The wind blew softly in the dark night gently carrying a dry maple leaf into the balcony of an ancient castle that towered enormously even in the darkness of the night. Gentle footsteps rang in the dead night then a white porcelain hand reached out to pick up the lone leaf.
"Seems like nature hasn't been kind to you either,has it?" her soft melodious whisper fluted into the quiet night.
Alexandria Senora walked to the balcony and leaned her slender body on the railing as she looked out into the dark night,at the sleeping kingdom-'her kingdom'. The thought warned her heart and she exhaled. This has always been her little,well not so little comfort place since she could remember,her little feet rushing to peek through the tiny gaps between the railings in order to look out into the city. It always had a way to somehow calm her down whenever she was upset.
The dark night and the soft radiance of the moon seemed to have a calming potion as the bitter feeling rising in her heart began to slowly recede.
Speaking of the moon,she lifted her head slightly to take in it's beauty. The almost red crescent moon peeked from a cloud
Still as beautiful as ever,tsk,little red crescent,so coy.....
She let her thoughts drift.
"Are you mocking me?how can you be so timid and still command the sky at night" She whispers,raising her face up to soak in the moonlight as her long dainty fingers gently traces the rims of the maple leaf absentmindedly,over and over again,continuously.
The sound of the door opening pulls her out of her reverie as the little movements of her finger pauses for a while and resumes almost immediately. Unbothered,she didn't move because she knew that only a few people could freely walk into her room without an announcement of arrival and there was only one person... actually two but in her current situation the latter was more expected. About her situation or should she say her predicament,sighs
Thinking about it have her insomnia.
The older woman halts as she took in the enchanting view before her,despite it not being her first seeing the view,she still couldn't help herself but gaze.
A slender figure dressed in a long blue silk nightgown bent over the railing,her long red curls blazing in shades of molten copper-each coil aflame that refused to be tame. They cascaded and scattered down her back as the night wind engaged it in a slow dance to it's music. Bathed in the moon's red-silver glow,she looked ethereal yet her stubborn locks flying everywhere revealed the wildness that her porcelain white skin tried to hide.
The woman's gaze lingered,steady yet shadowed. Beauty like that drew alot of things.
She crossed the room,opened the wardrobe and retrieved a white fur shawl,closing the distance,she makes her way to the young lady at the balcony and drapes the shawl over her shoulders with quiet care.
"Freezing to death isn't a fun experience Xana" the older woman says flatly as she offers Xana her companionship,her back against the railing.
The silence reigned for awhile
"God maa...." Xana calls out softly
"Hmmm??"
"Is there no other way?"Xana asks back as she States right into the night as if the answers she sought were engraved in them.
"What exactly are you worried about, do you not trust his majesty's decision" the woman probed,her voice calm but searching as she turned to look at the young woman, waiting for her to stare right into her eyes.
"No,never have I,but this is different God maa,what if.....what if.." she starts but ended up having her words fumbling. The younger woman turns to meet the older woman's gaze head on
"Things don't always work out the way we want them to,everyone has a time when they are helpless",the older woman begins to walk back into the room
"But Godmaa..those people...they are.."she starts staring into the woman's back.
The woman pauses,and turns back to look at the girl,her gaze hardened." Hm?"she asked,but this time her tone carried something sharp,a silent warning that dared the girl to speak what she truly meant.
Meeting the woman's eyes, Xana took a subtle step back that she herself hadn't noticed yet she didn't back down.
"Monsters. They're monsters"she said flatly.
Godmaa sighs as she turns away and continued her journey back into the room.
Getting to the room,she walks toward the fire place,she squatted,added wood to the dying flames and gently waves her hands over it. The fire caught, crackling and sizzling bathing the room with it's glow and warmth. Despite the strong wind coming from the open door that led to the balcony,the fire still kept higher and burned stronger. Seeing this,she got up,dusted her palms and walks over to pick up the oil lamp,moving around, lighting each candle with deliberate care, letting the soft light from the candles push back the shadows of darkness.
The faint click of the doors closing is heard as Xana shut the balcony door,cutting of the cold wind. She walks over to the bookshelf,picked a random old book and placed the maple leaf,closed it and returned the book to it's place,each movement precise, almost ritualistic.
