First gift ever given
I heard he's picky and very difficult to deal with" Amira said.
Ali let out a small smile.
"Prince Zyran has always been a benevolent master. Although I didn't originally work for him, I was just a mere servant boy who was mistreated and left out to starve, I owe my life to his kindness. He once saved me, and I am forever indebted to him.
"You view him as a perfect man despite his seemingly harsh approach," remarked Amira.
"I don't believe he is harsh at all. While my master may appear distant and indifferent, when he becomes attached, his care runs deep. After any battle, his first concern is the well-being of his men. If any harm befalls us, Master grieves, but he ensures that the fallen receive the respect and dignified farewells they deserve."
"He never experienced love from his family, and his father only saw him as a tool for warfare, leaving little time or care for him."
"His mother was his sole source of comfort, but he lost her when he was a mere six years old. Master has endured great hardship in life, and at times, I feel genuinely sorrowful for the hardships he has faced."
"Princess Amira, Master genuinely cares for you. You shouldn't think he's doing it as a mere duty to you, he pays everyone fairly what they deserve, but you are special," Ali said, his smile brightening.
"I wish everyone was as loyal and kind as you, Ali. I bet Zyran is pleased to have you."
Amira paused as a carriage came to a stop in front of them. The curtain was pulled aside, and Zyran stepped out, his once stern face now softened.
"Are you finished for the day?" Amira inquired, and he nodded.
She approached him and laced her fingers with his, looking up at him with a smile. He raised an eyebrow in question, and she pulled him along.
"Where to?" he asked.
"Come with me," she replied.
She guided him to the nearest shop where compasses were sold; she selected a gold-covered compass, which gleamed among the others.
She took his hand and placed the compass in his palm, she looked up at him.
"You go to the frontier all the time. I want you to always find your way home, no matter what. Don't get lost, but find your way back home, Zyran."
The way she said his name felt different, and he was astonished by the genuine smile on her lips and how easily she could forgive and forget.
"It's a handsome compass, isn't it? I saw it earlier and wondered if it would be suitable, but it fits perfectly," Amira remarked.
Zyran raises the compass to his eye level before looking back at her.
"I would treasure it; it is the first gift my wife ever gave me," Zyran said.
Amira flushed, her cheek turning red each second.
Their long-awaited journey had finally reached its conclusion as Amira and Zyran returned to Oaken Vale.
In the weeks that followed, Amira found herself effortlessly moving through her daily routines.
"Princess, next week we have the king's birthday celebration, and it's going to be quite the grand affair," Nora excitedly informed Amira.
"I've never been to a royal birthday celebration before. It sounds like it would be quite an experience," Amira replied with curiosity.
"It's a spectacle, but behind the glamour, there's always a subtle power play going on. The prince and princess are constantly vying for influence," Nora explained.
"Why would there be power struggles on the king's birthday? It seems quite risky," Amira asked, perplexed.
"It's not a physical fight, my dear princess," Nora clarified as she handed over the freshly cleaned paintbrush.
"It's more of a subtle competition. For example, Prince Loyd, as the crown prince, must continuously work to maintain his position and influence within the court," Nora elaborated.
"It all points less. The king has chosen his heir. Why fight for a taken position."
"The struggle in every royal family is real, the wives Consort, or concubines are always unsatisfied, they know that once the king passes away the next person to take the throne will most likely strip them of their power and send them out of the palace, everyone wants to be the one in charge" Nora explained.
"That's a bloody fight; I would never want to fight for power; I would rather be free than be bound to a throne where blood was shed to be seated upon," Amira said, truly not grasping the reason for such fights.
"You are truly Princess Amira. I wish everyone in the royal family was as nice as you," Nora said, shaking her head.
"But not all of them are bad, the queen is nice although she appears strict at times"
"That what you think? Nora chuckled. She isn't nice at all she's like" Nora whisper.
"Shush Nora someone might hear you speaking ill of the queen" Amira told her.
The door to the painting room open and Novalie walk in, Nora was quick to bow moving aside.
"Novalie, you are here" Amira said smiling at the princess.