Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Jacinth
“Ah, and here he is now!” Emrys smiled widely, his arm waving toward the door, where a tall Elven man walked through.
His hair and eyes were lavender in color, with his long strands pulled back at the edges and worked into two braids running down each side of his head, while the rest remained long in the back.
A couple of smaller braids on top pulled any shorter sections of hair out of his eyes.
His face was thin, but with a strong jawline and facial structure.
He looked quite roguish, with charms hanging from his braids and tattoos covering every inch of skin I could spot below his chin.
I’d met men like him before. He looked more like a pirate than a royal guard, only his uniform showing him to be so. I raised an eyebrow at him, looking to Emrys for an explanation.
“This is Alfrikr, formerly of Amythest Court, clearly.” Emrys introduced him. “We tried to switch up which guards served which competitors, to keep things fair and inspire the spirit of collaboration between the courts.”
Or more likely to ensure said guard would spy on their charge, instead of being loyal to their original court.
“So Brokk, our Ruby Court guard for this event, will be serving Sapphire, while Wyn, our Sapphire Court guard, will serve Emerald, and so on, so forth. But only our very best guards were selected for this task, I assure you,” he finished explaining.
Alfrikr and I stared at one another, weighing and examining what we were each working with. I watched a small smirk kick up his lips before he nodded deferentially.
“My Lady,” he greeted me.
That would never stop being strange.
“Alfrikr, a pleasure, I’m sure.” I returned politely.
I wondered if I’d be able to find out more when Emrys left.
He’d mentioned he was formerly of Amethyst Court, meaning he very well could have been a pirate.
I’d traded with some before, since they usually had no use for gems beyond their value, while I had none for relics.
They made for good trading partners in that regard.
While pirates were usually human, I’d seen a couple of other races who’d turned pirate.
A Fae once, down by the docks in Sapphire Court, and an Elf among the ship’s crew in Onyx.
It seemed the one thing we all had in common was the desire to get away from our lives.
The only reason I hadn’t turned pirate myself was that I had no wish to live at sea.
“You’ll be called for the formal introduction to High King Azurill in a bit,” Emrys informed me, smiling widely. “All the competitors will be joining you, and you’ll have a chance to meet everyone before we begin.”
Oh joy. A bunch of pompous noble ladies fighting over a crown. How could I possibly wait?
“Of course. I can’t wait to finally meet the High King in person.” I smiled widely, as if excited, hiding my desire to meet him for much more murderous reasons.
When the time came, I found myself actually nervous to be in the presence of so many nobles. I was diving straight into the heart of Diamond Court, with all the nobles of Gemaria present, and all of them would be watching me. All seeing me.
Would they think anything of my eyes and hair? Was it reasonable to assume a cousin of the red-haired Ruby lord could have coloring that lightened to pink? Or would they see the truth through my lies?
Alfrikr opened the door to a circular room that contained a long white couch that curved to the shape of the room.
Purplish blue walls were highlighted by hanging lights, and there were smaller seating arrangements with chairs and tables set all over the room.
The far wall held a champagne fountain surrounded by glasses that a few of the ladies already present had clearly made use of, gripping their drinks as they glanced around.
I looked once more at Alfrikr, who nodded once as if urging me on before he took a spot along the wall where other guards were stationed. I made my way to the champagne, quickly taking a glass for myself and welcoming the fizzling silvery-pink drink’s bubbles as they calmed me.
I subtly looked around at the other ladies to see who I was up against. A woman with turquoise hair in long, voluminous waves falling down her back, topped with a diamond hairpiece set with turquoise feathers, was the first I noticed.
Equally stunning turquoise eyes were set in a delicate face that turned to face me and inspect her own competition.
Her brown skin was nearly glittering in the light, and her dress was off the shoulder, a silver and blue ballgown encrusted with what had to be thousands of diamonds more than my own.
My heart sank. I had no idea how I was going to win this competition. It was ludicrous to assume I could ever earn the coveted spot as the Diamond Queen, even before I saw the other ladies fighting for the right to the title.
But said woman seemed to set her shoulders, highlighted by the diamond and kyanite necklace adorning her collarbone, and made her way to me, much to my surprise.
