“Many of you have already met one or the other, and a few have seen both,” she said, her voice was softer than her brother’s, but it carried just the same. “They are new to our world, just as my brother and I were, when we came to you thirty years ago, but they will not hesitate to defend this land, for they love it as much as their native world, just as my brother and I do. Our ways are still new to them, but their hearts are for Klarand, and that is what matters.”
“And now, you wish to meet them, and so you shall,” said the Wind Prince. “Our wait is over, and I say praise be to Alphego.”
The doors swung open again, and Andrew and the Water Princess stepped through. Her grip on his hand tightened as they saw that they stood on a wide balcony high above a milling crowd of people, a throng of color that put even Klarand’s forests to shame.
“This is when you give your speech,” the Wind Prince said, helpfully.
Andrew glanced down at the Water Princess, who met his eye with an almost imperceptible shake of her head. Between being put on the spot, and the fact that they were very high – the balcony was sturdy, as was the railing around it, but he could still tell she was very nervous about it – she seemed in no shape to give any sort of speech.
So, he spoke. It was nowhere near as impressive as the Wind Prince, he was sure. The words were slow at first, but they were words he meant, and the Klaranders seemed pleased with them.
“You have been tormented by the Dragon for many long years,” he said, “I have seen the mark she’s left on this land, and it isn’t a pretty one. You have been a people oppressed, but I say: no longer. The prophecy states that we shall set all to right, and so we shall. I do not know why Alphego chose us for this work, but He has. Soon we shall meet the Lady Dragon in battle, and soon she will be gone from our land.” He paused a moment and glanced down at the Water Princess. “And this, this beautiful girl will, as the prophecy states, fight for you. Be assured that she wears this sword not just for show. She does not rest easy, knowing the threat that dwells in this land.”
Clara watched the Fire Prince as he spoke, her heart beating painfully to be so close to him, and yet she clung all the tighter. She had seen many sides of him since she had met him all those weeks before, but this … this was a new one. This was a Fire Prince who stood before his people sure of the victory he was to win for them. That they would win.
She felt her cheeks grow warm when he complimented her, though she tried not to let them. How could he evict a blush from her so quickly?
And then – at last – he was done speaking, and the people below erupted in a cheer. He turned back to her, a half-grin tugging at the corner of his mouth … and he was just Andrew again. She glanced away, unwilling to meet his eye.
Rich was speaking again, addressing the people. “You have heard the words they have to say. They will guide you and protect you, but now I have a question. Will you follow them? Answer wisely and answer well, for your fate hangs upon your words. Will you have them to rule over you, or will you not? They are Alphego’s chosen, but it is still for you to decide.”
There was another explosion of cheering. Clara was a bit uncomfortable. Sure, she was used to cheering crowds from all of the competitions she’d participated in, but that cheering came because of what she had done. These people cheered for what she would do, a promise not yet fulfilled.
She did not like the feeling of people hanging on her, expecting her to do something that she wasn’t sure she could do.
And yet they cheered.
Rich was speaking once more, turned away from the people, and Clara now saw that thrones lined the wall on either side of the doors, five on each side, and Kiona and Stephan sat in two of them.
“As Rizkaland submits to Alphego, so also does Klarand submit to Rizkaland,” he said. “Do you accept those chosen by Alphego to rule and lead Klarand?” He bowed slightly, fist over his heart.
Kiona offered an encouraging smile, but Stephan stared at the pair in his quiet, serious way before he spoke, his voice rumbling with the quiet power it held. “They are young and unused to the way of ruling, but they have advisors, and they have each other. They are not perfect, but neither is any man. They each will balance out the failings of the other, and if they will listen to Alphego, they shall guide Klarand along its straight and narrow path. Rizkaland gives its approval.”
