As Ava promised, the next day of riding was a bit easier, but I did fail miserably in mounting my horse. I didn't throw myself off this time, but mounted up with the wrong foot, sitting me backwards in the saddle. Ava had to walk away for a solid five minutes because she was so overcome with laughter. I tried to scowl at her, but even through my embarrassment, I had to admit it was pretty funny. As we trekked along, Ava and I chatted constantly, until I started to feel more comfortable around her. She truly seemed to be turning into my only friend in this strange new world, and I enjoyed the way the sunlight turned her red hair rosy.

It was becoming quite apparent that we were leaving the desert. Along with the air become cooler and cooler with every step we took, I also started to see spots of sparse vegetation. Here and there, little brown-green plants poked through. The sand itself was becoming harder, turning into packed dirt. Since the start of the day, I saw a hazy black line on the horizon to the left of us that Ava told me were mountains. She said they were called the Prym Peaks, and they were the very edge of the mounting range, but we would be bypassing them. With the mountains to our left, we carried on through the desert.

And then it all ended.

I had my gaze down at Ava, listening avidly to a story she was telling me, and when I glanced up, I gasped. Before me was a wide stretch of endless grass. The land was flat, unlike the dunes of the Southern Sands, but like the desert, there seemed to be only one color for as far as the eye could see. Green. Everything was so green. Beneath my horse's feet were slim blades of grass that were swaying in the wind. I jumped down from my saddle, losing my balance and stumbling to my hands and knees, but I didn't care. I ripped off my gloves and laughed. The grass and dirt beneath my palms was so soft. I could feel the water deep in the ground that keep the plants alive. It was the most amazing thing I had ever experienced.

Many that passed me gave me haughty looks. I was a newly appointed lady, and here I was, digging in the dirt like a child. Ava was looking at me fondly, and calmly directed any harsh words the lords had to say away. When most of the company was ahead of us, Ava approached. "It's called the Great Plains," she said. "They are a great expanse of flat land, covered in grass and very few trees. It'll be another day until we reach the city."

"I hated living in the desert," I said softly, still gazing across the grass in awe. "I hated it, but I couldn't deny the beauty of seeing nothing but sand no matter where you looked. I didn't think anything else could compare, but seeing this, I know I was wrong."

Ava took my hand and led me back to my horse. I couldn't seem to get enough of the view. "Is the rest of the country like this?"

"Like the Great Plains? Not really. There are mountains and lakes and the sea. There's a river that runs straight through the city, and of course, there's the City of Trees, which is the largest forest in the country. That's where I was born."

"The City of Trees. I would like to see it one day."

"It's wonderful," Ava said with a happy sigh. Her gaze was far away as she recalled her home.

I wished she would tell me more, but just then, a figure ahead of us broke from the main ground and was riding towards us. Wondering if it was a guard dispatched to reprimand us for lagging behind, I straightened in my saddle. I didn't yet know anything about being a court lady, but sitting straighter seemed to be the right thing to do. I hoped it made me look as proud and intimidating as the other lords.

Our guest turned out to be Prince Draxton. He smirked slightly, seeing my poise like he knew what I was trying to accomplish and it wasn't working. I fought the urge to scowl at him, especially as he reigned in his horse next to mine. "I see you liked the Great Plains. Does it compare to your home?"

He had a playful edge to his voice, one that I insisted on ignoring. "Nothing could compare to home," I said stiffly.

Still, the prince didn't lose that insufferable smirk. I wanted to smack it off his face. "Wait until you see the city. It doesn't compare to the beauty of nature, but it's a sight to see." I didn't respond, so he went on to what I was assuming was the point for his visit. "The king would like you to dine with him tonight."

My hands jerked, tugging on my reigns unintentionally and making my horse snort. Ava did well on keeping the horse from bolting, which would have resulted in me on the ground. She hadn't said a word since the prince arrived. "Dine with the king?" I said weakly, hating that the man instilled such fear in me.

"And me as well," the prince said, perhaps because he sensed my unease. As an afterthought, almost like he didn't want to say it, he said, "And General Dumont." I just gave a shaky nod. Ava dared a look up at me, but I kept my gaze forward. "Ava will see you dressed and ready, and I will come to your tent to retrieve you when its time."

