"Your highness, when we arrive; what are you planning to do?" Love asked, her body turning to face me.
My body was still shifting around as I laid, desperate to find comfort; however, the wooden floors didn't get any more comfier. I really missed modern cars; their soft leather seats, the cool air conditioning.
"Love, don't call me that." I said,nestling deeper into the cart.
"Your highness?" She asked. A loud sigh escaped me as I gave up on the idea of ever getting comfortable on this hard and spiny floor.
"Yes. Not in Burke. It's too dangerous." I whispered, making sure the driver didn't overhear me.
"Then… what am I supposed to address you by?"
"Just call me… Mayang." I answered, turning from facing Love to the vast orange sky.
I wasn't used to being referred to so highly and I didn't wanna risk attracting any attention to ourselves. That was what I was called back then anyways. I might as well be called by my own name.
I didn't feel comfortable being called Princess Hana, it makes me think that I'm stealing her life. Which isn't wrong but, it just felt weird to me. It felt like whatever I may do in the future will be under the guise of her, when in reality, she's already gone. The sun's heat tingled on my skin as I tried to get accustomed to this feeling.
We spent two days in that mine. Walking through the thick darkness. It was refreshing to see something so bright after a long time. I didn't want to worry Love but the entire time I was there, I felt sick to my stomach. Never ending nausea clawed at me as fear kept me cautious. It reminded me too much of… home.
After we made it out of the mine, we made our way to a small village on the outskirts of Burke. Which let me tell you, was a gruelling journey. I was so used to cities, malls and houses so close to each other that it was kinda shocking how far it was from the mine to a nearby town.
After we arrived, I quickly searched for a boutique to sell the dress I wore. The tailors were suspicious of us at first but we managed to sell the dress for 200 Dins. And now we're here,hitching a ride on the back of a horse-driven wagon.
Ah, right! I just remembered that Love asked me about my plans after we reached Burke's main city. My lips slowly curled downwards. In all honesty, I didn't have any. It's why I choose to deflect the question. Usually, I'm more of a spontaneous person so I don't really plan anything, going with the flow is much better. However, I guess that being spontaneous is not really a choice in this world. My mind flashed to the handsome man back at the windmill. If I had not seen the light from the soldiers' torchers and heard their loud armour clashing against each other through the fields, I don't know what would have happened to us. Would the screams I heard that day be us? Goosebumps formed on the back of my neck. No- I shake my head. This isn't the time for fear.
"My plans…" I murmured.
"Love, do you know how to get in touch with our people in Burke?" I asked, tapping my right index finger on my bottom lip.
"Aolenoans? I knew the residence of one of the soldiers we had in Aolenoa… Maybe he could arrange a meeting for us?" Love suggested. I nodded.
Arranging a meeting may take days so we need to find a place to stay. I wonder what we could buy with 200 Dins. Would food and water be affordable to us?
"Why?" Love asked, cutting my train of thoughts.
"I'm planning to tell them what happened. The truth." I answered. That is, if they choose to believe it's the truth. I stopped taping my lip and folded my arms. Love and I don't really have any evidence except for our words. Hell, if they choose to talk to us , that itself is already a miracle, whether they would choose to believe is another worry.
Burke and Aolenoa had diplomatic ties, Burke is even taking Aolenoans in their country under the guise of "refuge". It won't be any easy fight to convince them.
I saw Love's face in the corner of my eyes. I turned to smiled at her. Her eyebrows were restlessly pushed against each other. Look at Love, she's so young and yet she's needlessly worrying about so many things. What a good, little girl.
My hands reached for Love's cheeks, pinching them. She whined as she tried to shake my hands off her but I continued. I giggled as I watched her struggle. When I finally released her cheeks, redness began to spread from where I pinched her. She moaned, rubbing her cheeks. Her eyebrows finally relaxed from its tense arch. Wow, I really do have a talent for distracting people.
"You're young, Love. You don't have to worry. After all, I'm here now. " I assured Love.
"But-" She wanted to persist but judging from her expression, she understood that I was serious.