“Hello,” She smiled nervously, smoothing a hand down her dress. “I’m Lady Faiza Nabhas, daughter of Earl Gohar Nabhas of Heer County, of Diamond Court.”
Ah. Diamond must have struggled to find a lady to compete, since they couldn’t have anyone even tangentially related to the king himself. The daughter of a minor lord who oversaw a province of Diamond Court must have been the best they could get.
Explaining why she was so nervous. She was technically the lowest ranked of us all—and wasn’t that a dizzying thought.
It wasn’t even a lie, technically. I was as much a full-blooded noble lady as any of them.
“I’m Lady Jacinth Tawny.” I introduced myself with the last name Carnelian had assigned me. One belonging to a distant cousin with no children, but who had agreed to the ruse. “Cousin of Lord Carnelian of Ruby Court.”
“Oh, thank Veritx.” She laughed lightly, her relief instant. “I thought it’d be the only one who wasn’t the daughter of the lord.”
I couldn’t help smiling back. She seemed entirely too genuine to be here.
“Do you spend much time here at court?” I asked her with a friendly grin, and she relaxed even further, her eyes sparkling.
“Oh no, I try to stay far away,” she said, her happiness dimming slightly. Before I could ask her what in Tartarus she was doing here then, another voice interrupted.
“Oh, would you look at that.” I turned to see a woman with long, curly emerald-green hair and bright eyes set beautifully against her tan skin. Another woman with pale white skin perfectly complemented by her cobalt-blue hair and eyes had her arm linked with the first woman.
“I didn’t realize the Diamond Queen Competition was open to everyone now. It’s so kind of High King Azurill to be charitable to the less fortunate.” The woman dressed in the matching emerald-green of her court said, her sweet tone so fake that it set my teeth on edge.
The cobalt-haired woman tittered beside her, covering her mouth with her hand. “I’m sure you’ll both make a valiant effort.”
My eyes narrowed as Lady Faiza seemed to wilt where she stood, like a flower falling to the freeze, and I set my sights on the two before me.
“As I’m sure you will, my ladies,” I told them in the same sickly-sweet tone.
Faiza’s eyes widened, while the cobalt-haired woman, Safira, if I remembered correctly, blinked rapidly.
But the emerald-haired one narrowed her eyes at me, a viciousness behind her own I recognized from years on the streets.
The look of someone who’d do anything to keep what they viewed as theirs.
“I’m Lady Zumra Giada, daughter of Lord Khader Giada of Emerald Court.” She smiled that fake smile at me. “And who might you be?” She looked down her nose at me, sniffing in disdain.
I smiled slowly, “I’m Lady Jacinth Tawny, cousin of Lord Carnelian of Ruby Court, and the winner of this competition.”
Lady Zumra’s head reared back a bit, before she started laughing and shaking her head. Safira looked between us, seemingly uncertain, before laughing weakly.
“Oh, are you now?” Zumra asked, her laughter finally trailing off. I barely noticed some other ladies had joined us in the room while I was stuck dealing with the brat before me. “And I suppose I’m the next High King!”
Safira laughed dutifully at her joke, but looked distinctly uneasy, while Faiza looked almost scared on my behalf, shaking her head at me discreetly. Another woman with amethyst hair watched on with a critical eye.
“Let me make one thing clear, right now for you, Lady Jacinth.” Zumra smiled before leaning in, that smile disappearing to show her true face. Narrowed eyes and a sneer met my completely blank expression. “I will be the next Diamond Queen, no matter what it takes.”
Safira frowned at her side, clearly not agreeing. We were all here for the same reason—to compete against one another. Whatever friendship the two had, I had a feeling Safira was rapidly discovering that it didn’t extend to such high stakes as a queenship.
“We’ll see.” I shrugged casually, enraging Lady Zumra further.
“Yes, we will,” she said heavily, exposing all her teeth like a feral wolf snarling. “I’d be careful in the challenges. You never know what can happen.” She tutted before walking briskly away to another side of the room, talking quickly but quietly to Safira.
“Veritx, do you have a death wish?” Faiza asked me with wide eyes. I laughed, shaking my head.
“One thing I’ve learned is that you can never give in to those who think to demean you. If you allow it once, they’ll just continue. Standing up to them is the only way,” I told her, leaning in conspiratorially.
