Diplomacy: A Princess's Guide Pt. 01

I stood in the training grounds, the cool breeze brushing against my face as I tightened my grip on the twin daggers in my hands.

Across from me stood Aktaion, my esteemed trainer, his weathered face emanating wisdom and experience.

I admired Aktaion's skills with weapons; he was renowned throughout the kingdom for his mastery. As a princess, I was expected to excel in diplomacy and etiquette, but my heart yearned for something more. I wanted to prove that I was more than just a figurehead, that I possessed strength and determination within me.

Aktaion's voice broke through my reverie, his deep and steady tone grounding me in the present.

"Princess Enya, remember, precision is key. Hold the daggers firmly, yet with grace. Your movements must flow seamlessly, like a dance."

Nodding, I took a deep breath and focused my gaze on Aktaion. I could feel the weight of his expectations upon me, but I was determined to rise to the challenge. With each step, I immersed myself in the training, shutting out all distractions.

Time seemed to lose its meaning as we continued to train. Sweat trickled down my brow, my muscles burned, but I persevered. Aktaion pushed me to my limits, demanding perfection in every strike, every parry. There were moments of frustration and exhaustion, but I refused to give up. The determination to prove myself burned within me like an unquenchable fire.

With each passing session, my skills improved. Aktaion guided me, correcting my form, and instilling in me the importance of discipline and focus. He taught me how to anticipate my opponent's moves, to react swiftly and decisively.

After years of training, the daggers became an extension of my being. I moved with fluidity and confidence, my actions becoming instinctive. Aktaion's proud smile when I executed a flawless maneuver became my motivation, fuelling my desire to excel further.

With a final salute, we concluded the training session. I stood there, catching my breath, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment.

"Thank you for the training, Aktaion," I said, after I had taken a few deep breaths and he smiled at me.

"It was my please, princess Enya," he slightly bowed at the waist. "You are a talented and determined young woman. Your father will be very proud of your progress."

I felt a wave of happiness wash over me at his words. The praise of Aktaion meant a lot to me; after all I had simply decided that I wanted to be trained by him, the best trainer in our kingdom, and I usually got what I wanted.

I smiled and nodded my head at his words. I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride over the progress I had made. Even though I knew, I didn't really need the skills he taught me.

I was the princess of Moira after all, there was no one that could harm me. Usually I was in the castle, that had been carved into the mountain and no one could enter the castle without permission. So I didn't even need guards, I could simply go, whereever I wanted, as long as I didn't leave the mountains. However, it still felt good to excel, to show my competence in something that wasn't purely ceremonial.

When I had left the training grounds, the sky was painted in orange and red, the setting sun casting its final rays over the land. The warmth of the sunset lingered on my skin and I couldn't help but feel that everything was right in the world.

I knew my father was proud of me and that I was what he had expected of me. I was the princess and I had to carry my role with grace and dignity. I had been taught to be polite and refined at all times.

And I was expected to be pure, pure as the snow that covered the mountains around the castle. If my father knew that I was far from the pure maiden I was expected to be, he would surely send me to a convent and marry me to a prince from another country.

Smiling, I thought of the night I had spent with Asher some time ago. How his back muscles moved under my hands. The warmth of his skin against mine. The feel of his breath on my neck, the sound of his voice whispering my name.

It had been an intense night filled with pleasure and ecstasy, but we both knew it had to be a secret and we couldn't show any signs of affection during the day.

It had to remain purely physical and so far it had worked. No one knew that I was sleeping with him, thank Cybele.

When I got to my room, I quickly undressed and stood under the shower. The shower had a window in the height of my head, so I could always watch over the city and relax while showering.

The sunset was still visible and the warm light flooded through the window, illuminating the bathroom.

After my shower, I dried myself with the towel, went to the wardrobe and opened the door to reveal my dresses.

I picked a dark blue one with a long skirt and a tight bodice and dressed myself. It was the uniform for the royal court, the dress I had to wear in case I had to attend one of the council meetings.

And in half an hour I was expected to attend the dinner with the council, before there would be a celebration for Cybele tonight.

