Having a new and independent room of my own wasn’t as much of a dream come true as I thought it would be. Before, I used to sleep in the shared study room where all the advisors gathered or, well, studied, but now I had my own bed and a room where I wouldn’t be woken up by one of the advisors walking in.  

While this was a luxury, I was grateful for – having the room right next to the princess’ was the actual problem. Only because I woke up to continuous knocks on my door. I was certain that the loudness would’ve been able to wake up the entire castle, but that was just an exaggeration.

In reality, the knocks were only for my ears as I had to get out of bed to check who was there.

“Wake up.”

My sleepy eyes widened immediately when I realized that the princess was standing right outside of the door, completely dressed up. Her pale green gown somehow matched her hazel eyes as I watched her with confusion. Turning my head to look outside of the window in my room, I frowned at how dark it was still outside.

“What time is it even?” I rubbed my eyes at how sleepy I still was. Not even the other advisors woke me up this early.

“Who are you addressing again?” Her voice was as cold as the hallway as sleep completely left my body and I bowed my head in the very next moment. “I apologize, your Highness.”

“We have to go to the gardens, and this is the perfect time to go.” I still didn’t know what time it was as I looked up at her with question. She frowned visibly. “It’s early in the morning.”

If she called this early in the morning, I would call it late at night.

There wasn’t even light out and the hallways were also dimly lit which made me believe that the maids hadn’t even gotten up yet to light the lanterns. I was also sleepy and wanted to remain in bed for a little more time.

But while I was busy thinking about lights and sleep, the princess pushed me into the room by my shoulders. I was surprised as I stumbled backwards. She walked inside easily before closing the door behind her. “Get ready.”

Her ways of commanding something was extremely bothersome since she had been pushing me around ever since I became her advisor. I had been through this treatment with my own father but at least he was sure to walk all over me in a more non-physical sense. The princess, however, was the exact opposite.

“Y-You can wait in your own room, your Highness, while I prepare myself.”

She looked around the small room, which was essentially used for a personal maid before, but since the princess didn’t want one, the room had been vacant ever since. Even though it was small in comparison to the royal chambers, I was satisfied with the little privacy I could get from it.

Well, not in the current moment though.

My body stiffened when the princess’ stare turned back to me, and she frowned once again. “You’re still here.”

My feet moved before my mouth did as I apologized for the delay and went to the dresser to grab myself a pair of trousers and a tunic before heading to the garderobe.

I had to be quick in changing out of my sleep wear since I didn’t want the princess to wait for too long. She was a royal who held power, and last night’s misunderstandings were still fresh in my mind, even when my mind wasn’t as fresh yet.

Sleep was still teasing me as I rubbed my eyes and changed.

As soon as I was done changing and washing myself enough to go out with the princess, I walked into the room again, only to find the princess sitting gracefully on the bed.

She was looking through one of my journals and as soon as I noticed which one it was, my eyes widened in fear. I stalked over to her and pulled the journal out of her hands, causing her to frown at me. “I was reading that!”

That’s exactly why I took the journal away.

I frowned at my own unsaid response before actually replying to her, with the utmost respect. “It’s just scribbles and ideas, your Highness. Nothing of importance.”

She stared at me for a while before crossing her arms and even moving one leg over the other. Now, this was the reason why I was quickly disliking the princess despite liking her physically. Her entire energy at the moment screamed of how she held authority over me. It was annoying how she could even make a small bed look like a throne just because she was sitting there.

“So, you think Pellin Jade was killed by one of our own men?”

My eyes widened in fear as I shook my head before turning my head towards the door. Just having this thought was cause of concern because it would mean that there was someone in Geraldia who had gone against the Queen.

“You cannot say this to anyone, your Highness.”

I should’ve considered how she would react to another request from me since she had disliked my previous ones from last night. But this was a serious matter which I hadn’t discussed with anyone and clearly, no one had thought about it in detail like I had.

When the news of Pellin Jade’s death had reached Naja, it didn’t specify what had occurred to cause his demise. And from the reports I had borrowed to read from the advisors’ study all spoke of how the Geraldian Queen had imprisoned him for life before he died. So how did Pellin Jade die in a dungeon where he was being treated like every other prisoner? He wasn’t the kind to kill himself either.

The only explanation was assassination but since the Geraldian Queen had already imprisoned him, she wouldn’t want him dead, which only pointed to our own people.

Clearing my throat to clarify my words, I closed the journal and went to place it inside of the dresser. No one else should look at this. I didn’t want to be wrong, and I didn’t want the Queen to start making rash decisions on unverified suspicions.

