Chapter 4: B1: CH 1: Amelia and Sasha

Amelia par Venatia walked in the garden, enjoying the nice weather they were having. She walked with a certain kind of gait that only those who have time to waste practicing walking can ever achieve, and an air that was both high class and a bit more welcoming than others of her social strata. Her green eyes were wide like a doe, which made the golden circle in them stand out all the more, and her red hair was carefully styled to look as wild as she could get it. She was in a very modest dress, as her usual wear was too restrictive to enjoy the outside like this. Which was also why she was barefoot- having no flat soled shoes to her name.
Beside her walked a thin looking, pale woman with her fine dark black hair tied up in an attempt to skirt around the hair length rules for knights. A pair of round yellow tinted glasses covered her harsh and narrow eyes, that served to make her smile seem less like a sign of her content and more of a type of smugness to most who didn’t know her. She was in light leather armor, not having the time to get anything better on before her Highness burst into her chambers and demanded to take a walk outside in the gardens before she had to go and deal with tutors.
The fifteen-year-old was a really bad student and her tutors didn’t often help in that regard. It was more on them than her though the arguments that so often had the princess be reprimanded were started by her. Her nineteen-year-old personal knight would often have to apologize for her since Amelia refused to ever do that.
“So, who is the unfortunate victim today?” Her knight asked.
“Miss Cora.”
“Oh, that one. Want to borrow some sunglasses?”
Amelia chuckled and shook her head, “She knows quite well my heritage Sasha.”
“She is very old, perhaps she’ll forget if she can’t see them.”
“She is an octogenarian not an eight-month-old.”
“Is there much difference once the mind starts to go?”
“Hush, hush. You’ll get reprimanded if someone hears you.”
“Oh, my little Amelia, no one else is out here. There are no ears to hear anything on which we speak.” She motioned around the empty garden, where not even birds were to be seen.
Amelia nodded, “How is my father?”
“He tried ordering war again.”
“On whom?”
“Duke Harlington’s lands.”
“Duke Harlington is a fictional character.”
“Yes, but in the play, he insulted the fictional king.”
“Sometimes I wish his brain was deteriorating and not just becoming paranoid.”
“I am certain it would be just as dangerous either way.”

“And health wise?”
“He’s eating well, or at least has found a way to hide his purging.”
“How many were sent out to battle then?”
“One company. They’re using it as training. My father is to lie to the king that we conquered and killed the duke in a week's time.”
“I bet he can’t wait for you to replace his position.”
“Yes, I too can’t wait until your eighteen.”
Amelia snickered, “If I were someone else hearing that I’d be worried about your proclivities.”
“Please, Amelia, be serious. Everyone knows you aren’t my type.”
“Sasha, literally no one knows your type.”
“Exactly, so why should it be you? Besides, I’m not your type either. What was the word you used to describe your type?”
“Petite.”
“And I am not that, am I?”
“You know my type, give me a hint to yours.”
“Well, it’s not exactly my type but I do have a thing for a self-made woman, and not in the business sense.”
Amelia gave a baffled look at her companion, “I think it would have been more helpful if I didn’t ask.”
Sasha yawned and pulled out a pocket watch. “Tis about time for you to get going.”
“Really? Already. It is always sad how time moves faster when you aren’t trapped in a small windowless room being berated by an ugly old hag.”
“And you hushed me for saying she was losing her mind.”
Amelia winked, “I’m higher class than you, people expect me to be shallow and rude.”
“Well, whatever. Get going before you become late.”
Amelia walked back into the castle, making her way down a long stone hallway until she reached a small room where a very short and old looking woman with a button nose and harsh eyes awaited her.
“Now, let us begin our etiquette lessons, your Highness.”

---

Sasha swung her blade down in front of her, again and again. Each time with the same angle and the same force. Ten sets of twenty swings. Then five sets of twenty push-ups, then a mile long run three times with twenty-five sit ups in between. A light workout. Today she had a visitor, a blonde Hustarian noble name Vala who the country kept as an ambassador to keep the veneer that they weren’t illegally occupying another country up without kingdoms and lands and such.
“Vala, what rumors have your ears heard today?”
“Am I nothing but a rumor mill to you savages?” She shook her head, “You are lucky you are nice to me, or I wouldn’t give you these details. You have heard of the unrest in my motherland, no?”
“I have.”
“And the cause?”
“No, nothing. I assumed it was general unrest, but I’m guessing that’s wrong.”
“Heirs. From the King’s first marriage. By law they have the right to the throne. There are rumors they are alive.”
“How many?”

