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"If I dare ask, brother, what makes you so sure prince Adelio will accept the union?"

With a smug voice like his, Makai finds no carefulness or respect in Noor's words, despite the first remark. Noor is just like his twin Nico, way too confident in his own position for his own good. As a brother, Makai finds that to be both an asset and trouble. As a king, he finds it mildly annoying at best. Nobody else would ever dare to question him. Ever since he became king last year, as a mere twenty five year old, nobody has ever dared to question him. Even before that, as crown prince under his old father Micah's rule, he was known as the untouchable crown prince that spread fear over the court, capital and country.

It is only ever his brothers, the twins Noor and Nico at twenty two, and his closest brother Takao at twenty four, that ever dare to stand up against him. No matter how smug they get with their words, Makai knows when somebody is questioning his wit. He's always had an eye for such things. So, instead of fighting with his brother unnecessarily, Makai levels the younger with a stare before speaking.

"I have Adelio against a wall here, Noor. He's a crown prince with a dying father. In just a year's time he'll be king just like me, and a king needs a queen. There is no better candidate than her"

Noor shakes his head with an amused glint in his eye. The glass of wine in his hand almost spills over to the fancy silk couch, nearly ruining the golden stitching and purple flower embroidery. In a way he almost matches the couch in his dark purple royal suit, dark brown hair that almost falls in front of his eyes and laid back position. Noor is a prince, and just like all other princes, he has a lot of opinions. Opinions that he doesn't fear to express to his older, and much more powerful brother Makai. Despite the fact that his older brother stares at him sharply, with cunning black eyes and deep black hair in the same style, sharp canine teeth and a deep black suit. In short words, the new king of this country likes to match his dark personality with even darker clothes.

"Are you sure about that, brother? She may have our blood, but our dear sister is as much a peasant as the others out there. She can't read, can't write, can't ride a horse, can't embroider or host a party. If we're being honest, she's the worst candidate he has for queen, out of all the princess on the continent"

Noor leans back, taking a sip from his red wine. He sighs, staring out into the distance. Makai observes him with his usual dark expression. One that would strike fear in everyone else, but not in his brothers. They have grown too used to it.

"Honestly, we're lucky if she's even pretty"

Makai hates to admit it, but his brother is right for once. He stares out the palace window, where the capital city looks so small from their high position. His kingdom is large, they have a big army, lots of riches, a high reputation and lots of victories. They have trading routes, power and influence over other kingdoms, nobilities that stretch over borders and into other royal families. The kingdom of the Blue Knight was originally just a small city with a tower led by a knight. Now it's practically an empire, the biggest one on the continent, with hundreds of years of war history and a growing royal lineage. Makai was lucky to be the first born son of King Micah and queen Margaret, because now he rules an empire that can do practically whatever it pleases.

But they aren't alone on this continent. Another large kingdom is right next door, the kingdom of the Red Lion, literally translated. The Red Lion has been at war with the Blue Knight several times, and the two kingdoms have continued to expand in opposite directions of each other, swallowing up their neighboring countries while not being able to defeat each other. Makai does not desire war, though, and neither did his father. They fought against smaller powers like bullies but refused to war with a bigger country like Red Lion, in fear of bigger losses. Makai is still on that theory, he wants more money, not more war. But with a mighty kingdom like Red Lion just next door, a war might be inevitable if the tensions continue to grow. He has never gotten along with crown prince Adelio, despite the two of them being nearly the same age.

Now that the both of them are kings of the two largest countries on the continent, Makai worries that their differences and subtle hate for each other may lead to war. The only option here is to form some sort of union. And there is only one union that is cheap and forgettable, yet important and everlasting. Marriage.

Sadly, with no sisters, he had no candidates for the single crown prince Adelio, and the other smaller kingdoms with their princesses stood a higher chance. Or more like, all the chances. It seemed almost unreal when he was informed of his very own sister, like his plans were all coming together. Like his prayers had been answered, all overnight. Will he ever have such luck again? Probably not. The moment his mother told him about Princess Margaret the second, whilst laying on her deathbed, Makai saw the gods send him a once in a lifetime opportunity at good fortune.

