The second princess was born in the slum of Luville Kingdom.
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The moment Aiden saw me the next day he bawled his eyes out that I thought we'll get caught. I don't know what would happen to me if someone saw the little prince crying but I know my hands are shaking in fear.
It took me a while to get what he was trying to say between his sobs and my dread of being seen. But then, I couldn't help but find it cute with how he acted towards me. The prince has gotten close to me in a short period of time that he cried because he's leaving me behind and won't see each other for three years.
I would be lying if I didn't feel slight sadness and maybe loneliness from the news. By tomorrow he'll be moving to another country for a training camp which is for elite male nobles from different kingdoms.
In order for him to cheer up and stop him from crying again, I gave him my uncolored drawing where we both lay on the grass sleeping with small smiles on our faces. And just like magic, he was smiling before he left.
My days went back to normal, but sometimes I unknowingly was expecting the little prince to show up with his bright excited gold eyes.
"I'm here, sister."
"Haisley," I called while staring at my reflection in the water. The mixed scent of clary sage and orange oil in the tub somehow made the tension in my muscle melt away.
I've been in a state of stress since this morning.
"Yes, your highness?" She asked with a hum as she massages my scalp.
"Perhaps I should become a robber in the future? Like the scavengers outside the kingdom or maybe a pirate."
Another problem I couldn't solve. If I ever escape this place and change my identity, what will I become? A commoner that does what? The only thing that I did in the land of mortals is execute and assist in the war against demons—and blessed the people under the Goddess of Light. Now that I no longer possess magic I'm just an ordinary person.
"Y-your high-highness?! What do you mean? You want to be a-a-a criminal?!?!" Haisley's voice became more and more high-pitched as she continues to speak, I might even think she'll collapse.
Or I could open a business since I know how to cook? But I don't have the money to begin with nor I don't know where to find money for the expenses since I am an abandoned child of the king. Surely, there would be no treasures for me.
Hold on.
I quickly stood up with my naked butt and proclaimed to no one, "I'll enter the convent and become a nun!"
That's right!
Finding a place to stay and food to eat just to survive my everyday life will no longer be a problem.
"A lifelong commitment will be an easy peasy," I said to myself with conviction. Since I had been working for Goddess Cianna for many years, I won't have any trouble as long as I shut up. Giving charity will be a piece of cake. Granted with food and shelter I'll definitely survive.
Now that I think about it, the excessive amount of curses that my mouth could spit quickly drop. Must be because I haven't spoken much.
If that's the case it's good news.
"Hear me out, princess," Haisley begged after I unintentionally ignored her calls.
Turning around I looked at her and apologized, "Sorry Haisley, I was just thinking. You were saying?"
She cast a distressed pale look towards me. "You can't be a nun or robber or-or some savage pirate."
I tilted my head in question. "Why?" My ideas are not that bad..Err, the other two are...
"Uhm.. Well—You see, the king will betroth you before your coming of age. On your 14th birthday."
My heart quickly dropped. My plans crumbled like sand on my hands.
I forgot that the Abandoned Princess was engaged with some young duke in the story.
"Fuck. Me."
"Princess!"
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Two cycles of seasons had quickly passed by. Fresh new flowers blossoming into the floral vibe of spring, my birthday has finally come once again. Tomorrow will be my seventh birthday.
Haisley continues to teach me everything a child needs to know which she highly praised me for, understanding the topics quickly and such.
I refused to leave the palace not even go to the garden ever since I lost all my motivation after Haisley crushed my plan of being a free commoner nun. After almost two years of not stepping outside Haisley had become so agitated that finally, she kicked me out of the Garnet Palace telling me to not come back after two hours.
I have never seen Haisley raise her voice towards me that I just quietly did what she told me to.
The wind had lost its bite and replaced with warmth, blowing branches as the leaves rustled. The scent of flowers and evergreens mixed in the air. Butterflies fluttered over the bloom of spring.
Perhaps today was a great day to be outside.
That's what I thought...
With the relaxing scenery of spring behind me, I forced myself to look up at the person with glaring golden eyes.
"What is she doing here?" The one and only, his majesty King Edmund, asked once more.
"The princess must be curious that's why she's here," the red-headed knight said lightly as he chuckled, unafraid of his life.
"You're curious about the screaming of my knights?" Edmund asked directly at me.
It was hard not to squirm under his pressuring stare.
Why was I in this situation?
After Haisley forced me to welcome the outside world I decided to familiarize the royal estate, having my own little adventure but didn't dare go near the Emerald Palace. Since there were four large gardens here I went to the nearest which was located in the northern part. But then, I heard screams in the farther distance near the area.
Basically, I was indeed curious, so I nodded my head at the king and looked behind him. The doors leading to the ward were wide open that I could see the injured knights laying on the beds.
Before Edmund interrupted us, the red-headed knight who first saw me lurking around the area explained that the Second Unit went to the Falem Forrest to subdue the monsters near the perimeter of the palace wall. But little did they know before they could even take fifty steps from the gate they were ambushed by an unknown grade A monster.
"Are you not afraid, Princess Elaine?" The knight asked with his green eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Two more injured knights were about to place inside passing to my side but then something fell near my right foot.
My eyes immediately went to the ground where a bloodied arm was ripped from the owner's body.
I could see the uneven flesh sticking out from the blood-soaked cloth. An adult's arm was two inches away from my feet that I smelled the strong stench of iron from the blood but there was something more. Something similar to a decaying body but not quite.
"You dropped..Umm...Here, let me give you a hand." I bent down reaching for the amputated arm.
Pun aside, there was something imbued at the part where the flesh was cut off. No ordinary human could see this but there's dark smoke threading around it. It was a similar effect that came from specific weapons. Weapon wielded by demons from years ago.
And before my finger could touch the limb I was lifted, an arm wrapped around my stomach lurching me up.
"Urk!" I made a sound from the sudden action. I was dangling upside-down facing my legs.
Raising my head I saw the red knight looking surprised. Having the knight in front of me meant that the person who was carrying me was no other than the king.
"You there. Take that to Mykel for inspection," Edmund ordered a knight who quickly obliged taking the arm in fear. My body stiffened, I could feel the king's glare burying a hole in the back of my head. "What are you trying to do?"
"You're one curious fellow, Princess Elaine," the red knight said in amusement.
"They say, curiosity kills the cat. Shall I kill you now?" The king tightens his hold around my waist but not to the point that it hurts.
I knew it! Leaving the Garnet Palace is a step closer to my death.
With a pallid face, I stuttered an answer, "The-there's something d-dif-different with the arm."
A brief silence passed by before I was tossed in the air. I suppressed a scream as I made eye contact with those gold eyes while I was in mid-air. Thankfully he didn't look like someone who was about to kill but nevertheless, he was still frightening.
Instead of falling to the ground, I was caught by the red-headed knight.
"Lucas, take her back. Get everyone and meet me at the research area. It's already started," the king said grimly and walked away.
"Understood, your majesty." We both watched the king until he disappeared entering the palace. "Shall we go, princess?" The knight asked and unconsciously nodded in reply.
I don't think I could walk, my legs felt too jelly.
The knight gave me a smile after staring at his profile for quite a while. He was handsome with a vibe of easy to be with.
"I haven't introduced myself, right? I am Lucas Bismarck, the Captain of the Imperial Guards. It seems that the king has taken a liking to the princess."