"You are lying!"
"He rejected her, after his father had already given the King of Rf'Guztak his word. Then he married a prostitute. A Prostitute?! An insult. Who rejects a Princess of Rf'guztak to marry a woman from the small tribe of Pio, a prostitute too? Angzelta!" (Insult).
"My father didn't kill her."
"He broke his word and made her throw herself from the highest floor to the ground."
Ki'tory broke into laughter and the Queen stared at her in confusion, watching blood coat her white teeth as she bopped her head back and forth in laughter. "So, she killed herself."
Rage shadowed the Queen's features, her eyes glassy with tears of grief; her hand went across Ki'tory's face, swiftly, leaving its imprint behind, and scratches from where her nails had made contact with skin. "He made her do it. He killed her. He killed Ida. My Ida!"
She staggered up to her feet and walked towards the only guard who was in the room with them.
Ki'tory's breath was becoming faint, her purple dress losing its colour to the crimson that seeped beneath it; there were too many places to put pressure on to try to stop the bleeding but her hands were not enough for that. She gritted her teeth in pain and shook her head to remain focused and not give in to the dizziness that was slowly calling to her.
"You should have just left us. We would have died either way, you would have been satisfied."
"But how would I get the satisfaction of watching the light leave your eyes, the very embodiment of your parents? How would I be able to show Ti-ka what a broken word feels like? How would I be able to teach Suvira that not every man who comes to her tent must be so recklessly seduced?"
Ki'tory coughed; she could taste blood in her mouth. This couldn't be the end. What about Eki? His soul would never be at peace, it would never ascend to meet Muktury. What about her people?
"You can kill me after the war. Spare the people of Yarma, and have your vengeance. I will not fight you on it. I will let you do to me whatever you want. For now, please help me."
The Queen pulled the warrior's sword from its sheath, and she started walking towards her.
"But then, I would be keeping my promise. Princess, are you foolish? Ah, you are not, are you? You are just dying." She raised the sword, and for a split moment, Ki'tory thought that its descent might actually be mercy after all.
But it never came down, the warrior was holding her hand. "Gio, do you want me to kill you instead?"
"It will be mercy, Yuk-ta. Let her die slowly and in agony, instead. Just like our Ida did before we finally found her."
Ki'tory could feel herself surrendering to the dizziness despite her struggle. She was a long way from the door, and struggling to get to it would be useless. Her strength was slowly deserting her. Her eyes were fluttering close and opening again.
She heard the door of the throne room push open and a maid shouting that the seamstress had arrived. Then the Queen had said to her, "I shall miss the dying light in your eyes, but sending a corpse to Yarma today will make up for it. Be dead when I return, Tika-Suvira."
Then she had heard the door slam shut, and she was alone.
Ki'tory couldn't tell what happened next or how much time went by, but after a while, she felt someone carrying her, and her eyes fluttered open to find the silhouette of a man hovering above her, the pendant of his necklace moving as he seemed to be running, his voice sounded like an echo in the back of her mind.
"---not yet time— not yet time."
It was all she could hear before the darkness finally claimed her.
*******************
The next time Ki'tory opened her eyes, seven days had passed.
What?!
They were closer to the Sun Ball, and she still hadn't achieved anything. Imova had been the only one by her bedside; Aytao was with her sick mother. Ki'tory went to see the Prince immediately she got better enough to walk. Her cuts were tender, although they had some had been stitched. She still had to be very careful. Imova had said Imigo had been in a very generous state to grant her a second chance.
Ki'tory rushed up the Crown Prince's floor. She ran into the Prince in the hallway on her way up, and the glass he held with him had crashed to the ground in shock. "You are supposed to be dead."
"You must get used to it, for I plan to disappoint you often, Prince Bihmang." She smiled. "Where is Prince Oi-ju?"
"In his room."
"Thank you."
And that might just be the only decent conversation they had ever had.
Ki'tory raced up, and Imova could barely catch up, falling several steps behind. Ki'tory watched out for any door that had light seeping out through the space. The guards she encountered along the hallway bowed politely to her and continued what they were doing. Aytao was right. Then she found the door, and when she pushed it open, it opened.
The lavender smell filled the room, it was lit by lanterns hung on the ceiling. It seemed to have no fire in them, but strange stones that reflected different colours. What was that? Ki'tory had never seen it in her life. This place was full of strange things, like the white rain. She was probably more excited about the Sun Ball than they all were, and if she was right about her suspicion, she would live to see the ball and many more balls.
She looked around, drawn to the messy table. There were different scrolls, half rolled and scattered. At a corner of the table was a waking candle with different nails dug into its sides and a sandglass, although what was in it didn't look like sand, for it glittered while it dropped to the other end of the sandglass.
What were all these strange things? She knew of the waking candle and the sandglass, but of the stones in the lanterns that took the place of flames and this glittery thing that took the place of sand, she had no knowledge.
She picked one of the messy scrolls, and on it was scribbled the word 'Uzitabo'. She had heard that word before, but her head felt too heavy she just couldn't remember what it meant.
She sensed something behind her, and she turned just in time to watch Prince Oi-ju level his sword against her throat. His hair was damp, and his fur coat was pulled over his shoulders. Water dripped from his face; he must have rushed out from his bath.
"You should be dead," he gritted.
"But I am not because you saved me, thank you. This means you have agre—"
"I did not save you."
Ki'tory's smile froze on her face. "That makes no sense. I am no use to anyone here but you, and that is if you have agreed to join me, which is sensible. You do not have to lie, your Highness. A moment of empathy has never killed anyone."
"Don't be stupid." He withdrew his sword. "Why would I save you when I clearly want you dead? Do you not know how much strain your existence brings to me? She made me kiss your hand while everyone watched! Kissed your hand like you were one dare to me. The disrespect! For me, you are better off dead."
Well, she thought of that, but then she thought that he had agreed to join her!
"Does my death, with no fault to you, not help to lessen your punishment greatly?"
"Don't delude yourself. You are nothing compared to the punishment she has on me."
Ki'tory bit her lips, feeling stupid. She needed knowledge of his situation with the Queen, and lacking it, put her in a terrible position to bargain.
"Get out and don't ever come here again." The Prince pushed her out, right into Imova, who finally staggered towards the door, sending both of them crashing to the floor.
Ki'tory wasn't certain what happened next, but unconsciousness claimed her and stitched wounds bled.
If it wasn't the Prince that saved her, then who did?
Who in this castle needed her alive?