Chapter 34 Bud before the Blossom

Chapter 34 Bud before the Blossom
“Pleeeease, please, please, pleeeease can I go see? Please?” I whined.
Amina groaned, rolling her dark gray eyes. 
The teenager’s braided black hair was twirled into a sleek bun, and she wore her favorite emerald and gold frilled dress. She sat in her cushiony chair, legs crossed, reading a book. Or trying to read at least.
“Will you stop whining?” she snapped, and then muttered. “It’s unbecoming of a crowned princess.”
I winced, looking away. Such simple words, and yet Amina’s voice made them feel like poisonous thorns snaring my heart. As the years went by, her thorns grew sharper, and poisoned words became crueler.
“…Sorry, Amina,” I mumbled, hugging myself. “Maribel is sick again, and Mom and Dad won’t let me leave the palace on my own, so…”
Amina peeked at me over her book. Her eyebrows knitted together before she heaved a sigh, slamming her book shut. “Fine. But we’re not staying long. Those men stink of sweat and metal when they come back.”
I beamed a smile, pumping my fist in the air. “Yes! I’ll go—”
“Hold it!” Amina barked, grabbing the collar of my dress before I could dash off. “You look horrendous! You can’t leave the palace looking like that.”
“Eh? But I didn’t play in the mud today.” 
“For the love of the gods, Liliana.” Amina slapped her forehead. “Your dress is covered in dirt and stains! Plus, your hair is a mess! You’re gross. I’ll be the one in trouble with Mother for letting you leave the palace like that.”
I looked down at my dress. Dirt covered the bottom of my pink dress and my knees. My chest had food stains from always eating in a hurry. Eating as slowly as everyone else would make my soul shrivel. I didn’t have the patience for etiquette manners. 
“Come on.” Amina dragged me to her room. 
To my surprise, she gave me one of her old dresses to wear: a frilled white dress with an ivory bow wrapped around the waist. My slippers were glass, but with short heels. White stockings covered my legs, hiding my scraped knees from playing too rough in the royal garden.
Amina sat me on her bed and brushed my long platinum blonde hair—the bottom half was completely white. She grumbled under her breath, annoyed by the tangles, and yanked on them with her brush. It hurt, but I didn’t mind.
In fact, I found it fun. I couldn’t stop smiling.
Amina never brushes my hair. 
She gave a tired sigh, leaning back. “Done. Go check it out,” she said, pointing at her golden-framed mirror. 
I leapt up and scurried to the mirror. My sparkling silver eyes flew wide, gawking at my new hairstyle. The hair on both sides of my head were braided and pulled back, tied together with a golden ribbon.
“Whoaaa. It’s like a crown!” I breathed, rubbing the braids.
“Don’t mess with it! You’ll make it come undone.” Amina joined my side. “Like it? Or do you want another ponytail?”
I whirled around, beaming my excited smile. “I love it! I’m gonna wear my hair like this for the rest of my life!”
Amina went speechless before looking away, blushing while brushing one of her black bangs behind her ear. “Calm down, it’s not that big of a deal,” she mumbled. “And speak properly! Enough with the gonnas!”
“Sorry, Ami,” I giggled, too happy to take her scolding seriously.
“Whatever. Let’s go. The sooner we see the knights, the sooner we can go home,” she said, leading the way. I stayed close to her side, still grinning so much my cheeks hurt. 
When we went outside, I dashed off, but Amina snatched me by the wrist, yanking me back. My older sister knew me like the back of her hand. 
“Hey! You’re not leaving my side this time! Got it?” she snapped and then grumbled. “Mother would be furious…”
“Sorry, Ami.” I gave a tiny smile, slinking back to her side.
We walked through the kingdom of Embercrest. Citizens we passed would stop, eyes lighting up—always giving us smiles. They’d bow their heads, dip their hats, and greet their “princesses.”
