by Zara Zenia
“You are so talented.”
“You sound surprised,” she said with a grin.
“I'm just surprised you were not more successful on Earth,” he said. “Based on what you have told me, you've had intermediate success on Earth, and I feel you should have more.”
“Thank you,” she said, getting used to his odd way of giving compliments. “Sometimes, it's just . . . luck, I guess.”
“Talent does make up most of the statistic when it comes to success.” Pralmav entered the breakfast room then, already dressed for work.
Margot had exchanged a few words with the middle prince, and she found him fascinating. He was so different from Draklan in every way, and yet they seemed to get along quite well.
“Luck is an arbitrary—”
“Pralmav,” Draklan said, rolling his eyes. “Come on. It's not even fully bright outside. Can we save the mathematics for at least midday?”
“My apologies,” Pralmav said as he poured himself a cup of tea.
Margot looked intently at Draklan, who knew right away what she wanted.
“What's your day like?” Draklan asked his brother.
“Work?” Pralmav replied, as if that were obvious, given how he was dressed.
“Margot and I were discussing that it would be a good idea for her to perhaps learn the ways of a Tamarax princess from the others,” Draklan said. “Perhaps we could arrange something?”
“My schedule is wide open,” Margot said eagerly.
Pralmav paused, considering this. “That would be a good learning opportunity,” he said at last. “Perhaps tomorrow afternoon?”
“I'm not doing anything today,” Margot said.
Pralmav glanced to his brother, uncomfortable. “Milinna is . . .”
“Ah,” Draklan replied. “I think tomorrow is fine, then, isn't it, Margot?”
“Sure,” Margot replied. She was a bit annoyed that no one seemed to be listening to her. As soon as Pralmav headed out, she turned to her husband, trying to choose her words carefully.
This wasn't the first time she had been frustrated by something he had done. They were doing their best to get along, and she did like him most of the time, but she had conflicting emotions every moment of every day, it seemed. She knew they would have moments of disparity. They had come from two different planets and lifestyles, after all, and she knew even couples who had everything in common fought. Still, there were times when she felt like he didn't trust her at all.
“I have nothing to do today and I don't like to be unproductive,” she said at last.
Draklan appeared to wrestle with his words for a few moments before answering. “I know,” he said. “You can accompany me today.”
“But why—”
He sighed and made sure his brother was gone. “Pralmav and Milinna are very private people,” he said, his voice low. “So please don't repeat this until they feel comfortable telling you themselves.”
Margot felt her stomach drop. “Is something wrong?”
“A few years ago, Milinna became very ill,” Draklan said. “Everyone thought that she was going to die, and she probably would have if her husband weren’t Pralmav. Everyone else who suffered what she suffered had died. But he managed to treat her, at least into a semi-remission. She is no longer terminal, but she's . . . chronic. She's fine most days, but there are some days, bad days, where she is . . . not. I'll leave the rest up to them, when they are comfortable.”
“Oh.” She felt bad for getting angry. ”I'm so sorry. I didn't know.”
“It's all right. You would have known eventually,” Draklan said. “Just don't mention it until they tell you.”
“No problem,” Margot replied. “So, what's on the agenda for today?”
“Balcony duty,” Draklan answered.
She raised an eyebrow. “What's that?”
“You must have this on Earth,” he said. “The royals stand on the balcony and wave at the public?”
“Oh,” she commented, thinking about it. “Yes. But isn't it usually the . . . like the crown prince who does that, or the queen?”
“Sometimes,” Draklan answered. “But we take turns because it's so miserable.”
“You have a wonderful way of selling things,” she said with a laugh as she went back to her breakfast.
Draklan smiled but didn't answer, and they fell into silence. This was another issue that was always on her mind. They could make small talk easily enough, but they often ran out of things to say. Margot had even been browsing the Tamarax library for a book on conversational topics just so they wouldn't exchange the same five sentences over and over again.
“Any luck of finding Tariana Drax?” she asked after a few moments.
“None,” Draklan said. “But these things take time.”
“Of course,” Margot answered. “I just thought that by now, there'd be some lead. She must be an expert at shielding her location.”
“My team will find her,” Draklan promised her. “Just have patience.”
Both of them returned to breakfast in silence, and Margot sighed inwardly. Patience was something she was good at, but it felt like it was running thin.
She could at least look forward to the next day, when it was arranged that she would meet her sister-in-law for tea. From the brief encounters she’d had with Rabbina and Joronna, Milinna was quickly becoming her favorite relative.
Relative. It felt odd to say that, but it was true. She was part of this family now, whether she liked it or not.
Tea was served in the parlor, a room that Margot didn’t often visit. It seemed to be kept for formal occasions, and there hadn't been one since her wedding.
When she got there, she found that Milinna had not yet arrived. Margot chose a seat by the window, taking every opportunity to look out at the beautiful landscapes. The butler poured her a cup of tea, and she added sugar and a cookie, munching as she watched a few odd birds fly by.
“Hello, I'm sorry I'm late.” Milinna breezed in a few moments later. “I got caught up in work. The lab is always busy this time of year.”