"Thank you, Your Highness," I managed to say.

He nudged his horse into a trot, pulling away from me, but called over his shoulder with a wink, "Call me Drax."

It wasn't long before we stop to make camp. Since Drax's departure, I hadn't said much, and sensing my discomfort, Ava hadn't attempted conversation. When my tent was set up, the two of us went inside. Another maid brought Ava a large tub of water, and using a rag, she attempted to wipe the dust of travel from my skin. I wasn't normally one to be taken care of, by I was all but limp in her grasp. I was trying to mentally prepare myself for this dinner, knowing it couldn't be a good thing that the king wanted me to dine with him. Even the comfort of the water encasing my body was numb to me. Ava made small talk that I listed to with only half an ear. Finally, she brought me a fresh tunic and pair of trousers. The trousers were solid black, but the tunic was a beautiful shade of blue lined in silver.

I was admiring the color when Ava said, "Compliments of the king." I almost dropped the garment and stamped it into the dirt, but Ava quickly took it from me. "None of that," she chastised. "The king is doing you a great honor by inviting you to dine with him."

"Great honor?" I snorted. "The man took everything from me. He and his family forced my people into near slavery, and now he's forcing me from my home and family. I don't want his honor."

Ava's cheeks turned pink with anger as she placed her hands on her hips. "The king is trying to right past wrongs. He said so himself. He wants to honor you and your people, and hopefully in time, welcome water users back into the folds of society."

"How do you know that?"

"Maids gossip," was all she said. "It doesn't matter what you think of feel of the king. He's still the king, and you are under his very nose." She held the tunic out to me and I reluctantly let her help me slide it on. "You have to be careful of what you do and say. You cannot let your feelings betray you. As much as you may hate it, you have to pretend like it's the greatest moment of your life to receive personal attention from the king." She turned me to face her, grasping my shoulders firmly. "I told you before that this is a dangerous place to be going to. This is a dangerous game, and you must learn to play it right or you could pay with your life. Learn what to say to please who, and keep your true thoughts to yourself until you know you have the advantage."

"You know a lot about court life," I said skeptically.

"I've been a maid most of my life," she said with a shrug. "I've picked up many things."

"Thank you," I said, placing my hands over hers. "For everything, for your help. I've come to value your advice, even if I don't seem like I appreciate it."

Ava gave me a small smile. "Come now, the king is waiting."

As we stepped outside, Drax and two guards appeared. With a bow, he offered me his arm. I looked at it curiously before, with a chuckle, he took my own arm and wound it through his. Ava curtsied as we left, and the guards trailed a respectful distance behind us. Tonight, Drax was wearing brown trousers and a red tunic. His sword was still at his waist.

"Don't worry too much about tonight," Drax said to me in a low voice. "Father just wants to tell you his plans for when we arrive at the city."

"Why does it have to be over dinner?"

Drax shrugged. "It doesn't, but father has a flair for drama, and this is his way of feeling you out, to see how you behave, and this is his way of intimidating you. He's trying to scare you into submission. Don't let that happen."

I didn't want to tell him I was already scared. So I just nodded. Drax mumbled more words of encouragement and advice as we made our way to the center of camp, but I missed most of it. I wished Ava had been able to accompany me. Something about her was soothing. We finally arrived at the king's tent. A guard pushed open the flap and announced us. "Prince Draxton and Lady Nakida Margravitz." Inside the tent was exactly the same as the first time I had been here. Most of the tent was dominated by a large table that seemed to sag under the weight of all the food it held. I wasn't aware we had even been carrying this much food with us on the journey. My mouth watered, but then I remembered my family and friends nearly starving back home and vowed to not eat anything more than what I must to survive.

As we entered, the king and general stood. Drax and I slipped in bows. Being part of the court, I no longer had to sink all the way to my knees. A simple bow at the waist was acceptable, though I vaguely wondered if I would have to learn how to curtsy as well.

