Page 26 of The Promise Born
“Maybe, but I don't really care about making them proud right now.”
“I understand.” She sipped her tea, looking at me over the rim of the cup. But the way she looked at me told me she wouldn’t be letting the matter go.
She smiled when I reached for the orange pastry in front of me. “I doubt it will be as good as yours. I’ll have to try them someday, but I’ll leave that for my son for now.”
That line made my stomach hurt. If she ever asked to eat my food, I would have a serious problem; the mere thought made my stomach churn.
We finished our tea in silence, and despite my nausea, I forced myself to try the food. No wonder the other chefs were upset; their meticulously prepared dishes with their sweet and savory blend of flavors were being overshadowed by my exotic style. Their creations were airy and had a spark of flavor I knew I could never master on my own.
I remained with the queen until she was called away. That was the way it always was with the Royals. There was always something to be done, something to prepare for. I didn't hate it. In fact, I felt a weight lift from my shoulders the moment she left, and the silence of the room was a welcome change. I finished my tea and ate a few more of the treats, happy to eat something that I hadn't created myself before going back to my room.
Once there, I became very aware of how I existed in a space that wasn’t really my own. Asante had told me he expected his mother to have already been looking into my past, and he was right. Though the queen was cordial, I had no hopes of her actually leaving it alone. Queen Toci wanted to know everything about me. I couldn’t make it easier for her to find out who I was. There were echoes of me all around the room, which I quickly got to work erasing. The first step to protecting my secret was cleaning up anything that could lead her to finding out who I was.
My priority became cleaning up all shedding. Hair and scales. Though I hadn’t shifted in a long time, I still shed like any other dragon. Especially in my sleep. I’d wake up and find scaly bits in my bed. Anything I found, I picked up and put in a small bag. I couldn’t trust just tossing it into the trash bin for collection. I had to hide it all and dispose of it when I could.
While I cleaned, my mind drifted back to my family, and Asante’s words came back to me. The way he talked of his brother. I couldn’t help but wonder if my own sibling felt the same after I had gone. Did my younger sister inherit my responsibilities when I left home? Did she feel like Asante? Had she gone neglected in my presence? Did she hate me for my absence?
When I was done, I snuck out of my room. I needed fresh air and time to clear my mind. After some searching, I found myself back in the garden where Asante planned our picnic dinner. The space truly was beautiful, and I was happy to have the chance to take it all in, but with every step I took, I could feel someone's eyes on me.
The guards watched me carefully, and I made sure I did nothing worth reporting to the queen. Was that what it would be like to be with him? If I stayed with Asante, would I never have privacy? The questions fluttered through my mind, but I couldn't understand why they were there.
“It doesn’t matter!” I muttered to myself. It didn't matter how it would be, because I had no plans on staying with him.
“Kiala,” Uradis called out to me from the flowered arches standing at the entrance to the garden.
“Yes?” I turned to her after picking up a fallen flower.
“I finally found you.” She walked over to me. “Prince Asante has returned, and he's requesting your presence.”
“Oh.” I look down at the dress I wore. I’d removed the corset while cleaning and never put it back on.
“You look beautiful,” she reassured me. “Don't worry about it.”
“Is that obvious?” I smirked.
“Why wouldn't you want to look good for him?” She winked at me. “Every woman wants to look good for their love.”
I looked away from her when she said the word love. Asante wasn’t my love. I didn’t even like him that much. “I guess you're right.”
She led me to the prince, who stood by a small pond at the opposite end of the grounds, close to where they kept the serabringers. In the distance, I could hear their excited neighing and wished we could visit them again.
“Another beautiful dress.” Asante complimented me.
“Thank you.” I placed my hand where the missing corset should have been. “I had tea with your mother this morning.”
He pursed his lips. “How did that go?”
“Better than I expected.” I smiled, hoping to reassure him. “She was sweet, inquisitive, but respectful.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” He sighed and dropped his head back as he looked out over the water. “I thought she might give you more trouble.”
“It was okay, I promise.” I placed my hand on his arm. “Are you alright? You look upset.”
“There’s a lot I need to get done in a short period.” He walked over to a small clawfoot bench behind us. “Sit with me, please.”
“I don't have any treats for you today.” I smiled as I joined him. “There wasn’t much time to make them after everything else.”
“A slight disappointment, but I understand.” He pouted. “My mother was a priority. You can make more for me tomorrow, right?”
