Chapter Eleven
She heard faint murmurs as she gained her senses.
"She is waking up"
"Careful, give her holiness space"
"Is she okay?"
Garima blinked. Everything blurred at first then slowly became clear - table, chairs, and people with their concerned faces.
Ah. She had fainted. Embarrassing. Her stomach growled loudly.
How could she forget her stomach? She was hypoglycemic.
"I am so Sorry, but Priest Hill can you ask someone to prepare food for me, something sweet would be better"
The request hung in the air, it was unexpected, especially with the Crown Prince and the Guild leader Rowan.
"Please, Priest Hill, If not sweet anything is fine"
Garima stretched the anything part. As she started at Priest Hill.
"Yes, Your Holiness" Priest Hill said as he nodded to another priest "Go!" He murmured "Tell then to prepare something sweet for the Saintess at once, and come back"
The priest nodded and got up. He hurried out of the room with fast steps, his long robes fluttering a little. Only then did Garima look at the other occupants. Her gaze swept across the hall, past familiar faces of the Crown Prince Caelum, Guild Leader Rowan, Priestess Agatha, Priestess Ava and others. But then she saw two unknown faces. New arrivals. Two women sat at the table. They were arranged to sit with Rowan. One poised and luminous. The other looked bright and lively. For a moment Garima forgot to breathe.
But Garima recognised them at once. There were only two women she wrote on equal standing as Guild leader Rowan. The Leader of Scholars Association and The leader of Merchants.
One had the elegance of a swan. Tall, and Graceful. A pair of glasses on her misty blue eyes. Light blue hair. So she was nicknamed "The Elegant Scholar" Erva Yaarif.
And the other was playful and cunning as a cat. Shorter with light orange hair. With chubby cheeks and a bright smile. She was a disaster embodiment. Elira Goldleaf.
Garima sighed. Why did all the supporting characters look so beautiful? Then what about the main characters?
Cosmo didn't warn her about this. And she fainted in front of them. Haaa.
FOCUS GARIMA
YOU ARE ON A MISSION
Not on a task to collect a HAREM of men and women.
Focus.
"Your, Holiness, they came with Guildleader Rowan, let me introduce everyone to you" Priestess Agatha started.
"I know Priestess Agatha, I know who they are. Guildleader Rowan Voss of Adventurers Guild, The Elegant Scholar Erva Yaarif, and the leader of the Merchants Elira Goldleaf.? Am I right?"
"Saintes…." Elira said and looked at her in shock. Erva mirrored her expression. Even Rowan looked uneasy. And the Crown Prince looked spooked.
"How do I know about you ?" Garima questioned.
Garima inhaled, and closed her eyes briefly. "I can see the future, so I know about you all" lowering her gaze she coughed. And looked at them. "Even now I had a vision, this is why I wish to speak with everyone." She smiled and looked at the Crown Prince "Is that alright with you Prince?" She asked with an innocent expression.
Crown Prince Caelum gulped and nodded. What else was he supposed to do? He was good at reading faces. And it didn't look like any Priest or Priestess has given a background introduction of the three leaders before. They looked shocked too. It meant the Saintess was real. She had Prophetic Powers. But anyone could memories a painting. He still had his doubts. He looked at the Adventurer Guild leader Rowan. He looks sceptical too. Unlike the shocked Elira Goldleaf and Erva Yaarif.
" You look like you want to ask something, Rowan Voss" Garima said as she looked at the dangerous looking man, sitting across from her. "Ask whatever you want"
" Saintess, or should I call you Your Holiness" Rowan asked politely.
" Garima is also fine," she said with a calm expression. Reminding herself that she should exercise her authority. Otherwise it will be for naught. Nobody will take her seriously. And ignore the future prediction or take it lightly. Her stomach growled.
Garima's eyes twitched. And Priest Hill hurriedly sent another Priest to the kitchen.
