“My fault, Nina. I was giving her a lesson.”
“Mm-hmm, what kind of lesson?”
Nina examines me with scrutinizing eyes, but her smile is playful.
“Nothing that ruins her purity.” I notice the playful wink he gives Nina. “Are Alayna and Ria still waiting outside?”
“They are.”
“They’ll have to wait longer. Fiora isn’t ready for them. Give her another ten minutes.”
Nina accepts his instruction and leaves us.
“Better get to work. There're thousands of Anaukins waiting to see their Princess successfully complete her trials.”
With a growl of annoyance, I settle back in the tub and reach for a sponge.
“When we’re practicing our fights, do you let me win like you did when we were kids?”
Arm resting on the edge of the tub, his fingers tap the frame.
“No, when you use your speed and wits, you best me. Make sure to use that during the combat trial.”
“Do you know how many Anaukin arms men I have to fight?”
“I did do some recon. You’ll have a choice. Two women or one man.”
“What should I choose?”
“The man. It’ll make you look stronger, braver to choose a man as your opponent.”
“Do you think I can beat him?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think the Royals will be happy with me as their Queen?”
Touching my cheek, he caresses gently.
“I do. Everyone adores you—even when you’re rebellious. It’s part of your charm.”
Lifting my leg out of the water, I soap up and down, and Matheas watches contently.
“Why don’t you want the Royals to see me naked?”
Attention swiftly brought to my face, his eyes darken.
“It’s a crude ritual. They just want to see how beautiful your body is. I don’t like you being treated as an ornament for their viewing.”
“Thankfully, it doesn’t last long, and it’s only the Royal suitors.”
“Who’ll be gawking at you, imagining what it would be like to lay with you.”
“Too bad for them, they’ll never find out.”
Matheas’s smile raises the corner of his mouth. “You still plan to never take a husband?”
“Yes. You’ll be stuck protecting a virgin Queen.”
Waving my hand over the sensor, the tub latch switches and the water drains. Standing, Matheas reaches out his hand, helping me out of the bath. He gathers a towel from the nearby stand and wraps it around me. Below my feet, the soft carpet slides between my toes. Wiggling them, I enjoy the sensation. Matheas laughs, pulls me to him, and kisses my hair.
“I’ll let the women in to fuss over your hair and outfits. I’ll be outside. I have some calls to make.”
“All right.”
As he walks out, I watch his ass and enjoy the view. In a soldier’s uniform, he’s covered from head to toe in black and brown with metal lined fabric intertwined in the garments. The technology is connected to his soul band and is strong enough to deflect most weapons. Once out the door, it’s only moments before Nina and the two women join me. After choosing my outfits for the trials, they spend an uncomfortably long-time putting fancy braids and loose waves in my hair before adorning it with dainty flowers. When they reach for the makeup, I give them a warning glance.
“Keep it subtle.”
They follow my instructions well and barely coat my face with makeup, just enough to keep to the tradition of the trials. My first outfit is a long, white dress with a slit up my leg, revealing my muscular thigh. The front is a halter top design, the back open with a plunging V. My other two outfits are placed in a bag carried by Ria.
“You look breathtaking,” Ria smiles genuinely.
Pulling her in, I give her a hug.
“Thank you for getting me prepared.”
Turning to Alayna, she gives me a brief hug before quickly distancing herself. Noticing the change in her demeanor since the last time I hugged her, I tilt my head in curiosity, wondering the cause. Making a mental note, I decide to come back to it later.
Nearing my bedroom door, the automated door slides open, and I step out into the hall. Matheas verbally ends his call and looks at me. Coming close, he takes my hand in his, raising it to his lips.
“You’re stunning, Fi. No other woman compares.”
Blushing, I raise on my toes and kiss his cheek.
“Thank you.”
Next to me, Alayna looks irritated. Glaring at Matheas, several emotions cross her face—anger, lust, hope. He never looks at her, and it seems to vex her even more. The body language she displays tells me she has a crush on him. Jealousy courses through me briefly. She’s free to lay with him if she pleases, and I hate her for it.
With my hand in his, Matheas escorts me down the grand staircase. The palace is empty now that everyone has gone to the festival. They’ll shop, eat, and enjoy the light entertainment until I arrive. Outside the palace doors, my horse, Artax has a wreath of white roses around his neck along with festival paint on his hind end displaying the Anaukin emblem. It’s the same branding I bear on my left hip—a circle with a twisted tree inside and above the tree is a compass. The only difference between Artax’s paint and my tattoo is mine permanently marks me as an Anaukin soul.
Matheas stops before Artax and puts his hands together, letting me step into them and onto Artax. Doing so, I sit like a lady with my legs off to the side as Matheas takes the reins and guides us to the festival. Behind us, Nina, Alayna, and Ria follow.
Entering the festival, I observe the hundreds of flowers decorating the curved metal double arch. Inside, the Anaukin people stop what they’re doing, smiling and waving, hoping to catch my attention. I attempt to make eye contact and wave to as many as I can. Flowers fly through the air in front of us, making a path of white roses as Matheas leads us to the center of the festival.
Reaching the center, I’m now in the open stadium. Helping me off my horse, Matheas follows behind as I step up to the center stage. With a thin microphone, I speak to the waiting public.
“Thank you, citizens of Anauka for coming to view my trials. I feel blessed to be your Princess and hope at the end of my trials, I will have made you proud. I’m honored to be the future monarch of our beautiful and prosperous Anaukin territory. I promise to honor our way of life and to continue to serve you as well as my father and mother have.”
Straight out in front of me, I can see my father, mother, and younger brother sitting under the Royal tent. With an expression of satisfaction, my father smiles at me. Raising his hand, which I know has a tiny microphone in it, he speaks to the public.
“Let the trials begin.”
The stadium erupts into cheers and whistles. Matheas escorts me off the stage and stays by my side as I do the customary walk around the stadium, greeting and acknowledging each Royal family in attendance. This is their opportunity to briefly introduce me to their sons who will become my suitors for the next several weeks. After introductions and schmoozing are complete, Matheas leads me out of the stadium to my preparation room. Inside, Alayna and Ria are waiting with my battle outfit. Behind me, Matheas unclasps the part of my dress around my neck, and the dress falls to my feet landing on the soft carpet. Ria hands me my pants and I slide them on. As I’m finishing, she’s already handing me the top. Matheas steps out of the way so Ria can tie the corset back. Gathering my leather jacket, Matheas helps me into it and pulls my hair out from beneath it. A light kiss feathers my cheek before he moves to face me and fastens the metal clasps on the front of my jacket.