As the older woman lit the candles,the interior of the room is decernible now,at first glance it didn't look like the bedchamber of a princess,a royal? Definitely but not that of a princess.Every single piece of furniture was made from mahogany-the chairs,the table, the bookshelf. Exquisite, befitting the status of a royalty.
"I don't think any other gift would beat this room, hmmm?" The older woman lights the last candle and turns around.
"Mmm" Xana acknowledges
"So,where did you get that from?" The older woman asks referring to her statement of night creatures being monsters.
" I....i...she shrugs her shoulders as she tries to mask her nervousness. " ...i read a book"
" What book is that?"
" Godmaa.."
The older woman sighs as she relents under the pressure of the helpless aqua blue eyes that begged her to let go.
Walking to the king sized bed,the older sits on the bed and pats the space next to her invitingly.
Sitting on her bed and snuggling up to the older woman, keeping her head on her laps like she was used to.
"I read it and I've heard the whispers"Xana says offering a flimsy explanation.
" You read it?" A faint light flashes past Godmaa's eyes,too swift for Xana to notice.
"Yes"
"What exactly is the problem Xana, talk to me"
" Godmaa ....you know Baba has always taught us never to bow our heads to anybody. We take pride in the fact that we are not afraid of anybody or anything and we don't go courting trouble either. Every kingdom knows that Mazona takes pride in it's two princesses and King Darius doesn't joke about his daughters. It is common knowledge. Now he wants to trade his Dian and I for politics??....." The older woman listens attentively as the young lady poured her heart out,gently caressing the head that way in her laps.
"....Nobody is telling me anything,I know something is wrong but I don't know what,even Dian seems to know something seeing as she's so complacent of everything that's happening. In order to find out,I even tried to eavesdrop on Mama and Baba in order to know since Mama blocked the natural energy around their chambers so that I don't listen in and I got myself grounded. Godmaa..." The young lady's voice tremors as she calls out.
".... what's happening. It's not like Baba to trade his daughters,to trade...us"She finishes,staring up at the older woman's eyes that never revealed more than she wanted it to yet it always managed to comfort her.
" Xana..." The older woman starts but is cut off by the sound of the door opening.
And here comes the second one
Xana thought as she dramatically rolls her eyes and turns to snuggle into her Godmaa's lap even more.
" May I come in?" The new comet says half-heartedly as she closes the door.
" No,you may not but will you leave?"Xana says voice dripping with sarcasm earning a chuckle from Godmaa.
" If it isn't our grounded princess"Dian claps back causing Xana to grimace jokingly.
" Oh,and what is the noble green eyed fairy doing at a lowly place like this?"Xana fires right back.
" It's hazel,you Buffon"Dian says exasperated
"Who care DIANA" Xana says knowing fully well the other party hated it.
"That's enough" Godmaa says putting an end to the banter.
"Xana's a dummy and even moreso a dullard I fear Godmaa, that's why she's grounded" Diana says as she makes herself comfortable on the bed.
" Hmph"Xana scoffs
" Are you okay mer lady Xana?"Diana asks softly addressing her by the nickname she always used in comforting her.
**{Xana has aqua blue eyes hence the nickname coined from the word mermaid}**
" She's fine,just a little conflict but she's ok"the older woman says.
" Does it not bother you Dian,it could be you" Xana asks as she couldn't understand her sister's calmness.
"It does..." Dian says matter of factly. "...but I understand father's decision"
" Oh.. really,and what do you understand" Godmaa asks.
