A twig she stepped had the figure vanish instantly, leaving just Raki, who stood tall, pressing his firm chest as he removed his hood.
He looked at Salīa as he always did, angrily.
"Who was that?" she asked.
His eyes rolled and his arms crossed.
"A messenger," he replied curtly.
"And what message was to be exchanged?"
He silenced, eyeing her.
"Tell me now," Salīa raised her voice.
He walked dangerously close to her, a breath away, and clicked his jaw. She could feel her stance shifting. He kept still, not caring for her discomfort.
"Līa?" Bazil called, and he looked to his brother. "What's going on?"
Raki stepped back and started walking back to the hall, muttering, "Her uncle is arriving tomorrow, and he wants me to guide him."
"But that's for father to do."
"And yet I was asked to do it," Raki said coolly and disappeared.
Salīa started walking back too, yet Bazil stepped in front of her.
"Did he hurt you?"
"No," she looked down.
"Are you certain? If he did—"
"She knows," Raki reappeared, picking up the xira he left. "She can have me whipped 'til she's pleased or 'til I'm dead. She's not unfamiliar, brother."
Ah, suddenly I'm in a bad mood. Salīa clenched her jaw at this and stormed ahead of them, right into the twins.
"Ahh," they bowed and made an x.
To each other they whispered, "akanaka," while peering at her with their lightened gold eyes, which gleamed under the darkened skies.
Both of them had charcoal that shaped their eyes like leopards and it was hard for her to look away.
"Wakanaka," they said to her, staring just as intently.
"No need to flatter me," she said. "I'm not worthy of much, really."
She tried walking ahead, looking for an attendant with marula, but the twins stood on either side.
"Let's talk."
"I'm not in the best of moods."
"That's quite unfortunate," said Letu.
"But fortunately for you, we're here to change that," added Lefu.
They never waste a breath, do they?
She looked to the gardens, the closed plants glowing and lanterns casting a soft light over them while the cheers of others filled the hall just around the corner.
An attendant passed by, but only offering cups of hot sweetened cacao.
"Go on," Salīa said, pulling her cup close.
"Do you know that Salazā was once the crown of the realm?" asked Letu.
"Ah, yes, a long time ago, right?"
"It wasn't that long ago," said Lefu.
They stayed quiet, yet Salīa could tell he was keeping a lot of words behind those lips.
"Is that so? Well, speak freely. I'm in the mood for crude stories."
An amused look touched both their faces.
"Very well. But please know that anything we say is not to offend," said Letu. "It's only what we've heard."
"You don't need to fear being reprimanded if it is as you say. Come on, before my tea gets cold."
"Let me," started Lefu. "Some believe Palosa became the crown of Khī because your mother chose to renounce the title for our land."
Salīa almost spat her drink out in disbelief.
What a way to start.
While Salazā wasn't overly fussed and obsessed with titles, renouncing a title for a whole land felt like national self-degradation.
"She takes great pride in our land, she wouldn't."
"Then how is it Salazā was the crown for centuries until your birth?" Letu asked.
"Wait, are you saying—"
"That's enough," warned Chief Raino appeared, his voice stern.
"With all respect, Chief Raino," Salīa raised her hand. "Please, go on, Letu and Lefu."
They looked to Chief Raino, but ultimately, he did not speak against Salīa's wishes.
"Who rules after your mother, Queen Saoa?" asked Lefu.
The answer was obvious, and Salīa was too humble to proudly declare herself.
"Our land is one that praises the first born of the ruler first, before the rest of kin, whether they'll be ruling as a King or Queen. Yes?" asked Letu.
Again, no confirmation was needed. All this was already known.
"But do you believe that should be so for bastards?" they asked.
"Enough!" Chief Raino raised his voice, casting some eyes their way.
He was usually quite a restrained man. And Salīa would usually be more emotional. Yet she just wavered her hand.
