Walking into the Imperial Garden, I curtseyed and greeted the king. "Good evening your highness," I said putting on my best fake smile. "As to you," said the king as he motioned towards the seat across the table from him.  Yu Cheng pulled out the chair for me and then poured me some of the kingdom's finest tea, made from the sweet nectar of the Fire Lily. I thanked him before he left to keep watch. "So, Lady Alivia, how are you finding to your living quarters?" the king asked. "They are easy to adjust to, your highness," I replied. The king gave me a sideways glance before saying, "Just call me Rhode, formalities suck." I raised an eyebrow at that statement. "But your highness, you're higher than my lowly status. It would be disrespectful for me to call you by your birth name," I said. An annoyed look passed over the king's face and was gone as soon as it appeared. It was replaced by a look of enlightenment. "What if it was an order?" he asked, failing to hide his grin. "Well," I paused not knowing exactly what to say to that. "If its an order I suppose I have to follow it," I said. "Excellent," Rhode said. "So, your hig-...er-... I mean Rhode, what are we having for dinner?" I asked, sipping my tea. It was sweet with a hint of power behind it. "Caminberry Soup and Slyther fish," he replied. I shook my head in disbelief, Slyther fish was only exported in Cambania, millions of miles from Mariea. "How can we have Slyther fish, it isn't exported near us," I said. "I have my ways Lady- or may I just call you Alivia?" he asked. "I suppose," I said. I couldn't just deny the king, so I must say yes, lest something happen to me. Rhode made casual conversation for a good twenty minutes, then the food had arrived.

            As Yu Cheng sat the food in front of us, the food's delicious smell wafted up to my nose. My stomach rumbled loudly, startling me. My face flushed from embarrassment, I hadn't eaten since that morning. I was starving and not about to turn down a meal. Rhode had heard my stomach and chuckled. "Hungry?" he said jokingly. I looked down and didn't answer him. I felt my face grow increasingly red, knowing someone had heard my stomach. "Go ahead, try some, its quite delicious and would be a shame to waste," Rhode said. I nodded and picked up my spoon. Silently willing my face to return to its normal shade. I dipped my spoon in the soup and brought some of it to my mouth. I sipped it quietly, as not to make a disturbance. It was absolutely breathtakingly good. I quickly sipped the rest of it off my spoon. In a blink of the eye, my soup was all gone. "You seem to really like the soup," Rhode said, sipping his own soup. "It's average," I said nonchalantly, not wanting to let on how good the soup really was. I turned my attention to the Slyther fish. It was golden brown, perfect, and smelt like heaven. I ate the fish just as quickly as the soup. However, Rhode had beaten me and had been watching me finish my food. I looked up him and we locked eyes. "Finished?" he inquired. I nodded. He stood up and walked over to my side of the table. Having no clue what he was doing, I remained in my seat, still as stone. Reaching out with one hand he asked, "Care to take a walk with me?"

          We walked around the Imperial Garden. It was very pretty at night. Lit up by the night sky, the stars glistened in the sky. But all at once I suddenly remembered my hatred for the king all too well. I excused myself to go back to my living quarters, claiming I was exhausted. When I walked back into my living quarters, it was incredibly silent, but peaceful. I undid my hair and go into my nightclothes. That night I slept fitfully, dreaming of the revenge I would have on the king and just how sweet it would be.