She wasted the day until Alikos finally told her they had to set off. It was windy as they walked toward the prominent turquoise building in the center of the city. The palace would stand out among the other structures unless a major catastrophe made it crumble.
Though it was windy, it was also bright, and the two squinted as they approached the guard at the gate.
"Hello. What are your motives in entering the palace today?"
"We have a meeting with the empress. Alikos Phoenix." He pointed to himself. "And this is Jaklyn Klain."
"Jaklyn, eh?" The guard appraised her for a moment and turned away, satisfied that they were who they said they were. "Very well. Open the gate!"
The gate rose into the palace walls.
One of the palace servants got to them before Jaklyn could take in the palace’s innards, but she noted that the servants, though tired and dirty, seemed in good health. The servant who approached them led them to the garden but left them at the entrance to follow the path to the table where the empress sat. Jaklyn was happy she didn't have to approach the woman alone.
Although the empress was facing them from across the table, Jaklyn almost didn't recognize her. Today, her bright red hair flowed past her shoulders. She wore pants from a blue material that Jak couldn't name and a cotton top in a style much too simple for someone of royal blood.
The most striking thing about the empress, however, was her age. Without the distance of the court and the makeup that had accompanied her that day, Jak placed the age of the empress at sixteen or seventeen.
Jaklyn stopped several yards from the table and curtseyed as Alikos bowed.
"Would you stop that?" The empress sounded exasperated. "Come, sit. I had the servants bring some light food and juices. Tea, too, of course. I suppose it's only appropriate."
Jaklyn and Alikos took the two empty chairs and nibbled on some food, never taking their eyes from the empress.
"How are you today, Jaklyn?" she addressed the girl in the dress.
Jaklyn hadn't been expecting the direct question. "I'm good, thank you, Your Majesty. How is Your Highness doing?"
The empress cringed. "Don't use my titles, they irritate me. Just call me Minndi. I promise I won't behead you."
Jaklyn downcast her eyes. "Yes, Minndi."
The empress sighed. "Seriously. You should treat me a little more than a peer than you want to."
Jaklyn forced eye contact and smiled. "Alright."
The empress smiled back and let the table come to silence.
Alikos cleared his throat. "Your Majesty... Sorry, Minndi. I wanted to know if there was a reason behind this meeting."
"Of course there is. There's always a reason. I wanted to meet Jaklyn, since we unfortunately didn't get much of a chance to talk at court."
Jaklyn used her magic to determine if the ruler was lying. She wasn't lying, but she also wasn't telling the complete truth. There was more to this.
"Nice to meet you," she said, instead of letting Minndi know she knew this.
"Yep. So, Jaklyn, tell me about your life."
"What would you like to know?"
"Anything. Everything."
Jaklyn bit her lip and looked down as she tried to determine what to divulge. The piercing sky-blue eyes of the redhead were a little too intimidating to look into when she was trying to form coherent sentences.
"Where do you live?" The empress prompted.
Jaklyn thanked her internally. "I live in the Old District with my father."
"The Old District?" Minndi contemplated this, raising an eyebrow. "The slums?"
"I suppose so, yes."
"Interesting. With your father?"
"Yes."
"What about your mother?"
"I have never known her. I don't know whether she left the family, or died, or..."
Minndi squinted at her and nodded, understanding.
"Um... I had a sister, but she died several years ago."
"What did she die from?"
Jaklyn was not fond of the path this was going. "She died from a disease. It wasn't horribly contagious, so I avoided it, but it took her life nonetheless."
"Was that hard on your father?"
"Not terribly. I took over most of her tasks for the family."
"What kind of job does he have?"
"He doesn't work. Well, not anymore."
Minndi looked upset by this and changed the questions she was asking.
"What do you do in your spare time?"
"I don't have spare time. I go to school, work a bit, do housework, do homework, and sleep." She wondered how boring the empress found her, but the empress seemed enraptured despite the anticlimactic story of her life.
