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The Caid nodded before he raised his voice. “You make a valid point. But it is not a simple decision to make.”
“They don’t age as we do.” I pointed out.
“No, they don’t,” ambassador Bennani agreed. “They are a long-lived race.”
“And their memories are just as long. They will remember everything I say or do. Even if it’s something minor, they will remember it. In the next few decades, I will be their reminder that Midar is part of Manzimor.”
The ambassador smiled at me approvingly. “And how would you accomplish this?”
“I need more information before I can fully answer that. What can I expect from the Eternal Court? What can I expect of lady Kanna?”
“You will be the crown princess. Forget about her,” uncle Mehdi answered. “She’s not important in this discussion.”
Only a man would say that. Never underestimate the importance of a woman. A scorned woman was even more dangerous.
My nose wrinkled. “That’s foolish. For over a century, lady Kanna has been an important member of the Eternal Court. Everyone knows about their fairy tale love story. The news even reached us. But I’m not interested in their love story. I need to know about her, so I can be better prepared. What can I expect from her?”
The Caid and the ambassador looked at each other for a long moment before the Caid finally answered. “You can expect her to be a formidable opponent.”
Formidable. That was one way to describe her. I could also expect her to be beautiful, intelligent, and cunning. An Elvish prince would have to be blind not to see her worth.
“The people love her. If I try to upstage her, it will backfire.”
“You’re right.” The ambassador nodded. “Lady Kanna is important. You need to be careful with how you approach her.”
“I will. But I still need to know more about her. What can I expect from the Eternal Court?”
The ambassador and the Caid looked at each other again. This time, it was the ambassador who answered. “She’s very well connected, and with her arrival, more Selkies arrived at the Eternal Court. They are not part of the court or Manzimor, but they are treated like it,” the ambassador explained, as we listened to her every word. “But you will be the crown princess and your duty is foremost to Manzimor. The people will understand that. Your best solution would be to ignore her. You will not win over the Aeglire. Not with the centuries she has on you.”
That seemed wise. I intended to ignore her, but I couldn’t help pitying the couple. It wasn’t right for either of them. Even if it was for political reasons, the prospect of your lover marrying someone else must be devastating.
The Caid looked at ambassador Bennani. “Should she try to seduce Prince Maedras?”
Not going to happen.
“I will not do that!” I answered, offended that he would even suggest it.
“It was a valid question.” The Caid’s eyes narrowed. “And one that needed to be asked.”
“What else can you tell me?” I ignored his question. I didn’t want to think about the possibility of seducing Prince Maedras, even if it was for political reasons.
The ambassador’s face turned grave. “Don’t lie to him. He will know. Just be you. Hold your tongue and mind your manners. Don’t present a fake image of yourself. He hates deceit and lies. Try to be civil. Talk about anything except the Hundred Year’s War. He’s tried to avoid it as much as possible.”
That was understandable. The Hundred Year’s War had left scars on both our people.
I looked up. “Should I be afraid of him?”
She shook her head. “Despite what people have seen in the visions, he’s not like that.” Ambassador Bennani rubbed her forehead. ”Not now. He will not hurt an innocent. He is beloved by his people and the Eternal Court. Don’t become his enemy. Not all visions come true.”
“Even ones with such a long history,” uncle Mehdi added. “But you will have to be the one to make sure that they don’t.”
The information the ambassador gave me was helpful, but it also made me more nervous about meeting Prince Maedras. I’d never been good at social interactions, and this was going to be the most important one in my life.
“So if I have no chance in the Eternal Court? I need to convince the common people.”
The people would be the most important. They were the ones who would have to suffer through a war. If they saw me as their princess, they would rally behind me.
“That is one approach.” The Caid nodded in agreement. “Elves dislike idle hands. They value talent and craftsmanship more than beauty and grace. You need to make yourself useful.”
