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Leaning close for Maris to hear, Valda asked, “How many people are in here?”

Maris scanned the room’s loud bustle. People kept walking in, some sat at the long table, waiting for their food. The only thing being served were drinks.

“There are a lot of people here. I would say around twenty. Maybe more. The boy at the entrance is now guarding the door.”

“Boy?” Valda asked, stopping herself from taking another gulp of her drink. “How old?”

“I wouldn’t say a day over sixteen.” Maris moved her hand underneath the table again and squeezed Valda’s thigh. “There are people from different ages. They all have different toned blue hair.”

Valda chuckled and nodded. “All Sealians.”

“Yes,” Maris said, her voice quivering.

She was surrounded by her people, and unlike her parents led her to believe, Maris didn’t feel threatened or scared.

When she was younger, she never understood her parents’ paranoia and their need to keep her hidden. Growing up, seeing the hidden compartment in the office room, it all seemed so normal to her. Until she saw General Arwin in Ophelia Plaza until she saw her parents’ fear. She could still feel her mother’s iron grip on her arm, the desperation in her eyes when she asked her to get inside the secret compartment. After that, she hated being around a multitude of people.

She was nervous, there was no doubt about it, but there was a feeling of community and family. Everyone talked and laughed loudly amongst themselves, greeting each other with kisses on their cheeks and tight hugs and slaps on their backs.

“Are you all right?” Valda asked.

“I am fine. Just overwhelmed.”

“If you wish to go, just say the word. We will leave at first light.”

“No. I do not wish to leave. I want to get to know each and every single one of these people. They must all carry stories of the Sea Kingdom deep within them. Even the younger ones. They carry the stories of their fathers and their fathers before them. Endless stories of everyday life.” Maris trembled, as she thought about all the things she could learn from them.

“I know it is a lot. But whatever it is you need just tell me and I will make it happen.”

“I will,” Maris said, moving away to put space between them. It would be better and less complicated if they kept their relationship hidden from the public eye, for now. As Valda pulled the drink to her lips again, Maris stiffened and said, “Eyphah has entered the cabin now.”

A rumble of annoyance rolled through Valda as everyone in the cabin settled and quietened down.

“Enjoying yourself, Your Highness?” Eyphah’s voice was as rugged and commanding as Valda’s, making it clear that this woman wielded power among her people.

Valda finished her drink and placed the empty glass on the table. “The meidaila is pretty good.”

“If you were in a carriage, I would let you take barrels of it but…” Eyphah leaned against the table, the wood cringing at the weight. “I don’t think a carriage could make its way here. Was the road...bumpy?”

Valda raised her chin high, her elbows coming to rest on the table. “It was.”

“A shame, isn’t it? Imagine you are making this trip here maybe once every ten years. My people must use it every single day to get provisions from the neighboring villages.” Eyphah paused. “Imagine how it is for them.”

Valda opened her mouth to reply, but paused when Maris squeezed her thigh hard. “I think it would be better if we talked about the road infrastructure when we are both rested. I understand that we have a lot of work ahead of us, and that there are things that I would rather discuss in private with you, Eyphah. I hope you understand that,” Maris continued.

Valda’s growl was subtle. Talking in private with Eyphah was not part of the plan, but if these two women were on the verge of grabbing each other by the neck, it would be better if Maris spoke with her alone.

“Of course,” Eyphah said before she snapped her fingers.

Maris leaned back as servers brought them their dinner. Her plate clattered before her as those same servers filled her plate.

“It is a true shame you are not able to see the feast served just for you, Your Highness. Us Sealians love good, seasoned meat. You have guava-bathed pork meat with fried plantain and sweet rice. You can also taste stewed spicy chicken. As we speak, your glass is being filled with more meidaila, and for dessert we have rice with milk and cinnamon straight from our farms. I hope you are hungry.”

Maris’s eyes widened as the food settled before them. It took her a while to register the different smells. Her mouth watered like never before. It was as if her very soul knew that this was what she had been missing for her entire life.

“This looks delicious,” Maris said, more to herself than to Valda, but the queen nodded at her statement.

“It looks and tastes delicious. Please, help yourself. We have more where that came from,” Eyphah said as she grabbed a circular, bread-like food. Maris watched intently as Eyphah filled it with pork then salad before folding it and taking a bite. Raising her cobalt eyes, Eyphah gave Maris a teasing wink before offering her a plate full of the bread-like food. “Eat, eat.”