"Indeed. I have another question. When Cadmus attacked you..."
Jaklyn had assumed it would eventually go this direction.
"Yes?"
"When Cadmus approached you, what was your initial reaction?"
Alikos paid attention at the other guard's name.
I don't want you to know I have magic. "I don't want to discuss that unless you're ordering me to answer."
"It's not an order."
"Thank you."
"There's actually more to this meaning..."
Jaklyn remained silent, thankful that she had put off the "I-can-read-minds" discussion.
"I have a proposition for you." She paused, as if waiting for one of her guests to say something. After it was clear neither would speak, she continued, "In three days I am expecting... diplomats... from the country north of us, Sralossa, to arrive. My advisors have convinced me to throw a ball welcoming them to our capitol as is custom. I would be indebted to you if you were to grant me your presence as a representative for the crown at this event."
It took a substantial effort for Jaklyn to avoid letting her mouth drop open.
The empress looked uneasy as second passed without words. "It's not an order, of course. It is merely a request."
Jaklyn looked at Alikos, who was looking into the distance with his chin resting on his knuckles. They made eye contact.
He cleared his throat. "I think you should do it," he offered.
She nodded. She wasn't sure what she thought.
"Sure. I'll do it."
"Excellent," the empress nodded, and continued in a business-like manner. "Are you able to arrange for a gown or shall I send one of my servants to your residence?"
"I believe she'll be staying with me?" Alikos directed the question at Jaklyn.
"Yes, I will be, if that's alright?"
"Fantastic. Then I shall make sure it is arranged for her."
"That is good of you, my soldier. I appreciate your efforts. In any case, I won't keep you too long, as I am sure you have affairs to attend to. I have one more favor to ask of you, Alikos."
He looked at Minndi in surprise. "Yes, Your Highness."
"Minndi," she corrected, and a side of her mouth twisted up. "Can I count on you to keep this lady safe if things get out of hand at the ball tomorrow?"
Both Jaklyn and Alikos were taken aback at this. "Sure," he said.
"Great. I shall see you both then, six hours after the high sun."
"That was peculiar," Alikos said as they walked away from the gates. "I wasn't sure what to expect, but it's interesting that the new ruler asked you to be a representative."
"I suppose."
"She seemed kind toward you, though."
"Perhaps."
"You alright, Lyn? You're talking less than you usually talk."
"I'm okay."
"What's on your mind?" he pushed.
She sighed. "The empress is hiding something."
"Why do you think that?"
"I have a knack for knowing whether I can trust people."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
"Can I be trusted?" he asked.
She blinked. "So far, yes."
"I see." They walked for a bit.
"Alikos?"
"Yes?"
"Why do you think Minndi wants me at the ball? I'm just me."
"I... I don't know. All I know is that this is a time of change. The nobles keep talking about it. A lot of them don't trust Minndi."
"Not all the nobles support Minndi? Most of the slums people do."
"Not even close. The slums people support her because she's trying to educate them, let them have a bigger role in decision making. That sort of change spells disaster for the nobles who use the hierarchy to extort them for profit. It's disgusting."
"It makes sense, though."
"Yeah, but then there are all the rumors around Minndi."
"Such as?"
"For starters, she married that Sralossan guy not even two years ago, and he was found dead shortly after the wedding reception. Plus, she appeared out of nowhere after they found the last emperor and empress dead in their chambers. Where was she during the murder? Some even claim that three bodies were found, not two. How do we know that body wasn't Minndi's, and that the 'Minndi' on the throne isn't someone else?"
"Huh. What do you think about all of it, Alikos?"
"I think... I think it doesn't matter who she is or what she's done if she can bring this country back to stability. They’ve been fighting over the crown for about a century now. Changes might be exactly what we need to stop the bloodshed."
"Am I a piece of propaganda for her cause, then?"
"I could see that."
"Ah."
"If that's the case, though, I wouldn't worry about it. She'll find someone else to focus on with a bit of time."