“No problem,” Margot replied. “Thank you for meeting me. How are you feeling?”
“I'm . . . fine,” Milinna answered, giving her a look that made Margot realize she had gone and done exactly what Draklan had told her not to do.
“Good,” Margot answered. “Because I heard you were so busy yesterday that there was no time. It's so admirable that you work and still manage royal duties.”
Milinna’s face relaxed. “Yes,” she said. “I am quite passionate about my work.”
“Of course,” Margot replied. “Did you get into science because of your husband, or was it the other way around?”
Milinna smiled when her husband was mentioned. Margot had seen flashes of her love for him over the past few days, but it was beautiful to see the sparkle in her eye up close.
“We were matched together,” she said as she poured herself a cup of tea. “As you and Draklan were.”
“By Tariana Drax?” Margot asked, and Milinna shook her head.
“No,” she said. “I'm not sure the name of my matchmaker, actually. It was a few years ago. But I always had an interest in science. And when the opportunity came to work around Pralmav . . . I learned his specific niche so that we could work together. Although sometimes . . .” Her face fell for a moment and Margot touched her arm. “Sometimes, I feel as if he doesn't notice me at all.”
“Of course, he does!” Margot cried. “You two are perfect together. And you learned his niche so you could work together? You must love him very much.”
Milinna looked very shy as she answered the next question. “Yes,” she said. “I had my eye on him before we were married. I was thrilled to be matched with him.”
“That's so nice,” Margot said. She thought it was the most romantic love story she had ever heard. It sounded straight out of a romance book, and she wanted Milinna to tell her all about it. However, it was clear the other prin
cess was not quite comfortable gushing about her husband with her new sister-in-law.
“You had some other questions for me, I think?” Milinna asked.
“Oh, yes,” Margot said. “I just . . . I don't have any qualifications for being a princess. I have no idea what I'm doing, and I'm hoping you could help.”
“Rabbina would be the better person to ask,” Milinna said. “She has been at it for longer, and she was brought up expecting a high-profile marriage.”
“I don't think that Rabbina likes me very much,” Margot replied.
Instead of reassuring her that everything was fine, Milinna winced. “She has a difficult time, sometimes,” she said quietly. “I don't think she is the happiest. And being crown princess is more of a burden than what we have to go through.”
“Well, I guess I could see that,” Margot said. “But what do I do? I feel like I'm doing nothing but walking around and doing what Draklan says. And that's not the way it is on Earth. You have a job.”
'I do,” she said. “Is that what you want? More responsibility?”
“Yes!” Margot cried. “How do I do that?”
“Well,” Milinna said, “you have to find your place in the kingdom.”
They chatted for nearly forty-five minutes, and while Margot found the advice useable, she found it more comforting to simply talk to her sister-in-law. She was relaxed when their conversation came to a natural end, and she almost didn't hear her phone beep. Draklan had set it up to work on the Tamarax system, and she was thrilled to find that she could communicate just as well with Earth as she could with Tamarax. However, she was not thrilled when she glanced at it.
“Oh, God,” she said.
Milinna looked concerned. “Is everything all right?”
“Yeah,” Margot replied. “It's just . . . my ex. He keeps sending me these messages. Look.”
She pushed Play on the latest video message that David had sent. They both watched as David's face filled the screen.
“Hi, Margot,” David said. “I just wanted to say that I'm walking through the park where we used to walk, and I miss you so much. Remember how we used to walk through here hand in hand and—”
“Nope,” Margot said, turning off the phone. “Can't watch that anymore.”
“He was your partner?” Milinna asked.
“He was my . . . fiancé, boyfriend, leech, whatever,” Margot answered. “He's the reason I'm here.”
“That sounds like quite the story—” Milinna started when the door opened. Both of the princesses straightened up and then stood when Queen Joronna came in. The queen rarely showed up anywhere unannounced, and it startled both of them.
“I heard that both of you were sitting here,” Queen Joronna said, looking between her daughters-in-law with curiosity. “What has held your attention so long?”
“We were just discussing matters of the day,” Milinna said. “Is there something we can do for you?”
Both of them were standing awkwardly at the moment after curtsying to the queen. Joronna, however, seemed casual and her smile was kind.
“Discussing . . . matters of family?” she asked hopefully.
Margot knew what she meant right away. “No,” Margot replied. “Not this time.”
Joronna's face fell so much that Margot's heartstrings were tugged at.
“I just wanted to tell you,” Margot said, “that matters of the family are . . . well, very new to me. And I'm sorry if I seem awkward at adjusting to them. I grew up without much family, just Mom and me. I think having a large one now . . . well, it's wonderful.”
Joronna's face held her gaze evenly.
“Enjoy the moment, my dear,” she said sadly. “Because sometimes, when you are the happiest . . . it seems that's when the universe takes it away.”
She didn't say it in a threatening manner. Margot detected such sadness in her voice. “I am so sorry for the loss of your husband,” she said.
