Satis' Fire

Chapter 1: Meet The Princess

“Why do I have to go and pick some special flowers for the princess? It’s not like we’re close, Inu. We’re not even friends!” Young Satis said to her mother, with a tone of complaint.

The latter went on to secure the clasp of the half-inch wide jade-and-diamond belly chain around her daughter’s waist. A special family crest, a rhovezze flower that was unique to Kinnacia, hid the clasp behind it. It was specially made from ruby. The maroon-colored rhovezze flower had three spiky pointy petals with thorny green stems and bright blue leaves. The noble Tacaritra House chose this flower as the family’s emblem since centuries ago as it represents love, beauty and strength.

Satis’ beautiful face frowned as she looked at her ageless mother. Like her mother, she had ivory skin that seemed to gleam in the dark, expressive light green eyes, cute pert nose, thin green lips, small round ears that are sensitive to even the faintest sound and long and straight silver hair that reached to her waist. Thin hair-like strips of red and green jewels decorated her hair, usually making her stand out among other Kinnaris her age. She had a swan-like tail that made her hips look round and gorgeous even at her tender age of twelve. Her bare legs were already shapely, and her small budding breasts were covered by a thin cloth with leaf design. She wore a green see-through long skirt, and her feet were clad in a beast skin dyed in green.

More or less, her outfit mirrored her mother’s. The only difference was that her mother’s hair was braided and her round, huge breasts were covered by thin diamond-shaped cloth with sparkling jewels that adorned it.

“Now, you look perfect, my daughter!” Her mother smiled at her, straightening up gracefully.

“Inu…”

Her gentle mother softly caressed her hair. “The princess is your father’s relative. You must make an effort to get close with the royal family, especially at this time. You’re of marrying age starting next year. The princess is the one who’s going to hold your marriage ceremony when you met your fated one. If she doesn’t know you, who’s going to hold the ceremony for you? Parents and other ordinary or noble Kinnaris and Kinnaras are not allowed to do it. It must be officiated by one of the royal family members to be official.

“Your Ifu and I were married by her father. And it was so beautiful! The king wished for us to have a gorgeous Kinnari, and here you are! Now, picking up the special flowers that Princess Nerindra likes will make her remember you. It’s a good start, especially when you introduce yourself to her.”

Satis grimaced. “Must I really? It’s a huge effort to fly to the palace. It’s too high up there. My wings are going to get tired,” she said, pouting. Her green-and-white wings stretched and furled. She always had to hold them up to not slouch and not let the tips touch the ground. She just wished she was as graceful as her mother.

“Satis Tacaritra, that’s why I keep telling you, you need to exercise those wings!” her father chimed in and strode into her vast room. He was handsome, tall, fierce and well-built. His wings and muscles were magnificent, and Satis always caught her mother gawping at her father whenever he was around. He only wore a small skirt that hid the most private part of his body. Meanwhile, his silver hair was short just like any other Kinnaras.

“Ifu…” She groaned, frowning at her father.

The Kinnara gave her a warning look. “The Tacaritra House is strong. Don’t make it weak by your laziness, Satis!” His voice went louder and firmer.

The young Kinnari hung her head. “Alright. I’ll go and pick those special flowers to give to the princess later.” She turned to leave her ifuun (parents).

“Hey, you’re going to do that everyday, not only for today!” her mother yelled as Satis flew through her circular open window.

Every dwelling in Kinnacia had huge open windows in their bedrooms for easy access to the outside. There was also an open terrace designed for landing, since their houses were built up on the trees.

As for the royal family’s palace, it was on the highest peak of Kinnacia. It was built on the highest and gigantic trees on the highest mountain, which was at the center of the realm.

Satis had never been there. Only the ones from twelve and up were allowed to get there, unless the underage ones were summoned or were part of the royal family. Her father’s family was a relative to the royal family, so she was technically part of it. Nonetheless, she did not have the will to go so up high like it was as high as the blue sky itself.

Satis enjoyed the mid-day cool wind that touched her whole body as she glided. The sun was shining, and it gave her a reason to smile. Everything in Kinnacia was colorful—the trees, the plants, the animals, rocks and water. By mid-afternoon, the sky would boast its rainbow colors. And whenever evening takes over, the glow-in-the-dark forest would still give colorful life to the realm all throughout the sun-neglected time. Fireflies of different colors and other species would fly around, giving a beautiful glow and moving all over Kinnacia. Their beauty hence was breathtaking even at nights.

Satis went to the falls, which had pink water. She knew there were unique flowers there, which couldn’t be found anywhere in Kinnacia. From her mother’s words, Princess Nerindra would love to have unique flowers displayed in her room. Since royal families were not allowed to go out of the palace, she longed to see what was outside the palace. She wanted to possess or even to merely touch what she couldn’t do so freely.

Satis wondered how Princess Nerindra looked like or what she was like. She heard from her mother that the princess was even tempered. Unlike her, who had outbursts from time to time, she thought the princess was better than her. She just hoped her personality would not clash with the princess if she found the latter boring.

Satis picked a bunch of lavender-colored flowers, called lyābhēnala, near the edge of the water. She specially chose them since their color was the princess’ favorite, according to her mother. The flower had tube-like petals, with small violet leaves and fruity floral scent.

Behind the pink falls, she was oblivious to the blue-black eyes that followed her movements, observing her.

She looked up, eyes drifting to the palace far ahead, and sighed.

Can I make it to the palace?

She began to flap her wings, making the leaves of the plants around her dance. She slowly flew up vertically with the bunch of flowers in one hand, face toward the sky.

She was already halfway to the palace when she began to feel her wing muscles go tight, nearing cramping.

I can’t let Ifu and Inu down. I have to go up, she thought with determination. She set her jaw, ignoring other Kinnaris and Kinnaras flying around. They were of different ages, from youngsters to adults. Some warriors were also flying around way higher above to do their patrol, on the other hand. With her belly chain, she knew she wouldn’t be stopped mid-way and denied entry. Her family crest was glaring for everyone to see which house she belonged.

She winced as her wings seemed to fail her.

No, no, no! I can make it. I can make it. Urgh!

She forced to keep her wings beat the air as she went higher and higher still.

“Hey! Need help?” A smiling handsome Kinnara easily kept pace with her, flying vertically as she did.

She threw him a glance. His light green eyes gazed at her with amusement and interest. Not to mention, she caught sight of his noble family emblem—Sudarśayatt House—that was secured by his armband, where Kinnaras (the boys) keep them, unlike Kinnaris’ (the girls) that was worn around their waist. In her calculation, he was about five years or so older than her.

“No, thank you,” she said to him, gritting her teeth as her wing muscles tensed even more.

“Nefarion’s the name. What’s yours? I haven’t seen you from around here. You’re just twelve, aren’t you?” His eyes slowly went to assess the family crest she carried on her belly. “I’m not familiar with your family crest, but I guess that’s something unique,” he observed.

She smirked despite her discomfort as she continued to fly higher. The palace looked bigger now than before. A kind of excitement tore at her. She could make it!

“I can easily guess you’re from the Sudarśayatt House. I had no idea a member of such a noble family is not acquainted with mine. Can I say you’re stupid or what?” She climbed higher and faster, feeling exhilarated that she could make it to the palace in a few hundred meters now. She waved her hand that held the lyābhēnala flowers, giving him a hint with it.

“s**t! Are you The Lazy and Obnoxious Satis of Tacaritra House?”