"Brother,

Too much work here to be occupied with these foolish messages. You take care of them.

I'm still waiting for a reply from our uncle. Strange thing that he's taking so long. I'll work on a contingency plan, just in case.

Regards,
Rubi."

- Message sent by the Princess Rubi Nasser, along with a pack of letters. All loaded onboard the Lucky Messenger for the Journey of the Blessings. -

The day passed, and the night brought the customary gathering of the crew and the passengers on deck. The sun was long ago under the horizon and the preparations for the celebration were ready. Once again, Mina's voice was the one to bring her mistress back from whatever daydream she was in.

— You're way too distracted, My Lady. That concerns me.

— Don't be. I've never got much time to be distracted. I'm triying to seize it as much as I can.

— You haven't left your cabin since lunch. And you certainly don't look dressed for dinner.

— Has Prince Aten sent for me?

— No, My Lady.

— Then I'm not needed for dinner.

The princess dismissed the maid after that, with explicit instructions to be awaken one hour before dawn. Mina obeyed and let her be, but not without bringing a tray of food from the kitchen to the cabin, so her mistress could at least eat. As ordered, the young servant awoke her mistress one hour before dawn.

— Did you enjoyed the reunion last night, Mina? — Smaragd asked as she undid her hair and braided it once again.

— As much as I could without speaking their language. The first officer was kind enough to translate for me.

— So you spent your time with the officers.

— Yes, My Lady. Since they travel often, they knew how to speak hèllaszian well enough.

— I'm glad to hear it. I've been thinking that you should learn the misaran tongue. Speak it, at least. It's not fair for you to struggle like that when you're on your own. — Smaragd finished with her hair and got rid of her sleeping dress to wear her training vestment.

— I... I'm worried for you, My Lady.

— And why is that?

— Normally, when you're angry you speak of it, at least to your maids. You've been acting strange since yesterday. You didn't even came to dinner and I know you like to be in these gatherings. Please, tell me what's wrong.

— Nothing's wrong, Mina. Not with you. A certain man on the other hand, seems to have forgotten his place, and mine. Do not worry, I'll make sure he remembers.

Smaragd exited the cabin with decided steps, and Mina wondered what in the world had made her so furious about her future husband. For no-one else could have upseted her that much.

The princess spent the next hour training. She repeated the forms that both Ishaq and Donkor had taught her with an almost obsessive determination. She could feel that she was getting better, more precise, stronger. And she was pleased with that. But not pleased enough to stop practicing. She knew she still had a long way to go.

Her next move was stopped by a strong hand, and a voice broke the stillness in the air.

— You're getting better.

And that voice was silenced by a well-targeted slap in the face of its owner.

— You've ignored me since the day before we departed!

The next attempt to a hit was stopped by the same strong hand that stopped her the first time.

— I had to take care of the ship and the travel. I highly doubt that taking care of your safety means to ignore you!

— And you have to do all this on your own? To organize a travel is a matter so secret and so dangerous that you cannot see me? Am I so useless that I cannot help you put things together?

There was no answer. Only a surprised look on Aten's face.

— We are going to be married. We are supposed to rule this land together, and this is the first commitment we must face on our own!

— Smaragd...

— I am not your trophy for peace and I will not be treated like one!

She stormed past him and went below the deck, leaving a somewhat confused prince on his own as the sun gave its firsts rays of light into the realm.

When Mina saw her mistress entering into the cabin with an even more angry expression, she didn't know what to say. She didn't even dared to move as the princess seated on the bed and placed her head on her hands.

— Am I a useless person, Mina? — Mina could barely listen.

— I beg your pardon?

— Am I a useless person? — The princess spoke louder and slower this time, so her servant could hear.

— No, My Lady.

— Why?

— You've always tried to do more than what society expects from you, My Lady.

— And what is that?

— Hèllaszians expected you to be no more than a dancer and a vessel for children, and you became a clever and kind woman. The servants you've saved from death and incarceration know that you are far more than what your kingdom expected from you.

— And here? Am I useless here?

— You are new here, My Lady.

— That's not what I asked.

— You are learing what you need to learn to be useful here. I don't think you're useless because of that.

— You're merely a servant... How is it that you seem to see everything clearer?

— Because I'm only a person who watches from the outside. I'm not in the center of your problems, My Lady. If this was my problem, I would be as confused as you are.

