Princess Emajiri awoke from a fitful sleep the next morning, she slept so well, just like a baby. She reminisced about the dream she had last night about a certain someone and smiled like a fool.
The maids her father sent to serve her temporarily until her own servants recover enough to take over their duties all gaped in shock at the smiling princess, they looked out to the now opened windows to see if the sun was rising from the west, but lo and behold the sun was still rising from the east.
The maid's might not have served the princess personally before, but they've heard enough gossip from her personal maids to know that the princess was not the cheerful type, talk less of her smiling so early in the morning. They prayed silently that her good mood should last, they wanted make it out-
'And what are you guys still doing here, gaping around like dead fishes, do I need to remind you of your duties.' The princess said gently. But to her maid her gentle voice sounded like the harsh roars of the hounds of hell.
' we're sorry your highness!?' The four maids immediately knelt down and apologized.
'Ehe! And you're still here!' The princess's voice raised an octave higher.
'Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!' The maids quickly scrambled on their feets apologizing as they took their exit.
'Hey!' The princess the princess bellowed, 'where do you think you are going!' She yelled pointing at the maid that was supposed to be fanning her, but was now running out with the other three maidservants.
'Me my princess?' The maid said pointing at herself.
'No me.' The princess replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm, 'come on, come here and continue fanning me!' She ordered, trying and failing in keeping her temper in check. Well there goes her good mood. The princess now regretted punishing her servant so harshly, now she was stuck with these bunch of nincompoops, ugh! What a terrible ordeal, it seems she shot herself on the foot. where did her father even get these idiots from. 'You all are just goats.'
'I'm sorry my princess, i just thought-'
The princess cut her off, 'don't think, just do! Don't stress your nonexistent brain, after all you're not here to think, just work the work you were sent here to do.'
'Yes my princess.' The maid close to tears quickly replied and continued with her duty.
The princess ignored the barely suppressed sniffles beside her. Ugh! Why her, she screamed inwardly. The maids quickly arrived at the speed of light, not wanting to fuel the already irritated princess's anger. They still remembered the appearance of her maids and guards last night, their skin was in tatters, with their clothes soaked in blood, sticking to their torn flesh, the princess's punishment took half their lives, especially the girl the princess ordered to be whipped ten more times, she was barely breathing by the time she was done with her punishment, they silently prayed for her that she survived, although that might not actually be a good thing for her. Their thoughts quickly flashed through their mind as they rushed quickly to the princess to help with her bath.
'I've changed my mind, I want to take a bath in the stream.' Princess Emajiri said, she wanted to use this opportunity to walk around and by the way look around, maybe she would get lucky and see her dream man, since her father has ordered her not to go to the mountains, she not been able to go into mountains again. She also wanted to use this opportunity to implement her plan.
'As you wish, my princess.' They all bowed and packed the things the princess needed for her bath.
The started on the journey to the stream and there came an issue, none of the maids were as tall as the princess so it was inconvenient for both the princess and the two maids holding the umbrella, with the princess's head touching to the roof of the umbrella and the maids hands slacking once in a while, almost hitting the princess's head which would automatically result in the forfeit of their lives, the umbrella of then where not like the umbrellas of now, commoners mostly made use of plantain leaves as their umbrellas, the princess and most royalty made use of leather which they connected to bamboos with two legs on both side to be held by two people on either side of the princess, the princess also had one other umbrella with one handle, but that one was actually heavy and tall requiring a strong person to hold it, the princess only used that one for short distance journeys.
It's not that the princess was caring for the carrier of the umbrella but it was because she feared for her life, just Incase the person holding the umbrella gets too tired and their hands weakens and loosens, it'd really be disastrous for anyone under that umbrella if it fell, that's why she avoids using the umbrella when going on long distances.
These leather umbrellas are not use in the rainy season, they are only used as a means for sun protection. (Author's notes: this information about leather being used as sun shades or umbrellas is not historically accurate, as a modern baby, I don't actually know if my people used leather as umbrellas, but I asked my mom and she said they used plantain leaves. But the royalty part is what I don't know about.)
Princess Emajiri wished fervently for this journey to come to an end soon. Her face was drawn into a permanent frown, her good mood from earlier long gone, she just wished for this seemingly long journey to end as soon as possible, she was definitely no longer in the mood to look around in search of her dream man.
She contemplated braving the hot sun, but a look at the glaring hot sun immediately changed her mind, not a chance. She decided, immediately she gets to the palace, she was going to tell her father to give her two taller maids.
Finally they got to the stream, the princess and the maids immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
One of her maids went forward, alerting the villagers currently in the stream of Princess Emajiri's presence. 'Her royal highness Princess Emajiri wants to have her bathe, and has ordered all of you to vacate this stream, with immediate effect.' The maid spoke resoundingly, her chest puffed up like that of a peacock as she took advantage of the Princess's authority, basking in the moment as the villagers scrambled out of the stream, making sure to greet the Princess as they left.
The Princess watched the proud maid and shook her head in dislike, this group of maids are really distasteful, she was going to replace them immediately when she went back, she really couldn't bear the sight of them for much longer.
After everyone had finally vacated the premises, the maids undressed the Princess with two helping with her bath and two keeping watch, lest someone sneaks a look at the princess's precious body.
In the shadows of the trees surrounding the stream a man stood watching the princess enraptured, his eyes were glued to the lovely princess, her body was so beautiful with everything slender where they were supposed to be and full in all the right places. The man watched eagerly as if to imprint this scene in his mind forever.
This man was the princess's dream man, also known as Ublowoh, after going from house to house borrowing body parts, he finally built himself this perfect body according to the princess's requirements of what she wanted her spouse to look like, after which he purposely came to the princess's rescue, but not before hiding her lost shoe on purpose.
Now he was thinking of how to create a perfect encounter with the princess, he had walked around the kingdom various times in the past week just in the hopes of encountering the princess, but the princess remained in the palace without coming out.
Today's encounter with the princess came as a pleasant surprise. And he certainly wasn't going to complain about the free show that came with it.
The princess took her bath leisurely, unaware of the the eyes that spied on her from the shadows. The princess was currently thinking about the next step to take.
She turned around at the prompting of her maid, raising her arms upwards, making it easier for her maids to clean below her armpits. Her mind flew about, thinking of how to execute her plan and simultaneously hitting two birds with one stone. The minutes ticked by and soon the maids were done.
'My princess, we're done.' The maids informed the dazed princess, rousing her from her thoughts.
The princess's thoughts were interrupted, seeing that she was now fully clothed. She decided to go straight to her friend Oma's place from here. She had some things to discuss with darling Oma. 'Come, let's go pay my dear friend Oma a visit.' Her voice was laced with sarcasm, as a malicious smile drew her lips apart.
The maids with her shivered at the sudden cold wind that blew past, someone was definitely in trouble. They thought, pitying whoever was the princess's target.
Meanwhile at home, Oma suddenly sneezed. 'I reject it.' She said vehemently, as it was their custom to reject any bad thing whenever they sneezed without reason.