The morning was spent elbow deep in dirt; Gianeva was preparing a new home for some yarrow saplings she had started a week or so prior. The irony in the situation was humorous, to say the least. She wiped her hands on her apron, setting back on her haunches to admire her handywork. Soon, sheâd have to ready herself for the eveningâs festivities. She had all but avoided her maids thus far, though there was still one thing she wished to do before it was time to get clean and dressed. Gia stood, and with a wave of her hand she summoned water from her bucket and gingerly sprayed the young plants until they glistened in the morning sun. Satisfied with her work, she gathered her tools and headed into her workroom. The table in the center of the room was filled with neat piles of various different herb cuttings in preparation to make a new concoction, however she was missing a component. A trip to the library would be her final step and although she was running short on time, it was necessary. Otherwise, it would wrack her brain all night.
Gianeva had her nose in a book on botany in an attempt to find a suitable binding agent that wouldnât lessen the strength of her medicine. There was once an old woman who would mix herbs and plants together purely based on tales alone, but Gia found it dangerous, preferring science and tested methods against word of mouth. Because of this, she was deep in thought when Jacari entered the room and hadnât even realized she wasnât alone.
âOh!â She started, promptly closing the book. âYes, actually. Iâve been avoiding Paloma all morning. It doesnât take as long as they think it does for me to get ready, such a waste of a beautiful day.â Gianeva pulled a pout, but recanted with a sigh. âOh very much so. Mother will be watching like a hawk, I presume. I half expect her to start arranging marriages on our behalf.â Her eyes rolled at the thought, upper lip curling back slightly. âI suppose it could be worse. She could be marrying me off to the old dog.â She laughed and held the book to her chest. âBut yes, Iâll see you later. Hopefully weâll get through this without too much discomfort.â With that, she watched Jacari leave before plucking another book from the shelf and exiting herself.
Paloma was, as she suspected, a nervous wreck. Once Gianeva stepped inside her room her girls swarmed her. She allowed them to fuss over her for the most part until after her bath. When it was time to get dressed, only three maids remained with her. The eldest girl had the task of brushing her long, silver hair while another unfurled her gowns and robes. The youngest girl child went about rubbing in sweetly scented oil into her bronzed skin. Though she wouldnât admit it proudly, she did enjoy being pampered. To say that Gianeva was spoiled was an understatement. Even though her training and schooling were rigorous, her mother accepted only the best for herself and her daughters. There was something to be said about the fine details such as the plush, purple carpet at her feet or the aromatic perfume that lingered in the air.
In the end, once all her clothing was aired out and on display, Gianeva decided on a light, gauzy ensemble. The colors were reminiscent of a setting sun, with a delicate golden design and sheer draping. Once she was felt ready, she dismissed the young women politely. Already she could hear the commotion and although the view from her quarters didnât permit her, she was sure their guests had already arrived. Rather than wait and be summoned, Gia decided to find her sister.
Her journey to the grand hall was smooth, despite seeing several faces she hadnât seen before. Her heart quickened in her chest at the thought of suddenly having a larger family. Were they going to live with them now? Her mother never did delve into the details. In fact, it was all so sudden they really didnât know anything. Something told her that thisâŠarrangement wasnât going to be exactly smooth. Whenever there was a meeting between two polar opposite sides, things never went well. Especially since the people of Yooâre all but left religion behind. Well, Mother and Father at least. Brother was something entirely different. Nowadays, his teachings and word was more relevant than anything the old books could muster. Then again, Gianeva herself wasnât religious in any sense of the word. While she had a respect for Brother, the larger scale religion was just something that made the weak minded people act like sheep. But unlike most, Gianeva could accept that some people preferred Mother and Father. As long as they didnât attempt to convert her, she was perfectly content. She had no doubt that her mother would allow such a thing, but then again, the queen was just full of surprises lately.
It didn't take long for the princess to be swallowed up by the crowd. Familiar faces -- nobles, lesser royalty, seemed to want to know what her opinion was on the treaty. Gianeva maneuvered through the conversations as politely and as efficiently as she was able, despite not knowing much herself. It was a damned shame their mother didn't at least rehearse with them what was correct and what wasn't. Alas, she was skilled at conversation and most people were eager to change the topic. More often than not, the Novia'n people. Despite sharing some of their feelings, she urged them to be respectful. One joked that a dog's hearing was too good for whispers; Gianeva nearly blanched.
When she felt Jacari at her side, Gia introduced her properly and lingered only a few moments longer before excusing them both."We'll speak later, I believe our uncle is here. Enjoy yourselves." She offered a polite smile before turning, her hand gently placed on Jacari's elbow to guide her away quickly.
"As if regular gatherings weren't stressful enough. Answering questions I don't know the answer to is a bit more nerve wracking than I care to admit." She murmured, plucking a goblet of wine from a passing tray. Her lips pursed slightly, but her demeanor changed quickly; the last thing she needed was to get scolded. "Hopefully this won't last into the wee hours of the night." Jade eyes quickly scanned the grand room for any sign of their mother, but it seemed as if she wasn't formerly introduced as of yet. Perfect.