"Zariya, you seem to be thinking deeply?"
"Huh?" My trance returned when the person opposite me, Ysabelle, spoke.
We are currently in the lake now and busy washing the clothes of the five Princes and also including other fabrics used in the palace. This was the day set aside for laundry and Ysabelle and I were assigned to do this work.
This is also the first time I have been to this stream.
This stream is so clean, unlike the modern world where garbage is dumped, that even the color of the water you would think of coffee because of its earthy color.
In the stream of the Kingdom of Norland, you can even bathe in super clean water. Not a single dirt you can see floating. Its mineral-like water makes you soak. If I am not mistaken, this stream is also connected to the lake that is there in the palace garden. It was only a few kilometers away from the palace but even though it was very close, some soldiers still followed us. Think about it, our role here is servant but we also have a guard. They do not let every servant come out of the palace without a guard. They keep everyone who serves in the palace.
"Is there something bothering your mind? You've been stunned by that before. Is there a problem, Zariya?" trace in its tone the concern. "If you'll allow me, may I know?"
"I'd like to ask you something," I shyly promised.
He stopped rubbing his washing cloth and looked at me seriously. "What is that?"
Last night it still bothered me. It didn't even put me to sleep mentally, eh. So now, I look stupid because I really don’t get enough sleep. If I hadn’t asked Ysabelle this, I might not have been able to sleep well in the next few days either because of the thought.
I want to answer my questions and prove my suspicions.
"Can the Princes go out at night or even early in the morning? I mean, is it possible for them to go for a walk or roam the palace at such a time?" I seriously question. The curiosity is in my voice.
Since what happened last night, I have never lost the desire to know who the person I saw was. Who was the person I followed to the far end of our servants room and penetrated away from the tunnel that was there? Why is there a tunnel hidden in our home?
Is it true that I guess he is one of the five Princes? Chances are good because only those with blue blood can do those things.
I didn’t take my eyes off Ysabelle while waiting for her answer. "They can walk around the palace any time they want, even if it's still early in the morning. What they often do whenever they can't sleep is ventilate the garden."
I nodded. So, it's normal for them to roam at night. There's also a chance that I didn't kiss the same person last night and the only person I saw last night. They can be two people.
All my suspicions could be wrong.
Ysabelle was back to scrubbing the clothes. I also took the rod that will be used to remove dirt from the clothes. This is what Ysabelle taught me, a stick is needed to remove dirt and stains that cannot be removed by simply rubbing. The brush was not fashionable on clothes at that time, so it was really manual. It's a good thing because I was more used to hand washing when I was still in the modern world so I don't have any difficulty now.
I first put the questions aside in my mind and focused on what was being done. I laid a Prince's dress on a flat rock and was about to strike it with a stick when Ysabelle spoke again, causing me to stop.
"But..." she hung up.
I raised my head and looked at it.
"They can roam at night but they can't leave the palace. That's a strict order of our Dear King Valor. No Prince will be allowed to go out at that time. No matter how hard they try to go out, the soldiers won't listen to them because that's King Valor's order. They can't disobey it and there's no exception even if the Princes."
I got up straight and lowered the stick I was holding first.
"So, they can only roam or ventilate as far as inside the palace?" I repeated to confirm. I just really want to verify if my understanding is correct.
They can ventilate at that time but only inside the palace. They could not leave the palace.
"Yes, Zariya," she paused as she nodded. "There is a punishment imposed on the Prince who disobeys the order of the Dear King. So no Prince will dare to use his own ability just to sneak out of the palace."
No Prince would dare to sneak in? So, what did I see last night? If he really was a Prince, would he have been able to disobey his Father King?
I’m sure of the tunnel I saw last night. That tunnel will be the way for a person to go somewhere else. This means that anyone who tries to cross the tunnel or portal can get out of the palace.
"Only the Princes and the King have unique abilities in the Kingdom of Norland, right?" I couldn't help but ask. I love being able to answer my questions and be sure of my suspicions.