This wasn't a new reflection. It's something that had been made plain to her for many years.
She and her siblings were fatherless. That was no secret. And both fathers were believed to be low-born, beggars as many claimed to have witnessed the Queen enjoying such men in her travels. That was no secret.
Worshippers called it her expressing the purest love of a true goddess, regardless of status. Gossipers called it her expressing the tainted urges of a beastly whore, also regardless of status.
And of course, because no revelations of their identity were made, it was believed that she was in love with a demon king who bedded her and left her to raise them as royals since only a sxvage Queen would be susceptible.
All this was also no secret.
What this meant for Salīa, as the first born, is that would forever be amongst the divided chatter of if should she be heir or not. And so began the lifelong stares and whispers as she walked by. Most would bow in honor, yet many didn't mean it.
She liked to befriend the people of her land, yet many avoided her. While her talents and tricks certainly did make her friends and there were those who couldn't help but adore, many simply didn't care.
She'd often just be gifted a head turn or sneer at best. It's something she had gotten used to by now. So, it didn't stir up the same anger in her that Chief Raino had in trying to protect her.
"You're saying she renounced our land as the crown because of me? Is that correct?" Salīa swallowed her drink.
They didn't seem to want to say it yet gave a curt nod.
"You already know what it was like just being the heir of Salazā," said Letu.
She did know indeed.
"Imagine being the heir of crown of Khī," added Lefu. "A whole realm having to accept you."
It did seem likely to cause some distress. Lefu hesitated, then spoke on.
"You know how close Palosa and Salazā are. To protect from scandals, you'd face and keep you as heir of Salazā, it's likely your mother agreed to let Palosa be the crown to protect you from whatever would've come from not doing so."
Salīa never thought of that.
If that were true, it would explain why some nobles here never liked her either. Yet she always thought Palosa became crown because of how many lands it had helped and how wealthy of a land it actually became.
It had always been wealthy as far as the history lessons of Magi Inio, yet it only got richer as time passed.
A land of such luxury and opulence looked like a crown in itself. She simply thought it made sense that Salazā had their time, yet passed the title. Just like in ala-bala tournaments.
It's held every three years, and each tournament holds the opportunity for a new land to take its title as the winners of the realm.
"I think your majesty has heard enough," Chief Raino said.
"Wait," Salīa said. "When exactly did this pass-over occur?"
"You surely remember?" Lefu said, seemingly shocked. "I'm not privy to when it was decided as I assume that was a long while before, but it was officially announced during your Noblas Veiros at the stop in Palosa."
She couldn't remember as it was almost a lifetime ago. Grasping all one's memories at such an age was not an easy task. And since her interest in politics then was about as 'dedicated' as it was for the rest of her years, it's likely that such announcements probably flew right through her ears.
And since it didn't change much in her life or even seem to make any difference in her land, it simply didn't have any reason to be thought of.
"Līa," Bazil appeared and looked the leopards and his father.
All of this is becoming too much to think about. And the festival has already started. I need to get going.
"If such things were meant to alleviate my mood, I must say it's in questionable taste," she told the twins.
They chuckled. It seemed they wanted to talk on, yet neither Chief Raino nor Bazil intended to move. And so they leaned in, each whispering on either ear.
"That's not all we wanted to share," said Lefu.
"If you allow it, we'll share the rest at the palace once you are free."
"At the palace?" Salīa whispered back amused. "You think you really have anything worth sharing that I should be alone with you?"
To this they exchanged glances, then looked her, and nodded.
"Yes, we do."
Salīa detected no deceit. They even seemed more serious in their expressions before leaving.
"Queen Salīa."
She winced at the name yet nodded to Chief Raino.
"Wait, Līa," Bazil called. "Can we talk?"
"Not now," Chief Raino. "Go ready the zazi for the stage."
"We'll talk soon," Salīa patted his back.
She breathed deep, feeling her nerves ripple through.
It's time.
X