— How is it that you're so good at this?

— I grew up in the hèllaszian palace as a slave, until you made me your servant. When you're a slave, you need to grow up quickly or die. I didn't wanted to die. And I don't want to die just yet.

A resignated laugh could be heard, and a long sigh after that. Then, a question.

— What do I do with him? What should I do about him?

— You should do as your heart tells you to do, My Lady.

— I don't trust my heart... It goes against everything my brains tells me to do.

— Well, he certainly trusts his, and it works for him. So why shouldn't you?

The sun was already in its highest point. Everyone was focused on their own tasks. Everyone except Smaragd, who had no tasks to complete. If she had been training as usual, she would be barely coming in to her cabin. But she wasn't. She spent a lot of time thinking, though. And finally, with a mix of humility, determination and resignation, she took a pen, ink and a parchment, wrote a message and told Mina to deliver it. She only stood in front of the adresee an hour later, with her shoulders squared and her hand crossed in front of her.

— I want to take part on this journey.

The young man seated in front of her didn't divert his attention from the papers he was reading.

— You already do.

— I mean for real. I don't want to sit all day and play Princess. I want to do something that really helps here.

— Are you going to slap me in the face again?

— No.

— So, you're going to apologize.

— No.

The young heir finally turned his gaze from the papers to her before changing his position and leaning on the back of his chair.

— Well, that's a problem. 'Cause we can't live the rest of our lives like this. With you, snapping whenever you want, and me trying to figure out when will you be spitting poison all over my eyes again.

— I said I wouldn't do it again.

— Yes, you said something about trying to calm yourself a few weeks ago, and look how it worked for both of us.

He returned his focus to the documents, clearly stating his priorities. Smaragd gave a long sigh. He was right. Again. She took a second before speaking again.

— What do you want from me? — Aten let the documents on his desk with exaperation before answering.

— To start treating your future husband with the same courtesy you'd like to be treated, no matter how angry you are at something. Princess, you are quite amazing most of the time, but not even I can stand your attitude when you go hostile. If you are going to be that hateful - and I'm sure we'll need that temper of yours one day -, at least be hateful with someone who actually deserves it.

Smaragd took her blame by nodding with her head and keeping her eyes fixed on the floor. She took a breath and then asked permission to exit the cabin.

— Don't you want to say anything?

— At this point there's no use in saying anything, but in doing. I'll take my leave now, I'm sorry I disturbed you. — She began to walk towards the door, keeping her gaze low.

— I'm not done yet. — Smaragd stopped herself midway to the door and sighed.

— What else do you wish to tell me?

Aten took a handful of what it seemed like a dozen papers or two, and handed them to her.

— You know four languages, don't you? Well, you might as well use them to read these and write a suitable answer to them. If I find those answers fitting enough for a future Queen, I'll use them and send them with our messenger falcons.

— Answers? Answers for what? — She said taking the handful of papers from him.

— Many have written asking to be in the wedding ceremony and later in our first audience before the feast, where we are supposed to receive the gifts from our guests. I suppose you know the implications of accepting or declining each one of these people.

— I...

— I'm telling you to be useful. Or do you want to spend the rest of the journey staring at the walls?

Smaragd could see he was still angry. And with good reason. But an almost imperceptible smile told her he was willing to forgive her, if she did her best this time instead of only trying.

— I'll have them sent to you by mid afternoon.

— You'll deliver them yourself. Commander Rubi has been quite specific. The least people possible must know the details of the wedding. You can leave now.

Smaragd got out of the cabin quietly, closing the door behind her. She wondered if the message she'd sent to him had been worth it. She highly doubted it. But looking at the situation from a different point of view, she had gotten what she wanted in the first place, even if it didn't happen the way she expected.

She looked at the letters, and she decided she would no longer try. She would be better, both for this kingdom and the man she had grown to like. And if she had to start writting replies to some letters, then she would start writting them.

A.N.: Hi again! I hope you're having a great week so far!

This chapter is dedicated to @Ferret-bird . I couldn't help but think of Ryu when I wrote this =)

Go and check out Ferret-bird's work. The Third Son and The One from the Red Shoal are quite awesome.

That's it for now. Take care of yourself and thank you for your reading. Hugs! ^^