The Courier’s Collection

Chapter 33

33

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 you as a child. We were here together once, you and I. To be honest, I didn’t expect you to come.”

Another girl, the one from Vol, stood with her arms crossed. “What do you mean you’re not here for The Choosing? What else would you be doing here?”

“Your highness,” Rasha said with a quick bow. “I have urgent business. Perhaps we can talk more later.”

“Of course.” Osika stepped aside and the others allowed her to pass by. The whispers about their mysterious arrival died down as they reached the stairs.

“Rasha Jenchat Indari, I knew I’d seen you someplace before,” Prince Bashir spoke as they descended the stairs. He’d been waiting for them, it seemed. “I’ll meet with you in just a moment. Let me welcome you, Chiza. Your journey was arduous and grueling, I hear. That you made it at all is tribute to your excellent couriers.”

“Your Grace, it was nothing, knowing I could fulfill my duty to my nation and my kingdom.”

Prince Bashir looked her over and made a sound in the back of his throat. Rasha wasn’t sure if it was disapproval or annoyance. “Well, that is interesting. My home is your home now, please explore and make yourself comfortable.”

He bowed to Chiza once more before taking Rasha’s hand and pulling her away. He walked right out the doors and down to the gardens. The manicured drive they’d glimpsed at the front was mirrored here behind the palace with an identical drive. The hedges were brown, as the cold temperature had killed most of the color here. Rasha imagined there would be flowers everywhere in the warmer months.

“Your attire, Princess, is,” he seemed to search for the right word, “odd.”

“I’m not here as a Princess, your Grace, I’m here as the courier bringing you the princess from the tenth kingdom. I hoped that you might restore the licenses of my partner and myself. They were revoked over a misunderstanding. Perhaps you’ve heard of it by now? We received live human cargo on a mandatory fetch and deliver.”

“Yes, I see where that could be a problem for your employers.”

Rasha waited for the prince to say more. Instead he stopped in between two hedges. Rasha didn’t know where they were. She’d been looking at him instead of where they were going. His long white hair and snow-white skin glowed in the soft light passing through the clouds above them.

“So, you would like your licenses and the freedom to just leave?” he asked.

Rasha’s heart sank. This is the conversation she’d wanted to avoid her whole life. This was the reason she didn’t want to be here during The Choosing. The prince would never understand.

“May I ask why I’m so repulsive that you won’t even give me the decency of a trial?”

Rasha didn’t want to get into her ideals, but it didn’t look like she had a choice.

“Forgive me, your grace, but I don’t believe in a system where women are paraded around a palace for several weeks to be chosen, or not. It may sound like treason to you, forgive me, but I want the option to choose. If you are the only male here, what options are there for me?”

Prince Bashir laughed. It was a deep, from his belly laugh, and it lasted so long that Rasha looked around and wondered if they were being watched.

“Oh, Rasha.” He wiped a few tears from his eyes and smiled at her. Then he took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. “My thoughts precisely.” He kissed her hand but didn’t let it go.

Rasha didn’t know what to think of this prince. Was he crazy or insightful? Perhaps he thought her mad.

“Many rotations ago, when we were about half the age we are now, you came here to the palace. We played together. I’m not even sure you remember it.”

Rasha remembered. They’d picked up sticks and had been dueling when her father discovered them. He’d grabbed her by the back of the neck. Then he marched her out of sight where he whipped her for being seen as less than a princess in front of the king.

“You were the only princess out of the ten I’d begged my father to let stay.” Bashir stopped, and, stepping close to her, brushed a wisp of hair from her face. “I adored you. When you arrived today, I didn’t notice Chiza because you looked so stunning I couldn’t take my eyes off of you.”

Rasha turned away from him but she didn’t pull her hand away. His admission made her uncomfortable. She didn’t feel that way, and it was embarrassing to listen to him.

“I’m making you uncomfortable,” he observed. “I see it in your eyes. You don’t have those feelings for me. You don’t know me.”

He let go of her hand at last and continued walking the gardens.

