Princess Shyra's life has only extended till planet Ziya and she doesn't know how to look beyond helping her people. As far as she's concerned, she's being trained to rule her entire life, and it's the only goal she's ever known.
Cue the handsome pr...
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"So this is what you wanted us to do?" Shyra huffed, partly from annoyance and partly from exhaustion as she scrambled through the maya's trapdoor. "Go and fetch your son like messengers?"
The maya simply grinned and gestured for Shyra to take a seat on the carpet. She was beginning to annoy Shyra, but she obliged and sat cross legged on the wool carpet. She was soon joined by the others, who sat down around the maya in a semicircle. This whole scene reminded Shyra of grandmothers telling tales to children who sat around her in the dimming sunlight.
"Mother," Naor said, entering last and bending to touch her feet. "Why did you send them to fetch me? If you missed my company, you could have asked for me like you usually do."
"I haven't called you because I missed you." she snapped, and Shyra got the feeling that she was embarrassed by that bit of information. "You are required to accompany these women on their mission, and lend them all the help you can."
"Wait, what?" everyone yelled at once. The whole room broke out in outraged muttering as Shyra raised her hand to silence them.
"This wasn't part of the deal, maya," Shyra said with restrained patience.
"Oh, but it was," the old lady giggled. "This is the price you have to pay, child of the cosmos. Take my son with you and vanquish Arawn once and for all. I've seen that he will be of great help to you."
"Child of the cosmos? Why did you call me that?" Shyra frowned.
"Oh, did I?" she said, pressing the tips of her fingers to her lips and looking around. Shyra sighed and decided to let it go for now. Talking to her was giving Shyra a headache now.
"If that is all, can we have the directions now?" Arina asked. Shyra stifled a laugh. Of course Arina would become impatient and begin pestering the maya for directions. When Arina wasn't bothering Shyra, she could see how useful her stubbornness was. In many ways, they were similar in their relentlessness.
The maya tilted her head as she observed Arina, as if she were seeing her for the first time. "You." she crooked a finger in her direction. "I like you. You'll be the one I tell the directions to. You will not be able to convey it to anyone else, but my whispers will guide you true. Come close. Let me whisper it to you."
Arina looked unnerved as she walked to the maya. Shyra felt a flare of indignation at her sudden change of heart. But I thought you liked me, she thought with a pout. She knew it was childish of her to envy Arina for such a small issue, but after years of yearning for affection, even the slightest bit of unearned favoritism sent her puffing with pride.
The maya whispered a few words in Arina's ear, and Arina's eyes widened in understanding. "Ah, I see. And I have to guide them to this place, right?" she asked. The maya nodded and reminded them that Arina would be bound by the spell that prevents her from disclosing it. Now they would have to trust her directions.
