She reached out to touch them. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. They were sensitive, and her feather light touch tickled.Â
âYouâre actually...not jokingâ a soft response.
âItâs not something Iâd declare if I wasnât seriousâ I pulled out my make-up to hide them again. âFrom what itâs become, I donât share it lightly. But, I knew youâd find out, sooner or later. So I thought Iâd tell you, before you found out and took it the wrong way.â I looked up and met her crystal blue eye. Her ear frills flared slightly as our gazes locked. I relaxed my eyes, so they fell into their normal, slightly wider state. For several seconds, the air crackled with electricity. I ducked my head when I realized what was going on, focusing on narrowing my eyes again.Â
âAssane.â I looked up in surprise, sheâd never used my name before. âYou are my sister. Or, I want to become like sisters. Iâm glad you shared your secret with me.â She moved beside me. For a few minutes, we were just two teenagers. There was a knock on the door, and we became the Princess and her Translator again.
âCome in.â I called in both languages, at a nod from Princess Enotuvra. The man from before entered. He nodded in my direction before conferring privately with the princess. I busied myself with exploring the suite. Bathroom, her room, dining room, this place had everything except a kitchen. I pushed open the last door, expecting to find a kitchen. Inside was a bedroom bigger then our apartment, with MY stuff in it.
âDo you like it?â The princessâs voice sound from behind me.
âI love it. The view is breathtakingâ I responded. She smiled before returning to the conversation. I climbed onto the largest windowsill. The glittering bay lay beyond the city. I knew from Mamriâs stories that further out lay the capital where the princess came from. Having never been more then a dayâs ride away from Krina, I knew very little even of the land I was supposed to be wholly of.Â
âSister?â A quiet voice interrupted my thoughts.Â
âCome in.â I clicked, Enotuvra entered and climbed up beside me.
âItâs just us. I thought we should talk, get used to each other. Figure some stuff outâ
âShouldnât we, I dunno, maintain a professional relationship?âÂ
âIn public, sure at first. But in private we can be close if you donât mindâ I shrugged. She followed my gaze out the window. Â
âOwlfish. Itâs...what my momâs call me.â I broke in quickly. Her gaze snapped back to me.
âOwlfish, huh? It suits you little sister.â She said as she shifted to wrap her arms around me. Until just before dinner, we stayed like that. Two sisters enjoying the view.Â
She climbed down first, going to get dressed. A few moments later, some maids entered my room.
âExcuse us, Miss Translator? You need to get dressedâ The taller of the two said. I climbed down hesitantly.Â
âThe translator must look nice as she is beside the princess all nightâ The other said, thrusting a soft purple dress at me. Before I could protest, They were getting me ready. Undressing, redressing, and adjusting. Then came my hair.Â
âThere. That frames your beautiful hazel eyes.â The first said. My soft brown hair cascaded down my back in a series of braids and fishtails keeping it out of my face.
âThank you!â I gasped as I saw myself in the mirror. My slender frame was highlighted by the dress, bringing out my subtle curves. They bowed and left as I reapplied the foundation on my neck. Once I was satisfied, I met the princess in the main room. She was regal in a light blue full length dress. Her pale hair was braided around a crown before sweeping up into a regal bun.
âMy lady, lead the way.â I bowed to her. She smiled as she waved for me to straighten. Pushing open the door and walking to the elevator, she informed me completely business-like:
âWe will be here until a few days before I get crowned. You are to stay by my side whenever we leave the room.â I dipped my head respectfully. We were lowered to a dining hall once we stepped into the elevator. The doors opened and the work began.
âMy lady, you look stunning!â One Aquarisnian called
âWarm my bed!â A drunk teen called, to laughing and cat calling from his friends. I, wisely didnât translate. Enotuvra was poised through every greeting, never loosing her cool. Finally, we were led away by an older man I recognized as the mayor. He attempted to speak directly to the princess, with some success. I helped filling in the few gaps. Then he was replaced with an official looking Aquarisni.Â
âAre you sure you want to use this girl? Sheâs so young and loyalties could be..elsewhere. Questionable, but yet you insist.â He spoke like one used to giving orders and being obeyed. âI have many capable-â
âSheâs proven herself worthy, Uncleâ Enotuvra interrupted. He moved off after discussing a few more matters. âMy fatherâs brother. One of my advisers, not entirely by choice.â She spoke quietly into the break in people wishing to speak with her. The next few people were a blur. I was ignored, even when I had to relate the message to the soon-to-be queen. But she was always attentive, when I spoke to her. They seemed to hate my constant presence.
One woman watched me curiously, her companion speaking rapidly in Aquarisni. I looked away as he switched to insults and curses in Homoriâkra. At a nod, I translated quietly. My shoulders tensed as Princess Enotuvraâs face turned stormy, her eyes a deep black. She started arguing with him when I saw a flash of silver out of the corner of my eye. I reacted without thought.Â