My father expected me at every council meeting and while some of them were boring, they usually were filled with discussions of important topics and decisions.

I wasn't really interested in the political part of our kingdom and I preferred the company of the people, but still I had to be present at the council meetings, because my father was afraid that if I weren't, that I wouldn't be prepared to be a queen one day.

I slipped on my night blue pumps and went to the nightstand, to the little chest with my jewelry. I took out the silver necklace with a moonstone at its center, the stone glowing with a soft blue light.

This was the only piece of jewelry that I wore regularly, the rest I saved for special occasions.

I put my hair in a high ponytail and had to smile at the colour. Regularly I had it dyed in shades of pastel rose and blue, making it more interesting to look at. While my father wasn't pleased with my choice, because it didn't suit a princess, I didn't care and did it anyway.

Glancing at myself in the mirror, I smiled. I knew I looked beautiful in this dress, showing off my petite body. The dark blue was complimented by my creamy white skin and my pastel hair. I had a light make up on my eyes, to enhance their colour and highlight my blue eye.

Giving myself a final nod, I turned around and walked into the dinner hall, where the council meeting was held. The guards opened the door for me and I walked in, looking for my father. He was in a deep conversation with Lord Lucanus, a lord from the northern part of our kingdom and one of his most important allies.

I greeted them with a small smile, walking to stand beside my father.

"Your Highness," Lord Lucanus greeted me with a bow.

"Lord Lucanus, it is an honor to see you again."

I looked over at my father, who had an adoring smile on his lips.

"Enya, it is good to see you here, tonight," he said, patting my hand lightly. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you, father."

He smiled at me again and turned back to Lord Lucanus, who had waited for him to turn his attention to him again.

"Lucanus, how are your fields coming along? Has the winter been mild so far?"

"Yes, my king, the winter has been mild. I am thankful to Cybele, that my lands didn't get any snow."

"Yes, I agree," my father replied and I looked over at Lord Lucanus.

Lord Lucanus was so important, because his lands had the most fields, providing the kingdom with food in the rough mountain landscapes.

I looked over to where the rest of the council members were standing, while I listened to the conversation.

There were five other members of the council; Lady Venda, Lady Saffron, Lord Paxson, Lord Kano, and Lord Bela.

I had met them before, usually during council meetings. There had also been some foreign ambassadors, but they hadn't attended this council meeting, as it had happened to be a more festive matter.

When I looked over at the table I noticed that there were ten seats prepared, but we were only eight people. And as far as I knew, no council members were missing. Still thinking, who would be joining us, the door opened.

"Ah, Commander Aris, Captain Asher, welcome," my father greeted them.

"My king," Commander Aris bowed at the waist and stepped closer to us. "My soldiers have searched the mountains thoroughly and found nothing."

I looked at Commander Aris with interest. The commander had dark brown hair and gray eyes, but the thing that drew people's attention was the large scar on his face that ran from above his right brow and down to the bottom of his chin.

He was a big and intimidating man and I couldn't help, but feel a sense of apprehension towards him, but I tried to ignore it.

Commander Aris was the commander of the Royal guard of Moira.

His soldiers protected the castle and the surrounding areas, so he was a vital part of the security of our kingdom. He usually wasn't part of the council meetings, usually only if there was a threat. Nervously I looked at my father.

"I see," he said. "Raise the alert level of the castle and set out some patrols. Have someone search the woods again, just in case."

Commander Aris nodded his head and looked at me.

"We found no traces of any intruders, your Highness. But I will make sure that we find whoever it was."

I smiled at him, trying not to look too nervous, "Thank you, Commander."

He smiled at me, "Your Highness."

Asher stood slightly behind Aris, but didn't say a word.

"Captain Asher, thank you for joining the feast. I had hoped you would be coming," my father said and I snapped my head in his direction.

Asher had never attended a council meeting. It wasn't that I didn't like him being here, but I feared someone noticing our connection, if he attended this feast. He looked very good in his dark blue tunic and pants, with his sword on his belt.

"I will be happy to attend, your Majesty," Asher said, bowing.