"There are many strange creatures living in our world but only those with blue blood have the ability or power. Yes, only King Valor and his five Sons are blessed to have strange powers," he stressed. "But apart from them, there is another blue blood living now." She stopped and covered her mouth with both hands. She seemed disappointed in herself because of what she said. She seems to have slipped on the information she told me.
"Why?" I asked because I was confused by her attitude.
"It is forbidden in the palace to tell others about King Valor's only friend," she whispered so that the soldiers not far from us would not hear.
Is she referring to King Hellion? My Father in this world? I still remember the flashback that Tata Lucio showed me, the strange bird in the tree and the reason why I ended up here.
About the battle between two Kings, King Valor and King Hellion. The cause of the death of my Father King.
"Who else are you referring to with royal blood besides King Valor's family?" I asked a weak question but it was enough for him to hear. I asked her so that it would not be obvious that I knew anything. I need to be clear about King Hellion. I acted ignorant and even more unconnected with King Valor's former best friend.
"I will not introduce each member of the family but they now live in the Kingdom of Lacandia, the mortal enemy of our Kingdom."
I'm right. King Hellion is what she refers to as King Valor's only friend. I just wonder, did the former friends lead to a fierce fight? Is what I heard right in retrospect? That King Hellion was greedy for power so King Valor was able to kill his best friend or was there a deeper reason?
Greed does something very different to a person. It will push you to do something that will only ruin you in the end because greed is a bad deed. No bad deed wins in the end.
The questions in my mind increased again. First, the person I accidentally kissed. Second, the man I saw last night. Are they just one? Was he a Prince who disobeyed the command of his Father King? If so, what is his reason? Add to that the story behind former best friends King Valor and King Hellion.
"It's stressful!" I ejaculated in emptiness.
Ysabelle looked at me, wondering.
"Huh?" she said because she did not understand me.
"Ah, hehe. I said, let's just keep doing it," I excused myself.
She believed and nodded before she went back to rubbing the clothes. It's also not bad to use English words because they don't understand what I'm saying.
I also have a lot of clothes that have ended up being rinsed. There are only three pieces of clothing left. I will finish this so that I can help Ysabelle with the thick fabrics she is washing. She could not bear the weight of those fabrics to be as thin as she was. I'm also thin but it will be easier if we work together.
But it was only a matter of time before we were distracted by the arrival of Prince Ravi.
"Ysabelle, Zariya? You're here too," the Prince smiled at us.
The pleasantness of his face and erect erection. He was wearing a black hanbok and he was also wearing a suit hat on his dress. He used to be a prince. Well, he really is a Prince.
"Good morning, Prince Ravi." Even while sitting, Ysabelle was still able to bow to pay homage to the Prince in front of us today. I also immediately obeyed by paying respect to the first Prince. "Today is the day that Kharim Celia assigned us to do the laundry," she added.
"Is that so?" He just glanced at Ysabelle and then glanced at me.
I couldn't be bothered when our eyes met. All I could do was bow again. I'm also speechless because I didn't expect him to come here either. I'm still not well and I'm still stupid.
"Ravi!" We all looked at the man who shouted as he approached us. "This is what we're going to use," Prince Dern said somewhat breathlessly.
He holds two fishing rods. He gave one to Prince Ravi. They seem to have come to catch fish.
When Prince Dern's eyes moved in our direction, his smile suddenly widened. Her dimples deepened even more. He sneezed first then confidently walked around in front of us.
"Ravi," he called to his older brother as a reason to grab the attention of Prince Ravi and me. His eyes were in the flowing water now. "It doesn't look like I want to catch a yellow fish here." He stopped and looked at me. "I'd rather catch the beautiful lady here."
I know he refers to me because I only have his sight now. My forehead furrowed again because of what he heard. Isn’t he ashamed of Prince Ravi for what he’s saying now? When will he stop me from hurting him?
I was even more irritated when he laughed even louder. It's like a step really!
"When I'm using my charm, your face only reacts with a frown," he told me.
