CHAPTER 11
Old Friends in New Company III
The reason I had been given an employment at the castle and trained to understand the ways of the Kingdom was so that I could attend the Royal Academy under the alias of the ill princess, win the love of a prince and then when I return to the Kingdom, she will marry him", there was an edge of fear in Fiore's voice.
Fawn understood that Fiore's fate after that would be unpredictable. She may be exiled or even killed, for being the unjust lover of the Kingdom's future king consort.
And she wouldn't even be able to fall in love freely with a man, where she is clearly expected to.
"That's treacherous", Fawn nodded.
Naturally her mind twisted to all the means by which Fiore could somehow escape the fate assigned to her.
"I considered absconding, but that is precisely why I have been assigned an assassin to have be within surveillance at all times", Fiore said, hands wrapped around her teacup as she stared at its empty inside.
"I should have known. Who is she? Was she trained in your kingdom?" Fawn asked.
"Well", the damsel in response dabbed a hand on her cheek. "She is actually one of the druids. They have a section trained in the art of hunting and killing and in concocting deadly brews. As soon as she senses a misstep from my part that could embarrass the public image of the Kingdom, I will be killed and news will hold that I was a false decoy sent to tarnish the name of the King and that the princess was denied roll in the academy because I had wrongly enrolled in her name, taking her rightful place. After all, the convenience of riches can easily overpower justice."
"As terrible as it sounds, it is true", Fawn shook her head as she rose to her feet and collected their teacups.
Fiore sniffed slowly, seeming rather pensive. The healer couldn't help but notice how much her thoughts seemed to be consuming her.
"What is bothering you?" Fawn asked. "Is it the ordeal of wooing a man who would comprehend the situation, and not fall in love with him?" she asked, realizing yet another complication to the matter: "How in the blue blazes is the King about to explain that the prince you captivate shall not have you but a girl in whose place you pretended to play?"
Fiore spilt a mirthless chuckle. "The king intends to ensure that the prince and I are separated once a wedding date is fixed. Once I am sufficiently dealt with, he will convey that the princess has suddenly taken ill and fabricate a fib about how the condition had come upon them in shock and if he would marry his love anyway, he will be in inheritance of the Kingdom."
"It is as cruel a fate upon her as it is upon you", Fawn tutted.
Fiore nodded without expression and continued seeming rather pensive.
"What's taking up so much of your mood? You seem really low", the healer pressed on, knowing that there was more.
"It isn't anything", Fiore shook her head before sighing deeply.
"Are you mulling over how you should have stayed put and left the magnanimous act of earning to the man who was already providing for you. Could have saved you the hassle of going the long way and getting trapped yet again. To be fair, I thought you'd have married that Vigilante by now and settled happily", Fawn chuckled, trying to lift her friend's spirits with a bit of ill humour.
There was a vivid blush spreading across Fiore's cheeks as she looked up at Fawn and her eyes began welling up with hot tears.
"Oh gosh, I am so sorry if I hit a nerve there, Fiore", the healer apologized, rushing close to her friend and draping a hand over her shoulders.
"No, no", the girl in princess garments shook her head. "You didn't say anything that I didn't already think of myself and regret for months of sleepless nights on end."
"No, but I am so sorry, it was not my place to say", Fawn shook her head apologetically.
"Nay, you are my friend. My only one. You are free to speak. It's just that a couple other things were on my mind and my mind was bitten", Fiore said, dabbing the backs of both her hands across her wet cheeks.
"What is it? I'm always here to listen and lend you a shoulder", Fawn offered.
Fiore nodded, before taking a long deep shuddering breath, till she could feel her insides heal after the crying episode.
"It is just that, I saw the Vigilante again. Here at the Royal Academy. And he didn't seem to recognize me", she finally relayed.
Fawn was silent for one pensive moment, before she spoke: "Of course, you know that is because of your new look. Even I could scarcely tell that it was you, save your eyes. You've gained a bit of weight, and you look far healthier, quite like a true princess. And your golden hair is now orange."
Fiore sniffed, "Yes, I know that practically, it makes no sense to feel the prick for something so immaterial. But after all the fire I'm going through, stuck in a foreign land, bearing the yoke of people I scarcely know or care for, feeling trapped, all I wanted was to see a familiar face. And I have nobody, save you and he. And for a second, when he looked at me like I was just anyone else, it felt a bit hurtful, although it shouldn't." Fiore shook her head. "Maybe I'm just feeling oddly emotional for being in this place today."
"Did you talk to him for long?" Fawn asked, rather interested with the details of the encounter.
"No no, I was rushing because I was late, and I ran into him and nearly lost footing. And he saved me from the fall", there was a hot blush on her face, and she couldn't meet her friend's eyes.
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