The gods have sent him a sister. One which he may use to seal his rival country into an unbreakable and unrefusable union. Because who would be dumb enough to reject the hand of the one and only princess from the biggest empire on the continent? Not even Adelio would be that dumb, and his father definitely wouldn't be that dumb. He'll have Margaret married off within the next few weeks, no matter if she can embroider or ride a horse. What matters for a woman is her ability to mother children, is that not true? Makai feels almost too smart.

"Whether she is pretty or not, Adelio will agree. We'll just do our best to create an illusion of a princess from this peasant. Because you're right brother, our blood or not, she is just the same as every girl out there on the street"

Makai adds, to make sure that his brother won't continue arguing against him. He doesn't want to continue this conversation, knowing that any minute now-

A knock is heard on the door. Makai smirks to himself, as he is always right. It's like he can sense when something is about to happen, he can feel it inside. The dull voice of a scared servant sounds through the room from behind the white double doors.

"Her Highness has arrived, your Majesty"

Noor stands up from his seat with a loopy smile. He brushes off his royal suit and bows slightly to his older brother, ready to take his leave.

"Your Majesty, I'll be on my way. Nico should've arrived from the knighting ceremony by now"

Noor lifts his head up from the bow, and smirks before turning around and leaving. Two guards follow him out the double doors, dressed in their usual blue uniforms. Makai scoffs once he has left, and drags a hand through his black hair. His brother sure can be arrogant at times, and dances around his nerves like a professional joker. Nico isn't any better though, and that makes relative sense, they are twins after all. Takao is bearable, but even he has his moments of annoyance. Makai can only hope that his sister is more bendable. He needs her to be naive and frightened, so that he may mold her like clay. In that sense, it's good that she was raised as a peasant and not as a royal. Had she grown up with her brothers, she would've turned out just like them. Or perhaps, just like him. Stubborn, cunning, scheming and always secretly out for more power.

He stands up from his seat.

"Have her washed, dressed and fed. I'll see her in the evening"

"We've arrived, your Highness"

Don't mistake their politeness and respect to be anything remotely close to kindness. Maud can feel it, in the way her hand is grabbed harshly by the soldier, and she is practically thrown out of the carriage. With little food in her system, she is no match for the well trained man. As a woman, don't ever expect men to do anything out of kindness. Don't expect anyone to do so, for it is not in their interest. What women feel, how women are treated, is not of anyone's immediate concern. Maud knows this first hand, because despite being a princess, she is treated like a rat hiding within the palace walls.

And there it stands, the great palace of the Blue knight kingdom. Nothing has ever come close to this magnificent structure, with its thousands of rooms, hundreds of side-buildings and sea of servants at every turn and corner. It has windows that look as if they were made from crystals. It's got a wall so shiny and yet so sturdy, it could even withstand a boulder catapulted directly at it. Its doors are larger than five humans stapled on top of each other, even a huge battleship could fit through. A whole river flows through the palace, beneath it in the thousands of catacombs and cold cellars. Each room is decorated with only the best materials from all around the world, much of it gifted by foreign dignitaries, others bought by the bottomless riches of the king's vault.

Nothing here fails to impress even the mightiest of kings. To a commoner's eye this palace holds more than just a second world, it's so large and beautiful, it is said to burn their eyes if they look too closely. Yet here she stands, feeling like a peasant, gazing at the enormity of luscious green gardens, high shining towers, enchanting fountains with its realistic stone statues and spotless marble floors. Standing there, it's impossible for Maud to feel at home. This is not her home. This is where poverty comes to die, and richness comes to cower. For nothing is more impressive than the majestic structures of his late majesty, now upheld by his shining heir, the king Makai of the Blue Knight kingdom.

No, that doesn't feel right. As Maud is pushed through the huge entrance, away from the carriage she has spent the last twenty four hours in. This is not the palace of a kingdom. This is the heart of an empire.