Rowan chuckled. "Your Holiness, We were just here to greet you, we heard the Crown Prince would be here to greet you. So we hurried and came, but you say as if you expected us to come" He said and looked around his gaze settling on the Crown Prince "You are really challenging his authority"
"What are you saying Guildleader, she is the Saintess, He is equa.." Priest Hill stood up shouting.
Garima looked at Priest Hill and shook her head. Telling him not to argue.
"Equal to the King?" Rowan asked. Prince Caelum paled, he had not expected things to go this way. His father had sent him just to greet the so-called Saintess. What was this mess?
"That was the Previous Saintess, Priest" Rowan said calmly.
"But she guessed us correctly, " Elira Goldleaf said.
"She must have seen yours and Yaarif's painting" Rowan argued.
"The Priests and Priestesses said she was inside, and no one saw her enter. How did she enter" Erva stated.
"She must have done something, I don't know, but how can we trust her? She was challenging the Prince's Authority. You also heard that right?" Rowan asked
"Since when you started to get concerned about me" Prince Caelum asked angrily. What was wrong with these people? They talk as if he is air.
"Since now, Crown Prince, this is a common enemy. We may operate separately but we belong to the same kingdom" Rowan screamed getting up. And screeechh!!!
The door was pushed open drawing every eye towards it. A priest hurried in, his head bowed with a tray. He quickly walked towards the princess and placed the tray -four delicate desserts arranged neatly.
Garima's face brightened "Thankyou" She smiled at the priest. She hurriedly took a bi out of the first desert. Is it a donut? Or a Cream bun. It looked different but tasted like both. It was delicious.
She kept eating but didn't forget to look at shocked faces. Then she leaned slightly into the chair. "You were saying?"
"We are talking here and you are eating? Asking for food was once a thing and directly eating it in front of the Crown Prince is dis….." Rowan started
"Disrespectful ? Challenging his authority ? So I can't eat ?" Garima asked, looking directly at Rowan.
"You could have gone out to eat," he answered.
"And leaving directly doesn't qualify as disrespectful?" Garima asked again. She was getting angry. This Rowan guy. Why did she write him to be this paranoid?
"Then you could have waited" Rowan shouted.
"Are you hungry Rowan ?" Garima asked. "No!" "Is the Crown Prince Hungry?" She asked. "I don't know!!" Rowan shouted again.
Garima looked at Caelum. "You answer," she said. "Are you hungry? Your highness" she asked.
"No! Please continue eating!" Caelum almost shouted. Rowan glared at him. Caelum lamented his luck. Why was he being dragged around ?
" Erva? Elira ?" Garima looked at them and asked.
Both of them shook their heads. "No, Your Holiness" they said, their voices overlapping each other.
"So Rowan, please sit down. I am sure the priests and Priestesses don't want my share too. So please sit down and let me have them" She said with an absent minded smile. "Or keep speaking, yes please continue!"
"You, How dare you act like" Rowan stated screaming.
"Rowan Voss, do you remember your hometown? I wonder if the well behind your house is still in use" Garima said, twirling the spoon with her finger. Savouring the taste of the second dearest. Is it a lemon tart or a crème Brûlée or something in the middle. She didn't remember writing deserts. Well whatever.
"How ? How can you?" Rowan stammered.
"Rowan Voss what about Vanos Rows, just a little tweaking right Vanos ?" Garima asked with a smile.
"How do you know that ?" Rowan paled.
"Ofcourse I know, Vanos I know everything," Garima replied. She sighed inwardly. I know because I wrote you, brat.
" So dear Sons and Daughters, let me give a small introduction. I am Garima Arora or if you tweak it a little, you can call me Aarima Ragor, a name I can use here. Or Saintess, The Goddess Cosmo sent me here to guide you all, so let's help each other. Okay" She continued "So let's help each other, okay ?"
Then she placed the spoon down slowly.
"All of you want proof, don't you ? She asked.
No one answered. And Garima smiled.
"Then let me give you one," she sighed. "Three days from now" she paused "your sister will be attacked by a Devil lord, Crown Prince Caelum"
Prince Caelum froze.
"Send the Knight Captain to Ozgar. She is there"