by Zara Zenia
Margot didn't even know what to say to that. She spun on her heel and left, shaking her head. She had tried to be nice, but those two were literally impossible to get along with. She wasn't sure how long they were going to stay in the city for, and she didn't really know how far it was. If it was on Earth, she perhaps would have packed a bag full of snacks and drinks and made a whole adventure out of it. But she was a princess now, and throwing a few wrapped cookies into her bag wasn't acceptable by palace standards. Instead, she packed her sketchbook and pastels, hoping to get some inspiration while she was down there. Painting made her feel peaceful, and she hadn't had much of a chance to feel peaceful at all.
Her bag was bulging with her supplies when she approached the hangar, and three different people offered to carry it for her. Margot declined, wanting some independence, and shifted the strap closer to her body as she got onto the waiting ship. It was a small one, just meant for them and their personal guards, but it was still outfitted with every luxury imaginable.
“You should have told me that you wanted to see the city,” Draklan said to Margot as she entered the ship.
It was the first time that she had seen him dressed so casually, and despite her best intentions to keep her eyes away from him, she thought that he looked very handsome. He was wearing black pants and a casual black shirt, which made his eyes pop. He looked lean and carved, and he had his arms crossed with a casual smile.
“I would have arranged something for you. This is just . . .”
“No, this is perfect,” she said. “I want to be anonymous and just see the things that are unplanned.”
“Their downtown research facility is on the main road,” Draklan said. “So you'll see most of it, but from the back side. They are not going to be making an official visit. They are going to work.”
“So it's like most times when we bother them at work here,” Margot said with a grin.
Draklan smiled. “That’s true,” he said.
“I’m surprised that you are able to take some time today,” Margot said. “You said that you were busy when we spoke earlier.”
“I didn't want to let you go alone,” Draklan said. He saw the way Margot reacted and he backtracked, trying to give her a second reason. “And it’s been quite a while since I’ve been downtown.”
“So we are both desperate to leave the palace,” Margot said.
Draklan's face changed. “Actually . . . I was thinking that we should plan a trip.”
“Where?” she asked.
“Perhaps to the—” He didn't get to finish his sentence when Pralmav entered and looked genuinely surprised to see the two of them. He looked between them, at their casual clothes, and made his own conclusions.
“We're going to work,” he said to them. “It's going to be boring.”
“We'll stay out of the way,” Margot promised. “I swear.”
“Uh-huh,” Pralmav said. “That's fine. You’re welcome to come.”
Milinna was behind him, dressed casually as well. She had her glasses on and her silver hair was behind her in a ponytail. She was making a note on the tablet she had, and she nearly didn't see them until she was upon them.
“Oh,” she said, looking between them. “I, uh . . .”
“We know,” Margot said. “You're going to work, and we promise that we are going to stay out of the way.”
“That's fine.” Milinna gave her a funny look. “I'm happy to have you, of course. I just didn't know.”
“I'm starting to learn that surprises are not things that happen a lot in this family,” Margot replied.
“Not really,” Milinna replied, although she was smiling. She looked healthy today, pink-cheeked and strong, and Margot was glad for it.
“I thought that you should know, though,” she said. “I invited Bhatraz and Rabbina. I thought, since we were all going . . .”
“You did?” Draklan looked at her in surprise. “Why?”
“Because I was trying to make it a family outing,” Margot said. “But they weren't very receptive to the idea.”
“If Bhatraz was rude to you . . .”
“Brother,” Pralmav said as the ship's door closed. “I think it's a given that Bhatraz was going to be rude to her. It's whether it was above baseline or not.”
“That's true,” Draklan said. “Was it above baseline?”
“It was. They reminded me that they will be king and queen soon and that I would rank beneath them,” Margot replied.
“Oh, so baseline then,” Draklan replied.
“Come,” Milinna said. “I know it isn't the biggest ship, but I can you give you a tour.”
“I was thinking of getting a job,” Margot said. “Until we can inherit the islands. I'm just so jealous of you and your work.”
“My work is important,” Milinna said as they walked. “But if I wasn't a research assistant to Pralmav, I'm not sure I would be one at all.”
“Really?” Margot replied. “What would you be?”
“I don't know,” Milinna said. “Maybe a painter, like you.”
“Do you like to paint?” Margot asked her. “We could paint together.”
“I like the idea that I could,” Milinna replied. “I don't think I actually could.”
Margot laughed at that as they walked around the ship.
Meanwhile, the brothers were having a similar conversation at the front of the ship.
“I think as soon as we have a child,” Draklan said, “then there is nothing Mother can say. We will inherit the islands and not have to deal with any of this.”
“Perhaps,” Pralmav said. “But Mother is infamous for coming up with excuses why we cannot leave and cannot have what we want.”
“Oh, you've noticed that too?” Draklan said. “I thought it was just me she hated.”
“She does not hate you, Brother.” Pralmav rolled his eyes at his younger brother. “But there is something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“She does hate me,” Draklan said. “But what is it?”
