HUBRIS

II

Nevian could feel a crick developing where his neck met his right shoulder with how he had been maintaining his posture, constantly reminding himself that tilting his head to the side went against any royal etiquette that he had been taught, and that was a mistake that he could not afford in front of his betrothed; the third princess of Bahi Maliha Avery Erion.

There had been many discrepancies with how he had been imagining their first meeting, but the most glaringly obvious one was how young the lady was, and despite the young age, had not been unaware of matters concerning a man and woman- if the look on her face was anything to go by.

Sitting across from him was a royal princess who was barely seventeen, wearing an expression that unabashedly revealed the delight she felt by the commodity she was about to be handed over. Nevian supposed he should be grateful for his looks at that moment.

Her eyes had scrutinized him the moment she had arrived and settled in her seat, a glint to them that had not been lost on him. Perhaps she'll satisfy her desires, and the royal family will quench their monopoly of power through this marriage.

"How has your stay been like your Highness?" She questioned in a voice that was saccharine sweet and a smile stretched across her lips that Nevian contemplated would be quite taxing on her muscles.

"It has been rather comfortable, thanks to Bahi's hospitality." Nevian smiled in his reply, a short and brief smile that did not reach his amethyst eyes but they gleamed with amusement at the irony. He had been all but locked away in his quarters, forbidden to step out since he had arrived, and it had taken his betrothed four days to call upon him.

They were to be under the pretext of enjoying a peaceful teatime under the shade of a luxurious marble gazebo, which was situated in one of the many gardens the royal palace had; this one in particular was made to marvel over the small lake it looked upon. Although, in reality, the princess was here to inspect her goods. Nevian smiled at her once again.

"You have quite the charming smile," She peered directly into the Mironian royal's eyes as she confessed with an unnatural shade of blush on her cheeks, an excitement building in the young woman's stomach at the thought of owning such a fine man.

"I believe it is your eyes that hold beauty, dear princess." Nevian calmly replied, hiding the smile blossoming on his face behind the teacup as he lifted it to his mouth. He could see his words had pleased the Erion princess, and it only amused him further. How simple and foolish of a lady she was.

Perhaps every woman in Bahi was rather bleak, in contrast to what he had seen back home. The idea bored him, along with his newfound pity for them. Bahi was said to be a rather regressive society, where women were all but hidden away from most social gatherings. Aside from maids, he hadn't seen many women around, and he wondered if they were also locked away under the religious notions they held so dear.

The pity he had allowed himself to indulge in for only a moment was slashed open when an arrow whooshed through, or right by his left ear, to be more precise. If he hadn't already noticed the approaching bolt and changed its trajectory, the face Princess Maliha was marveling at would've been marred rather painfully. His first thought was of an assassin, which was quelled right at the sound of a profuse apology that was hollered from the direction of the arrow.

It seemed it had all happened too fast for Maliha or her knights to react, and only now were they starting to pay attention to things that were more important than their facade of a teatime.

"Just who was brazen enough to practice archery in the palace gardens!" Maliha shrieked; her voice was far from what she had been meticulously composing it to be. Her face was red as she slammed her hands on the small table. Knights were now behind her to protect their master from the unknown threat, drawing their swords in the direction of the arrow.