Garima didn't know when her thoughts drifted to nothing. And she sprawled lazily on the floor, not caring about anything at all. She kept staring at the ceiling. Her mind was blank. And she felt sleepy.
Then a soft knock broke the silence of her chamber. Garima looked at the door. Too lazy to get up. Then the knock came again, followed by a low voice "Your Holiness, His Highness Crown Prince Caelum has come. And he humbly seeks an audience with you"
"Prince? Ah! Yes I am coming… I will meet…ummm…meet the prince, just a second." Garima spoke hurriedly
Garima shot up too quickly, nearly tripping over her own dress robe. She didn't have time to think about her long dress now. She scrambled to fix herself. She patted her hair. And rubbed her face. And then brushed her clothes with hand. As if she could turn into a holy looking figure with just a few pats.
She was nervous, first impression matters. She didn't want to die by guillotine. Entangled with a Prince meat guillotine. Wait, that's irrelevant. There was nothing like execution in her story.
She took a breath to calm down and marched forward with forced confidence. Wobbling and stepping on her robes. She somehow reached the doors without falling. Then she paused, took a deep breath and pulled the door open.
She saw Priestess Ava's hand suspended in the air, as if about to knock again.
"Your Holiness, Sorry for disturbing," Ava whispered "But this is the first time the Crown Prince has visited the Shrine, so everyone is nervous"
Ava's nervous face gave Garima confidence. She was not the only one scared. Ha! She was even ready to run a marathon now.
"No, worries Ava, let's go!" Garima said and stepped forward and hiked up her long robes and speed walked. Not even trying to look graceful, she didn't want to trip and fall. Her mind kept flashing scenes of bizarre deaths. She didn't want to fall and achieve accidental martyrdom while rushing to meet the Prince.
Garima stepped into the hall too fast. Then slowed down abruptly. Her clothes were still uneven because she was holding them up. Then she walked forward and nearly tripped over the edge of the carpet. But she hopped. A tiny hop. She looked around praying no one noticed.
Then she looked forward with her chin high and froze. Her brain stopped. A man stood before her. Looking like a character designed by an over enthusiastic artist. Tall, broad-shouldered, lean muscles, and that waist!!! His sharp jawline and calm silver eyes.
He stood with a perfect posture with an aura of royal authority.
"Oh….." Garima whispered slowly.
Inside her head chaos was mayhem.
OH MY GOD
WHY DOES HE LOOK LIKE THAT?
WHY IS HANDSOME?
HE IS A SUPPORTING CHARACTER? WHEN DID I WRITE HIM LIKE THIS ?
I JUST WROTE HANDSOME, WHY IT BECAME LIKE THIS ?
She quickly looked away. Then she looked at him again. Then she looked away again.
DO NOT STARE!!
YOU ARE A SAINTESS
YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DROOL
BE HOLY
BE CALM
She coughed and straightened herself immediately.
She looked graceful, elegant and serious.
Then her eyes drifted back to his face
"..wow"
Prince Caelum Renaldin took pride in his royal lineage. That didn't mean he was unreasonable. He saw the supposed Saintess staring at his face. It wasn't awkward. He was used to it. So he remembered his father's words and bowed respectfully.
"Saintess" His voice was calm and deep.
Garima sighed, she wanted to curse herself for being so obsessed with beautiful things.
His voice is nice. SNAP OUT OF IT!!!
She coughed again.
"Yes, Hello…umm..Crown Prince, Welcome" She said and smiled. Then she realised she was smiling too much. She tried to stop smiling which made her look like she was having a facial muscle spasm.
"Are you well, Saintess?" He asked.
"Yes, Yes, shall we start with the conversation?" Garima asked hurriedly. She wanted to distract herself from THAT FACE!!!!!
Prince Caelum looked at the priest and priestesses confused. But to his shock they just looked away.
They sat in the hall with newly arranged tables and chairs. But before the conversation could start there was a knock.