"I hope so," Jaklyn whispered to herself.
"In the meantime, however, we have a gown to acquire."
"Right. I almost forgot."
"Are you opposed to swinging by the shopping district on our way back? It'd get the chore out of the way."
"Good idea."
The shopping district was packed in the early evening. People shouted to their friends, children, and strangers, and barkers yelled advertisements for whatever they were selling. Jaklyn made herself focus on why they were there instead of letting herself get caught up looking at the stalls. She had never let herself wander into this section of the district, as she could sense the suspicious stares boring into her based on her cheap clothing. Now, dressed as a noble, she sifted through the masses of people with Alikos until he led her into a shop full of organized fabric and several mannequins.
A middle aged woman with laugh lines and a flattering dress greeted them as they entered the shop. Her black hair was pulled back to let her green eyes take the stage of her face. "How may I be of assistance to you today?" she asked, addressing Alikos instead of Jaklyn. She was unsure whether the woman's attention was directed to him because of his gender or because of familiarity.
Alikos put his arm around Jaklyn. "We need to get her a dress for the ball I am accompanying her to in a few days time," he said. The woman looked disappointed. Jaklyn couldn't help but feel triumphant.
"I've heard about this ball. The lovely empress is hosting it for our dear, dear Sralossan friends." She rolled her eyes. "They just want their agriculture industry back. Mark my words, if we trust them again, it will not benefit us."
"That's fine, but we have already agreed to attend this ball. Jaklyn is to act as a representative of the crown, so we need something that fits that."
"Jaklyn, eh? I've not heard that name among my peers. May I ask what house you hail from?"
"Uhm. Klain."
The woman scoffed. "You're not even noble, are you? Shame, shame. I thought I'd have another lady to gossip with." Alikos shot her a warning look. She sighed. "Well, well. You need a gown, do you? What color?"
"Lyn, do you have a preference?"
She cringed at the nickname. "Brown."
He chuckled. "I think purple would bring out your eyes more."
"Then get purple.."
"Let's go with purple. Silk," he told the seamstress. She jotted it down on a parchment pad. She then showed them a variety of dress designs, and Jaklyn chose a modest cut without boning, and Alikos convinced her to have embellishments added on. As he had the seamstress sketch out the design to sew the gemstones on, Jaklyn looked away in embarrassment. She bit her lip at the price, and after Alikos arranged to pick it up on the day of the ball, they made their way out.
Jaklyn could feel her cheeks reddening as they walked toward his estate. He ignored her, though she was certain he could tell.
"Thank you for the dress," she mumbled.
He raised his eyebrows. "You're welcome. It's no big deal."
She watched her feet move on the ground.
"It'll be alright, Lyn. I promise."
"Jaklyn. Please," she reminded him.
"Oh, right. Sorry, Jaklyn."
She smiled meekly. "Thanks."
Chapter 4
"I've arranged for a carriage to take us to the palace," Alikos told Jaklyn the day of the ball. Jaklyn was looking into a mirror at her gowned self and trying to figure out who she’d become. Alikos was at a nearby table, writing something onto a piece of silk stretched between four sticks. After a moment, Jaklyn turned to watch him.
"What are you doing?" she asked, perplexed.
Alikos looked up. "I'm writing to Fiona of the Sabre household. I expect Minndi would prefer that your makeup and hair be done accordingly, and that is out of my range of skills." Watching Jaklyn's expression turn to one of anxiety, he added, "Don't worry, Fiona's nice. She knows what she's doing."
"I feel like I'm a dress up doll now."
"You sort of are."
Jaklyn's stomach made an uncomfortable flipping sensation. She swallowed.
A blonde woman in a sapphire blue gown entered, carrying several packages of intimidating size. She greeted Alikos with a kiss on each cheek and then turned to Jaklyn.
"This is she?" she asked, appraising the girl before her. Alikos nodded. "Well done, Alikos. She’s lovely."
