A Thousand Daggers

CHAPTER TWO: PEON

Flashback:

Princess Peon was stripped of her title because she was seen together with a common man. The news spread wide like wildfire, every sheet of newspaper across the world talked about it. Disgracing her further by adding rumors that turned out to be the new talk of the country. People from around the world, spat at her with words as sharp as a knife, treating her indifferently, and even people whom she considered friends turned their back on her as if they had been waiting all their lives for her downfall.

All the girls and women envied her because of her charm which always gets the princes crawling at her, but all the gentlemen get in return is her disapproval.

So when the news came, they felt glorious as they thought she deserved this.

"She deserved what is coming for her." The bearded man said as he took a sip from his coffee. Reading his newspaper like a gawking hawk.

They do not hate her, no. They despised her.

Men, women, and children. Everyone in general.

"Princess you need to be elegant and womanly as possible." Peon mimicked the servants who served her in the palace years ago. With a high high-pitched, and unpleasant voice.

The people laughed around her and so did her friends, who became her family not by blood but from a genuine heart.

When she got thrown out with nothing at all she started from scraps and dirt-a woman who was no more above forty lent her hands to her, helping her in any way possible. When Peon was new, she was having a hard time trying to mingle with the commoners but as time went by she became accustomed to it.

All these people taught her by any means, 'cleaning and work.' those two things changed her as a person. As a princess, she did not have to do that, but she is not a princess anymore only just a girl who was exiled by her own family.

The town was bustled by a lot of people, and there they were living in the small area down the lot.

The people gathered here became her people and they treated her like their own, she felt all their warmth which made her become what she is now.

More even, when she was living in the palace she felt like she needed to do something before she could even be loved by her own blood.

But them, they are different. They are family.

Peon looked at their warm faces as they raised their glass in the air, and clinked the glass together with a cheer.

The party went on like there was never enough, the drums and trumpets flowing smoothly, the music was all around for them to hear and the cart that was pushed by people, selling beverages and food joined the dance. They formed a big circle in the middle of the town and all the children ducked their heads as they passed by and stopped in the middle, they started dancing and the people that were forming the circle followed, they moved to the right circling them.

People sang joyously and followed the rhythm of the song.

When it came to an end, Peon stepped aside and was reaching for a beverage when her eyes shook, widened with shock and her glass fell from the ground.

The noise that the glass made was sharp and it rippled through the town-it was a small town after all.

They looked at her with confused faces, she seemed like she was staring at something or rather someone.

The man whom Peon loved dearly was kissing a girl who was younger than her, the girl's expression goes unnoticed, like she too was confused.

She stared at Peon not moving an inch like she didn't understand what was happening-no idea what would happen next.

"What-is-this?" Every word Peon spoke came angry, her tone sounded like something was about to burst in her.

The man, scared and restless tried to salvage this, dumb if you may ask me. She pushed the girl and started opening his mouth in a stuttering movement.

"She kissed me, I do not know her." The man explained, breaking out in a sweat. The girl who he had recently kissed has now had her gaze on him, shocked and widened.

This girl was the complete opposite of Peon, she was petite and there were freckles all around her body, her hair was like a burning flame, and her curls wanted to be let out but not being able to as it was tied by a ribbon.

Peon, on the other hand, has curves and her shirt flexed the muscle she had on her arm from training to follow the steps of her man, who was not so man as she thought him to be.

Peon eyed the love of her life, she was disappointed.

This was no man of hers. she thought.

"Do you take me for a fool?" she spoke loudly this time, her voice clear and firm.

The People, no. The whole town was looking at the scene. Gaping their mouths as they did so.

Peon now letting her black hair tied up-it fell gracefully onto her back, she eyed them her stares burning a hole through their eyes. The girl unconsciously took a step back, afraid.

The man swallowed his saliva, his throat suddenly clenched as she stared at the woman in front of him who was supposed to be the mother of his children.

She grabbed a white strip of clothes that was on her knees, Peon wrapped it tightly around her knuckles. As if she was preparing for something. The man realized he was about to be-then peon hit him, realizing it too late, or was it because he was too slow?

Then suddenly he dropped to the ground, his cheek red and swollen. His nose bleeding and he scrambled to his feet as he looked at Peon.

The girl didn't dare to speak as she looked at the man who had his nose dripping on blood, and then at Peon.

Peon scoffed and left at the scene. The people remained standing till she was out of sight.

They were silenced, all silence.

Peon sat on the ground exhausted, she looked at her fingers carefully-there was blood on them, and she didn't even have the time to cry as she was too angry. Her blood boiled as she was again reminded of what she saw.

Her ears twitched as she heard leaves rustling behind her.

A man appeared, but she didn't recognize the bulging blue eyes on him or his dirty blonde hair.

She was now hiding, careful not to be seen as she was observing him.

The man made a subtle faint sound, his throat made a slight movement. He looked at the knife on his throat then looked at the woman who had green eyes staring at him ferociously.

She was behind him, holding the knife to his throat.

"Move and you die" Peon spoke slowly making sure the man heard her.