XIU MIN

It was finally morning. The moment I went down to the foyer, everyone was prepared. It was the day when the ceremony for the rite to Maru will be carried out by the prophesied maiden and the Element Nobles. It will be preceded over by none other than the Oracle Minister and some members of the Oracle Servants. I looked at each and every one of the nobles. We were all exceptionally dressed in our ancient Elyxian attires, each representing the flags of the cities we came from. Everyone was tense though. Even Lay’s stoic expressions didn’t hide the fact that he was jittery underneath his turquoise robe and thick sashes.

Yi Fan was pacing around and I had to wonder how he could manage to move around his robes with such precision. I honestly couldn’t move in mine with all the long layers getting caught with my shoes. Tao looked even taller in his with the high shoulders and stiff accentuations of the Orodian traditional clothes. Though everyone’s was flowing, I wish I had Lu Han’s. I’d bet it would be easier to wear and move around in compared to everyone else’s. It didn’t have that much accessories in it and if it wasn’t disgracing my city not to wear ancient Glacian garments at an occasion like this, then I wouldn’t.

My only solace was that I wasn’t wearing a headdress that was as intricate and heavy-looking as that of Tao or Lay. They carried it with utter grace and ease while I felt like my neck would break from the base of my head. It wasn’t heavy, but I just didn’t feel like wearing it. I missed my light garments that moment, but if it was the least I could do to save Elyxo, I’d gladly do it.

Chen came out of the drawing room, a while later, looking like my reverse side with black robes and white and silver sashes. I must say I was quite surprised to see him wearing his robes at all with all the hatred he harbored for Electrius. He was holding the ancient scrolls of Elatus. He was still reading it, telling me that he had to help Lu Han find the Lake Guardian’s swords.

“Where’s Jinhae?” he asked me and everyone else looked at me.

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen her.”

Yi Fan eyed me coldly. “You were supposed to her to the shrine since you’re the eldest,” he told me with the same severity that reflected the look in his eyes. Mayhap he’d make a great Frost Noble.

“Oh…”

He turned around dismissively and nodded at the others. They all filed out of the foyer into the main courtyard. Yi Fan glanced at me, throwing his head back in a self-aggrandizing way. “We’ll wait for you outside.”

I rolled my eyes at him, but I couldn’t blame him. He was right. It was the first step in the ritual and I forgot about it. If my father was here, I’m sure I would receive a scolding. I just hope it doesn’t interfere with the latter results. After the ritual is done, the horizon beyond the river should be more visible than it ever was. It’s quite a useless stage in the process since even then, it would be impregnable. Not even Yi Fan could pass above it. It would be fatal.

I made my way to the emerald salon where I know Jinhae would be. I wonder how she was doing amidst all the pressure. This day would make her duties official as the prophesied maiden. She was young, we all were, but since this is the time she arrived, we had to fulfill the prophecy no matter what. It was the last hope of the Elyxians to escape the wrath of the Guardians in the end. I was acting foolish and now that I’ve realized it, I think it was time to change for the better or all would be put to a lost cause, not only me, but the others as well.

I knocked on the door and patiently waited for an answer. It came instantaneously, but it wasn’t Jinhae who opened the door. It was the handmaid that Poh had assigned to head the dressing rite. I’d wager she was having a hard time walking in the traditional clothes as well. I had to laugh at the thought. The middle-aged handmaid bowed before me.

“Is it time already?” I heard Jinhae‘s voice from the room, a little bit too loud, but musical just the same.

The uptight woman in front of me shook her head in disapproval, but as far as I knew, Jinhae wasn’t raised the way ladies were in Elyxo. She was really carefree, kind and strong unlike the typical women here who belonged to the upper caste. Most of them, if not all, were childish and spoilt rotten by either their handmaids like this woman in front of me or by their equally self-important mothers. I shook my head inconspicuously at the thought. It’s a good thing that the prophesied maiden wasn’t one of them. I liked Jinhae just the way she was – stubborn and bubbly.

“Is she ready yet?” I asked the handmaid.

“Yes, young master,” she said and opened the door wider. I saw Jinhae standing in front of the dresser mirror with her back  me. She was spreading her arms wide and making the excessive sleeves of her rose-colored robes dangle. Though she was being silly, the robe seemed to fit her well just looking at her back. A velvet, butterfly headdress accentuated her, long, dark hair along with laces that extended all the way to the hem of her dress just like the silken ribbons that hung from my hat did. I wondered how she looked like once she turned around.

“Good morning, Jinhae,” I greeted, folding my hands together as I made the ceremonial bow to her. We were, in fact, her servants as she was considered of high rank in Meropia and in all of Elyxo. I stood straight once more just as she was about to turn around and what I saw stunned me.

“Good morning,” she said with a smile, the robes fitting her perfectly. I was speechless. She really filled the role well. Her eyes shined against her alabaster skin. The color of the robes really brought out her emerald-green eyes. Her smile, however, dissipated. She looked horrified now. “I look weird, don’t I?” she asked in a breathless whisper. She glanced at the ladies in waiting. “I told you my hairstyle was weird.”

I shook my head quickly. “N-no, Jinhae. You’re perfect.”

“Oh.” She flashed a rueful smile at the ladies who merely smiled at her silliness. “Shall we go now?”

I pouted. “That’s my line.”

“Oops. Sorry.” She giggled and lightly hopped towards me, waving at the ladies. “Thank you~!” She linked arms with me, looking around her. “Where are the others?” she asked.

“They’re already outside. We’re heading to the shrine.”

She nodded and suddenly, her eyes scanned me from head to toe, lingering at my headdress. “You’re…uh…you look…”

I sighed. “I know.”

She giggled. “Maybe you should grow your hair long, too.” At that, she burst out laughing the tried to calm down. “I wasn’t expecting you to be wearing something like that.” She winced when we were out of earshot. “How could you possibly manage to dress up like this without getting help? It’s impossible.”

I shook my head at her, lightly patting her hand. “You don’t, because you can’t.”

 “I’ve figured as much.” She grinned at me. “So, who helped you?”

“We were assigned valets.”

“V-valets?”

I nodded.

“That’s so archaic. It really feels annoying when those ladies were fussing around me and that handmaid was really mean,” she sulked.

I eyed her seriously. “Do you want me to freeze her?” I asked.

She quickly shook her head, but chuckled. “That would be worse than mean.”

I joined in her laughter and guided her down the stairs to the courtyard. When we got there, the other nobles were waiting at the bottom of the stairs, their eyes widening li