Amina would return their gestures with an enchanting smile and sweet voice; a natural in the spotlight. As for me, I walked behind her, accidentally bumping into her back. I hated having so many eyes on me…
Amina is so pretty, and amazing at everything she does.
I’ll never be able to compare to her.
We reached the main street leading to the kingdom’s towering gates. Crowds were gathered, waiting for the heroic knighthood to return home.
Mister Knight disappeared a year ago. At the time, I had asked Amina where he went, and she had told me he probably became old enough to join the other knights on the field. 
I missed always seeing him at the doorways.
It made me lonely.
I eagerly glanced around, cheeks puffed. “Where are the knights at?”
“Looks like they’re not here yet.” Amina glared at me. “Stop that! A 10-year-old girl is too old to be pouting. Grow up.”
My bouncing excitement turned into a sting in my chest. My eyes watered. I gave a little nod, shoulders sagging.
Amina peeked at me and sighed. “Come here,” she mumbled, grabbing my arm and pulling me over to a grassy area covered in daisies.
“Um, Ami?” I asked, tilting my head.
“Watch this,” she said. Amina picked daisies and entwined the stems into a loop.
I dramatically gawked, echoing, “You can make flower crowns?”
“Yeah.” Amina shrugged. “It’s not that hard. Give it a try.”
“Okay!” I crouched beside her, the sting in my chest vanishing. I plucked daisies, attempting to mimic her technique. 
“Hey—don’t get on your knees! If you get my dress dirty, I won’t be happy with you!” Amina snapped. “…And stop sticking your tongue out while you’re concentrating! That’s a habit you seriously need to break.”
“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” I said, biting my tongue. With careful fingers, I looped the braided stems together.
“Oh.” Amina’s brows raised. “Not bad.”
“Still not as good as yours,” I mumbled, cheeks puffed.
“Just give it to Mother. She’ll treasure it anyway…”
Horns rang as the sound of galloping hooves neared.
“They’re here!” I leapt up, dashing off.
“Liliana, wait!” Amina gasped, rushing after me.
I weaved through the crowd, and my smile dropped when I saw the rows of knights. Their dented armor was covered in dirt and red stains. Many limped, heads hung. Some were carried on beds, a white sheet covered them.
“Oh, no…” Amina whispered.
I tugged on Amina’s arm and pointed at the covered knights. “Ami, why are they sleeping?”
Amina grimaced. “We need to leave.”
“But—”
“I’ll take you to see them another time. Let's go home for now.” 
Amina led the way, but I froze when I saw a particular knight—armor covered in red stains. I tilted my head.
Is that Mister Knight?
I tilted my head the other way.
I think it is!
He spotted me too, paused, and strayed from the row. Citizens whispered as he walked over and stopped in front of me. I squinted at his helmet and saw lightless hazel eyes, but once I beamed my smile, that warm flicker returned.
I raised the flower crown. “Here you go!”
He got down on one knee and bowed his head. A fluttering sensation filled my chest. As I placed the flower crown on his helmet, an older knight barked a command further ahead. My knight glanced back, peeked at me one last time, and joined the others.
Amina joined me, watching him go. “Was that the…?”
“Yup.”
“How did you know?” Amina asked. When I shrugged, she eyed the young man. “Well, he is smaller than the rest.”
“Hey, Ami…? Why were they all hurt?”
“There must’ve been another battle,” Amina explained. “Knights protect Embercrest, even if they must get hurt.”
“Oh…” I grabbed her hand, brows furrowed. “I want to protect Embercrest too. Can I be a knight?”
Amina frowned and pulled away, muttering, “No. You were born to be the queen… and that’s all you’ll ever be.”
I winced. Again, her words like toxic thorns snaring my heart.
“We’re going home.” Amina led the way back. I glanced at the knighthood marching away, and I was about to follow them until Amina shouted, “Liliana. Now!”
My lips pursed, and I turned away from the knighthood, following Amina back to the royal palace.