Jaklyn blushed. She wasn't sure what Fiona was praising Alikos on. The dress, perhaps? Fiona continued looking at her, staring at the contours of her face and the way the fabric of the dress wrapped itself around her body.
"Your eyes," she finally said to Jaklyn.
Jaklyn fought the urge to shut them. "What about my eyes?"
"You have beautiful eyes. That is what your face paint shall emphasize."
"Oh..."
"But first, I think I shall work with the hair. I would like to cut it," she mused, a statement rather than a question.
"Go ahead?"
"I shall, I shall, if you are not opposed to it." She extracted a blade from a pouch inside of one of her bags and got to work. "Now, Alikos tells me that one of the house of Drakkon attacked you in an alley. I've been visiting relatives, so I'm not caught up on the current news. I beg of you, which one of the boys was it?"
"Cadmus," she said, "Blonde, blue-eyed, a guard..."
"Oh, I know the Drakkons. All of them are blonde, blue-eyed, and with the palace." She sighed, stroking her own dirty blonde hair. "We've all been waiting for Cadmus to get in trouble, though. He's been trying to sleep with every woman of the noble houses for awhile now. He's even propositioned me, his own second cousin! Such a shame to have family ties to them all." Snip. She cut off a final lock of hair. "That should do for now. Are you more of a flower girl or more of a jewels girl? Both?"
Jaklyn blinked. "What?"
"Pardon me, I forgot this was your first time. I'm putting your hair up. Do you want flowers or jewels in your hair?"
"Flowers, I suppose."
"Do you have a preference on what kind? Wait! Actually, how about these? I know they aren't real flowers, but I think they'd go well with your dress..."
Fiona held out a silk flower embellished with some sort of gemstone.
"It's lovely," Jaklyn consented.
Fiona continued on, doing Jaklyn's hair and then makeup, soliciting her opinion from time to time. She finished with a swipe of rouge across Jaklyn
's lips, then stepped back to double check that she had done a satisfactory job. She looked critically for a moment, and then her lips spread into a slow smile.
"You're gorgeous. No wonder Minndi wants to show the world you're on our side."
Jaklyn crossed her arms and bit her lip, staring at her foot in a shoe she couldn’t have imagined wearing.
"No, no, don't hide," Fiona instructed. "It's not going to work, you're in too bright of a purple and you're too beautiful, anyway." She smiled. "There's nothing to worry about."
Alikos entered the room, buttoning up a turquoise jacket over a shining silver chest plate. Jaklyn felt her eyes enlarge, Fiona giggled.
"Are you scaring Jaklyn?" He chided. "I know you're looking for the next one, but you just met her."
"No, no. I know she's yours. I was just telling her she's beautiful."
"What?" Jaklyn asked.
"Fiona likes women," Alikos offered.
"It's true," she nodded. "They're much lovelier than men. So much more graceful. Better skin, too."
"I told her she's not allowed to come onto you until after tonight's ordeal," he warned.
"I, um, uh..."
"Don't worry, dear. We haven't finished unpacking from our trip yet, so I wouldn't dream of trying to seduce you tonight. It's far too messy, nowhere near good enough for you."
"Fiona." Alikos laughed. Jaklyn blushed. "Were you planning on arriving with us? We have a carriage coming, but the empress asked us to show up early..."
"No, no. I expect Her Highness wants to talk to the two of you alone. She's very private in her dealings with people. Anyway, I should be on my way home to finish preparing for this affair. I'm certain the empress wouldn't enjoy me looking anything less than my best, with such a tense political state."
"Nonsense, Fiona, you know you can stay here for an hour or two. We, however, need to get going,” Atalos said, motioning to Jaklyn to follow.
"Right, right. Are you going by land or sky?" Fiona asked.
"Sky, I think. It depends on what's available."
This caught Jaklyn off guard. “We're traveling there by sky? So by carriage?"
Alikos nodded. "It's the most efficient way there aside from the higher magical ways. It's also not going to ruin your hair."
The Traitor of Tyiku Page 3