Defending Left-Handed

Chapter 15

“Where do you think are the most marginalized sectors here in town?” Princess Slithen asked Tom as she knew Liriel was just new to this world. He could not possibly had roamed every area in town. However, Liriel was smart. He could just observe and instantly know it immediately but because of what Tom said to her earlier, she could not look Liriel in the eyes.

Liriel was just walking beside Tom while Slithen was in front of them.

“I must say, it must be the farm and the fish port,” Tom looked from side to side, “Your highness.”

“More?”

“The slums,” Liriel added. The slums where the families of the killed left handed people were thrown away. They were knights around the area where they were living. They were very oppressed. They do not have freedom because they were monitored because of the possibility that they could produce another left handed since it was already on their blood.

Princess Slithen stopped on her tracks. “The slums? Is there such a thing?”

She did not know about the slums since they were isolated in an isolated area in the country. Everyone in the country knew it but they do not know where it was. Princess Slithen was sheltered for five years since after the bloody declaration, they were already a lot of plots against the king.

Liriel remembered about the man in the forest. He must be from the slums. They were also fresh flowers on the hill where the left handed people’s body were thrown away. Then they must have a secret exit to get away from the knights without being noticed.

“It is a forbidden area, your highness,” Tom said as he looked at Liriel. He’s now looking at Liriel with a troubled expression. He was bothered on why he mentioned it to the princess since everyone thought that the slums was a very dangerous place. It was thought that it was a breeding ground of bad people.

The princess’s forehead wrinkled. How could such area be forbidden in their country? She thought. Her father, the king, never told her that or even her mother, the queen, never mentioned that.

The princess looked at Liriel, “Could we visit them?”

She did not ask Tom because when Liriel mentioned the Slums, he sounded troubled. It sounded that he would not agree going there.

Liriel looked at the princess. “No.”

Princess Slithen faced him. “Why? You should not have suggested it if you are not going to allow me to go there.”

“No one knows where is it,” Liriel simply said.

“What is that place and why is it forbidden? How come I haven’t heard of it until now?”

“You should know it from the king, your highness “

Tom looked concern on how Liriel converse with the princess. He should not talk to the princess that way.

“I am your princess, you should answer me,” she said in a whisper because she did not want the people around them to hear her declared herself as the princess.

Tom could already feel an intense emotion coming from the both of them. Tom felt that the princess felt disrespected while he did not know where Liriel’s emotion was coming from.

“Princess,” Tom called. The princess looked at him. “It is where the families of the killed left-handed people are staying , your highness.”

When Princess Slithen heard that she immediately looked at Liriel with sorry on her eyes. “Sorry,” she said in a low tone of voice.

Liriel walked passed her. “Why are you sorry? I am not there.”

Tom looked confuse on what Liriel said. He was also confused on how could he talk to the princess without fear. He was just a knight and she’s a princess. They’re not on the same level. The princess was above him.

Liriel bought a straw hat on a shop and immediately went towards a calash. They were going to ride that in order to get to the farm. The calash could carry four people, five including the driver.

Princess Slithen just followed him silently where Tom was behind her.

~•~

“We are here,” Tom said to break the silence around them. Tom helped the princess get off the calash while Liriel placed the straw hat on top of the princess’s head. Because of what he did, the princess felt more guilty towards him. Tom lead the way. Liriel and Slithen just followed him since he was the only one who knew some people living on the area.

They already saw some farmers working on the field. Even if the day just started, the farmers already looked tired. Princess Slithen saw how the farmer pulled a big barrow by just using their hands. It was very hard to pull since it did not have a wheel on it. They were also farmers who were carrying hays. Princess Slithen followed them with her eyes and she saw that they were also a barn in the farm. Little by little, she saw they were already a number of animals coming out from the barn. They looked like they were freed.

“Come, Princess,” Tom called diverting her attention to him.

“Ah, yes.” The princess immediately followed him, one step behind.

“Tom!” A woman shouted and ran towards him. It was a woman who looked like she’s already on her fifties.

“Mama,” he greeted and hugged her.

“What a surprise. You did not tell us that you’d come home.” Tom’s mom looked at Liriel and Slithen. “And you bring some friends.”

“Ah yes, mama. We are just bere to visit and looked around. I could not stay for too long.”

Slithen saw how Tom’s mother’s expression change.

“is that so?” But she immediately smiled to hide away the sadness.

Tom’s mother walked towards Liriel and held his back to direct him forward. “Then you should tour your friends around the farm. Did you already eat?”

“Ah, yes. We already did, ma’am.”

Tom’s mother looked at Slithen. Slithen smiled at raised her hat a bit. “Ohhh, beautiful.” She looked at Liriel. “Is she your girlfriend, young man?”

Tom and Slithen’s eyes widen. Slithen immediately shook her head. “Oh, no, ma’am . He’s just a friend of mine.”

“Ohh, really? Why?” Tom’s mother pulled Liriel ears towards her. “Do not make yourself regretful. Make a move already. Do not wait for another man to come to realize that it’s her you’re looking for,” she whispered.

Liriel and Slithen noticed how Tom’s ears turned red. “Mom, you are embarrasing me.”

Slithen looked the other way not because she was embarrassed, she’s hurt. There was no way Liriel’s interest on her, five years ago, would come back after what happened.

“I’ll pursue her on my next life, ma’am.” Liriel said that made Slithen stopped from walking.