Serving Princess Hana for so long, it's understandable for her to be worried for her well-being. But I'm not Princess Hana, I'm not a sheltered princess who hasn't experienced pain and hell. I am Mayang. From a young age, I was expected to be strong. But alas, Love can't know that. So I can't expect her to treat me any different-I can't shake her constant worry for me, for Princess Hana. I closed my eyes and sighed, sitting up. I pulled Love's head into my lap- she was rock stiff but when I started patting her head, I could feel her slowly relax.
Being so young and yet having to worry about war and pain- that's not something a child should worry about. Though, it's not like people are expected to worry about war at all.
The sky from its fiery orange blanket was gradually painted in soft auburn clouds, the cold night soon approaching. I looked over my shoulder; the Central city of Burke is still far away. On my lap, Love somehow was fast asleep amidst the bumpy ride.
My hands balanced on the floor of the wooden wagon as I leaned backwards. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the final moments of the sun's warmth.
How long has it been since I have felt this free? I chuckled. Look at me, thrown in the middle of a war and I could boldly call this freedom. Well, anything is freedom compared to- I sighed. The warm pads of my fingers massaged my scalp as I chastised myself for thinking about my past. Ever since being in the isolated mine, my mind kept travelling needlessly to the past. I know I should stop thinking about then. I know that there's no reason to think about something that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, and an ache in my stomach. Yet, inevitably my mind travels there.
Everything's different now; the future, present,me. Everything has changed. Hell, I don't even look the same. My palms no longer have those hard calluses, my body not littered in scars. My hair is no longer as long as it was- even the colour changed. I have shoulder length red hair now, a big leap from my waist long black hair. I asked Love earlier whether it was normal to have such a colour for hair and she told me that that was proof of my illegitimate birth.
Princess Hana's mom, was a maid who seduced the Emperor and consequently, it led to the birth of me. However, my pink eyes were what proved royal blood was in me. I didn't really have the chance to look at my eyes but I won't be surprised if I do have pink eyes. Love herself didn't look like a normal human.
I expected the Emperor and Empress to be enraged at my existence but, according to Love, they weren't surprised. The king must've been those stereotypical playboys . Well, not that it would matter now, they're dead. Hey, at least I wouldn't have those cliched noble verbal fights. I'd rather use my fists. Why would I get in the trouble to subtly insult someone when I can just knock them out?
Being in that mine had given me a lot of time to think; how did I come here? I already find it hard to believe that this is all real but right now, I have no choice but to believe. I can't risk it all just because of a few doubts. What if I die here and it's game over, KO? My fingers lightly traced the wound on my throat. When I woke up on that bed, the wound on my neck was so bad I could barely speak. Now it's closed. Maybe Princess Hana really did die, and I'm here as a substitute? My fingers combed through my hair. This is all so confusing! It's like one of those algebra questions ; "if a +b =C, what is C?" Who the fuck knows? I kind of figured that I died, since most of the manhwas and mangas I'd read would conclude that, but I don't even know how. I don't remember anything except just a few flashes of memory. I got up for work and that's it, I can't remember anything else.
"Ugh." I groaned.
Thinking is useless, dumb people shouldn't think, they'll confuse themselves even more. Maybe there's a saintess or something I can ask. How do all those female leads make this shit look so simple? My stomach grumbled. Ah, I'm hungry.
"Love, get up!" I shake Love awake. Her eyes, heavy with sleep, reluctantly opened.
Slobber drooled from the corners of her lips. I stared at the glistening saliva with disgust. Somehow, fatigue washed over me and I too fell asleep. The driver of the cart was generous enough to wake me up, though I reckon calling me an 'idiot' is kind. The copper sky was no more, a dusty navy blue instead remained.
I motioned her to jump off and instantly, she shook her exhaustion away. A small thud sounded when she jumped off the wagon, I soon joined her leap. Unlike the light landing of Love, the ground beneath me groaned when my feet landed. Haha, how unfair. I waved the cart driver thanks and began walking.
"Could you lead me to that soldier's place?"