The days soon started to mesh together. It was the same routine: waking up, training, eating, then going back to bed. I had stopped counting the time that had gone by. It seemed futile.
Sprawled out across my bed, I scrolled through my weapons inventory. The transparent list floated, circumambient. Its world that resided in me now plainly in sight. The exam results could drop at any time, and I needed to ensure I chose the best weapons to accompany me. I had hoped for that "any time" to be like a month later, but now four months had passed without any news from H.O.A.
Outside of the board, no one really knew when it would be released. Though that didn't stop gossip sites. Every other week, some flashy headline swore they had the truth.
I had contemplated, once to call my father. Not necessary for my own sake, but for my mother.
I saw the strain building in her and although she wore a thick armour of composure, chin high, voice steady with a polite smile, the cracks showed. Her fingers tapped the rim of her teacup when she thought no one noticed. A twitch pulled at her left brow. Her smile stalled just short of her emerald eyes. She checked the school site every day. A wreck.
However, it wasn't enough to warrant calling that man.
My mother bursts into my room. It was like I had called her here with my thoughts. She launched herself onto my bed.
Correction: onto me.
"Mom!" I gasped. Her curves sank me deeper into the mattress, making it hard to breathe.
She hurried off me and sat on the bed.
"Sorry, baby, I'm just so excited," she shrieked, "You got the pin!"
She waved a small object nestled in the palm of her hand.
My heart sank and an annoying knot formed in my throat.
"The results?" I asked, bolting upright.
She nodded, grinning like a lunatic. Her best smile in months. "Here. Read it."
She pressed the pin into my hand. Round, silver, flecked with color, celestial bodies orbiting a bright sun protruding out of the pin's surface. Engraved was a single title, House of Aegis.
As I pressed down on the bulging surface, it glowed. A hologram flared above it as the sun slowly retracted. Neon letters visible:
Princess Ka'laniyah Zyre Marzu of Mars
Congratulations.
You have officially qualified for a spot at the House of Aegis.
We can't wait to see you.
In the next two days, report to your local space terminal for immediate transport to Earth.
Failure to comply will result in automatic disqualification.
The glow blinked out. The pin returned to its silver stillness.
"Two days?" I breathed out.
That's an urgent request.
I looked at my mom. Her face still wearing a smile. A true one.
"I guess there's something new they are doing that requires you to go in before the start of the school year."
She shrugged.
"New principal, new rules I guess."
She pulled me into her arms.
"I'm so proud of you, my love. Very proud."
As she let go, a tear escaped her eye.
The Marzu clan has been the rulers of this planet since the dawn of time and as such have been excellent students of H.O.A. since its inception. While I, logically, would have been fine if I didn't get into H.O.A., politically, it would have been a wreck.
I can't imagine how torturous it must have been for Mom, too. She was the only one on this planet who shared in my failures.
The planet's successes. Our failures.
Her gaze drifted over my room.
"I've already asked the staff to pack your things. This—" she gestured at my chaos of stuff scattered everywhere. "You'll need to sort through yourself."
I scratched my head. Sorting through my stuff would take hours at least.
I walked over to my desk. My bright eyes from an old picture stared at me. I was around 5 at the time and had won first place in my school's tournament. My father held me in his arms, a proud smile plastered on his face.
"Do you think dad is...?" I paused, picking up the framed picture.
"He's proud of you, baby." Her voice softened. "Don't worry about it."
And yet, no call.
As I attempted to sort through my stuff, my mother lingered in the doorway, watching me organize blades beside heels, deciding what to carry forward into my 'new life'. Her hand brushed a poster on my wall.
"You know, it doesn't feel that long ago I got my own pin. House of Aegis meant something completely different back then."
I looked up. Her shoulders eased, eyes distant. Not sad, just elsewhere.
"I remember my first day. I strutted through those halls like I owned the place. And I had this friend. We were inseparable. She was wild, bold in ways I couldn't be. Mouth too smart for her own good."
"What happened to her?"
She smiled, the practiced one.
What a bad habit.
I can't even fault her for it, as I do the same.
"Life happened. We drifted. Things got complicated." A pause.
This was the first time I've heard of my mom's life outside of being the King's wife.
"And there was someone else. A boy." Her voice seemed to be caught in a memory. "Back then, it all felt simple. Like the whole galaxy stopped outside those walls."
Her gaze fell to the pin I still gripped in my hand.
"Dad wasn't your first love."
"Oh gosh, no," she rolled her eyes. "I lived a life, too, Kay and I enjoyed it."
I laughed.
"Ok, Mom. Sorry for thinking you were uncool."
"I just hope you find something good there too, even better than I did, my love... before responsibilities catch up with you."
Hmm..
"Your grace," a maid stuck her head in through the door.
"The king just arrived and he is requesting that you both be prepared for dinner."
"I understand." My mother kissed me on the cheek. "I'll go say hi to your father."
I nodded and soon got ready for dinner.
I sat across from him. The awkwardness ought to strangle us.
"You will be going to Earth via public transport. I need the press to get good pictures, so please wear something befitting your title. Your mother and I will be there to see you off." He stuck his knife into his meat to cut it.
I stared at my hands folded on my thighs. As usual, our conversations fall heavily on one side of the table.
"Also, on earth, please try to socialise with the council members' children more, especially Lindo."
Another order.
I made eye contact with him but didn't say a word.
"My lord," mother intervenes, "Why not let her make her own friends?"
"I'm afraid that won't be necessary. Her only goal on earth is to strengthen the connections between our allies. Don't do anything I won't do," he waved his finger at me.
So... don't have fun then. Got it.
"My lord, she's only 17. She has her whole life to be with her fiancé and to fraternise with the high society."
"I'm afraid not, Lady Nivex and I have already discussed the two being wed after graduation."
"I'm sorry, my lord. My child is not going to give away her life so early," my mother's voice slightly raised.
"Give away her life."
He slammed his utensils on the dining table.
"Every Marzu had to make sacrifices for their position on this throne. It's her turn to sacrifice too!"
Can't I just live?
I could feel the heat rising from my mother. Her green curls fell into her face as she placed her head down, refusing to look up. She murmured to herself, her teeth clenched.
My chair screeched on the floor as I rose from my seat.
"Please excuse me, Mother, Father, I should go pack."
"But you haven't had anything to eat."
"It's ok Mom, I wasn't really hungry." I smile sheepishly, my hands rubbing the back of my neck.
My hurried exit from the dining room didn't spare me from the screaming and shouting coming from the room I had just left.