Dining Room

The evening came quickly and Ivana was seen practicing some manners. She want to make sure she sounded appropriate before her highness.

Ivana entered the bathroom after a maid prepared her bath, sat in the bath tube thinking of what to say to her highness since that night was going to be her first time.

After sitting there for an hour without coming up with any appropriate thought, she came out of the bathtub.

She took the towel that was lying beneath the bathtub then rubbed herself with it before stepping out of the washroom.

She stood infront of the mirror and watch her own reflection then smiled at herself. She couldn't take that encounter she had earlier with her highness some hours ago out from her head.

"It weird" she whispered to herself and shook her head severally. As she stood there wiping the water that was still dripping out from her hair, She heard a knock on her door.

Ivana left the towel and head towards the door asking "Who is it?". "I'm to inform you her royal highness will soon be at the dinning table so you must be there before she does".

A voice said behind the door. "Alright" Ivana answered and left the door. She quickly got herself prepared and tried to look simple as she can.

She wore a black robe and left her dark long hair which spread over her shoulders. She stood Infront of the mirror and took some few minutes to look at herself for the last time before stepping out of the room.

As she left her room, a maid was already there waiting for her. The maid bow in respect and lead the way to the dinning hall.

Ivana followed her from behind. As they got nearer to the dinning hall, she became nervous all of a sudden and realized how tensed she has become.

"Calm down Ivana" she said to herself and took in some few breathes and continued walking behind the maid.

The maid suddenly stopped walking as soon as they got to a door. She left some few knocks on the door and after some few seconds, the door to the big dinning hall was opened.

"This is the hall, you can go in" she said and bowed again before she turned to leave. Ivana stood there contemplating on whether she should enter now or just wait for sometime.

After standing there for some minutes, she managed to walk in and the door closed behind her. Uncle Zeke was already there so he quickly walked towards Ivana.

He smiled at her as soon as he got close to her and Ivana bowed down showing him some respect. "Please come inside and make yourself comfortable" he said and led her to the dinning table.

He pulled a chair for her to sit before taking his seat as well. Ivana could feel the rate at which her heart was beating as if she was running for the entire night.

Uncle Zeke saw how tensed she was then understood what was going on with her. He won't blame her for that since it was her first time to have dinner in the royal palace and also with the heir apparent as well.

"I don't think you look okay" he said breaking the silence that was between them after sometime.

Ivana raised her head and turned to his direction "I'm okay your highness." She said trying to hide how nervous she was.

"I believe so" Uncle Zeke answered raising an eyebrow. He couldn't believe a whole warrior like Ivana would be this nervous and tensed up just because she was going to meet his niece.

"Rama won't eat you up, besides, she won't do anything to you so I don't think you should be tensed up like how you are right now" He said making Ivana smiled a little.

The name Rama started ringing in her head after her uncle mentioned it. So the Royal highness is called Rama. She said within herself and nodded to her own thoughts.

Uncle Zeke watched her closely and wondered what was going through her head because he could see how her mood just lighten up after mentioning his niece name.

He's glad at least he was able to lighten her mood a bit. He wondered what was keeping Rama late since her teacher was already at the table waiting for her.

"Please excuse me and do feel comfortable" He said and stood up from the dinning table. The door was opened for him as soon as he got close to it then he stepped out of the dinning room leaving Ivana by herself.

She quickly released the air that she held the entire time while uncle Zeke was with her. She had never felt this nervous and tensed up her entire life but now, here she is going through all that.

"Hmm... I bet I'd be able to control myself if I see her royal highness again". She said and took that thought out of her head. She also wondered what was keeping her late or something had happened to her.

"No... I can't be thinking like this... Not now!" She scolded herself shaking that thought out of her head as well.

She stood up, walked around enjoying the beauty of the room. She loved the designs on the walls and seem impressed about it. She walked close to a statue that was standing beside one of the pillars.

She stood infront of the statue and watched it closely. The statue reminded her of someone she had seen before but she couldn't remember whose face it was.

She moved a little bit closer to it and raised her hand to touch it but stopped, leaving her hand hanging in the air. She didn't know why she stopped what she was going to do.

She could feel someone's eyes was fixed on her. She could feel someone's presence in the room but her instincts told her no one was watching her.

She decided to brush that feeling off but as soon as she tried moving her hand towards the statue again, she felt that same presence around her again so she quickly turned....

To her surprised, her highness stood there watching her while her uncle stood behind her..

Ivana held her breathe as she watch those charming and alluring face of her highness that kept looking at her. Her amber eyes pierced through hers and she could feel some tingling sensation within herself.

Ivana didn't hear when they entered the dinning room so she didn't noticed them.....

Rama kept looking at her then suddenly blinked her eyes before taking her eyes off her. Ivana didn't understand why she looked at her that way but that didn't worry her much.

She felt quite embarrassed. She tried moving away from the statue but her legs refused to moved. She gritted her teeth and cursed herself for putting herself in that situation.

Her legs finally started moving towards the table as soon as Rama sat down. Uncle Zeke pulled Ivana's chair for her again and smiled at her.

Meanwhile, Rama watched them and raised an eyebrow. Her uncle never does those things to anyone apart from her so why would he do this for a total stranger.

She felt like the lady was stealing her uncle from her and she wasn't pleased about it "thank you" Ivana said and had her seat.

Rama kept watching her and Ivana became nervous again. Rama had a smirk on her face when she realized how nervous she had become because of her.

"Since we are all here, I think I should begin with the introduction". He said after clearing his throat. "Your highness, let me introduce to you, Ivana.. one of the best warriors of our time" Ivana smiled and bowed in respect towards Rama. "She's going to be your teacher from now on" Uncle Zeke added.

"Ni....nice to... meet you... your high...highness" Ivana stammered. She didn't understand what was going on with her at that moment but tried her best to maintain her posture.

"Ivana, her royal highness Rama" Uncle Zeke introduced her to Ivana as well but Rama didn't exchange any words with her.

The only thing she did was just showing some faint smile to her then took her eyes off her. "Ivana will take you through your...." "I know" she finally said cutting her Uncle off before he finished with his statement.

"She's my teacher isn't she?" Rama asked and her uncle nodded. The place became silent after the introduction and uncle Zeke ordered the maids to serve the food.

Ivana clenched her fist under the table and held her dress tightly. She could still feel her highness's gaze on her. She raised her head and looked at her direction and saw her looking at her as well.

Those amber eyes were captivating and Ivana couldn't help but stare at them. She knows what she was doing was unmannered but she couldn't help but watch those charming eyes of her highness.

She took her eyes off her and returned her attention back to the food infront of her.