Kath now spoke, addressing Clara and the Fire Prince. “Klarand accepts you, Rizkaland approves you. Now it stands only for you to decide the sort of rulers you will be. Will you accept the guidance of Alphego, and lead the people towards glory and strength, or shall you strike out on your own and become tyrants like unto the Dragon herself?”
The Fire Prince spoke, his hold on Clara’s hand tightening a moment as he stared out at the people, his quiet command returning. “We will follow Alphego. It would be folly to do anything else. It was He who chose us, and it will be He who guides us.”
The cheering this time was almost deafening.
As it died, the music began, and so did the dancing. Kath turned to Clara and the Fire Prince, her imperious nature as the Leaf Princess falling away as she sat down in one of the thrones, perching on the very edge as though she didn’t feel she belonged there. “Well, that is that, and they like you,” she said, closing her eyes. “May you be better rulers than Rich and I ever were.”
The old look of mischief danced in Rich’s eyes as he laid a hand on his sister’s shoulder. “Get rid of the Dragon and never close the gates to the Kastle, and I’m quite sure you will be beloved,” he said. “Now, you two have another choice, though one not nearly as serious. You could sit up here and watch, which can be remarkably calming on the nerves, if a little boring, or you could take that staircase down and join the dancing yourselves.”
Clara felt the Fire Prince tense, and she remembered briefly that he had admitted to not knowing how to dance, but she honestly didn’t care. “Dancing down there, naturally,” she said, decisively.
“Very well, then,” said Kath, opening her eyes and nodding towards the staircase. “Have fun. Oh, Clara, do mind the Fire Prince’s fingers. They appear to be turning blue. And, truly, this balcony is well built, has stood a thousand years, and no one has yet fallen. You are perfectly safe up here.”
If the Water Princess heard the Leaf Princess as she dragged Andrew towards the spiral staircase, she didn’t show it. If anything, the grip on his hand tightened. But she did relax slightly as they stepped onto the stairs. Its railing was from the floor to the ceiling and blocked them from the sight of their audience. The fact that they were unlikely to fall from here surely helped, too.
Neither was in a hurry to join the crowd, so they took their time in descending.
“That was a nice speech,” she said at length. “I mean, it actually didn’t sound like you made it up on the spot.”
“You think so?” said Andrew, feeling slightly better.
“Well,” she hesitated a moment. “They seemed to like it. I liked it. It was a good speech.”
He paused and half-turned to look back at her. “You … liked it?” A strange feeling filled him as a result of the compliment, a strange mix of confidence and humility.
She tensed. “Well, yes,” she said, “it was a good speech, as I said. And … you looked like a Fire Prince. I don’t know where you found him, or where he went when you were finished, but I wish you would bring him back more often. I – Klarand could follow a Fire Prince like that.”
They stood there several moments, staring at each other, her face so much more open than it usually was, her words singing in his heart. He felt he should do something, say something … but the only thing his mind suggested was to lean over and kiss her … and he was sure that such an impulse would only ruin the moment.
Realizing that they couldn’t stand there forever, he jerked his eyes away from her and started walking again, pulling her behind him.
“Yeah, w
ell,” he muttered, “one of us had to say something, and you didn’t seem to be up to it. I don’t know where it came from. Maybe Alphego, maybe … you.”
She didn’t say anything, and that made the admission all the more awkward.
Somehow, they managed to reach the floor and join people again. They were in the middle of a dance Andrew could make no sense out of, so they both stood awkwardly to the side, watching the crowd, which they could have done just as easily from the balcony.
Abraham and his wife, Lady Winona, emerged from the crowd and approached them, and Andrew relaxed at the familiar faces. The Water Princess didn’t.
“Greetings, Water Princess and Fire Prince,” said Abraham. “May I present my wife, the lovely Lady Winona. I don’t believe she and the Water Princess have met yet.”
“No, we haven’t,” said the Water Princess, her voice even and polite, even pleasant, despite the vise-grip she had on Andrew’s hand. “I’m honored to make your acquaintance. Your husband is a noble man.”
