[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN~ BILLIE EILISH]
The day of the reinstatement finally arrived. Kitanna sat on a low stool as the maids fixed her hair, using the best jewels to adorn it. Another maid washed her feet with the best oil before fitting her legs into beautifully designed silk shoes.
Clephas was the busiest eunuch in the palace. He wanted everything to be perfect, especially with the princess’s dressing.
"No, no, that color on her lips doesn’t go well with her shoes," he ordered, moving around to inspect the decorations for the chair she would be sitting in.
"Remove that ribbon; the princess does not like it touching her skin," he continued, making sure everything was just right. Some servants were offended by the way he canceled their efforts.
When Clephas returned to the room, the princess was almost ready.
"Clephas, you didn’t act this way during my so-called wedding," Kitanna smiled, standing up to allow the maids to fix her corset.
Clephas smiled and bowed at the words the princess spoke. He then called the attention of the maid who was dressing Kitanna.
"Make sure she can breathe in those," he ordered.
Kitanna let out a small laugh. "Clephas, you know you’d make a great nagging father. I feel like it’s my wedding today, and you are that overbearing father," she teased. Then turned around to look at herself on the mirror.
Kitanna smiled seeing on her reflection on the mirror, she was looking perfect.
After now it was not going to be easy, she thought to herself. She knew the queen dowager will go on an open war with her, because she, Kitanna, did what no princess had ever done. She evaded the shedding of the old rose which was tradition. And she also evaded her marriage, coming back to be a princess again.
The reason Almaria did not want Kitanna to be reinstated was that, an unmarried princess in Morado is more or less the second to the crown. It means that the second seal will be held by Kitanna. Not only that, she will be in charge of war food and the transactions between other kingdoms. This was what Almaria wanted to stop that very day. But Kitanna was smarter.
When she was done admiring herself, she started walking to the door. All her maids, including Clephas, had gone to the celebration ground, waiting for her to make her entrance.
Kitanna hesitated a little. She wished Clephas or Axilla was around to walk with her to the venue.
"No matter how strong I try to act in front of everyone, I’m still a young girl with a lot of responsibilities piled on me at a very young age," she thought to herself, then she smiled sadly.
"Getting cold feet?" a familiar deep voice broke her away from her thoughts.
Standing in front of Kitanna was her personal guard, Nix, who was not wearing his usual grey guard wear but a royal uniform only used on coronations or during war.
Nix stood tall with his sword at his waist. His blue eyes held the princess under his gaze.
Kitanna gulped silently as she could not help but continue to stare into those blue eyes that held her captive.
Nix started walking to close the gap between them, his eyes now focused on her lips. He raised his hand and cleaned the smeared lipstick that was on the side of the princess’s lips.
"You look beautiful. I will be right behind you throughout the walk," he said.
Kitanna stammered a bit, "You look... I mean, yeah, you should be behind me. You are my personal guard," she corrected herself. She scolded herself mentally for almost letting her intrusive thoughts win.
She wanted to tell him how good looking he was. She inhaled sharply because his warm touch on her face still lingered. She walked past him and started walking out of the door.
Nix did not say anything else, he followed her as they left the room.
When people caught sight of Kitanna walking out, they all stood up and cheered for her.
The princess did not disappoint them, walking majestically, with grace and dignity. She turned side to side to wave and smile at them. Some men whistled, and children threw flowers on her path.
Clephas stood tall where the palace servants were assigned to stay, smiling like a proud father. When Kitanna’s eyes met his, he bowed slightly. Axilla, who was standing close to Clephas, waved happily, unable to stop smiling.
Felipe, Misam and other palace servants who were on a neutral ground when it came to taking sides, just smiled as the princess passed by them.
Bareea who was also there, did not notice the princess, her whole focus was on the guard behind the princess.
To Bareea, Nix was greater than a king, he was a god and he shined the brightest. She imagined walking down the wedding path with him, then she smiled.
Anyone looking at her would think she was smiling happily for the princess parade, but that was far from that. She imagined herself on the guard’s bed.
The officials all stood to welcome the princess. Some waved at her, but Kitanna paid no heed to them, she knew better than to trust the smiles of the sly old men who worked in the royal court.
Larel, sitting next to the king, smiled brightly as she watched the princess approach the royal family.
Khelan on the other hand, was proud of his sister.
Sitting on the queen dowager’s throne, was Almaria who used a mask to cover her face because her scar was still healing. The mask hid her facial expression.
Behind Almaria was Man-uel who looked like his face was used to grind ink. He could not compose his expression of hate and jealousy, especially for the guard who was walking behind the princess.
When Kitanna finally arrived, Mubera and Khelan stood up to begin the reinstatement process. When it was finally over, Kitanna was given the seal and the princess mantle.
Almaria didn’t move from her seat; her face was still hidden under the mask.
When Kitanna finally sat down after being reinstated, Larel whispered, "Congratulations, my princess."
Kitanna smiled and reached out to hold Larel’s hands gently.
Khelan addressed the people.
" Today is a joyful day for both the royal family and the people of Morado. The princess Kitanna is back and shall rule alongside me until she decides to step down or marry, that is, if she finds a man that holds her heart " Khelan turned to wink at his sister, Kitanna responded with a smile and a slight bow.
He turned and continued speaking,
"I will pay for drinks and food in every inn, the people of Morado should celebrate because tonight the palace will be coloured in celebration and a party that will last all night"
At the mention of this, everyone cheered for the king.