Chapter 27 Presentation

Lyza
THE GIRL THAT STARES BACK from the shiny surface of the mirror is plain. Behind her is the maid that gently combs her coily tresses into submission.
I'm the plain girl staring back from the shiny surface of the mirror. I'm the only unattractive and undesirable princess. I'm the unpaired, unmarried princess of Altsas. I'm the albino daughter of King Tus III. I'm the little sister of Prince Kyan. I'm Princess Lyza.
"Lyza?" My maid, Rosa cuts into my thoughts. "What's going through your mind, dear?" She asks softly with a motherly tone. I've always regarded Rosa as a mother figure. She had taken care of me since the day I was born till date.
"Nothing," I lie. "I'm just wondering how the girl will be like."
"I've told you, she's young — about your age," Rosa says.
"Is that all there is to know about her?" I ask. "Surely she must have a name." I know she's a Kintilese slave.
"Hm... Isla." Rosa thinks for a moment then snaps her fingers. "That's her name."
"Sounds really nice," I say.
Rosa nods in agreement. She proceeds to braid one hair into one fat braid from my forehead and capsizes to my shoulder.
"Yes. She'll be at the dinner. Alira is going to present her to your parents", Rosa tells me.
"I can't wait to meet her." I scrutinize my appearance in the mirror and suppress a shudder.
It will be nice to have a someone my own age and a fellow girl around in this cold stony palace. My brother, Kyan is usually not around and even when he is, we don't say much. It's pretty hard to relate with him.
The lacy scarlet red dress and snake skin sandals does little to hide my flaws. I sigh and tear my eyes away from the mirror. Rosa beams at me and gestures for me to follow her, I let her lead me down the hallway.
The stony hallways echo with our footsteps and the guards stand even straighter as I pass them. Rosa stops before an arch doorway and gives me a very low curtsey. I stand by the doorwaybegrudgingly while chewing my bottom lip.
Sucking in a deep breath, I summon courage and walk into the room making sure to saunter in with a gait brimming with grace and poise just as my Aunt — Duchess Alira taught me.
My father is sitting at the head of the majestically carved wooden table and my mother is sitting opposite from him. Kyan and Rakar are sitting at the table with lots of chairs between them.
All eyes turn to me. I lower my gaze to the floor as I sink into my knees at my father's side. "Alihim safir mi," my voice is faint and squeaky. His hand touches my head as he murmurs his blessings. Once he is done, I walk over to my mother and do the same thing.
She surprises me by laying a kiss on my cheek.
She beams brightly at me — something she never does and she pats my cheek. "Be happy, Lyza. Today, your brother will meet his bride."
Trembling, I rise to my feet. I take it a seat opposite Kyan whose stoic expression is anything but excited or eager to meet his bride. He is rather sad. He handsome face droops and his eyebrows furrow. He is sad and angry. Rakar gives him suspicious glances from time to time but Kyan doesn't seem to notice.
A steward walks around the table pouring out some wine. He pours a generous amount into the silver goblet next to me. I reach out and raise the goblet to my lips and I take a small sip. I close my eyes and savour the sweet taste of grape wine.
I open my eyes and find everyone staring at me with their glasses in the air. I raise mine too.
"To a prosperous new year and a blissful floral Season!" My father says. His voice echoes in the almost empty room.
"To a prosperous new year and a blissful floral Season!" We chorus after him.
After the toast, the tension of the room is now lifted. Everyone seems more relaxed and at ease. Rakar turns to Kyan and whispers something, then both of them rise their eyes and look at me simultaneously. I can't read the expression in their eyes. The feel of their eyes rise the hairs of my arms, I look away.
Footfalls echoes in the room and all eyes turn towards the doorway and the room goes stiff and the blanket of tension that was lifted. Duchess Alira floats in looking as regal and as beautiful as always.
Behind her is a maid who barely raises her eyes from the ground and Her. I gulp. My brother's bride to be. My sister in-law. She is slim and weary looking, the dress and henna does so little in hiding her tiredness.
"Your highnesses," Duchess Alira gives a slight curtsey and grins at us. "I've done exactly as you asked me to. I hereby present to you, Isla of Kintil Kingdom the girl who's thoughts moves the Earth."
Isla takes sloppy, limp steps and sinks into one knee before my father. "Alihim safir mi."
My father gasps and grins at her. He places his both hands on her head.
"You are welcome, my daughter. Your presence makes my heart gladden, you will be a blessing to our kingdom."
Isla rises again, and makes to greet my mother. Her fleeting glance rests on me and her expression is unreadable. She kneels before my mother and I'm shocked when my mother rises to her feet, taking Isla with her and gathers her into an embrace.
Isla must be shocked too because she doesn't hug my mother back.
"You are highly welcome into our home, which will soon be your home too." My mother smiles at Kyan who looks away with a scowl.
My father's happy voice bellows across the room,"there will be a dance for the celebration of the New Year, welcoming of the New Season and welcoming of our daughter and betrothed," he glances at Kyan with a knowing smile,"tonight."
The news makes Duchess Alira's lips twitch with a smug, sated look on her face.
At the other end of the table, my mother is beaming brightly at Isla as she says a few things to her.
The ground makes an irking scratch sound as Kyan pushes his chair back and storms off, Rakar runs after him pathetically.
I sit on my four-poster bed in my silk chemise and swing my legs back and forth. A small knock makes me rise my head, Rosa walks in.
"How did the dinner go?" She asks.
"It wasn't dinner,"I say. "Duchess introduced her to us."
"I heard about the dance."
I sigh, "yes."
My heart is beating frantically and my palms are sweaty.
"What do you think of her?" Rosa asks. "Isla."
"She is... Okay." I shrug my shoulders."I didn't get the chance to say a word to her. My mother seemed really delighted to meet her though." The bitterness in my voice must be very obvious because Rosa rubs my shoulders gently.
"Don't talk like that. Her Majesty was just glad to meet her soon to be daughter in-law," Rosa says in attempt to comfort me. "Now let's get you prepared for the dance." She grabs my hand by my elbow and tries to lead me to the dresser.
I yank my hand out of her grip."I'm not going,"I say. And I cross my arms across my chest to show her how serious I am.
Rosa narrows her eyes at me. "And why's that?"
"I can't leave the room, Rosa. He's coming." My voice is reduced to a breathy whisper at the last sentence.
Rosa shakes her head. "Not tonight of all nights, Lyza. What if you get caught? Your absence will be noticed at the dance."
"I will not get caught, Rosa,"I say with a small laugh.
Rosa doesn't look the least convinced. She licks her lower lip with a quick dart of tongue. "Alright but you have to spend at least an hour at the dance."
"Rosa!" I whine.
She holds out a hand to stop me. "It will be highly disrespectful if you don't grace the dance with your presence. You can still meet up with him afterwards."
Defeated, I nod and I let her lead me to the dresser.