Lady Winona cast a smile up at her husband. “Yes, indeed he is. A wonderful husband and father, as well.” Then her smile faltered as she glanced back down. “He’s a good man.”
“Lower Klarand is fortunate to have him,” said the Water Princess. “As are we all.”
“I only do what Alphego asks of me,” said Abraham, with a shake of his head. He turned his attention to Andrew. “That was a magnificent speech you gave, Fire Prince, and exactly what Klarand needed to hear. Live to those words, and Klarand will follow you to the end.” Before Andrew could think of anything to say to that, Abraham had turned to the Water Princess. “And you look quite beautiful tonight, and though you said nothing, Klarand will love you for it.”
Perhaps, had it been anyone else, the Water Princess would have merely accepted the compliment and that would have been the end of it. However, this was Abraham, and she instead smiled her impish smile. “Ah, so beauty is the only thing of worth for a woman in Klarand? I pity those who were born without it.”
Abraham smiled. “No, though it does help to endear you in their sight, I will assure you that many of our most beloved queens and ladies have been less than pretty, and were thought none the worse for it.”
“It was probably only out of pity,” said the Water Princess, her grip on Andrew’s hand tightening a moment. “But I shan’t feel worthy of their praise and admiration until I have raised my sword in Klarand’s defense and the Dragon is gone.”
Abraham laughed as he turned to his wife. “Yes, and this is the young etrina that is our new Water Princess. There’s more fight in her than the bravest man of our army.” They took their leave and disappeared back into the crowds.
“What’s an etrina?” asked the Water Princess, after a few moments.
“It’s a small, cat-like animal that thinks it is twice its own size,” Andrew explained. “It’s a fitting description of you.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” said the Water Princess. “I hoped it was some form of compliment. You never can be quite sure with him.”
They were quiet for several minutes, watching the dancing, neither daring to say anything to the other, and no one appearing from the crowd to address them.
“This dance is almost over,” the Water Princess announced.
Andrew glanced down at her. “Really? I suppose you’d like to dance the next one?”
She arched an eyebrow at him. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask,” she said, flatly. “It is the gentleman’s place, after all.”
“Oh,” said Andrew. “Well then, would you like to dance the next dance with me?”
She rolled her eyes. “That is not how you ask a lady to dance.” She pulled her hand from his and sighed. “It seems that I must start your lessons from the very beginning, and I had hoped that you would have at least learned that much.”
Andrew took a deep breath, deciding to not be insulted by that remark. “Well, then. How do I ask a lady to dance?” He didn’t really see that it was necessary, since she was already standing there, and she had declared earlier that she would be dancing with him. But then, she was the Water Princess and never made sense.
“It’s quite simple,” she said, solemnly. “First of all, you make sure that no one seems to have any prior claim on the lady with which you should care to dance with—”
“I honestly don’t think that anyone is even considering dancing with you,” said Andrew, glancing towards the dancers.
She glanced about with an expression of fake surprise. “I suppose so. You have it easy this time. Very well, then. Once you are quite certain that there isn’t anyone to contest your claim, you walk up to her—”
“I’m already standing here,” Andrew cut in before she could finish explaining this second unnecessary step.
She blinked, a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth as she looked him up and down. “Oh, so you are. Well, once you are at your lady’s side, you bow, offer your hand, and ask if you might have this dance.”
Andrew did as he was told, then felt her hand slide into the one he had outstretched, and her voice was softer. “I would be honored,” she said, but a second later, she added an amused, “you may stand up now.”
Andrew did so and was immediately pulled into the dance that was just beginning. It was a simple dance, and the Water Princess gave him a steady stream of instructions that prevented him from stepping on her feet. She said nothing condemning and seemed to be enjoying herself.
It felt natural to be dancing around the floor, a hand on her waist, her hand on his arm, their other hands entwined. It felt natural for her to be smiling up at him, and he soon found himself smiling back.
