Prior sat comfortably on a sofa in the main lounge of the spacecraft Earthbound.
She sighed, letting her legs dangle idly.
Only a few more days, and they would reach Earth. It was a mixture of anticipation and a touch of sadness—sadness because the idle life of the past year would soon be over.
Prior kept her gaze on her tablet. She was playing Cheqi—or rather, learning how to play it. Cheqi, she had heard, originated from one of Earth's oldest strategy games. Somehow, though, the current match wasn't quite to her liking. She knew that in just a few more moves, she would lose again. She set the tablet aside.
Hmm. What should she do next? Read? Study? Handcrafts?
Prior laughed softly. Had anyone told her in the past that serving as the princess's attendant would grant her so much free time, she would never have believed it.
She had been part of Evlina's retinue for several years now. When the question arose of who would accompany the princess to Earth, Prior hadn't hesitated for long. Finally, away. Not exactly away from Saturn—Prior loved her home. When she had learned that Earth had only one moon, she had felt pity. For her, there was nothing more soothing in the evening than gazing up at a sky full of moons.
But Prior wanted to escape memories and experiences. At least for a short while, she wanted to breathe fresh air. Not that Earth's air was fresher than Saturn's—quite the opposite. But it was air free of memories.
Many had shied away from the Earth mission, since it meant losing at least two years aboard a spacecraft. Prior had already lost so much time—what were two more years?
Besides, those two years would be spent feeling less confined. The ship wasn't particularly large, of course, but here she was free from certain social expectations. No, two years were not too much.
"Prior!"
Princess Evlina entered the room.
Startled, Prior looked up—she had been so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed Evlina approaching.
"Good morning, Princess Evlina," Prior said, rising from the sofa.
Evlina smiled. Whenever the princess entered a room, she seemed to claim it, to conquer it effortlessly. She was a natural beauty—tall and slender, with long, thick black curls, large brown eyes, and full lips. Her symmetry was perfect. And not only that: Evlina was confident, intelligent, gifted in many fields, and possessed a kind, warm nature. It was truly difficult not to feel envious.
Prior had been in the princess's service for several years now. She was grateful that, after the disaster she had lived through, she had been able to take on such a respected position.
Prior was not merely a servant responsible for the princess's well-being and schedule, but also something of an adviser.
Everyone in the princess's entourage was educated—women and men alike.
Prior did not have a single field of expertise; instead, she knew a little about many things. And it was precisely this broad perspective that Evlina valued so highly.
"Well, are you playing Cheqi again?" Evlina asked teasingly, a smile on her lips.
Evlina and Prior were not exactly friends, but they shared a good, almost friendly relationship. They trusted and understood one another. A true friendship, however, was impossible under the rigid Saturian social rules.
And then there was resonance. If Evlina and Prior were instruments, they simply would not share the same resonance—even if each sounded beautiful on its own.
"Yes, but I'm done for now. I can hardly get any further in the current level. Did you sleep well?" Prior asked.
Evlina sighed. "More or less. Everything feels so unreal, knowing that we'll be landing on Earth soon. It's as if time is suddenly moving far too quickly. I don't even know where my head is—or what I'm most nervous about." She smiled faintly.
Prior knew exactly what she meant. Prince Kashion of Tingdao—the man they would meet on Earth—was a well-known figure on Saturn. He appeared frequently on television, and it was impossible not to notice how handsome and articulate he was.
Evlina had been excited for a long time about finally meeting him. There were already voices suggesting that Evlina and Kashion would be an ideal union to strengthen the trade agreement.
Prior would wish that happiness for her. Visually, they would be a dream couple, and if he was as kind in person as he appeared, Evlina would truly have a wonderful partner.
But what would become of Prior then? Would they all remain on Earth—or return to Saturn?
Would Prior even be able to remain in the princess's service?
Evlina sat down on the sofa and tapped the space beside her, signaling Prior to sit as well. According to Saturnian protocol, one was not permitted to sit while a superior was standing—and even then, only when explicitly invited.
Evlina took a deep breath. "I don't think I've ever been this nervous in my life. So much depends on me. Over the next few days, we'll have meetings every day, starting this afternoon. We'll go over everything again, rethink every possible scenario, and develop strategies."
Prior nodded. They had discussed things repeatedly over the past year, but now it was becoming truly serious.
"What should we start with today?" Prior asked.
"First, the simplest," Evlina replied. "We'll go over all the advantages of Aethereleum again and why we are the best suppliers. I'd like you to prepare another short summary. Your Cheqi will have to be put on hold for now," she added with a smile.
Prior smiled in return. Evlina knew how easily she could lose herself in new interests, and she was grateful for the freedoms the princess allowed her.
"No problem, Princess. I'll get started right away and prepare everything else as well. You'll be perfectly prepared when we arrive on Earth."
Evlina smiled softly and gave Prior a gentle, affectionate pat on the shoulder.