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They all came forward, offering Chiza greetings as they took her hands, hugged her, and kissed her on the cheek. Some of them gave her enthusiastic handshakes and fiddled with her dress and jewelry. The princesses from the Buku, Winaka, and Vol kingdoms seemed less than excited to see her. Chiza’s arrival was most shocking to them, no doubt.
“Princess Rasha, what are you wearing? You can’t be wearing that to see the prince.” It was the princess of the Karmir, her dark red skin decorated with the traditional four white dots down the center of her forehead. She’d left her hair loose, unlike the others, who were in intricate braided styles.
“I-I’m not here for The Choosing,” Rasha said, not sure how to respond. “How do you know me?”
“My name is Osika. I’d know you anywhere. I studied y