She shook her head. “I don’t think I could dare. My position doesn’t allow it.”
She looked down, as if ashamed, and I suddenly found that despite her being my competition and all that was riding on me winning, I could not in good conscience allow her to continue believing such bullshit.
“Your position does not define you,” I told her quietly, and she looked back up at me curiously.
Surely, she’d been hearing the opposite her entire life.
“You’re already more privileged than many out there, who would kill for the luxury of being an Earl’s daughter. You have more power than you think.”
The irony struck me, having disputed the same argument to Ula only a few days prior.
“But even despite that, what position you hold in society doesn’t define who you are as a person. Only you can do that. You can step outside the role you think you’re meant to play, and instead play the one you choose.” I finished, happy to see the small smile she now wore.
“You make it sound so easy,” she said ruefully, reaching up to twirl a turquoise curl around her finger as she ruminated on what I’d said.
“It’s not.” I admitted, smiling wryly. “Just remember that you’re more than you think.” I looked her over for a moment, considering.
“Do you want to be the Diamond Queen?” I asked her curiously.
Faiza looked around wildly, and upon seeing that everyone was a good distance away, she shook her head slightly in the negative.
“Then why are you here?” I couldn’t help asking, raising a brow at her.
She sighed heavily, her misery peeking through for the briefest moment. “They needed a woman with noble blood from Diamond, and I was the only one available who’s not related to Az—” Her eyes widened in fright. “Uh, High King Azurill.”
Hmm. Close enough to be on not only a first name, but a nickname basis, with the king?
“How about when it’s just us, we dispense with all the cumbersome titles.” I smiled, leaning in and bumping her shoulder with my own. “If you don’t want to win, we’re not really competition anyway, right?”
Faiza sighed gratefully, smiling with a hope that made me feel like the absolute worst. Here I was thinking of how to use her connections, while she was excited to find a friend among the vicious sharks they called ladies.
Despite all her time at court, she couldn’t even recognize the predator circling around her.
Yet somehow, that fact made me want to fend off the others more than take a bite myself.
“Right. So, do you really think you can win?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
I laughed lightly, “I certainly hope so! But I suppose we’ll see. It would be quite the improvement from Ruby.” I improvised, not wanting to seem like another one of these women only chasing a crown. “My Lord is…”
I trailed off, shuddering slightly, and her eyes instantly softened with compassion.
“I understand. Az and father have both always said he was quite intense,” she said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I smiled at her softly, nodding my head.
“Ladies of Gemaria!” Emrys all but bellowed as he swept into the room, taking everyone’s attention. He seemed to revel in it, smiling brightly at us all as the lights sparkled over his opal curls.
“You’re all here today for the same thing, the Diamond Queen Competition!
In a few moments, you’ll be introduced to High King Azurill and the court formally as the competitors for this year’s competition.
During this, you’ll learn the next steps and what the first challenge will be,” Emrys explained, his opalescent-white hair shining under the hanging lights.
“Will we have time with High King Azurill?” Zumra asked, and I couldn’t help rolling my eyes at Faiza. She snickered, covering her mouth with her hand.
Emrys seemed to be having trouble not rolling his own. He tilted his head at the emerald-haired lady and very patiently said, “You’ll learn everything in a few moments, Lady Zumra. From High King Azurill himself, even.”
With that, we were quickly shuffled into a line and arranged according to our courts. Thankfully, I found myself right behind Faiza, Ruby Court being shown in second after Diamond. Nerves clanged through me, and I bit down hard on my lower lip, trying to chase them away.
Faiza reached out a hand behind where she stood, and I grasped onto it, truly grateful for some solidarity in this cesspit.
“Aww,” Zumra crooned from right behind me. “They’ve put the two lesser contestants up first, before getting to the real competitors. How sweet.”
“Or they’ve put us in order according to the map.” I snapped back, rolling my eyes as I ignored her huff.
Before I knew it, Faiza was called forward, and I instantly missed her.
Zumra and Safira were spitting venom behind me.
Everything from picking apart each lady present to how they’ll win the challenges to how they’ll change the palace once they’re queen.
It was ridiculous and everything I hated about this life.
I just had to remind myself of the goal.
A dead High King.
Vengeance for my family.
The ability to sleep without nightmares.
Peace.