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“Two. A male the elder and a female the younger.”
“Oh, and why is the rumor going on?”
“Cursed eyes aren’t common.” She pointed to her own right eye, glowing purple under a monocle. “Passed on through the mother, or motherly parent. His first wife was a cursed one.”
Sasha winched at the eye, memories of a childish outburst popping back up in her head. “First wife? I take it they’d be old enough to take the throne?”
“The male should be twenty-six and the female twenty-four.”
Sasha thought for a moment. “Which eye is the curse on?”
“Same as mine for the girl and left for the male as is always the case.”
“Always the case. Males to the left, the right for women and some sort of half and half for those who fit neither or both.”
"So, if a lady has an eye on the left, I can clock her?
“If you’re asking what I think, no. If someone accepts themselves and has a cursed eye it will switch to the other side. I knew an elderly man who only became aware of his masculinity after I knew him who was also a cursed one and his curse went from his right to his left.”
“Shame, if that princess you mentioned had a left eye as such, I might have left Amelia’s side for her. That is such a bizarre feature. Any other rumors?”
“Just the usual about the terrorist cell.”
“Ugh, still? That is not helping his Highness’s condition.”
“It is but a rumor, no matter what he declares the parliament won’t do anything unless actions are done.”
Sasha nodded, “As long as they stay down, perhaps we’ll be fine.”
“Rumors have ways of inspiring both sides.” The Ambassador left to enjoy her prison cell of a room while Sasha went back inside to wash off her sweat.

---

“Very good, despite that mother of yours.”
Amelia glared, “I am still my father’s child.”
“It is a compliment. Even a mixed blood like you can be regal.”
“Yes and even a corpse like you can talk.”
Her tutor hit her with a riding crop causing Amelia to yelp.
“I suppose the tongue begets your beggar upbringing.”
“My tongue begets only that I don’t have my head in the clouds.”
“It begets that you’re lucky to have even been found. Just another mixed blooded orphan. You should be more joyous for the opportunity you have.”
“If I have to get lessons from you, I’d rather live in the gutter.”
“Oh, if I were regent, you would.”
“Fuck you.” She spat and was slapped across the face.
“Language like that is unbecoming of a lady. How do you expect to find a husband with such a vile tongue?”
“If my tongue drives men away, perhaps I should use it more.” Another hit with the crop.
“I hope your husband can control you better than you control yourself. Would be a shame if you ended up like Tamara.”
“Oh, how terrible that would be. To have a loving wife who respects me.” Another slap.
“Perversions like that are unbecoming of a lady. As sayeth the Heroes.”

“So is being single at your age.” She also wanted to add that two of the heroes were a gay couple and the one called a witch was a lesbian but she wanted less red marks on her skin and her tutor was probably not open to modern reinterpretations of ancient text and history.
The bitch of a tutor dismissed her and Amelia ran to her room where Sasha was on her bed waiting. She jumped into her arms and started crying. Sasha patted her back, used to this sort of thing from the Princess.
“What was it this time?”
“Hustaria and Tamara.”
“She told you to get a husband, didn't she?"
“I openly flirted with ladies and only them at the last ball and she still thinks I should marry a man.” She groaned, “Do I not exude the same energy as Tamara?”
“Well, I mean you’re the only royal who can. Othar isn’t going to marry anyone, and Tamara already is to Dagosa.”
“Can and will not. I can only imagine how awful she was to my older sister.”
“Oh, when she came out at seven, the hag nearly had a heart attack.”
“I wish she would have. Why she still has a position is beyond me.”
“Only tutor of her kind left.”
Amelia pouted, then yawned, “I have a few hours, right?”
“Yes.”
“Sasha, nap.”
Sasha nodded and tucked her younger friend in. “Shall I kiss your head?”
“I am not a child, Sasha. But yes.”
Sasha gave her a peck on the head and sat down in a chair to watch over her slumbering charge. After all, she needed to rest up for her next tutor she would be fighting.  Sasha grinned and relaxed, Amelia was a handful, even as old as she now was, but there was no better friend for her. Even after what she did to her best friend, she forgave her. She was a saint, and Sasha was lucky to be her bodyguard, to serve as her protector and when the time came protector of her spouse as well. 

Someone like Amelia would have an easy time finding a lady to lay in love with. Someone like Sasha, her tastes were rare in the type of girl and even rarer for the relationship she wished to have. She was pretty sure she'd be single for as long as she was in the capital, and since Amelia was a princess that was until she could serve as an ambassador. Perhaps they'd find love during a diplomatic mission. That was how Tamara met her wife, though Dag was the ambassador to Davil from Feian Wa. She shook her head, such fanciful nonsense. It could wait for later, for now she had to have but one thought, making sure the princess was safe and her slumber unperturbed.

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