Rina stared at her half-filled travel chests. She had been reading about Bellayong's traditions and fashion. How they dressed more daringly, compared to Thinlin. She didn't have many tight-fitting gowns, but the ones she did have, she had her servants pack.

She had taken the prettiest jewelry she owned too. Even she knew it wasn't much, but it was still beautiful, and expensive. Rina didn't need all these glamorous things to make her beautiful, she already was.

She understood how getting the unmarried crown prince of Bellayong, one of the richest countries, would help her. She just had to make him like her. And she would, if the daughter of a concubine like Rave could marry a crown prince, so could she.

A kingdom like Thinlin wasn't what Rina wanted though, she would marry far enough that she would only see this land if she wanted to. Besides, she was nothing here as a second daughter, no secret lover, or a powerful supporter. She needed to gain power elsewhere.

--

Rave folded the enormous pieces of clothing thrown around the rooms. She didn't realize how much clothing her mother had sent her over these six months.

But she was mainly doing that to calm her mind, she still had to worry about the trip to and fro Bellayong. If Taiskin would like Rina and how Mow being there might change everything. Very few people outside of Bellayong knew about it, but Taiskin already had a lover and queen-to-be. It was Leo's sister, Hanara.

Hanara wasn't just Leo's sister, she was the high priestess of Ravi, making her the perfect queen to the people. If Rina did marry Taiskin, she'd be the queen consort, or as Thinlinytes called it, 'concubine'.

She knew they would call her the 'concubine's daughter'. She didn't care because she knew that in Bellayong and Rayner, the places where it truly mattered, she was a full-blooded royal. But to Thinlinytes, none of Rina and Taiskin's children would be true royalty.

Though queen consort held less influence, they were respected in Bellayong. Her own mother was the queen consort. Rave had never heard people think of her mother as anything but royalty until she had come to Thinlin. She understood the mistake and cultural differences.

--

Josephine sighed softly as the male courtesan finally left. She had enjoyed herself, but she kept thinking of Leo. It seemed when she visualized him instead of the courtesan, she finished quicker.

Oh, what she'd give to have Leo in her bed. She shook her head. That wouldn't happen. Leo wasn't likely to ever think of Josephine like that, but she wanted him too.

Pulling the robe tightly around herself, she walked to the window. It overlooked the lake behind the castle. The moon reflected off the surface of the lake.

Josephine didn't know what to expect at Bellayong. This festival of Violeta didn't have any mentions in any books. Her only solace was it would give her a chance to meet and talk to each monarch of the three other kingdoms. She thought she had somewhat of an ally in Rave, she could only hope to get the others as well.