A Princess for the Witch Doctor (Legends of Rahasia Book 3)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Zahra helps me to pack yet another case filled with ceremonial dresses, armor, and other such finery to show off just how powerful our Empire is. If I didn't know better, I'd be a princess stuck in a cliched story where she gets shipped off to marry somebody she didn't love. As is, there won't be any parties at the end of this. There will only be the cool kiss of a sword against my neck if I fail. No spinning straw into gold. No benevolent fairies. Just bored gods playing with humans like puppets, then throwing them away when they break.

You know. Reality.

But it's more than that. I'm not going as a diplomat like Uncle Boaz. I'm a fighter too, and a royal besides. A daughter of legends, heroes.

Jiwa, the home of the old demon goddess, Rangda. I hope I can find her and find the Dukun's name besides in his own homeland. If not, then I'll die.

And I don't want to come face-to-face with the death goddess just yet.

"You don't have to follow me." I chuckle as Zahra raises her brows at a particularly sheer outfit, dropping it on the ground like it'll bite her. "The gods blessed me, remember? I challenged myself. The only idiot who has to face possible execution in a foreign land is me."

"Your servants come along knowing full-well the risk behind it. Your people do love you and your fathers, even if you behave like an ass sometimes." She runs her hand absentmindedly over her shaved head. I try to grab the next ridiculous outfit from her hand, but the witch uses her height to hold it over me, dangling it just out of my reach. "And besides, I'm taller."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh," she folds the gold-bangled monstrosity over her thigh. "What if you can't reach the Sultan's hand to shake it? I'd have to give you a boost."

"Quit it," I just barely refrain from kicking her shin in spite when she presses the dress to her own body and dances about in it in a ridiculous, peacock-strutting fashion. I erupt into laughter instead. "I'm not that much shorter."

"Girls?" It's Consort Ryu's voice that drifts in through the door. "A word."

He knows I can't back out of it because of the challenge. I hope he doesn't think he can talk me out of this. I can only handle so much heartbreak at once.

"Yes?" I fight to keep my voice from cracking as I answer the door. To my surprise, Ryu's eyes aren't glistening with tears. He isn't pleading with me or insisting I run away. Instead, he carries a thin dagger in his hands. From the old military, tech from before the First Divine War. It's the symbol of the old Empire that Baba Elio's father ruled. The symbol of the sun. Verses praising Cato, the deliverer of war and bloodshed. Triumph and annihilation. And behind Papa Ryu, none other than Elio stands. He holds Baqir in one hand, and new armor in the other. Armor that matches his, just better to fit my body and height.

"Parting gifts from us." Elio explains, watching me as I take the new armor, marveling at its craftmanship. "And the dagger, it's from Ode. We thought it was fitting. From one Champion of Rahasia to another."

Ryu inhales as I hesitate to take the dagger. Baqir's already in Zahra's hands, being carefully placed on my bed. "Please." Ryu pleads, voice barely above a whisper.

"Thank you," I take Ode Ngayoh's dagger, imagining my fingers burn up when they touch the cool surface of the metal. The dagger of a death goddess isn't a simple thing. There's magic in these sorts of things. A magic that can bind. But, if only for their sake, I'll take it. She is my godmother, after all. And I'm not angry anymore. Now, I understand. It's not her fault she gave me this gift. If Zahra can deal with being a golem, I can deal with a misguided and misworded blessing. It's how the gods act when they do anything. Annoyingly cryptic.

They pull me to them, and all the breath and fight goes out of me. I stay in their embrace. Feeling Baba Elio's beard tickle my forehead. Ryu's soft cheek pressed against mine, smelling of rosewater, gray-streaked hair damp from the bath.

"رحلة سعيدة.Riḥlah saʿīdah. A happy journey, darling." Ryu holds me tighter, one hand running through my hair. "You're so perfect. Always was."

From Baba Elio, a gruffness. Hurt hidden beneath the brave front. "Come home." Not so much a question as an order. "Come back to us."

Then they leave me alone, too soon. Zahra puts her hand on my shoulder, leading me back to gather my things. "Are you okay?"

I take in my gifts, sheathing the death goddess's dagger at my belt. "I don't know."

***

Everything's packed. I leave for Jiwa in a couple days. I still have more time to finalize my travel plans. To wonder at how many servants to bring and still be polite. To brush up on Jiwanese etiquette, on how not to have your head cut off for impropriety the first night there.

Zahra stays until the candles are all but melted into the wood of my nightstand. "Do you need anything else, princess?"

"A better plan." I mutter.

***

Readers,

It's like she's being sent off to death college.

Fun!

-Sophia