Princess of the Damned Read Free

embarrassment away.
    “ Sure,” he chuckled.
    “ Come.” She took his hand and led him into an outfitter. “White would get dirty so fast and navy doesn’t go well with your complexion.” She smiled at the shopkeeper. “Miss, do you have anything neutral that would look good on my friend here?”
    The shopkeeper flustered at the sight of him. “For him, of course I do!” She walked around the counter and then measured him with her hands. He stood still for her to do her work until her touch made him feel uncomfortable.
    “ Anything will do,” he said to her.
    “ Yes, yes, come with me.” The shopkeeper led him into the dressing room and handed him a beige outfit.
    “ Something darker,” Nala said to the shopkeeper.
    The shopkeeper picked out a black outfit and Nala did not object.
    “ Would you like me to help-?”
    “ No, I can dress myself!”
    Sayan quickly changed into the new outfit and stepped out of the dressing room. The shopkeeper smiled satisfactory. “I knew that would look good on you!”
    He looked to Nala for approval.
    “ It looks good on you.” Nala said and then paid the shopkeeper the amount asked.
    “ It feels a little loose,” Sayan commented.
    “ You are still growing, so that may not be a bad thing.” Nala said as she exited the shop. “Did you notice that the shopkeeper had taken a liking to you?” Nala chuckled. “You are becoming a man after all.”
    “ The way she looks at me makes me feel…uncomfortable.”
    “ I don’t blame her. You are becoming a very handsome young man.”
    He was a little happy to hear her compliment.
    “ That reminds me, I will ask madam to buy us a new wagon.”
    “ Why?” Sayan asked curiously. “What’s wrong with the one we have now?”
    “ Nothing is wrong with it,” she assured him. “You kept it in good shape, but you are fifteen after all. It was alright to sleep on the same bed when you were little, but it may not be a good idea now.”
    “ I don’t see what’s wrong with it, plus a new wagon would cost a lot of money.”
    “ I am a woman, and you are becoming a man. We know there is nothing between us, but our society has a high stigma on relationships outside of marriage, so it would be best if we order a new wagon. Haven’t you noticed the women of the caravan have been looking at us with those suspicious eyes?”
    “ They are just jealous that you dance far more beautifully than them.”
    “ Don’t let them here you say that or your days ahead will not be so peaceful.”
    He chuckled. “I’ll do well to remember that.”
     
    “ Have you noticed he has developed muscles?” One dancer whispered to another. “Nala sure is lucky to have him warm her bed every night.”
    Sayan shot them a warning glare and they scattered off. He entered the dressing room with the cage of butterflies he was asked to fetch. Nala sat in front of the mirror, struggling to tie the bow on her back. He was quick to help her with the finishing touch.
    “ Did you put firefly powder on the butterflies?” she asked.
    He nodded and then used a goose feather to apply flower nectar on her hair and skin. “Madam said that almost all of the nobles will be attending. She wants a perfect performance.”
    “ I’m fine in here. Please help me prepare the stage.”
    He left the dressing room to make sure everything was in place. Unlike small towns, the Red City had an actual performance stage. That made his work a lot easier, but there were many nobles there who have grown bored with the usual entertainment. Expectations were much higher and they couldn’t afford to make a mistake. The nobles in the Red City were known to execute commoners on a whim.
    Sayan blew out all of the candles lighting the room. The audiences were surprised at the sudden darkness. He quickly ran toward the stage and unveiled the black curtains. The blue butterflies were glowing in the dark. They rested on a glowing violet flower until they were surprised by the flower’s