"Rise and join me," the king said, resuming his seat. Drax lead me to mine, pulling out the chair for me. I was seated directly across from the king, with General Dumont to my right. Even now, he still hadn't shed his blood red armor. Drax took a seat to the right of his father. Once we were all seated, servants flocked us, cutting meats and pouring wines. There was hardly anything on the table that I recognized. When I took my meals, they were served on silver trays. Here in the king's presence, everything was severed on gold. A single fork off this table would have been enough to feed my family for weeks.

Once everyone had a full plate, the servants melted back into the corners of the tent. No one took a bite until the king took his first. When he nodded, a look of bliss on his face, the rest of us raised our forks. "Ah," the king sighed. "Such succulent pork. Have you ever had pork, Lady Nakida?"

I took a bite of what the king called pork. It was dark brown on the outside, but still pink in the middle. The meat was moist and salty, and odd combination, but not unpleasant. When I was done chewing, I shook my head. "No, Your Majesty, I have not. It was delightful though."

He gave a hearty laugh that fooled no one. "Good, good. I want you to be comfortable. How has the trip been for you so far?"

I paused before answering, taking a sip of my wine. It was smooth and sweet, nothing like the bitter wine we received at home. "A little rough. I have never ridden a horse before. It's harder than I thought."

"Yes, yes," the king said dismissively. "We will get you proper instructors once we reach he city. Before you know it, you'll be doing things you had only previously dreamed of doing as if you had been doing them your entire life!"

He then went into a long speech about all the things I would learn. Things like reading and writing, swordplay, etiquette, dancing, and most importantly, my magic. I only had to nod along and offer forced laughs when the time called for it. Across the table, Drax gave me a small nod and wink, letting me know I was doing well. I offered a small smile back. As the king went on, I noticed the Gerneal Dumont had remained stonily silent. He only spoke when the king spoke directly to him, and only then would he offer a, "Yes, Your Majesty", or "No, Your Majesty", and once "Of course, Your Majesty". All the while, I noticed the general glancing sideways at me with an expression of distaste. It made me want to move my chair away from him.

Soon, the table was cleared and the dishes whisked away. I thought this might be the end of things, and I prepared myself to get up and take my leave, but the king spoke again, keeping me in my seat. "Now, tomorrow, we will be in sight of the city. Of course, we could just walk directly in, but I'd prefer to have the world see the first water user in generation all cleaned up." I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but the king didn't pause long enough for me to question. "General Dumont has a country villa outside the city. We will head there and stay the night while getting you all cleaned up, and the day after next we will make our entrance!"

So he wanted to parade me through the city like a prized horse? Fury rose within me, and I wanted nothing more than to snap at him, telling him I was not a prize to be showcased. Just as I was about to, Drax cleared his throat, turning my attention to him. He gave the smallest shake of his head, and with great difficulty, I reigned in my temper, instead saying, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Excellent," he said. "The General has a daughter about your age. She has trained her entire life to in the Imperial Army, and I am assigning her to be your personal guard. You will meet her tomorrow at the villa."

"I look forward to it." And then, to the general, I added, "If your daughter is half as pleasant as you, I'm sure we'll get along wonderfully."

Drax managed to turn his laugh into a cough just in time. Even the king looked amused. General Dumont, however, simply simmered quietly, gazing at me with such hatred that I was surprised he didn't strike me.

"If that is all, Your Majesty? I am rather tired." I said, rising from my chair and offering a bow.

"Of course, my lady. Rest up, for your life is about to change drastically."

I had to bite my tongue to keep from responding rashly. Drax met me at the tent entrance, taking my arm again. "I'll escort you back to your tent."

The walk back was quiet. It was fully dark now, and most of the camp was asleep. Drax didn't say anything. It was a comfortable silence like what I often shared with Ava, and it made me realize that Prince Draxton wasn't so bad after all. Maybe we could be friends.

We stopped at my tent, and Ava burst out, offering us the clumsiest curtsy I had ever seen her preform. "Your Highness, my lady. How was the dinner?"

"It was..." I struggled to find the words. "It could have been worse."

"Nakida was marvelous," Drax said. He unwound his arm from mine, bringing my hand to his lips and brushing a kiss over it. The action was unexpected and sent warmth throughout my body. "We'll make a lady out of her yet."