“I am . . . concerned about Bhatraz and the things he has been saying.”
“More than usual?” Draklan asked.
“He . . .” Pralmav paused. “I shouldn't be saying this. But I fear that his personal vendetta against you since Rabbina’s behavior at the grand dinner is getting worse. His mind is not stable.”
“He's not been stable since Father passed,” Draklan said. “Are you suggesting that he's got some evil plan?”
“No,” Pralmav said. “I guess what I'm saying is that obviously, Father's death is getting to him, and he is affected by it much more than we think.”
“Are you defending him?” Draklan asked.
Pralmav shook his head. “I’m not,” he said. “I just think you should know what I’m observing.”
“Noted,” he said, only because he didn't know what to say. Frankly, he felt many people made an excuse for his brother's behavior. The truth was, ever since they were children, Bhatraz had fought with him. He was two-faced. One moment, he was happy and the next moment, he was on a murderous rampage. Draklan had no doubt his father's death was affecting his oldest brother, and he had no doubt that the weight of the crown was weighing on him. But Bhatraz had always been that way, to a degree.
“I have another question for you,” Pralmav asked as they moved along.
“Normally, it's me who asks questions of you,” Draklan said, settling down in one of the chairs. “Ask away, Brother.”
“You have made many strides with Margot,” Pralmav said. “I wonder if you have any advice.”
Draklan looked at his brother as if he had grown a third head.
“Advice about what?” he asked.
“About . . . making strides?”
“Firstly.” Draklan sat up a bit straighter. “I have not made many strides with Margot at all. Secondly, what do you need to make strides for? Milinna is at your beck and call.”
“We . . . have not much in common besides work.”
/> “Hello.” Draklan sat up. “I've never seen a wife so in love with her husband.”
Pralmav blushed at that. “You think that she is . . . in love with me?” he said.
Draklan felt like hitting his head against the chair. “Have you lost your mind?” he said. “You are so smart, Brother. How can you not see that?”
“Hmm,” Pralmav replied. “That is interesting.”
“You don't see that?”
“I . . . suppose I’ve never taken it into account?” Pralmav mused. “I assumed that any arranged marriage was just going to be a legally binding contract and the two parties within it had to navigate it, mostly without success. At least, success on a level that was below the superficial one.”
“I have literally never heard anyone make marriage sound so scientific. That is quite a feat.”
“That is my job, Brother,” Pralmav replied.
Their wives returned then, and they changed the conversation to lighter terms. Still, Draklan noticed that Pralmav was regarding his wife differently, with perhaps a bit of interest rather than just compassion.
He couldn't believe that Pralmav had approached his marriage with such a scientific eye. But then again, Pralmav approached everything with a scientific eye. And Draklan didn't envy his brother for the position he was in. Part of their wedding vows were to take care of their wives, of course, no matter what befell them, and Milinna’s health, from what he could see, was very difficult to navigate. Even if they weren't in love, it would be heartbreaking to watch a loved one go through such a difficult time.
It wasn't a long journey to downtown, but they certainly weren't moving at lightning speed. Margot had spent part of the journey glued to the window, and when they finally landed, she rushed the door.
“Margot,” Draklan said, reminding her that they had to wait for the right time to be escorted off the ship.
“Right,” she said, falling back. Her hands were twitching and she was excited, yet nervous. She clutched her bag closer to her, and her fingers dug into the fabric as the door finally opened and they were given the signal to exit.
The research facility in the city was bigger than the one in the palace. It had state-of-the-art equipment, and everything in it seemed polished and shining.
The workers within the facility recognized their royals and bowed to them as they passed. However, after bowing, a few approached Pralmav, clipboards and tablets in hand, and began to speak at a fast pace to him. Within seconds, the middle heirs to Tamarax were engrossed in work, leaving Margot and Draklan to fend for themselves.
“Can we . . . leave here?” she asked. “Not that I think it's boring. Just that I would like to see more.”
“We could probably go through to the border,” Draklan said. “Of the property, I mean. There are some strange things, though, I warn you.”
“What strange things?” Margot asked.
“Such as . . . strange flowers. Three-headed animals. They run experiments here.”
“Oh,” Margot replied. “Like an experimental farm. That's lovely. Perhaps I can sketch some of it.”
“Perhaps,” Draklan said and then glanced down at his phone. It had beeped several times while they were standing there. “Oh. The ban has gone into effect.”
“Huh?” Margot asked, half listening as she looked around.
“The ban on David,” he said. “There is no way for him to contact anyone on Tamarax's channels, no matter what he tries.”
Chapter 12
Draklan
“Oh,” Margot replied. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Of course,” Draklan said. “It was nothing.”
“Can I ask you . . .” she asked, “did you really mean what you said to him?”
“About leaving you alone?” Draklan replied. “Yes.”
“No, about marriage,” Margot said. “And the way you described it.”
