"Please tell me you're about to smile and say that was all just your vivid imagination,"Aaliyah's eyebrows were so raised up, they might as well have easily blended into her hair.

"No, unfortunately, that was not my 'vivid imagination', I was nearly led to death's chamber last night." It was not the embarrassment I would face from everyone I was worried about at all, for I was still in serious reveries about the dancer's words.

"I would then slam my mouth against yours, reminding you of what you lost."

I didn't know why it was that particular phrase that kept resonating in my brain, despite her earlier words being filled with much more fury than expected in a mere dancer. I had never seen such emotion in a dancer's eyes ever before, except grace and elegance.

There was a first time for everything.

"Brother, from what I've gathered from your words, it's a bit of a shame that I, as the younger sibling have to advise you about this," Aaliyah's words interrupted my thoughts, as she began voicing her amusement.

"But what, in the kingdom of Yandestine, were you thinking, asking a lady about love, while in bed, when all she was trying to do was have a good night?!" She started rudely guffawing, that if one saw her in that state, they would think she was enacting a monkey's dance routine.

She was cackling, holding her armpits, and started galloping around.

"Tell me brother, what did you exactly say? Did you get down on one knee, asking her to be the Juliet to your Romeo, if you gave in to the one night of pleasure? Did you do that to stop her from getting down on both knees? Did you-"

I clamped her mouth shut with my hands before even more servants gasped and started running away from us in horror.

"Behave yourself, Aaliyah! My god, I do not know where you picked up such foul language from, but I do not approve!" My cheeks didn't either, as they couldn't stop burning, most probably turning as red as a fresh apple.

"What is all the commotion about?"

King Sebastian Alistair Maguire. My father was here.

The servants bowed their heads down, immediately walking away, with maximum subtlety as possible.

"Father! Please do join us. Me and Eli are having a truly enthralling conversation about the ways of treating a lady, especially when-"

"That is quite enough, Aaliyah. May I ask you to continue the conversation at a later time, preferably after you've completed your errands?" Apparently, me and my father shared the facial quality of our cheeks transforming colours at a rapid rate.

"Good morning, Father. I presume you have been well since assigning me to a truly torturous mission?" I greeted my father as Aaliyah tried to quietly leave the place, emphasis on 'tried' because she was still uncontrollably snickering.

"I have son, and from what I've heard, the answers seemingly haven't been flowing your way?" Even the precious kingdom's ruler couldn't resist from smirking slightly, definitely here to taunt me.

"Do not worry too much, Father. I promise you, it will be me, who's going to be returning your smile the day I find my answer."

"Confident in your confidence, just like your mother. You never cease to surprise me, even when you fail. I hope to hear more news about your findings son, because I am awaiting the day I get to remove this weight from my head and place you on your throne."

"The feeling is very mutual, Father." I chose not to question him about considering the honour of a crown on his head as a 'weight'.

"Has the dancer been secured in the dungeons? Makarti! Only the heavens would know what she was trying to accomplish by attacking the future of her own country." My father only spoke in our native language, Annani, when his emotions were getting the best of him, a clear signal that serious matters were arising. We all used our native language that way, as an escape and release of emotions.

"Don't go as far as the heavens, Father. We both know the answer as to why resides right in her. The investigation is starting tonight."

My father nodded, walking away into the Hall of Thrones, his shadow a step ahead of him.

********************

"What are the reports on the east side of the palace, Commander?" I started walking towards the wing where the dungeons were, prepared to begin the enquiry.

"Nothing in particular that raises suspicion, your majesty."

"Well, there should be. There's been a direct attack on the 'future of the country' and this is your overall reaction?" I felt like this whole place had taken the disturbing peace and lack of attacks on the kingdom recently for granted, making them less and less cautious every day.

It wasn't a good sign, except for the enemy.

"I strongly believe it takes much more than seduction to bring my son down, your majesty."

"Is that so, Commander?" I smiled at her words. "Shouldn't you be disappointed that your son fell for the trick in the first place?"

"It's important that you escape, at the right time, your majesty. Judging by your presence here, I think you managed well." My mother, the commander in chief, was examining the perimeters, her eyes flittering around constantly, with a steadiness to her face.

"I don't think this case should just be seen as a comical matter. Do not tell me we aren't raising the protection around our borders because it was only a 'hormonal, raging' woman that was behind the attack. Aren't you a female yourself, Mother?"

"Do not be prepared to win a war that hasn't started Elijah. It isn't a war worth winning."

"Since Father had announced my soon-to-come crowning and what I have to do to attain the throne, things have felt extremely odd. I haven't even had one lead in the hunt yet, Mother. Not one."

"Hunt? Do you even realise what your Father has asked you to do, Elijah? He hasn't asked you to 'hunt' down a lion or an offender of the kingdom, he's asked you to discover the meaning of love. Do you understand what that entails?"

"If I did, I wouldn't have been attacked last night. I admit that I don't. I have absolutely no clue. I've looked at many places, visited the temples, the schools, and even the healer's wing." It was true, I'd formed a list of the locations of where I could find the prospect of 'love', scrutinised every place and enquired every potential that might have had the answer.

"That's where you're at fault. You're looking at all the technically right places. Breathe and take a step back. Then-"

"Then what? What should I do?"

"Wait. Take a step back and wait. Your time is coming."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Annani' is a non-existent language that will only be used when you know the characters are troubled or feeling an intense emotion. No worries, you'll probably be able to figure out what they are trying to say from the context of it.

Makarti: Means, crazy woman, but think of it as a less intense but still very rude version of 'bitch'.

Sayanora! I think that means goodbye in a real language. 🌹🌹🌹