“Yes,” Joronna said sadly. “My sons are all that I have left of him, and I am afraid that if there are no heirs . . .”
“Why don't you sit with us?” Milinna asked kindly.
“Thank you,” Joronna said. “I think I would enjoy that.”
As the queen sat, Margot felt, just briefly and for the first time, hope.
“Thank you,” Margot said to Milinna sometime later, once Queen Joronna had left them. “For taking the time to go through so much information for me.”
“It is a burden to wear the crown,” Milinna said. “But only if it is worn for the wrong reasons.”
“Do you think of yourself as a princess?” Margot asked. “Or do you think of yourself as a scientist?”
It was the first question that baffled Milinna in their conversation. She thought for a long moment before answering.
“Both, I suppose,” she said. “Pralmav and I try to keep a different perspective on the kingdom from the rest so that we can contribute to the discussions that happen, especially when things get heated.”
“Which they do, a lot, I've noticed,” Margot answered.
Milinna shrugged. “It's because, in their own way, they are all passionate about the kingdom,” she said. “And they all want what's best in their own way.”
“I suppose I should keep that in mind,” Margot said. “The brothers argue so much, though. And I don't want to get in the way. It's not my place . . .”
“But you want to help because you can see the answer from a different perspective,” Milinna said. “I know. I feel the same.”
“What do you do, then?” Margot asked.
Milinna took a deep breath. “I suppose I just choose to stay silent,” she replied. “I don't want to offend anyone or think that I am overstepping my bounds. They are princes of the blood, and they have been with each other their whole lives. In a lot of ways, they know better than the outsiders.”
“What if they don't, though?” Margot asked.
“That is up to you,” Milinna said. “I can't tell you what your place will be here. You have to find that yourself.”
“You are so smart,” Margot said. “I wish I was half as smart as you.”
“You're kind,” Milinna said. “And you’re brave. Each of us has our strengths.”
Margot felt like hugging her at that moment. She didn't, though, because there was another knock at the door. Both of them looked up to see Milinna’s husband standing there.
“Hello.” Milinna’s face lit up and Margot squealed inwardly with joy. The two of them were adorable together, and she wished for a relationship like that. “Do you need me back in the lab?”
“No,” Pralmav said with a similar smile. “I just thought I'd check in with you as I was walking by. Are you all right?”
“Yes,” Milinna said. “We were just finishing up.”
“I don't want to keep you any longer,” Margot said. “Thank you again.”
“A pleasure,” Milinna replied, standing up.
Pralmav watched her stand and then walked out with her, talking to her quietly. Margot watched them with a smile and then left her empty tea cup and finished the biscuit. She felt strong and confident when she went to find Draklan.
“I'm ready for balcony duty,” she said as he looked up from his paperwork.
“Really?” he asked in surprise. “I thought that you were nervous about it.”
“I am,” she said. “But . . . it's part of your job?”
“Yes,” Draklan said and glanced at his watch. “I suppose it's time. We could go now, if you like.”
“Am I . . . dressed acceptably?” Margot asked, looking down at her dress. It didn't seem particularly fancy, and she wasn't even wearing a crown. “I could take a moment and get—”
“You're fine,” Draklan said, standing up. “It is a very simple procedure. We walk out together, arm in arm, and then basically smile and wave. There will be no press. There will be no questions. It's just people down on the ground.”
“All right,” Margot said, taking a
deep breath. “Just stared at by hundreds of Tamarax citizens for the first time. I can do that.”
“Hundreds?” Draklan answered. “Don't be silly. It'll be thousands.”
“Thank you,” Margot said. “That makes me feel so much better.”
Draklan grinned and put his paperwork aside before running a hand through his hair. “All right, then. Let's go,” he said, leading her toward the ballroom, where Margot knew the balcony was.
There was a footman waiting for Draklan and Margot, and he nodded as the prince approached.
“Are you ready, Your Grace?”
“Yes,” Draklan said and took Margot's arm. It was the first time they had really touched since their wedding, and it startled her. He looked to her, concerned. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, sorry,” Margot said as she heard the roar of the crowd. She hadn't been out to the front of the palace since she’d arrived. The back grounds held beauty for her and enough exploration each day that she hadn't felt the need to leave. But now, as she stood out on the balcony and saw the crowd, she realized there was a whole world out there that she needed to explore.
The crowd roared and waved. Margot watched Draklan wave first before she copied him.
“Do you think they like me?”
“Of course they like you,” Draklan said. “Most have never been off planet. They are fascinated by you. They want to know everything about you.”
“I'm not that interesting,” Margot said with a smile.
“You should hear the things they say about you,” Draklan said. “The most fantastic stories about the beautiful exotic princess.”
Margot blushed. “They say those things?”
“Oh, yes,” Draklan said.
“Well, they don't know the truth,” Margot said.
“No,” Draklan said. “They don't know how brave you were to come here and how brave you were to stay.”
Margot glanced at him but didn't say anything. It was probably the kindest thing he had said to her the entire time they had been together. He smiled and then looked out onto the crowd.