“The princess should know that Pellin Jade was a spy for the Najan Kingdom and how he should’ve been able to assassinate the Geraldian Queen.”

I turned to see the princess nod her head with curiosity and I smiled at how eager she looked to know more. Of course, she wanted to know more since she wasn’t privy to these political matters. Only the King and Queen would be present for these decisions, but everyone knew how the Queen would later relay all of it to the prince.

“Pellin Jade got greedy in unearthing Geraldian resources instead of doing what he had been told to do, and when he got caught, the Geraldian Queen sent him to the dungeons for life.”

“He deserved that.” I nodded my head as the princess chimed in. “Yes, but he also died in the dungeons, and we still don’t know how.”

It was as if she was connecting the dots and had done it effortlessly since her eyes widened in realization in the next moment. “He was killed.”

Shaking my head, I didn’t agree or disagree with that claim. But I had to let her know that this was a matter she could not discuss with anyone else. Not even the King and Queen.

“That’s just what I believe.”

“But it makes sense. If the Geraldian Queen wanted him dead, she wouldn’t have sent him to the dungeon.”

She was smarter than she was believed to be, as I nodded my head before walking over to her and sitting down onto my knees. I did that because I wanted to quietly address her, but it surprised me when her cheeks brightened, and she leaned backwards immediately.

“Why are y-you getting on your knees suddenly?” I frowned before scooting backwards a little. What did she think I was doing? Many different answers came to mind, but I had to push them away to warn her seriously.

“Your Highness, you should never discuss anything I’ve told you with anyone.”

As soon as her cheeks had darkened, they were back to their original color as she frowned down at me. “But we should tell this to mother. She should find out who did it, and if they revealed anything else to the Geraldian Queen.”

I was impressed with the princess’ critical thinking but while she was right in worrying, there were other matters to think of. “If something was revealed, we would’ve had some kind of message of it by now. There are still a few spies in Geraldia loyal to Naja. But that isn’t the problem with this entire situation.”

“Is there something else?”

I didn’t dare say anything else since it was more treasonous, and it concerned the Queen and King as well. The implications of sharing a doubt like that could have me locked up, and the princess wouldn’t be forgiving since she still didn’t know anything about whatever happened around her.

I shook my head after careful consideration, standing up to address her. “I would suggest that the princess work on making a better impression on the Queen.”

She frowned hearing my words, and I could understand why. I wasn’t making sense with how quickly I was moving on from one matter to another. But it was all for her good.

Now that I had been assigned as her personal advisor, I had to look out for her more than anyone else. If she went down, I would too, and she wasn’t someone who knew what went on around her.

Her cluelessness to political matters was a vulnerability that could be her downfall. And then there was the way the Queen treated her. The Queen’s favor leaned incredibly towards the prince which put the princess at a clear disadvantage.

“She has never liked me ever since I was young. I...have learned to live with it.”

My eyes softened at how she looked away from me. “She only does so because you resemble her entirely.” Even her anger matched the Queen’s as well as how authoritative the both of them were.

The princess’ need to do everything how she desired was a trait the Queen showed as well. If anything, they were almost like twins.

“I am nothing like her!” I tried to hide the smile, as I bowed my head in apology. “Of course, you are prettier.” My eyes widened when I realized my own words, before looking up.

But it was her reaction to my words which furthered my embarrassment. She stared at me with colored cheeks as she spoke. “That’s treason.” I bowed my head once again while clearing my throat. “I apolo--”

“But I will forgive you since you just spoke the truth.”

I sighed when she chuckled and got up from the bed. “I will also remember this and use it against you if you ever anger me later on.” My back straightened as I looked at her with curiosity. Did she...like my compliment?

My unanswered thoughts remained unresolved as she spoke once again. “I will also keep everything we’ve discussed to myself, but I will only do so on one condition.”

“Anything! I will do anything for the princess to never say anything about this to anyone.”

The princess’ smile was serene and calming as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. I was so entranced by her expressions that I barely registered her condition. But I still heard it and as soon as I finished gawking at her beauty, I realized what she wanted.

Let’s just say, she was an extremely intelligent woman, and no one even knew.

“From now on, I want you to report everything that you hear to me.”

There was nothing wrong with her command since it didn’t mention anything explicitly. To anyone else, it would’ve sounded like a regular order. But to understand her condition, one should be aware of the context.

She wanted me to relay everything political and apolitical to her.

And that was a problem in itself.

“Now.” I flinched when she clapped her hands suddenly. “Let’s go to the gardens!”

I could only nod my head as I watched her walk to the door and open it to leave the room. There was nothing else for me to do but to follow her. That was all I would be doing from now on anyway.