Two Princesses, One Throne

Chapter 3

Amara slowly opened her eyes as a loud knock on the door wake her. Grunting she grabbed her pillow and covers her face.

“Princess Amara you need to get ready for the festival. Your father is waiting for you.” Grunting Amara covered her face with a pillow and rolled over her queen-sized bed.

“Princess?” removing the pillow and sighing Amara answered, “I’ll be right out Garo.”

Amara heard Garo’s faint footsteps and she lazily got up from her bed. Time sure runs fast. She can’t believe another twelve months have passed. Amara hated parties. For her, instead of dressing up, wearing deadly corsets, and putting itchy powders on her face, she prefers going to the training grounds and train her heart out.

Her father, King Edward, is against her learning weapons but being her mother’s only heir she needs to be strong.

With one last look in the mirror, Amara let out a huge sigh before going out of her room. When she entered the dining hall she saw her father currently reading some sort of letter.

“Good morning Papa.” She greeted and gave her father a light kiss on the cheek.

“You’re late Amara. You know the opening of the festival will start at exactly nine o’clock.” Shutting her eyes for a quick moment to prevent her from rolling her eyes at her father, Amara gave her father an innocent look before saying, “Papa, we still have thirty minutes before the opening ceremony.”

Shaking his head to his daughter, Amara just gave his father a big smile before sitting on the left side of the table.

“So Papa, were you able to invite the High King to the festival?” asked Amara before putting the spoon inside her mouth.

“No. Apparently today is the High King’s monthly meeting with the councilmen so he can’t make it today.” Said Amara’s father. Amara can feel the disappointment in her father’s voice for she knows how much of an honor it would be if the High King of the Six Kingdoms of the Moon will make his presence.

“It’s alright Papa. There are still a lot of chances to invite the High King. It’s difficult for someone as an important and highly respected person like him to come by.” Amara said comforting her father.

“I know. By the way Amara, I heard you went out and joined an arrow shooting match yesterday. I thought I told you to stop using weapons.” Amara silently cursed when her father found out about her escape from the castle.

“I know I went against your orders Papa but it wasn’t my intention to join the contest. Mafalda forced me to join but I won a very well-made bow and arrow which isn’t so bad.” King Edward sighed in defeat. No matter how much he forbids his daughter not to learn or even hold a weapon, he can’t stop her. Amara’s stubborn behavior made him remember his late wife Astra.

“Before I forgot….” King Edward made a hand signal to one of his attendants and he came in with a small box on his hand.

“I think it’s time I give this to you.” said King Edward handing the box to Amara whose face laced with confusion.

“What is this Papa?” asked Amara taking the box from the table.

“Open it.” King Edward replied. Following her father’s words, Amara opened the box and saw a red amulet inside it.

“It’s your mother’s amulet. Before you were born she told me to give you the amulet when you grow up. She said it will give you protection from all evil.”

Amara held the amulet in her hands, smiling as she admired it. Glancing at her father, she stood up from her chair to give her father a tight hug. “Thank you, Papa.”

“Here. Let me put it on you.” King Edward offered. Amara gave him the amulet and she turns her back and bent her knees so her father could put it around her neck.

After putting the necklace on Amara asked, “How do I look?”

“It looks good on you sweetheart.” King Edward answered.

“Thanks, Papa.” They continued sharing stories until King Edward’s attendant came.

“Your highness, it’s time. A lot of people have gathered in front of the King’s Plaza.” Nodding his head, Amara’s father looked at his daughter waiting for her to get up from her chair but Amara was too busy with her food and there is no urgency in her actions.

“Amara?” blinking and drifting her eyes away from the food Amara looked at her father with her brows up.

“Yes, Papa?” asked Amara with her mouth full.

“It’s time.” Amara mouthed an ‘oh’ before dropping her spoon and fork on the table and wiping her mouth with the napkin.

~~~~~

Amara and King Edward went to the King’s Plaza riding an open carriage. As they pass through the crowd, people cheered and bowed with respect to their rulers.

“Good morning people. Today is a celebration of all the good harvest that we made this year and to formally start the festival, let me call on, King Edward together with his daughter and heir, Princess Amara.” The moment their names were announced, the King together with his daughter came upstage.

“Thank you all for coming to the opening ceremony of our annual harvest festival. We’ve been through a lot this whole year but I am grateful that because of your efforts, the Moon Goddess blessed us with such a fruitful year. Therefore I, King Edward Dimitria of the Kingdom of the Sorcerers and Healers hereby welcome you to our annual Harvest Festival.” The crowd cheered and Amara smiled as she watched the people’s love for her father.

Even if they are called the kingdom of the sorcerers and healers, not all of their subjects are sorcerers and healers. Their kingdom also consists of humans who fully embraced and decided to coexist with the supernatural world.

The territory is far from modern civilization therefore, their Kingdom hasn’t adapted to the modern changes yet. Everyone is still wearing dresses and trousers from ancient times and that’s one of the many things that make this kingdom authentic and antique in some way.

Amara smiled as she watched her father wave upon his subjects. Amara never wanted to rule any kingdom but she is an only child which makes her the heir to the throne. But she has a half-sister; Arianna.

She just learned about her half-sister recently but she never met her. According to her father, her mother Astra and Raquel were twins and they were both sorceresses. King Edward was mated to Astra but Raquel was against it for she had a long-time affection towards Edward.

Raquel tricked Edward, she used her magic to fool him that he was sleeping with his soulmate but it was Raquel all along thus it resulted in Arianna being born almost as the same day as Amara.

“Are you alright Amara? You seem quite.” Amara blinked her eyes when she heard her father’s voice.

“I’m alright Papa.” She answered with a smile. Amara and King Edward walked down the stage when arrows from all directions came flying in.

Amara used her power to create an ice shield to protect her father from the arrows as well as all the people present in the plaza. Removing the ice shield, soldiers gathered around them and she saw some of the guards killing one of their own.

“Papa you need to------.” A loud explosion was heard and they all turned their heads when they saw a woman wearing a black dress standing in front of an army of soldiers.

“Mind if I join the party?” Amara had a frown on her face as she stared at the woman.

“What are you doing here?” asked King Edward raising his voice.

“I came here to enjoy the festival, father.”