracefully as possible, pulled the glass from her lips, placed it on the table and patted her own chest a few times before turning to face the person who had spoken. A tall, pale man with fiery red short, coifed hair and a full beard to match, dressed in an emerald medieval jacket, black pants and renaissance boots stood there staring at her. "Pardon me?" she asked. He moved in closer and said, "to show up here dressed as you are. Not only have you put every other woman in the entire kingdom to shame, but you've openly declared your expectation to be crowned as the next queen of Craorus. I believe the only other woman to be as daring in all Craorus history was Queen Valeria who ruled about four generations back." Ayanda eyed him while he formally introduced himself. "I am Temir of the Yikon Dynasty." Ayanda curtseyed and he bowed in return. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Forgive me but you don't seem the type to rule a Dynasty." "Is her highness referring to my looks?" "Forgive me but yes." He studied her a bit before replying. "Excuse my candor but I would think someone who was raised in such a diverse land would understand the varying degrees of lineage." Ayanda closed her eyes and shook her head in regret. "I'm afraid I must ask your forgiveness again. You're absolutely right. I suppose biases can occur in even the most unbiased of places and in the minds of the otherwise open-minded." He smiled. "It's quite alright. Many who meet me are always thrown by my name and home, but none are quite as gracious about their wrong assumptions as you. I have to say, I heard tale of the lost princess of Obren but never expected her to be quite so breathtaking." Ayanda felt her cheeks go hot and she cleared her throat. "Well then I must say, you're quite dashing yourself." Temir bit his bottom lip thoughtfully before leaning in and asking, "I don't suppose her highness would care for a dance?" Ayanda fixed herself up a bit and held out her hand. "I would be honored." Temir led her out to the center of the dance floor and Ayanda gasped when he pulled her to him by her hands much closer than was socially acceptable for royals who were not married or betrothed as the song came to an end. She looked into his azure eyes as he spoke. "I made a request to the musicians before approaching you." She tilted her head to the side a bit to better hear the song. It sounded sultry compared to the other songs that had been playing earlier. "I'm not sure I know how to dance to this," she gulped uncertainly as the other guests either made room for them after witnessing how closely they held one another, or left the floor entirely. Temir gave her a small smirk and said, "simply put your trust in me and respond to my touch." Ayanda let out an uneasy breath as she thought back on the dance and etiquette lessons she took while in Obren that Steven and Joseph had arranged. 'Steven did say to fully allow the man to lead if I was unsure of what to do. I hope I don't mess up,' she thought as Temir artfully placed one hand over the other on the small of her back and dipped her backward before sliding one hand up her spine and to the nape of her neck to bring her back up. 'I know Craorus is more open or whatever when it comes to men and women interacting, but I KNOW for a fact that this can't be acceptable.' Temir dragged the tips of his fingers down her arms and then circled her closely like a vulture. When he was behind her, he whispered in her ear for her to stiffen her arms and when she did, he lifted her up by her hands and spun her around. 'Okay this is kind of fun, but still very inappropriate. I want to make Cesar jealous, but this might turn him off the idea of marrying me completely.' She attempted to scan the crowd for Cesar when Temir set her down and sent a chill through her that almost made her moan as he stroked her back from stern to shoulder and dipped her low by the neck. He brought her up again and took her by the wrists to guide her hands around his neck. He then placed a hand firmly against her lower back and the other on the back of her head and pulled her into him, making her embrace him as he picked her up and spun her once more. She couldn't help but to breathe in his scent as the side of her face brushed against his. 'Woo okay I should NOT be feeling like this about another man in front of the man I'm trying to seduce. I hope Cesar is still watching.' Temir put her back down to circle her again and ended the dance by taking her hand to spin her with a dramatic dip at the end. Everyone clapped and whispered about how suggestive the dance was as Temir brought Ayanda up. They were standing so close, and he was looking so intensely into her eyes that Ayanda feared he might dare to kiss her. 'Please don't. That would be taking things WAY too far in my attempt at seducing Cesar,' she thought as Temir brought her hand to his mouth and said, "the way your body responded to my touch has me hoping that we dance again very soon." Ayanda let out a small laugh in surprise at his audacious nature as his lips neared the back of her hand. Before they could connect, Cesar approached them both while clapping loudly.