A young priest stumbled inside. His robes looked disheveled from running. With heavy breathing he scanned around the room and ran towards Priest Hill and Priestess Agatha.
He leaned in to whisper but with his heavy, uneven breath that everyone heard. "The Guild….hufff…..eader….offf….the.. Adventurers…guild has arrived. He is requesting an audience urgently"
Priestess Agatha stiffened. And Priest Hill coughed. The others remained silent.
What were they supposed to do? They were in a room discussing the kingdom with the Crown Prince and The Saintess. This dumb kid. He wasn't supposed to come. The Adventurer Guild leader, although scary, was kind. He would understand. But the Crown Prince!!! It was the first time he had visited the Shrine.
With the heavy silence the young boys panic redirected. He turned towards the figure he thought had the highest authority here.
"Your Holiness," His voice wobbled, with reverence and desperation "what should we do?"
Priestess Agatha let out a not so dignified sigh. What the hell was this kid doing?
Priest Hill looked down. He was unable to look anywhere with the Crown Prince staring.
Prince Caelum Renaldin blinked. He was utterly confused. And now it has multiplied. Rapidly. What was happe…
"Oh, show him the way. Ask for a few more chairs" Garima interrupted his thoughts midway.
Then she looked at the shocked faces of the people inside the hall.
"Well" Garima spoke far too casually, for the tension strangling the room. "I will have to explain everything anyway, it's more efficient if everyone is present"
Audible gasps could be heard all over the room.
The priests looked scandalized, shocked and various expressions could be seen on their faces.
Priestess Agatha's eyebrows twitched as she looked at the Prince who looked shocked. She wanted to dig a hole and die. WHAT ARE YOU SAYING YOUR HOLINESS!!!!! She wanted to scream.
Garima unbothered by everything ordered "Go, let them in"
Crown Prince Caelum, as if jolting awake from the shock, shouted "Wait!!"
But it was too late, the young priest had already fled out of the room. Like he was running for his life.
Caelum looked at Garima who was humming something and her face looked bored. "What was that ? You invited someone to a royal audience without consultation? Without…"
Any sense. He wanted to say.
Garima stared at him. " Is that a problem?"
Prince Caelum opened his mouth and closed it then opened it again. "I…Yes! That! This is not a public hearing…..it concerns the matters of the shrine and the Crown" He shouted.
"Oh, the guild is involved too"
"How are they involved, if you form factions…then by autho….." the prince was hysterical.
"Little Prince! You think I am here to challenge your authority? Your King's Authority?" Garima asked. Her face cold. She was here to save them. And this guy was here to fight for power. He may be an eye candy. But if her son is wrong she would spank his butt till it's red.
She wrote this book. Everyone is her child. Even the 80 year old priest Hill and Priestess Ava. Wait did it mean that she is a Great Grandma now. Wait, that's irrelevant to the topic now. What she meant, she wouldn't allow the Crown Prince to throw a tantrum in shock.
"What? Little ... .how….I look a few years older than you. How am I little?" The Crown Prince's turned chaotic.
"A Saintess can be called Mother too" She said as if reassuring.
Prince Caelum wasn't reassured.
He looked at the Priests and Priestesses. They looked away. Every single one of them. Cowards. Traitors. He will remember everyone.
He regretted not bringing his people inside.
"Also, I stare a lot," she said cheerfully. " Don't mind"
"I do mind"
"Good" She smiled and looked at the doors opening. The priests and the Priestesses also looked nervously. Saying sorry to the Crown Prince in their mind. This was not a conversation they could enter casually. Please forgive them!!!
Heavy boots echoed across the stone floor. A tall, lean figure entered. Perhaps in his late thirties. Unlike the Crown. With elegant features and long dark hair tied behind his back. His black leather coat is a sharp contrast with his pale white skin. He walked with confidence. He was the type of man who looked dangerous even when standing.
Garima's Brain froze again. And she felt dizzy. The room spun. The body tilted. And-
Thud.
Her face slammed on the table. Her dignity? Gone.