Chapter Fourteen: The Princess' Chamber
Estelle
"So she's the friend you talked about when we first met each other," Princess Sina said while Adela and I were helping her in the bath. Adela on the left and me on the right.
Someone tell me why I am now tending to the Princess?
"Yes, she is," Adela answered and I looked at her with confusion. She was about to explain herself when the Princess spoke on her behalf.
"She called me 'Estelle' when we first met, you see and I let her talk about you," she started.
The both of us stopped scrubbing her arms when she put both of her hands in the tub and looked at me straight into my eyes.
"She said that we resemble each other but you in front of me now, I can't think of any words to describe this situation."
I gulped and looked away. Now, the Princess also started teasing me, huh?
"Princess, we should hurry your bath. You need to attend tomorrow's banquet for the success of this year's harvest," Adela said and the Princess grumpily gave her arms to us again.
"Another banquet... I'm tired! Damn it," she groaned in frustration while I stopped tending to her when I heard her cuss.
For someone who is known as the descendant of the Holy Saintess, she's not that holy.
Both of them looked at me and Adela glared at her. Is she glaring at THE Princess? Just how close these two have been? Or maybe Adela is seeing me to the Princess. I do look like her though.
"Oh come on, you're much more holier than her," Adela said pertaining to Princess Sina whose smile is now ear to ear and nodding her head as if she's agreeing to her.
I continued what I was doing earlier until the bath for the Princess was finished.
"Adela is a breath of fresh air. Do you know how hard it was to pretend every single day in the West?" Princess said while Adela and I are now helping her dress up in her sleeping wear that is made of satin.
That reminds me of my bed back in my world which is also made of satin.
I miss my comfy bed.
While Adela is now combing the Princess' hair, I took it as a chance to wander my eyes around her bedroom. The room is filled with candles and torches that lighten up this place. On the walls, you can see the delicate patterns that were embroidered with it. There's also a small chandelier on the ceiling just for decoration. But what caught my attention the most was a small portion of the wall wherein a painting of a flower was hung.
I am not interested in the flower at all but in its frame. Different from the color of the flower which is red, the color of the frame is gold. I gasped in my mind.
Is that real gold?!
I should try biting it later to see if it's the real deal!
"That's the Holy Flower. It is native to the West, specifically growing in the Kingdom's garden only," Princess Sina said and I met her eyes in the reflection in the mirror.
"Sorry?" I asked and tilted my head.
"You've been looking at the painting for a while now. It seems like you're seeing it for the first time—"
She wasn't able to finish her sentence when suddenly, she stood up leaving Adela and me shocked to the next thing she did. She put both of her hands on my cheeks and stared at me for a long time.
"Your eyes..."
Oh! Since the potion only works for a day, I think my eye color already changed. Talk about the timing.
"I naturally have this eye color. The same goes for my hair. They're all in the darker shade," I said and Adela agreed.
While arranging the Princess bath stuff earlier, I explained to her what Cecil and the others did to my appearance. That is to avoid rumors that I shouldn't attract. Adela understood it but what makes of this Princess?
"Darker shade? A complete opposite of me?" the Princess mumbled as she was now walking back and forth in front of us and when she stopped, she once again cupped my face. "Perhaps, are you a witch?"
"No, I'm not!' I automatically responded and crossed my arms. I should clear it as soon as I can. I am not in the presence of the descendant of the Holy Saintess.
In my stay here in this world and the history that was in Master Hagas' book, it's basic knowledge to know that the enemy of the Holy are those inclined toward Witchcraft as the teachings are opposite to them. That's why magic is limited to the West because sometimes, it can manifest as witchcraft. As what happened almost a hundred years ago when the Great War happened. The witch that was defeated by the Holy Saintess was also once a great mage.
"I should get going now. If the Princess and Adela would excuse me," I said and bowed to Princess Sina while I hugged Adela afterward as she handed me my bag. I feel like I stayed here for too long already and that any moment from now, the sun will rise.
I started walking to the big door but then I stopped.
Wait, should I just have my exit on the balcony?
I turned my direction around and started walking towards the balcony but before I reached it, I heard them both laughing. Making my eyebrows furrowed and faced them.
"Now I understand why you said that she was cute to tease," Princess said as she lightly tapped Adela's waist. Adela was also stopping her laughter.
These two...
"Adela once mentioned that she worked at the Central Place so I assume you will go there. Are you sure you can manage to walk until you reach the place? Alive? Without getting stabbed?"
"Your Highness, is that a threat?" I asked dumbfounded.
Is the kingdom that bad to have such killers roaming around?
"What I mean is that we resemble each other and 'danger' is my other name. The moment you step foot outside the palace grounds, certain eyes from dark places will look at you. You resemble me so what do you think will happen next?"
