Deception

♡Chapter Nine♡

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind

2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

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Jade locks her door and rushes through the palace to the main hall to meet the queen. She considers taking the secret routes but considering that only a few elite guards know about them, she knows that their cleanliness is questionable, to say the least, and she can't risk them being dirty and staining her dress before her walk-in town. The dress is white at the top and changes into a light blue beginning from her waist and cascading down her slimly. A gold belt rests on Jade's waist as well as two gold braces on either arm that are covered in part by the frilly sleeves of the dress.

An opaque trail is attached to the back of the dress, providing Jade with some comfort that the close fit will not draw too much attention behind her. Jade clicks clacks through the marble floors but despite the loud rhythmic sound, her ears pick up the slight clanking of a mechanism that lets her know that somebody has just emerged through one of the hidden pathways.

"Have to leave it up to you to match elegance and protection at the same time. Are you seriously wearing gold shoulder pads with a dress?" Jade hears Idris comment as he casually slides into stride on her right side. Jade doesn't flinch at his arrival, the two had made it an unsaid game of seeing who could sneak up on the other by utilizing the secret system. She had hoped to run into him before she'd left with the queen, there's much they must talk about.

"Oh, come now Idris, no need to be jealous that I can pair the two without looking like I'm trying too hard. Besides, until I'm officially handed a crown, I am still a lady-in-waiting, expensive dress aside, I intend to protect the Queen as always." Jade says matter-of-factly as Idris rolls his eyes.

"You do realize that once you're wearing the crown you will have a lady-in-waiting, right? I understand the whole, being humble thing, but shouldn't you of all people understand the hierarchy of things?" Idris asks as Jade sighs internally. Despite all the training she's received, the discomfort of being tended to is still a thought she's yet to come to terms with. Though at the very least, she'll certainly treat her lady-in-waiting with the same respect and dignity Queen Veronica has always shown to her.

"Surely you didn't emerge from the walls just to encourage me to act more Queen-like, correct?" Jade asks as Idris shakes his head and places his hands behind his back while keeping his head high. Judging by the arrogant look in his mischievous green eyes, he's got a new mission.

"No, but I will relish in judging your future queenship once that day arrives. In the meantime, I have some intel I know you'll want to hear. It involves the King of Toph." Idris says with a whisper as Jade glances at the guards who bow slightly in acknowledgement of her. Jade offers a passive nod in response before turning her attention back to Idris eagerly.

"I did take notice of his stopping by and was hoping to ask the King about it at dinner. What do you know?" Jade asks curiously as Idris smirks cockily; Jade can already sense his usual tongue-in-cheek humor coming out to play.

"I don't know how you'll react when I tell you. You are a girlfriend now and I'm told that can change some people. Why, I don't know how possessive you are of the prince yet. Though judging by the ring, I guess the prince is the possessive one out of the two of you. It's always the quiet ones, hmm?" Idris starts in a joking tone as Jade stops walking and places a hand on her hip.