A sudden knock came at the door, a maid entered carrying a tray filled with various bottles and glasses.

My father turned towards me, "I heard you are progressing in your training, Enya. Aktaion speaks very highly of your passion."

"Yes, I am." I smiled at my father. "And I am learning a lot."

"That's good. And how is the hunt going, Captain Asher?"

I turned my attention to him, trying to ignore his delicious scent. I loved that smell, a mix of clean skin and leather, which made my heart beat faster.

"Your Majesty," he started to speak, his voice was calm, collected, "we've had a few incidents over the last month. Someone broke into some of the villages, and in one of the larger villages a few weeks ago, some of the villagers were killed. And the most recent one was a merchant, who was found in the woods. His goods were stolen, but no money was taken."

The maid walked to my father and handed him a glass of wine, before she turned to me, a glass of my favorite wine in her hand. I took it with a thankful nod.

"What a shame, that there was a break-in. I hope it didn't scare the villagers too much," I heard Lady Venda say and turned towards her.

She was a woman with honey blonde hair and brown eyes, who always looked at Asher with interest in her eyes. It annoyed me to no end. As if it were an answer to my prayers, the maid returned with another glass of wine, placing it before him.

I eyed her silently, the sudden flare of jealousy roiling within me. I tried my hardest to quell it down, reminding myself that the feeling was absolutely unnecessary.

Asher nodded his head. "We will investigate and take all necessary precautions to make sure that the kingdom is safe."

"Thank you, Captain Asher," my father replied.

Asher nodded and bowed at the waist.

"We should not let goddess Cybele wait, let us take our seats," my father said, pointing to the table.

It was a large stone table in the middle of the room, a white table cloth covering it and some plates for all the attendees.

The room was lightened by a few candles on the walls and the fireplace was burning brightly.

Tapestry with the symbols of Cybele were hanging from the walls, while the rest of the walls were decorated with tapestries depicting the history of our kingdom and the feasts we celebrated.

The fireplace cast light across the room and created dancing shadows that lent an air of mystery and intrigue to the already elaborate decor.

I took my seat next to my father, across from Asher, who sat next to Lady Venda. I noticed her leaning in to him and laughing brightly at something he said. A small twinge of annoyance spiked within me, but I did my best to suppress it.

Lady Saffron, a lady with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes, was sitting to my right and greeted me with a bright smile.

"Your Highness, you look ravishing," she said. "The dress suits you perfectly."

"Thank you, Lady Saffron," I smiled at her. "I am glad to hear that. You look dashing in your dress, I love the color."

Lady Saffron had chosen an earthy coloured dress, that hugged her petite frame elegantly and showed off her creamy white shoulders and delicate collarbones. Her platinum hair cascaded in waves, contrasting against the golden jewelry on her slender neck. She wore a stunning necklace adorned with delicate white gems that seemed to glow with inner radiance in the dimly lit room.

She smiled prettily, her cheeks blushing under the compliment.

She had become a good friend over the years, we had both started our training at the same time and we had shared some classes with each other.

She had a very cheerful personality and she always had something nice to say to me. I felt more than comfortable around her.

"We are very thankful to the goddess for blessing our kingdom with such a beautiful night. And we have such important guests with us this evening," she smiled. "Let's hope for a lovely night and good tidings."

She gently raised her glass and I mirrored her actions, lightly clinking my glass with hers.

The others at the table were chatting to each other and I looked at Asher again.

His face was stoic, as it always was when we were in public and his eyes were scanning the room, and I couldn't help but smile, that he didn't seem to have any interest in Lady Venda.

She seemed flustered as she spoke softly to him and her hand was ghosting over his forearm. As if he could feel my gaze, his blue eyes met mine. He smiled at me and I quickly looked away, not wanting anyone to notice. The last thing I needed was a bunch of nosy nobles thinking they had caught us having an affair. The implications would be far too problematic.

Shortly after we had taken our seats, the servants came to bring out the appetizers, some soup with garlic and shallots and sourdough bread.

The smell was intoxicating and my stomach rumbled in anticipation. I had trained so long today and barely eaten anything.