She is forced up ten steps of white stone stairs, from the cobblestone inner courtyard, surrounded by filling parks, into the palace itself through its high doors. This is not even the main entrance, Maud almost gawks. This is just one of its many side-doors, for as a woman she is not pushed into the palace with pride. However, even if this is just another way to suppress her, just another way to show her inferiority, Maud feels more important than she ever has in her life. It seems like these doors are three times the size of her life, and the inside of the palace is not much different.

Splendid marble floors in a cream white and soft blue shine beneath her. Walls even higher than the doors rise up around her, in a darker blue color with golden details and white marble pillars all over. This is one of the side entrances, with two blue velvet couches on each side of the door, four expensive vases on each side, a decorative statue of one of their minors gods in the center of the hall, and a simplistic yet dangerously expensive gold crystal chandelier right above it all. Servants start to scurry all around them, some dressed in heavenly blue dresses with white aprons, others in pitch black dresses without aprons at all. Maids, and their superiors. Maud feels inadequate and nervous once again, for here she is dressed in mere rags as a princess, while these women around her wear more expensive clothing than she could ever muster up as servants.

Maud finds a hard time answering to their sudden presence with an adequate expression, as she is hauled through the hallways of this new world and into what she can only describe as; possible doom.

They pull at her clothes, search for something in her appearance, yelp at the guards to go faster and talk amongst each other as if she isn't even there. This is not how a princess should be treated, Maud knows that. But as a woman who has lived all of her life with peasant status, she isn't expecting them to treat her any different than that. After all, she isn't a princess. She can't be. How could a girl like her, with rags for clothes, messy hair, a radically empty upbringing and simple farm-way-of-life ever be a person of higher status? Just because her parents claim to know what the guards are saying, just because they claim that she looks like the late queen Margaret, doesn't mean that she actually has a fancy name, fancy blood and fancy title. Maud is Maud, and no matter what, that will never change.

They take turn after turn. Fancy marble hallways, high ceilings, crystal chandeliers matched up with statues, paintings, rugs and vases from all around the continent are spread out all around her. It's all she can see. They walk far enough into the palace, that the windows grow from many to none at all, and the furniture becomes more recognizable. Sofas, fancy chairs paired up with fancy tables, candle holders along the walls, door frames from gold and stairs with matching railings to that color. Everywhere Maud looks, or tries to look through their rush, there are servants cleaning every corner of the palace, and guards standing tauntingly with their swords in their belts. Maud is the only one without a role, the only one who doesn't know what is going on. She feels terribly out of place, which is hard for a girl who has always felt like she belongs in her own home.

Eventually they have dragged her through enough hallways to finally reach some kind of destination. The guards and maids scurry her down some stairs into a fancy version of a basement, except this is less of a basement and more of a maze of more fancy rooms and fancy hallways. They pull her along just a few more turns, and Maud can faintly smell the humidity in the air. Since they are in the basement, the river that flows through the palace with its many boats passing through, must be close by. But she doesn't have time to dwell on that before they have ushered her through yet another set of doors, into a room that engulfs her with its scents of soap, water and frantic washing.

Maud takes a deep breath and looks around. The floor is made from white marble stone, and the walls are made from the same material. There are three glimmering pools dug into the ground, two large ones and one small one further out into the big room. There are some ladies around, washing themselves in the pools. Rows and rows of shelves stand all around, all filled with different kinds of soaps and shampoos, oils and creams that fill the room with a cleaner scent than Maud has ever smelled before. The doors are frantically shut behind them, and her guards are left on the other side. Now it's just the maids, yelling around, encouraging everyone to hurry up and leave, while they pull her towards the smaller pool furthest into the room.

Her clothes are practically ripped from her body, until she stands there shivering. Maud feels exposed and dirty, but she doesn't have time to dwell on that anymore. Too shy to protest, she doesn't even try to fight back as the maids lead her into the small pool, and drag curtains all around them so that the rest of the women bathing are separated from her. Immediately they get started, washing her hair and body like it's the last thing they'll ever get to do. Maud frantically holds her breath as her head is pushed under water, the maids really not sparing any effort.

How could she ever get used to this?

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