“To be honest,” Draklan said, “I've never considered marriage before. I always thought I'd rule the islands alone. But my mother forced this upon me, you know that. And I went along with it to make her happy. I didn't expect it to turn out well, but I think it has, don't you?”
“I . . . yes,” Margot said, surprising herself. “I do think it's turned out well, actually.”
“I know I'm busy often,” Draklan said, “but I do like you, Margot Carter. And I hope we can make this work.”
Margot blushed at that and then stood up on tiptoe to give him a kiss on the cheek. It surprised him, but it also sent warm tingles down his spine.
“I like you too,” she said. “And I do really hope we can make this work.”
That made Draklan blush. He normally knew exactly what to say and was a smooth talker. But in this moment, he just nodded and let Margot head off.
Their marriage had not exactly been easy so far. But today, he felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, it would be possible to make it as beautiful as a fairy tale.
Margot seemed completely enchanted by simply being outside the palace. She thought every aspect of the lab was beautiful, and she sketched the oddest things—a microscope, someone's hands working with slides, and even the doors opening and closing.
“Do you think it's possible?” she asked Draklan. “That we could just walk a little bit into the city center? I heard of the market there, and I really want to see it.”
“Of course we can do it,” he said. “It's just that the guards will lose their minds.”
“Is it really as dangerous as they say?” she asked.
“Not right now,” Draklan replied. “The popular opinion of the royal family is quite high right now. In addition, I'm not the crown prince.”
She chuckled at that. “So . . . we can?”
“Give the guards an hour or two to have a panic attack and figure out a plan that is way too complicated,” Draklan replied with a smile.
“Thank you,” Margot said and turned back to her sketchpad.
Draklan knew he could make it happen, although, as predicted, the guards did lose their minds over the whole situation. It only added a complication when Pralmav announced that they were finished early and would be delighted to accompany the two of them to the city as well, which was really just a short stroll away.
“You've never been to the market before?” Milinna asked Margot, who shook her head.
“Haven't even seen it in pictures,” Margot replied. “Although I've seen photographs and it looks stunning.”
“You'll love it,” Milinna said. “But it does get quite busy.”
“We're good to go,” Draklan said as the girls were talking. “Although we have to make it quick. We were told that the statistics of being attacked rise after an hour of being in any one space.”
“They have those statistics on hand?” Margot asked, surprised.
“Sometimes, I think they just make them up,” Draklan replied.
“Actually—” Pralmav said.
“She actually doesn’t need to hear it.” Draklan glared at his brother.
“Right,” Pralmav said, shrugging. “My apologies, Margot.”
“Do you think we could visit one of the restaurants?” Milinna asked, and she had to repeat her question twice before her husband answered her.
“I don't think so,” he said. “You know how complicated it can be for you.”
Milinna blushed and Margot wanted to speak up to say that they could find something that would work for whatever her sister-in-law’s complications were. But neither of the princes gave her an opportunity to speak up as the guards showed up, ready to take them on this ill-advised trip.
“Please take the utmost precautions,” one of them said. “Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times.”
“We will be,” Margot promised. “But when was the last attack on a royal in public?”
“Um . . .” They looked to each other, and then she realized her mistake.
“Oh, my goodness, I'm so sorry,” she said, realizing that their father had b
een assassinated in public. “I'm sorry!”
“It's okay,” Draklan said, squeezing her hand. “We should just go.”
She felt embarrassed, and it put a damper on her experience as they took their first steps outside the research facility and followed a small path into the market.
She did forget her embarrassment a little bit when they reached the market. It was bustling, and no one paid them any attention because they were dressed down. The guards kept their distance, and Margot had the chance to speak to Draklan again.
“I'm sorry,” she said. “Really, I am.”
“It's fine,” he said to her. “You haven't been as immersed in it as we are. It's easy to forget if it's not your life.”
“It won't happen again,” she promised him as they walked. “Did you, um . . . did you see how Pralmav ignored Milinna? Is anything the matter?”
“I don't think anything is the matter,” he answered. “He just . . . sometimes gets lost in his thoughts.”
“But . . . I mean . . .”
“I know, Margot,” Draklan said. “Sometimes, I think the only person who has figured out marriage is Bhatraz.”
“Bhatraz?” she answered in shock. “Why?”
“Okay, yes, they are crazy,” he said. “And yes, they are mean, but if you remove all of that, their marriage is stable. In all the fights we have with them, they never fight with each other. They are committed to each other, even if they hate the rest of us.”
“Huh,” she said. “I've never thought about it that way. But yeah, I never hear them talking about not being with each other.”
“For better or worse,” he said.
“How did you know that?” she asked and he raised an eyebrow.
“Know what?” he asked.
“For better or worse is part of the wedding vows on Earth,” she said.
“It's part of the wedding vows here too,” he said.
She responded in surprise. “What?”
He laughed. “Margot, you were at the wedding.”
“I didn't understand the language, remember?” she said. “I had no idea that a wedding was actually happening.”
“Oh, that's right.” Draklan chuckled. “I forgot.”
