“You will give me a son born of scales next,” he commanded before smiling as he reached for his daughter to hold. My body weakened at the sight of how such a hardened man suddenly became mush when he smiled down at his daughter. He made a clicking sound with his tongue to the roof of his mouth, getting her to quiet down as she gripped his finger to hold.
Looking back at the back door where I last saw my sister run out just before he arrived, the midwives began to prepare for the nursery while getting everyone else to leave.
Princess of the First Kingdom, Ayira Khamar, the First Flame and First of the Great Sun, King Khamar…and the Solhari people.
“One day,” Khamar said as he held her close to his chest to settle her cries. “You will be the one to reunite the earth and sun together, giving birth to a new nation as the next Queen of the First Sun.”
He kissed the palm of her hand, having given his blessing and last prophecy ever said from the Great Sun.
Chapter One
Princess Ayira
“Please make way! Princess Ayira is arriving!”
The sound of bangles, drums, and trinkets chimed as I properly waited for the door to open for the high hall. Arched ceilings reached so far up where intricate glass and jewels revealed scattered broken light reflected below. I was covered completely from head to toe in ivory, gold, and royal blue satin. The beaded tassels hung down my face from the lace veil, covering most of my features, I watched the guards part ways for me. My cat, Minka, was a few steps ahead of me.
They bow.
I walk.
They still bow.
I continue to walk.
No words were allowed to be exchanged. They were servants, guards, and whatever else that was considered beneath me but I…sometimes I craved the small social interaction. It was the same routine over and over again. From the courtyard to the king’s palace, back to my room in the Queen’s domain.
“Princess Ayira is arriving! Please make way!”
I could hear the shuffling of feet and guards moving as I stepped into the high halls. Tall pillars that stretched from theceiling to the floor, the gold archway ceilings to marble flooring. Everything is pristine, clean, and rich. This all belonged to me. I had everything I could ever want and still it all felt meaningless and left me feeling empty.
“The princess is here!”
The whisperings of Sutari were spoken within the walls as I continued to step slowly, one foot in front of the other. I couldn’t wait to take all of this off. They might as well put a sheet over my body and call me a ghost. I heard the rumors and gossip that I was hideous. That I was really a male…the Great Sun couldn’t possibly produce daughters. Just boys to men. I was a servant pretending to be the king’s daughter which is why I was never married off. I was burned as a baby in a terrible accident or cursed because my mother is a high priestess. A respected priestess at that.
I’ve heard every whisper in English and Sutari. A female born would be seen as a curse, a disrespect to the male who allowed you to give birth and in return, you give him another womb? Women were not highly favored in the old and new Kingdom of Solhar now known under the current ruler, Khamar.
I was truly the only exception.
The drums and jingles of the jewelry continued to ring out as I walked down to the end of the hall until my doors were opened. No one was allowed to lift their head until I was behind those bolted double doors. It was quiet. Full of tension, and I could feel the eyes of the Morai staring at me. I slowly walked in the center of the court where I could see my father sitting on the throne. Handsome man, dark skin looked like the true color of black with the brightest smile. He wore a tailored red robe with gold embroidered depictions of the sun and tails of the flyingserpents trailing around it. His shoes were blue and gold velvet material, and he had rings on each finger as he tilted his head to the side with a smile at me. The only other woman stood wearing a sleek white dress with naturally long silver braids hanging to her hip as she kept her head bowed.
“Step closer Princess,” Minka whispered to where only I could hear. I stepped forward, one bare foot in front of the other as I lowered to my knees in a proper bow to my father. The tension was thick as the court was surrounded by six men circling the room with my three brothers by the king’s side, all staring at me. I could not speak unless spoken to. I could not show any emotion unless told to. I am at the mercy of the men here. This is where King Khamar would meet with his council, the Morai and discuss the state of the first kingdom.
“Ayira is of marrying age…The sky Gods have spoken to me about this and say she will become the wife of a great ruler…”
“Great Sun, she is not like the others. The flame comes from the serpents that came before us…She is the true sun as her ancestral right dictates. We shouldn’t take this lightly.”
“Ayira needs to stay here within the Kingdom, and given to someone close where the flame can stay with us…There is no marrying out. Breed her from within.”
“We are already the most powerful kingdom in all the lands, what good does it do if we do not lay in the beds we make and spread our seeds?” Another said.
I remained quiet, keeping my head down as Minka sat by my feet.
“How can we pass her off if no one knows what she looks like?” Another asked. “It’s impossible to see beauty if it's constantly hidden…”
Everyone began talking over one another as I cut my eyes through the beaded tassels to look at the Great Sun… King Khamar. He stared at me, expression emotionless as they continued to speak.
“She is well preserved; it doesn’t matter what she looks like… She holds the first and oldest flame from the sun…”