What would he expect? Shall I shake the shiver? I know that his flowery words that are being hurled at me are just lies. I wouldn’t be vulnerable if that’s what he thinks.
Also, he just enjoys teasing me because I guess I'm the only woman this coward can't fall in love with! He's just sorry because he can't really make me easy with his attacks.
I won’t let myself fall for someone I know won’t catch me eventually.
Prince Dern was just happy with it because I wasn’t affected by his strains. If I only knew, he was just challenging me to make me fall in love, that’s all.
Well, he's sorry because I'm not weak.
"Dern, stop Zariya from your troubles," Prince Ravi protested.
I smiled secretly at what he said. It's just superficial but the impact on me is different. The thickness and I assume maybe if I think he is jealous?
I mean, I’m kind of assuming that part.
"Why, Ravi? I'll only stop Zariya later if I can fall in love with her," Prince Dern argued.
He actually said that to me, face to face. Kharim Celia is right, this Prince Dern is really a host! He just ghosts me when I like him back! So I was just doing the right thing by insulting and avoiding him.
"But I can also stop her if she is the woman you love," he added. He was still smiling talking to his brother. That smile was annoying.
I am now focused on Prince Ravi. There was no sign of any reaction on his face to what Prince Dern said but I was still waiting for his answer.
"We don't know. If that's the course of destiny, why would I object?"
Prince Ravi walked away. Prince Dern followed him but first turned and winked at me. I ignored him but I remembered more of what Prince Ravi said.
Is that really the course of our destiny? Even though I haven't predicted the future, it can't happen because of the mission assigned to me. I can’t have a look at any of them. I still want to go back to the modern world. So even destiny itself is ready to fight so as not to ruin all my plans.
But can I really stop my heart from beating?
"You have secret feelings for Prince Ravi, right?"
I turned to Ysabelle. Like Prince Dern, she also gave me a teasing smile.
“Huh? What are you saying, Ysabelle? N-No way!” I defended myself.
She doesn't take her gaze away from me. She checks my reaction and reads my eyes. I just averted my eyes. I couldn't even look at her while I was lying. I feel like she catches and really examines me with the looks she throws at me.
"Like you, I am also a woman. I know the looks you are throwing at Prince Ravi, Zariya, because I am also secretly in love with a man I know will never be mine," she said sadly in tone.
She bowed and I could see the bitter smile on her lips. I could feel the weight of the feeling she was carrying. It’s hard to fall in love secretly because you’re also secretly hurting.
Anyway, who is she referring to? I wanted to ask but my embarrassment prevailed. I am not in a position to ask her that kind of question. That's her privacy. I'll just wait for her to open up to me first instead of forcing her to tell me a story.
I just turned my attention to the two Princes who were busy fishing at the far end of the stream. They knew in their faces that they were enjoying it, especially Prince Dern. It’s in his personality to really be content, like Prince Nesh. Everything they do, they enjoy.
Prince Ravi, on the other hand, has caught a lot of fish. He put the fish back in the big bucket. A smile is seen on his face every time he catches up. I couldn’t help but marvel at him. There is no art in the body, very mature in mind and very open-hearted to help others. If a perfect Prince were to be described to me, Prince Ravi would be my example.
"I just feel admiration for him," I said, still not taking my eyes off Prince Ravi. "That's all because it can't go any deeper."
I don't know if Ysabelle heard that because I didn't even bother to look back at her behavior.
"That's good, Zariya. I hope your admiration for Prince Ravi doesn't deepen, especially since there's a young lady who loves the Dear Prince."
This time, I was distracted in no time. I felt a little pain in my chest because of what he said. It never occurred to me that someone owned a shovel in the Prince's heart. Someone has won his love.
The first Prince had a crush on someone.
I forced a smile. I dismissed the pain I felt. "Don't worry, my admiration for him won't deepen because at first, we really can't."
I can't control my emotions. I can no longer feel the winner against the mission I have to fulfill.
Whether I choose love or mission?
Mission is my answer.
I can't love this world, the world isn't for me.