"My, my what a spirited dance. I understand why everyone had to leave the floor as they didn't know how to move to such... vigorous music." Some other male monarchs and a few nobles stood behind Cesar who was practically shooting daggers at Temir. Temir released Ayanda and turned to address Cesar, causing Ayanda to step back. "I hope you don't mind Cesar," Ayanda's eyes stretched from hearing Temir call the prince so casually by his name when no one else, not even other royals whether higher or on the same level as Cesar had dared to do so. "I felt your party could use some livening up and became curious about the bodily habits of the famed lost princess when I saw her dancing with the nobles albeit not quite as passionately as she danced with me." Ayanda almost brought a hand to her mouth in response to Temir's cocky behavior which shockingly proved to rival Cesar's. Cesar laughed dryly and stepped closer to Temir. "She is not the only famous one here. I've heard of you before. The pale faced red head who rules an Asian dynasty. I have found myself curious as to which of the rumors is true; that you are the bastard child of a disgraced distant family member and a whore who the true rulers of Yikon took in out of pity, or that you're an inbred offspring they chose to legitimize in hopes of dispelling said rumors?" Ayanda audibly gasped in shock as one of the other male royals subtly attempted to reign Cesar in. Temir steeled himself. "You should know better than to indulge in rumors Cesar, what with the ones about you going around." "And what might those be? Because I can assure you if they come from women, they are much more than gossip." Temir feigned surprise. "Really? You know I'm quite impressed a man would admit to begging women to fabricate stories of his prowess to hide what one can only describe as his shortcomings." Ayanda nearly shivered when she saw Cesar's cool façade give way to the raging storm brewing underneath. "You dare insult my manhood, in my home after you've filled your gut with my food and drink?" "I do since you dared to disparage me and my entire family." Although Temir looked to be unaffected by Cesar's increasingly unnerving demeanor, Ayanda felt like her stomach had twisted to the size of a golf ball and dropped out of her rear. 'Damn it, I shouldn't have danced with Temir,' she thought before hearing Cesar's retort. "You should consider yourself fortunate that I only hurled verbal offenses after you showed the utmost disrespect to me and my country by parading around the room in a salacious way with a woman who may become my wife!" Cesar spat viciously. Ayanda looked to him just then. 'Did he just say the word wife while referring to me?' The realization practically stunned her until Temir moved forward, further closing the already small gap between him and Cesar.
"Feeling angry that I was able to make her tremble before you've even gotten to taste her lips or center yourself between her thighs from what I hear?" "Oh!" Ayanda involuntarily shrieked when Cesar swiftly placed a hand on Temir's chest and shoved him backward. An appalled expression came across Temir's face, breaking through the unbothered pretense he had held during their verbal altercation. "How dare you place your hands on me!" He started to advance but some of the other male royals stopped him while others addressed Cesar. "Prince Cesar! You're making a spectacle of yourself!" Warned one of the other prince's while Temir was artfully escorted from the room as not to cause an international incident. Ayanda was impressed by how composed they both were despite the rising animosity they obviously felt for one another. Neither Cesar nor Temir attempted to snatch away or fight against the grips of the other men or tried to hurl more insults at one other when they were being separated. All in all, it was surprisingly civil. Ayanda was so thrown by what had happened, she didn't even realize that nobleman Caspian had pulled her away from the situation after Cesar had pushed Temir. Caspian placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright princess?" Ayanda blinked twice and shook her head. "No, I mean yes I'm fine. Forgive me I just... didn't expect that." Caspian's forehead wrinkled while he bobbed his head in agreement. "I don't think any of us quite expected that." She looked over at Cesar who was being calmed by one of the other princes. Cesar closed his eyes and exhaled through his parted lips before straightening up and running a hand through his hair that had become disheveled when he had shoved Temir. He flashed a big smile and addressed the room. "Pardon the theatrics everyone. Yikon's customs are vastly different than ours and I suppose no one had informed Emperor Temir of that beforehand. I implore you all not to allow all this gourmet food to go to waste. Start the music back up and everyone; eat, drink and be merry!" Scattered whispers began to give way to full blown conversations as the room filled with songs and even dancing once more. Ayanda watched Cesar politely excuse himself to the other royals and noblemen before leaving. "You don't think he's going to go after Temir do you?" Caspian's mouth tightened in thought. "I highly doubt it. He likely went to clear his head while his ambassadors and some of the other nobles attempt to salvage the tenuous relationship between Yikon and Craorus." "What does Craorus even want with Yikon anyway? Or is it the other way around?" "Craorus' medicines and practices are quite renowned and coveted by many. As for Yikon, having access to their trade routes would be greatly beneficial to any country which is why they are particular about whom they make agreements with. Despite Prince Cesar's outburst, I'm sure Emperor Temir will see that aligning Yikon with Craorus would be in his dynasty's best interest." "One can only hope after their altercation. I just don't understand why king-to-be would act like that. He's normally so.... collected." Caspian practically rolled his eyes which shocked Ayanda. "Well to be blunt and for lack of a more accurate and less offensive way to say this; you and the other female monarchs are basically the prince's property while he decides on which of you he wishes to marry. And Emperor Temir committed a great offense by dancing with you like that right in front of the prince. Plus...." Caspian let his sentence hang, causing Ayanda to urge him to continue. He sighed and his shoulders stiffened. "I don't wish to speak out of turn." Ayanda scoffed. "And you didn't do that when you referred to me and the other women as property?" Caspian chuckled a little. "Fair enough, but I would like to point out that I also said for lack of a more accurate and less offensive depiction." Ayanda smirked and cleared her throat. "Please tell me what else you were going to add." He gave her a look. "I've known the king–to-be for many years and though he's constantly enjoyed the company of them, I have never seen him act out of jealousy over any of the women he's known.... until now." Ayanda felt her pulse quicken at the revelation as Caspian said, "I should go. Prince Cesar will need a listening ear from someone who understands the situation in which he's found himself," Caspian declared before bidding Ayanda goodnight. "Wait! What do you mean by the situation he's in? Are you talking about the near fight with Temir?" Caspian stopped and faced her again. "The prince can handle quarrels. I was speaking on his highness finding himself on the cusp of falling in love after years of filling his nights with loveless dalliances." And with that, Caspian went off to find Cesar and left Ayanda feeling dumbstruck.