Walking slowly to waste the time is really the dumbest idea. The party that will finish at midnight, my slow step toward the balcony can't prevent me from talking with the crown prince.
This bastard...what does he want from me now?
I can't stand the crown prince, Cassis le da Symestiaph. There were some times when we couldn't spend time without each other. Both of us were so dependent on each other. I thought we would continue like that. But... everything is now messed up. To the point, it's good for me. I was able to see his true face that day.
My legs suddenly stopped when I reached the balcony. My hands were hesitating to open the door. My mind was lost in thought of what I should do.
If I open this door right now, there will be only the two of us. Right? Should I really open this door? Or... ignore him and go back to the party?
I could not come up with a certain point of what I should do. The crown prince's shadow was visible through the door. I was scared a little to face him. Though I grabbed all my courage and opened the door.
"Tiana.."
"!!..."
"I really was impatient to see you again."
That bastard dared to lean on me that closely after what he did. My hands were itching to smack him hard on the face. No, pulling off his golden hair is great.
Control... I have to control myself. There can't be any kind of commotion here.
"It's a pity that a gorgeous, elegant lady like you is going to marry a filthy devil like him."
"Get.."
"Hmm?"
"Get your hands off of my hair."
He was playing with a little bunch of my hair around his finger. He always liked my long, thick, and silky black hair of mine. If it were the past me, I would feel so much joy in me. Everything is changing slowly. My emotion, belief, everything. I hit on his hand to get his filthy hand away from my hair. My eyes were out of him for some moment. When I set my eyes on him. I was surprised. He was stunned by what I did just now. Like, he didn't expect it from me.
"You...you don't...care about me anymore?"
"What type of question is this?"
Did he really think that I would care about him after what he did to me 4 years ago? It was a lesson for my life. Don't trust people who smile, but be one. That incident was technically the key to my success. Now I have a big merchant guild with so much honor. But what incident?
"Do you think I'm shameless enough to care about you? In your dreams. I hate his highness from the core of my heart."
Cassis was silent. Words weren't coming out of his damned mouth.
"I spread that rumor for your own good, Tiana."
"What do you mean by my own good?"
"If I had not spread the rumor about you practicing black magic, you would have been now locked in the church. Would you like that?"
4 years ago, the church here sent an order to my father to send me off as a saint. In the history of Symestiaph, they were never blessed by saints. In every continent, they at least had one saintess to receive blessing. But Symestiaph didn't have any.
Since I was young, I have attended the church every day. Most of my time I was in the prayer room. It caught the attention of the high priest. He came up with a plan to make me a fake saintess.
I was happy to hear the news. Everything was wrong, but I felt like I'd been given a chance to set myself free from my father.
Cassis destroyed it all like ashes. The royal family and the church have a crack in their political relationship. The reason was unknown, but everyone knew how much they hated each other. So, my father, who is an ally of the royal family, wanted to disline the request. He couldn't because of the pressure of noble society. To keep his face, he didn't decline the request nor accept it.
If I had lived as a saintess now, my contact with my family and the royal family would have been stopped. Naturally, I could not contact or meet with Cassis too. I think— that's what got in his nerve. A prince who was abandoned by his own family always sought attention from everyone. I felt pity and always met him whenever I visited the royal palace. I was his only playmate. Just because he will not get any attention from anyone if I leave, he spread a ridiculous and baseless rumor about me.
'Lady Tiana practices black magic from the witch of the night forest.'
It was enough to destroy my hope. My last ray of light. It may seem normal to other people, but it was a big shock to me. I lost everything. Opportunity, attention from society—everything. Everything faded away from my hand.
"I would have felt honourable if I was sent to the church. Because of you, I am going to Dormia to marry a crazy person. Just because of you."
I shouted out loudly enough to get attention from Synthia. That girl really sneaks out everywhere I go. Doesn't she feel a bit of shame to have feelings like that toward her cousin?
"What is happening right now is all for your own good, sister. If you do everything me and uncle tell you to do, you will soon be free from everything."
Lie. It's all lies. Everything he and father speak out of their mouths is a lie.
"Don't annoy me. I am in no mood to have a quarrel with you. I'm going back."
I turned my face from him and started to take big steps to leave that place quickly. Cassis wanted to stop me but he couldn't. At least he cares about a little of my feeling.
"But, I am not finished.."
"You still have left to say?"
"....."
I glared fiercely to him and came back.
Annoying things always latch on me. At first, it was Cassis. Now it's Synthia. Slap on my luck. Wherever I go, she latch on me. She thinks I'm doing something to take everything away from her.
"My God...I didn't know you were following me."
"Stop your nonsense."
Her answer sounded cruel. Enough to let me know that she is angry. Anger and frustration were clearly bursting out from her eyes. Like, she would eat me up in a moment.
"What were you talking about with Cassis?"
I really got myself in trouble. She could beat me up if I say something that gets on her nerve. Obviously I will beat her up too in return but it will cause a big problem. Because we are in the banquet of Marchioness's birthday.
"It was nothing important. He only just congratulated me...that's all."
I answered politely. I put my pride all a side to get out of this situation. I can bargain with her whenever I want but today is exceptional.
"You think I didn't hear you."
"Then I don't need to explain myself..."
"You sure talk a lot.."
Suddenly, I heard nothing for a second.second floor's hall room became so silent to me.
Did she just slapped me?
I was afraid of that. She really can't control her temper.
"Try to step on my way again, I will make sure you don't see the morning sun."
My temper was also hardly in my control. My heart was telling me to slap her back more painfully but my brain was saying the exact opposite. Beside that slap, a more big problem happened.
Is that...The young Princess?!?!
Natasha Vela Symestiaph, the youngest princess and the little sister of Cassis, the crown prince. Her mouth is so loose. Nothing can't be keep secret because of her loose mouth. And now, she saw Synthia to slap me. What will happen now.
Natasha ran quickly the moment she realized that I've seen her sneaking out. I'm sure that now she will podcast it around the noble society. What a pain..
"You know Synthia.."
"You are still talking.."
She raised her hand again to slap me. But this time, I've grabbed her hand tightly and talked a bit quietly.
"Natasha has seen you to slap me.."
"What? Are you joking now? Where did she come from?"
"Untill now, she hid behind the wall and was listening our conversation like a thief."
"Wh-what should I do now?!"
Synthia's head became full of tension. She also know about Natasha's loose mouth.
"I-I'm busted–"
"SYNTHIA..TIANA."
Wow..she really didn't take a second to inform it to father.
I think Natasha would have died by now if she took a moment to tell my father about this. Cassis was also on his way to go back to the party but he stopped by here.
"Both of you.."
"??.."
"!!!!..!.."
"Return to your residence. Right now."
Synthia was trembling. I kept my mind stable and hold a normal face on me.
Everything will be fine..it's okay.
_ _ _ _ _