"The ruler of Mazona made the best decision for Mazona. Mazona lies in the middle of the heartland and making an ally with Aula can we survive. The night creatures enforced the law forbidding using humans as feeders but in the last decade,records of drained humans has increased significantly,more and more rogues from different species have appeared. All of a sudden five years ago the king of Adila severed all times with Perrusselvia and publicly declared a war against them,which means Perrusselvia has been taken control of by the rogues. Three years ago,Emaltan and Perrusselvia established a trade alliance and whatever is being traded has remained a secret till now. Mazona is seated in between the Cristencia-Aila route whilst serving as a boundary between The three south Eastern States(Zekora,Armesten and Combudia). If the rogues are plotting something then they're definitely going to want to break into the South Eastern States which puts Mazona at risk. It is a known fact that Aila and Cristencia are bounded by an eternal blood oath this creating an unbreakable bond since time immemorial. To be on the safe side we can either establish a bond strong enough with either one of the two(Cristencia-Aila)because if you gain one,you gain the other too but we can't have that type of relationship with Cristencia because it oversteps trade alliance rules and THE COUNCIL wouldn't stand for it leaving Aila as our only option. Aila is our safest option because with Aila and Cristencia's support comes the support of Zekora as the current Empress of Cristencia is the only daughter of Zekora's Grand duke. So Aila is the safest option"
" So?"the older woman asks impressed by Dian's analysis
" Father had made the best decision as the ruler of Mazona"Xana says softly
"Mmm..."Dian acknowledges"...and the hardest some as a father. Yes we are not afraid of trouble neither do we court trouble and we do not now our head in the face of trouble but why put the lives of two hundred thousand people of Mazona at risk when it can be fully avoided for a little sacrifice. Mazona relies on the fact that there are a lot of GIFTED ones most of which are youngsters who are massively accepted into THE MAGE TOWER while the AWAKENERS are accepted into THE TEMPLE OF MALI and these two organizations are not allowed to interfere in the affairs of THE PLAINS. Mazona houses the most beautiful and talented women according to the rumours so of course which kingdom would reject our hands in marriage but father was able to convince the Duke of Aila to allow us marry anybody of our choice from S'ils and the alliance would still stand. He's really looking out for us Xa, he's just helpless but he's trying his best"Diana ends.
" So no matter what this marriage must go through?'
"Yes,it's Mazona's life saving grace"Diana says.
"And we have to hold into it" Xana says,her voice barely a whisper.
"And I can't assure you that the Duke of Aila isn't that bad a man,I personally think this marriage would work out" Godmaa throws in
"I have never imagined that I would be in a political marriage...." Xana pauses to take deep breath. "...I wanted something like Baba and Mama's marriage,full of love"
" And I don't intend to let you ever be in that position" Dian says solemnly
"Dian.." Xana begins
"And who says political marriages don't blossom to love" Godmaa says suddenly,amused.
" Godmaa!you can't love someone you don't know and haven't met before" Xana says frowning, causing a crease on her smooth forehead.
" Are you sure?....m" The older woman says as she sits up. "...fate is quite the trickster Xana, don't conclude cause nobody knows what fate will whisper"
" Godmaa...."Xana rolls her eyes at the older woman's tone of mystery.
'Here we go again'
Xana's thoughts were written all over her face and Dian shakes her head at Xana's exasperated expression.
" They'll always be reminded that it all began with a transaction and they'll guard against each other always,forever". Xana insists as her small eyes grew wider as she tries to prove her point.
"Ha"Godmaa and Dian chuckle at her cuteness.
"It wouldn't even matter anymore when they eventually fall in love"
"Godmaa,can you give me a very successful love marriage that based off political marriage", Xana insists going full blown arguments mode.
"Xana.." Dian calls out warningly.
The older woman walks to the fireplace, squats,puts in more wood and stands as she dust her palms. A faint smile appears on her face.
" I had a feeling that this was going to be a long night,since it has come to this,I had better start early.." The older woman says .
" ....wanna hear a story?" She's asks finally smiling.
"Godmaa's, you're avoiding my question" Xana says sulkily.
"Ni,I am giving you an answer for not just this question but for all the secret questions in your heart" she says walking back to the bed and sits.
" How"
" Ever wondered why Cristencia and Aila's bond is unbreakable" The older woman asks
"It is said that once upon a time,one of Cristencia's princess was married to Aila's duke who was so obsessed with her. Taking advantage of his love,she made them do a blood oath never to hurt her hometown because she loved it so much" Dian hurriedly answers .
" Well,I can't argue with that. That's what the history books say"Godmaa says helplessly.
"Wait...what" Dian says shocked.
" Don't tell me.... really..."Xana tries to form words.
" Wanna hear my story now" Godmaa says
"Well,when you put it like that" xana says energized.
" Why do I feel like we've been tricked,tricked into begging you to tell a story you already wanted to tell us"
" Smart,now scooch in'Godmaa says
Xana turns over to keep her jaws on her hands,very excited.
"So?what happened?,how does it start"
"Well it all began with a desperate situation,I mean,what doesn't....." The older woman looks into the air,her eyes loosing focus as if she was looking back in time.