“I’ve always had a problem with the system myself. Half the girls are in love with some boy or other before they arrive, anyway.” He stroked his hairless chin.

“I’ve given this some thought. What if we invited all the eligible princes and princesses to the palace as a kind of meeting place?”

“It would serve some but not others. What about the prince or princess of the first kingdom? If they don’t find a mate, then it’s all for nothing.”

“Not if done in a more creative way,” Prince Bashir’s pace quickened. “What if after The Choosing we opened the palace to everyone interested? Anyone who did not find a mate among the princes and princesses could look elsewhere.” His hands waved in excitement.

Rasha didn’t hide her shock as she raised her eyebrows and looked at the prince. He had thought about this. It surprised her that he’d be so open to the idea.

“It’s revolutionary. Not everyone, including the council, will like the change, but you’ve got my vote.” Rasha put out her hand to shake his, and he did. He laughed again and turned back to the palace. The wind whipped at their faces, his alabaster cheeks and ears turning pink.

“I want you to consider staying. I know it’s not what you’d planned. However, I’d like to have some lively conversation and someone on my side when I bring this up to the king and queen.”

Rasha almost choked on the words, “The king and queen?”

“Yes, my parents aren’t open to change. Perhaps the two of us can convince them.”

Rasha’s thoughts were racing along with his, leaving her feeling disoriented. “Stay here in the palace with the rest of you?”

“Not just us. I’ll send out an invitation to the other eligible princes. We’ll make The Choosing fun again. I know you’ve already decided against me but I hope after you get to know me you might reconsider. I’m not so bad.” His grey eyes implored her to change her mind.

Rasha’s thoughts were on Jak. What would he say if she stayed? They hadn’t talked about what they’d do after their delivery was complete and they had their lives back.

“I’ll think about it,” she said. Then she remembered why she’d come. “Our licenses?”

“Yes, of course, your licenses are already restored.” He waved his hand. “I need to see to the other girls now, they’re still jealous of each other. Don’t let it bother you. I’ll reserve a seat for you on my left at dinner.” He flashed her a winning smile before he made his way back inside.

Rasha looked down at herself and wondered what she’d wear to dinner.

Jak was pacing the floor of the foyer when she found him. Rasha wondered if she should wait to tell him the prince’s idea. He seemed agitated. Before she could ask him what was wrong, he held up the small circular disk that she’d placed under the collar of his jacket.

“What’s this?” Jak asked.

“Let me explain.”

“No, I know what it is. It’s you not trusting me. If you wanted to know something why didn’t you ask me?”

“That was a long time ago, before we,” Rasha didn’t need to finish the sentence she lifted his left hand and held it between hers. “I didn’t trust you when I put that on your collar. Now, I do. I trust you with my life.”

“When?” The guards looked up when he raised his voice. Rasha grabbed him and pulled him into a quiet seating area just off the front entrance.

She lowered her own voice. “The day I found you meeting with some men in the woods. They looked like the ones that were tracking us.”

Jak nodded.

“They were. I travelled with them for a time to throw them off your trail. Then I directed them through seven lands so they wouldn’t follow me. I explained to them I was going home to the Wilds. They believed me.”

“Why were you following us in the first place?”

“The king and queen hired me to ensure princess Chiza’s safe arrival. I told you all of this before. With all the tricks that her father had pulled, they didn’t believe she’d make it. They were right.”

Jak threw the disk down on the marble floor and Rasha stepped on it, rendering it useless. He seemed satisfied. Now wasn’t a good time at all to talk about staying at the palace. She’d wait until they were both calmer.

Jak pulled her close, but she wiggled out of his grip.

“What’s wrong?”

Rasha shook her head. The last thing she wanted now was to have to explain why she was staying.

“Have you seen Lu?”

“He went to say goodbye to Chiza.”

“Oh.” Rasha wanted to tell him they might not be leaving, but instead settled on something she thought they’d all enjoy. “We’ve been invited to stay for dinner.”

“That’s good, we could all use another good meal before we head out. It looks like a storm is coming,” Jak replied.

He had no idea.