She stood up from sitting and walked towards me while she raised her left hand and sliced it in front of her neck. I gulped.
"Death."
I looked at Adela and she just nodded her head while biting her lips.
"That is right, Estelle. It would be better if we set a plan for me to accompany you."
"You should also consider bringing one more person."
I don't know if that's just my imagination but a sharp gaze appeared on the Princess' angelic look. She looked past me and talked as if other than us, there was one more person in the room.
"Show yourself. I already know your existence and I know you mean harm. You've been lingering in my chambers for a while now and by the looks of it, you were sent to protect me from the shadows instead of killing me."
Suddenly I heard the rustling of the leaves from a tree near the balcony and seconds later I heard a small thud behind me. I was right to assume that someone was now standing behind my back when I saw a gigantic shadow in front of me on the floor.
A gentle breeze then suddenly touches my skin. It's the kind of breeze in horror movies wherein the murderer is now at your back and is about to stab you.
Breeze, huh? More like a chill!
"I really am too old for this job. I got caught in just a week."
My eyes widened when the man spoke. That voice!
"Mister Brown?!" I was not mistaken as when I turned around, he was the same man that Azval dueled. His clothes may have changed but his aura remains the same.
My idol!
"You knew each other?" Princess Sina asked. I nodded my head while smiling. I cannot believe that I would soon reunite with Mr. Brown.
"Yes! I saw him on the Central during the Feast of the Saintess. He dueled with Azval—" I wasn't able to finish what I was saying when Mr. Brown suddenly covered my mouth using his hand.
"Pardon, Your Highness, for my sneakiness. I was just doing the job of your protector in the shadows that the Princes have assigned to me. You may call me Gavian," Mr. Brown started saying while still covering my mouth.
I am trying to remove his hand but it's unshakable and I stopped forcing an escape when I realized that I cannot do anything. Truly my idol!
"Your skills must be remarkably good for my betrothed and his brother to assign you."
Princess Sina once sat on her chair and Adela started combing her hair again which was interrupted earlier so there are still tangles.
"But you need not protect me anymore."
"Your Highness, that's something—" Mr. Brown wasn't able to finish his sentence but I was able to catch my breath when he decided to let go of me already.
Hah, near-death experience from my idol!
"Are you going against the order of your Crown Princess?" Princess Sina said with an authoritative voice as she later glanced at the reflection of us that are seen in the mirror in front of her. "Estelle's presence here is the reason I confirmed your presence as you are also duped by our appearances. You let your guard down and thought that you followed the wrong one which actually is me."
"I understand your decision, Princess. Yet, it is better if my presence will be discussed between the Princes and you."
"There's nothing to discuss. You will remain as my protector in their eyes but in my eyes, you will protect Estelle."
Adela stopped brushing her hair and Mr. Brown and I looked at each other in shock.
"Princess, what are you talking about?" Adela asked. A small smile formed on the Princess's lips.
At that moment, I just stood there waiting for the next thing that she'd say while holding tightly to the straps of my bag.
Later on, she pointed in my direction.
"You'll be coming to the banquet tomorrow in my stead."
All of us gasped.
"Princess, what are you talking about? Estelle is foreign to this land. Attending a banquet is risky!" Adela opposed and I sided with her.
What do you mean I should attend a banquet? Why would I do that? I still have work at the Inn tomorrow, or should I say later?
"Oh come on, give me a break!" she said and rolled her eyes. "You're a Princess who does everything that is expected of you. You are so exhausted. Then one magical night, someone who resembles you appears in front of your chambers. What would be the first thing you would think? Because to me, the first thing that appeared to my mind is that I have leisure for a while."
We looked at her like she said something unbelievable. She would give her protector to me so that he could protect me instead while she'd be living her life out of expectation.
The Princess is really something.
While Mr. Brown and Adela are arguing with her, trying to change her mind, I am gathering my thoughts.
She was just like me.
Someone who's always wanted an escape from all the expectations.
Ah! Scratch that. She is ME in this world.
As I looked at the Princess who's now covering her ears as if she's not hearing any suggestions, I let out a small chuckle to myself.
How pathetic.
Even in this world, I am still caged in with responsibilities. That I have to prove something.
"I will do it."
All of them looked at me with surprise but what caught my attention was Princess Sina's eyes which sparkled an emotion that was hidden in her puppet-like facade.
It was pure bliss.
It's as if she really has escaped the expectations for her in a while. An emotion I wasn't able to see in myself in front of the mirror. Never did I see my reflection like that.
So that's what I looked like.
"Estelle..."
As this world is my escape, I want the ME in here to experience an escape too even if it's just a moment.
"I will be Princess Sina's substitute for this upcoming banquet. Teach me what I have to learn."
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