They danced three rounds together, and while Andrew knew that he wasn’t the best of partners, he found himself enjoying it very much. But at the end of the third dance, the Water Princess claimed that she needed a breath of fresh air, and taking her hand from his, she slipped away into the crowd and he soon lost track of her.
Clara knew that she was supposed to stay at the Fire Prince’s side, but she couldn’t stand it any longer. She needed to get away from him, to stand alone, to be an individual again.
She paused here and there to exchange a word or two with this person and that, though she paid little heed to what she was actually saying. It was polite, she knew that, but beyond that, she really didn’t care.
It was Jill Anna who pulled Clara from her thoughtful reverie. Clara came upon her quite by chance, standing at the edge of the room, alert as ever, but a smile on her face, and wearing a beautiful, yet practical dress. Her sleeves were short enough to see the scars covering her wrists.
“You seem confused, Water Princess,” she said, drawing Clara aside. “Is it the Fire Prince again?”
“I thought we agreed to not talk about that,” said Clara, with a shake of her head as she folded her hands at her waist. “I see that you’ve been enjoying yourself as third in command over the Bugslayers?”
A small blush tinted Jill Anna’s cheek as she glanced away. “I never dreamed of it, but it has given me sufficient rank to attend this ball and mingle with the people as I wish. It is … strange. Of course, I must keep my knife ready for any Ia beetle that comes my way and an eye on the half dozen other Bug Children who are hiding in the corners, but I am very much at liberty tonight.”
Clara nodded slowly. “Oh, and does that include the liberty to dance? Has any young man asked you? You’re a pretty girl despite your scars, and you don’t have a Fire Prince to intimidate them away, you know…”
Jill Anna’s blush deepened. “Yes … I have had a dance or two. It was … nice.”
“Who asked you? Or would I not know the name?”
“Oh, you know the name, Water Princess,” said Jill Anna, her voice barely above a whisper. “It was Jakob.”
Clara’s eyes went wide, and a grin spread across her face as she placed a hand on her friend’s arm. “Ah, there, what did I tell you, now that you’re
out of the shadows, he can’t help but see you? Well then, I suppose I’ll leave you to your thoughts. I have my own to attend to.”
Not long after, she found a pair of doors that led out to an empty balcony that overlooked the gates below, with the burnt-out village where Amber hid. She stared at the village a moment, then turned away, closing her eyes. She was alone with her thoughts at last, and they churned within her uncomfortably. She was not used to the terrible feeling of indecision. She always knew what she wanted, and moved to get it. But now … what did she want?
She opened her eyes to glare at the sapphire that glittered on her left hand, the ring meant to represent the promises she had made just the other night, promises to love and respect the Fire Prince. She knew she could. She knew she should. And yet, her stubborn heart refused.
No, she knew better. It wasn’t her heart. Her heart was more than willing. It was just Clara, being her stubborn self.
“You don’t have to name a child after me in this world – in fact, I’d rather you not to avoid confusion, I am famous here, after all. You can wait until you return to your own world.”
Clara turned to see that Laura was leaning on the railing beside her, dressed in a simple green dress that did not quite match the style of Klarand, but suited her nonetheless, her hair loose about her shoulders.
“What in Rizkaland are you talking about?”
Laura put a hand to her mouth, as though surprised, but her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Oh, that’s right – I hadn’t told you what the price was for my assistance. It’s nothing crazy, or fancy – just name a child after me once you and the Fire Prince return to your own world.”
Clara narrowed her eyes, and then she glanced back away with a shrug. “Laura’s not a bad name, I guess.”
“I’m rather fond of it myself.”
Silence hung between them for a moment. Clara was just about to ask the Doorkeeper what she wanted when Laura was speaking again.
“There is only one thing that consoles me to the fact that I must live my life alone, and that is the fact that I will never have to worry through the indecision and uncertainty that such a relationship involves.”
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