Chapter Text
"Are you even listening to me, Ishara?"
The princess whirled around, eyes wide with surprise. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry, Father." She turned away from the rail of her balcony and the column of smoke in the distance, brow furrowed in concern. "I was thinking about Arachnis. There's so much smoke rising from the village. Do you think…"
King Weha placed a claw on her shoulder in a gesture of encouragement. Ishara always thought of her people first. It was one of her many qualities that made him so proud to call her his daughter. "Captain Memmon and his Sting Squad are the finest warriors in the Fright Zone," he reminded her. "Whatever trouble has befallen Arachnis, they will resolve it."
"If they got there in time," she muttered.
She was not wrong, but she needed to learn not to dwell on what they could not control. They had sent their forces out as soon as they received the distress call from Arachnis, and he knew its people were skilled fighters in their own right. The captain of the town watch had been a friend of his, in their youth. They could do nothing now but wait. But that was not the reason he had sought his daughter out. It was a special day for her, and he did not want the occasion to be marked with sorrow. "I have something for you," the king said. "It belonged to your grandmother."
The concern on Ishara's face became mixed with curiosity. King Weha retrieved a long, flat box from within his cloak and held it out to her. "It's tradition for the crown princess to receive something from the royal jewels on her sixteenth birthday,” he explained. "Before she died, my mother left this with me to hold in trust if I ever had a daughter. It's yours now."
Ishara accepted the box and carefully opened it to reveal a large garnet pendant on a gold chain. “Oh…” She nudged it with her claw, its faceted surface glittering in the afternoon light. “Father, I… does this mean the Runestone… no, it couldn’t…”
“No, I’m afraid not,” the king admitted. His mother was widely acknowledged as the last elemental princess of the scorpion kingdom. Weha, the only child, had been younger than Ishara was now when his mother died, and with no princess to which the connection could pass, the power of the Black Garnet went dark. “The garnet is still the symbol of our kingdom, and this necklace still represents our legacy. You are as brave, loyal, wise, and just as any of the princesses that came before you. I am very proud of you, Ishara. You will make a wonderful queen when your time comes.”
She closed her eyes and hugged the jewel to her chest, embracing not just the garnet, but her destiny. “Thank you, Father.”
“Here, let me put it on you.” The king took the necklace back from his daughter and slid the long chain over her silver-white hair; he then stepped behind her and adjusted the slide clasp until the pendant rested at her throat. Ishara turned around to face him, and he nodded approvingly. “Yes, it suits you.”
“Your Majesty! Princess!”
Father and daughter both looked up to see Sargon, captain of the royal guard, hurrying toward them. “Captain Memmon and his company have returned from Arachnis,” he announced. “They’ve brought a survivor… and a prisoner.”
“Thank you, Sargon,” said the king. “Inform Memmon that the princess and I will address them in the throne room.”
The guard nodded and left to carry out his order. King Weha, seeing his daughter’s brow knotted with concern again, said gently, “‘A’ survivor does not mean there were no others, Ishara.”
“I know, I know,” she said. “I just…” She took a deep breath. “We should make ready to receive our guests. The captain and his soldiers have had a long day.”
“I would like you to take the lead in welcoming them.”
Ishara straightened and looked at him, surprised. “Me? But I…”
“You are ready,” the king assured her. “You’re going to be queen one day. Whatever outcome the captain has to report, you’ll face greater challenges and more difficult decisions in the days ahead.” He put a clawed arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick embrace of encouragement. “And I will do my very best to assure you don’t have to face them alone. Come, Ishara. They are waiting.”