The carriage rumbled forward. Maeva nearly shot out of her seat each time they hit a bump on the road. She tightly gripped the sides of the carriage. The window was sealed shut and the curtain was secured in place to prevent anyone from looking at her. They were currently passing through the capital of Jora, and they were mere minutes away from the palace. Darri sat across from her with a sullen expression souring his face. Any time she knocked into him, his face grew darker. 

“I can’t wait to see that third prince’s face,” Darri said as he rubbed his chin where Maeva’s head had connected with it moments ago. “I’d love to punch his face in.” 

“You know we can’t do that,” she hissed. The last thing she wanted was for Prince Haruk to hate her because of something Darri did. That would ruin everything. Her perfectly coordinated plans of seducing and making the prince fall in love with her would dissolve if Darri couldn’t control himself. “You might as well rip the alliance in half if you do that.”

“I know, I know,” he waved his hand. “But I still want to do it.” 

“That’s not fitting behavior for the future king,” she said. “You have to tolerate things you don’t like.” 

“That’s rich, coming from you.” 

She tilted her head up, “For this week, I’m being a responsible, dutiful adult.” 

“It’s creepy. Stop it,” he said as he leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. “What will happen when they discover your true colors, sister?”

“It’ll be too late by then.” 

“I almost feel bad for Prince Haruk now.” 

Maeva rolled her eyes, “Anyway, just because you’re the future king doesn’t mean everything goes your way. I mean, just take a look at me.” She rested a hand on her chest. “Father is the king, but he still has to force his hand like this. You too will fall under such predicaments.” 

“Basically, the one with the most power is allowed to do what he wants.” 

Maeva bobbed her head. It was just the way life was. At the moment, Krashna was weak. If they were a stronger nation, they’d be able to fend for themselves and they wouldn’t have to resort to bartering off their princess to level the playing field. “Yes, that’s the reality of this life.” 

The rest of the ride was spent in silence. It wasn’t until they lurched to a stop that Darri spoke. He rested a hand on Maeva’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Whatever happens, you mustn’t forget that you’re a princess of Krashna. Our people are known for their bravery and strength.” 

She swatted his hand away, “Of course I know that. Who do you think I am?” 

He laughed, “I shouldn’t have worried about you.”

Darri gave her shoulder one last squeeze before the door to the carriage swung open. Sunlight streamed into the carriage and bathed her in light. Darri’s red hair gleamed like fresh blood and his entire demeanor changed in that split second. His smile melted away to a cool, impassive mask, and his shoulders straightened. He gracefully stepped out of the carriage, and his steps resounded and blended with the soft chatter of the people outside. These onlookers were all curious to catch a glimpse of the crown prince. He held his hand out to Maeva and helped her descend. The sun gleamed in her eyes and she lowered her gaze to keep from squinting. She too kept her expression cool with indifference, but she doubted that her presence was as impactful as Darri’s. 

Maeva blinked before her eyes adjusted. The entrance of the palace was open to reveal a line of servants, and they all stared at her and Darri; particularly Darri. One of the servants, a young woman, couldn’t stop staring at Darri. Her eyes were so wide that Maeva was sure that they would pop out of their sockets. Of course, Darri was impressively taller than anyone they had probably seen. Maeva laid her hand on her brother’s forearm and leaned against him. He stood like a rock; his expression was calm and his gaze was withering. He was like a true sinister king at the moment.

The palace was imposing and tall. Its gray slabs and towers loomed above them. There was nothing beautiful about it; it was like a fortress with large walls surrounding it and blocky structures within it. There were towers erected from different sections of the palace and they scraped the skies. The only redeeming value was its massive size. It was about five times bigger than the palace of Krashna, but unlike this ugly monstrosity, Krashna’s palace was beautiful.