I didn't pay much attention to the chatter around me and instead concentrated on my plate, waiting for my father to start the prayer.

After a while, he stood up, holding his wine glass, "Dear friends, dear family, dear council, dear guests, it is an honor for us to gather together. Let us celebrate the blessings of Cybele, who has chosen us as her people, who has given us this wonderful land, this warm sun and the cold mountains of Moira. Let us give thanks to her for giving us the opportunity to grow, to prosper, and to thrive, and for granting us the wisdom to know how to protect our land."

Everyone stood up and joined the prayer, chanting the words of the goddess.

I stood up and held my glass, repeating the words with everyone else, "Cybele, may you keep us safe, warm, and nourished. May your light guide us on our path and keep us from harm. May we be worthy of your love and mercy."

The words filled me with a sense of serenity, and I closed my eyes for a second, basking in the energy of the goddess. My chest hummed and I took a deep breath, enjoying the moment.

I opened my eyes to look at my father as he finished the prayer. Everyone clapped a few times and returned to their seats and the servant approached us, serving the main meal. There was an array of food, different types of meats with herbs and potatoes, a rich meat sauce served with pasta and mushrooms and vegetables, red fruit soup, a cabbage-grain and fish stew, various desserts and lots of fresh salad. I ate some meat sauce with pasta and mushrooms and the savory taste spread in my mouth, while the red soup spread a sweet flavor.

We all took a few bites, enjoying the food and the peace and quiet.

"How can you eat so much and yet maintain your figure, your Highness?" Lady Saffron asked me. "It is truly admirable."

"I suppose, I have had a lot of training. But thank you for your compliment, Lady Saffron." I looked at her with curiosity.

"It is a pleasure, your Highness," she said. "I had no idea, you were such a talented fighter."

Lady Saffron gave me a gentle smile, her sky-blue eyes sparkling. She took a bite out of her cabbage-grain dish and I waited for her to finish the bite.

"Yes, the training has been long and hard, but it is rewarding." I smiled at her.

"Well, that is an excellent reason to do anything. So you are an expert at combat and weaponry?"

I nodded, "Yes, I have had many years of training, but I haven't had the opportunity to show my skills, yet." I smiled slightly.

"Well, there are always tournaments or other events, where you could showcase your talents."

I looked over at my father, the king. He would never allow it. I was the princess and I was supposed to behave as a princess should.

"That is true, but I am not sure, if I would like to participate in such things."

"But it would be such a shame, if you weren't allowed to. It would be a great honour to see you in action," she replied.

I gave her a soft smile. Maybe she was right. The banquets would get boring after a while and it might be fun to get involved in a tournament sometime. But I knew I wouldn't be allowed.

"You are welcome to join me for training, if you want," I said, trying to avoid the situation.

"Really, you would allow me?" she asked, looking excited. "I would be honoured, your Highness."

I nodded and took another bite, smiling at her, while Lady Saffron continued talking about all the things she liked to do.

After a while, my father stood up again and called everyone's attention.

"As you all know, Commander Aris has informed us that there have been some incidents over the last few months, and we all want to make sure that our kingdom is safe. We have strengthened the security at the borders and the soldiers will patrol the area regularly. Captain Asher, if you could give us a quick update."

Asher stood up. "I have increased the number of patrols in the mountain areas. We are still investigating the break-ins and the murders and will continue to do so until we find the culprit or culprits. Our soldiers will also check the village borders regularly. While we don't know yet, who or what caused these incidents, we are taking every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of the kingdom."

He seemed calm, yet serious, and I admired him for being able to conduct himself with such professionalism in such a tense environment.

He also looked gorgeous in his dark blue tunic and pants, which brought out the beauty of his ocean-blue eyes. There was something magnetic about him, something I couldn't put my finger on.

He sat down, taking a sip from his drink, while the others in the room started to talk. So that is why they were here, to put the council's mind at ease. But still the thought of someone attacking our people filled me with fury and worry.

"Let us have a toast, to the safety of our kingdom," my father said, holding his glass in the air, and we all stood up and did the same.