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Late afternoon the next day, Ai decided to walk around the Bamish palace, hoping to clear her mind of the thoughts that plagued her.
The impossible love of Nathan and Isa.
Although she had schemed to see something between them, she was put in mind of the consequences of their being together. She did not think the people of Bamah would willingly allow their princess to wed an adopted son of a prophet, regardless of the nobility of his deceased parents.
On her way back to her chambers, she was again brought to an alarming distress, when she saw Isa sitting with Nathan in one of the palace gardens. They were speaking, laughing, and gazing upon each other in apparent adoration. They seemed to be in ignorant bliss about the hopelessness of their circumstance.
“I would have supposed this was your desire, after all you did yesterday. The look on your face at this moment, makes me question my judgement.” Michael said as he stood beside her and observed the couple.
“Hush, Michael. They might hear you!” She said, swiftly walking on towards her chambers.
Although the reason for her scheming was to observe the process of love, she was shocked at the incredible speed with which it had happened between her friends. It made her rethink her courtship with Johin since it was certain that she felt nothing like what Isa had described. She did not find herself unable to stop thinking about him, nor did she long desperately for his presence.
As they got to the doors of her chambers, she turned to the knight, with a question in her eyes.
“Do you think I am foolish, Michael?”
“I will not go so far as to call you foolish, but I must say that you have made several questionable decisions since we have left Ore.” He responded so bluntly that the princess was taken aback.
“If you questioned my decisions, why have you not advised against them.” She asked indignantly.
“Perhaps, if you told me of your schemes before acting on them, I would have had the privilege of offering a different perspective.” Ai breathed heavily, unable to find any smart response. “Why, did you suddenly realise that you are in love with Nathan and do not wish to give him to another?”
The princess looked at him incredulously. “Michael! Have you some worms in your head?”
“I jest, princess. Forgive me.” He said smiling.
“Well, I am not amused, and I am quite out of patience with you.” She said and stormed into her chambers.
She spent the rest of the evening trying to rethink her purpose in being in Bamah. She did not know if she could find what she had hoped to find in Bamah.
Love, acceptance...
She took out the small-sized version of the Holy book that Nathan had gifted her on her birthday, thankful she had taken it with her, and turned the pages, till she reached a part of it that she knew all too well but desired a better understanding of.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Michael had once debated this part of the Holy Book with her when he was recovering from the orphanage attack. He had, at the time, believed that such love did not exist and had questioned its credibility. Ai recalled vehemently defending what she read, as Prophet Asher had taught her. She had told him, that the Holy Book did not lie, and that her parents were a living example of such love.
Michael is now an embodiment of this love he once claimed did not exist.
She thought retrospectively that she had not fully understood what love was at the time, but on further reflection, she came to realise that Michael, who scoffed at the words of the book, was living it out in service to her. She knew he had studied it many times after he survived the orphanage incident and wondered if he was simply living it out or if he felt...
Ai shook her head to rid herself of the thought. Michael was only doing his duty as her knight and even though he was living out the description of love, it did not signify in her present circumstance.
She fixed her mind on Johin and decided she did not know enough about him to make an informed judgement.
The next morning, she awoke to the sound of heavy banging on her door. She arose abruptly and put on her robe.
"Enter!" She called, and it opened to Michael who looked down at her with a frown.
"One more minute, and I would have broken the doors."
"That would have been rather unnecessary, seeing that the doors are unlocked," Ai observed, dryly. "Why, what is amiss?" She asked, noting the look of concern on his face.
"I would ask you the same, princess. It is long past noon, and you have yet to leave your chambers." He responded with a raised brow.
“Past noon?” The princess questioned, feeling confounded. Try as she may, she just could not understand why she continued to sleep so deeply. At first, she had attributed it to weariness, but she had no reason to feel weary, save her journey to Bamah. In Ore, even when she was exhausted, she still arose with the sun, and other times, earlier.
"Well, the Bamish King sent a servant requesting your presence, several minutes ago... or was it some hours ago?" Michael said nonchalantly.
“Michael! Why did you not wake me?” The princess exclaimed.
“I did not see the urgency of the summons and felt no need to disturb the peace of your slumber. However, after it was past noon, I began to fear you were dead, or dying...”
“How can you be so provoking? I must be dead, or dying before it is proper to awaken...” She stopped, as she struggled to suppress the mirth that threatened to overcome her. “I wonder if I can put my feet on the ground with a knight like you.”
In less than an hour, Ai was prepared, putting on her most flattering dress. She was compelled to style her hair herself when the maidservants did a poor job of it. Her sole purpose for that day was to attempt to build love between herself and the Bamish King, and she intended to do all to see that it was achieved.
She was led to the magnificent throne room which seemed to be designed with only gold and precious stones. Her gaze shifted from the perfect architecture of the room to the people in it. Several men, glamorously attired in noble robes stood smiling as she walked into the room. They bowed reverentially, as though she was their princess, and Ai felt a swelling in her chest, as she desired such a willing reception from her people and not the forced reverence she was used to in Ore.
Johin rose as she approached him and regarded her with a smile. “My beloved Ai, you look radiant this fine afternoon.” He declared loudly, taking her hand, and holding it to his lips. The princess suddenly became self-conscious, aware that she was the centre of attention, and reflexively pulled her hand from his. The king seemed unbothered by this, as he looked beyond her and addressed the men in the room. “My distinguished noble men, behold the princess of the Ore kingdom, and the one I hope to wed and make your future queen!”
Ai went cold at his words. She understood that their courtship was in the hopes that they would eventually be wed, but hearing the king declare it aloud to his council was beyond alarming. To her utmost surprise, she heard cheers and murmurs of agreement that compelled her to turn to the council.
The men’s faces were welcoming and almost full of joy at the prospect of her becoming their queen. Ai had never experienced such reception amongst nobles and found herself relishing their acceptance.
“If you have no objections, I shall have you accompany me to a place I consider most beautiful." Ai found that she had suddenly begun liking the idea of a marriage that would afford her such unforced, reverential, and lauding deference.
She allowed herself to be led out of the room, and the men again bowed low and regarded her with honour. It was contrary to what she experienced in her kingdom, and she did not wish for it to end.
She felt assured that with Johin, she would never have to worry about acceptance and honour. Her people would also realise that she was not the worthless adoptive princess they scorned, but one capable of capturing the heart of such a beautiful and powerful king.
