The Exchange Ch. 02

Smoke rushing out from her lips, picking up a fruit snack, Lataa rolled her eyes. "Perhaps a day in the palace, and she's already assumed she's important."

"Well ... Your Highness," Rahki said, "She's already received her monthly allowance, and I imagine she'll pay for the order with a portion of that. There's no rule against it."

Through her chewing, Lataa gurgled out quite rudely, "What in the world did that wild foreigner order? Fur shoes?"

Rahki shook her head. "I've heard she ordered an old loom, spare threads, and fabric with expensive rainbow dyes, in a gradient pattern, and with fine embroidery."

Lataa actually spat her treat onto the floor and threw her hot pipe into the nearest cushion, burning it. A maid had to take care of the issue. The bitter princess kicked the air and screeched, "Papa refused to let me have rainbow clothing until my fourteenth birthday!! And this bumpy wretch thinks she can have such a thing within a day of living here?!"

"Please," Rahki said as she put the box of snacks aside and knelt down, "please don't let your anger fly away from yourself. It's far too dangerous."

"Oh shut up!! What do you know?!" Lataa's bare foot kicked out to Rahki's small waist, which knocked the attendant to the ground with a sharp cry. The princess shot hot air out of her teeth. Then she stood up and crossed her arms. "I want to go for a walk." She gestured upwards. "Come on, up!! Stupid Girl!!"

Clutching her side, Rahki got up, and she followed her mistress out of the apartment.

Lataa chose to have her walk in one of the communal gardens. The sky was cloudy but pleasant. Idly admiring the flowers and butterflies, the princess moved with a gait that reminded many of skipping. On the way, they happened to pass some female servants who were planting new flowers into the soil. One of those servants happened to turn her kneeling body around to reach for another pot.

That was when Lataa's foot pushed the pot over, breaking it, and putting soil on her fine slippers.

The poor servant, and the other ones too, all prostrated themselves in apology, but Lataa wasn't having it. Her face was flaming again. She kicked that one servant backwards, making her roll over and whimper. She started to call out for a guard to arrest the servant, but before a syllable could be uttered, she heard a new voice.

"Oh dear! Is there a problem? Can I help in any way?"

Lataa turned and saw that pale woman and her redheaded attendant approaching, which meant that Rahki had to kneel. Lataa didn't kneel at all because she just didn't want to, but the sight of that new princess' icy face cooled her own. She pointed at the frightened servant she'd kicked and said, "This wretch dared to dirty my slipper. I was only administering a punishment."

Princess Inka bent her arm and rose it, palm up and fingers tightly closed, in a light but regal gesture. "We can't have that, now can we? I'll right the wrong immediately." She called out for two guards, who rushed to her and bowed. Curious about how this would go, Lataa put a hand on her hip and tilted her head one way, eyeing Princess Inka like she was a cat stuck in a tree.

"Take this girl," the pale princess said as she pointed at the girl in question, "and carry her to my apartment. Tell the housekeeper to hold her until I can think of a suitable punishment. And ask for enough money from my allowance to purchase a new pair of shoes for Princess Lataa." As the guards complied, taking the weeping little woman away, Princess Inka looked back at Lataa and said with her cool tone, "I hope this is adequate, Sweet Little Sister-in-law. I'd hate to see my family in distress."

Lataa shrugged and said, "It's fine, I suppose." She waved her fingers at Rahki. "Come along. I want to see if any new roses have been planted." She was already bored of these people. But that didn't stop her from grinding her thoughts around and around, thinking about that scene. By the time she'd returned to her apartment, she decided she was angry again. How dare that princess move in while she was dealing with a filthy maid?! It didn't matter how much she smoked. Her anger wasn't soothed very easily.

***

When Inka was back in her apartment, she went to the servants' section to find the frightened, sad little woman that had been taken up by the guards before. That woman was a little taller than Inka, but thin and with chin-length, fuzzy dark hair. When she realized Inka was there, she prostrated, but Inka took her arms and led her up to her feet. Then she took the woman to a quiet room to have a private conversation.

"What's your name?"

Raspy, the woman said with timid eyes, "Dey, Your Highness."

"Jorun, get a cup of flowery water for her." As Jorun left to do just that, Inka swept some hair out of the servant's face. That face was slick with tears. "Has Princess Lataa always been so harsh?"

A shake of the head, and Dey said, "I don't know. That's the first time I've ever seen her. I haven't been here for more than a week." She coughed into one of her shaking hands. Jorun came back very quickly and handed Dey the cup. Every single drop was put into that poor girl's mouth.

After Jorun took the cup back, Inka held Dey's shoulder in one hand and sternly told her, "Well, I've sworn to punish you, and I'd rather not be a dishonest princess."

Dey flinched in the princess' grip and looked down at her plain shoes. She even trembled a bit.

"Your punishment shall be a scolding." Inka let go of Dey's shoulder and tilted her astonished face upwards. Then she tapped Dey's sharp nose with her fingertips, still holding onto her cold voice. "Bad. That was a bad thing. Don't do it again."

She could tell that Dey was struggling to keep a smile from forming.

"You're a troublemaker. I know your type well." Inka made a melodramatic sigh and rose her shoulder in a haughty manner. "I'd better hold you away from Princess Lataa to keep you from bothering her." A light shrug. "Stay here with my servants. I'll apply with the Staff Management Office to see if I can keep you as my own maid. Jorun?"

Jorun was right at her side. "Yes, Mistress?"

"Discuss this matter with the housekeeper, and see to it that Dey is treated well, but she must earn her place as all the other maids do."

"Thank you!" Dey prostrated herself, then rose and lowered her body to give humble bows. "Thank you, Your Highness!!"

Jorun had to tug on Dey's clothing to get her to stop expressing gratitude and move along.

***