Defending Left-Handed

Chapter 19

A maid went to the direction where Tom and Liriel were waiting for the princess. Tom and Liriel looked at each other. They seemed to know what would the maid will say. The maid was panting as she stopped in front of them.

“The princess could no longer continue.”

Concern flashed on Tom’s face. “What happened?”

The maid shook her head and left them.

“What could possibly happened to the princess?”

Liriel shrugged his shoulder. “I do not know but I guess our shift ends now,” he said and walked towards the direction where his room was.

Since the princess got home a day before her schedule, he could push through his plans early. However, due to the fact that the princess came home because of what she had discovered on the town and especially, she could not longer continue then the king must have grounded her. The king knew him and he knew the king, too. The king must be thinking that he had been influencing the princess to go against the king’s beliefs.

He did not really know his own daughter. The princess could not get influence immediately. Back when they were still a child, he was a naughty boy, he tried to prank numbers of maids and even invite the princess to join him because it’s fun but the princess was so stern of her decision that what Liriel’s doing wasn’t fun at all.

If the princess has a view about something then it’s her own insight and not somebody else’s .

But if the king really thought that he’s influencing her then the king must be sending someone to watch over him. He stopped on his tracks and looked around the area. They were maids cleaning and running around. They were also knights roaming around the vicinity. Somebody, or anybody around him must be one of the watcher that the king had hired. Then, he should lay low for a bit. He could not risk being caught. There’s still a lot of time to oust the king to his throne. Maybe one of the best way to do now was to get his trust. Gaining his trust and attacking him on his back would caught him off guard.

He entered his room and closed the door. He went to the window and closed the curtains. He let out a white folded paper from his pants since he wasn’t wearing uniform because of the princess’s disguise. He already started drawing the map based on his distant memory from five years ago but that would not be enough since the palace changes rooms position every year. What he really need were the passages at the backbone structure of the palace. He need gain the kin and queen’s trust so he could just move around freely; without eyes looking at him and watching his every move. He hid the paper and change his clothes into his knight’s uniform. The knight’s uniform were just a black pants and a tailcoat with the royals regalia embedded on the coat. They also carry around guns and swords every time.

He went out of his room and went to the king’s throne room. He was just standing outside. Waiting for the king to get out.

“What are your intentions here?” one of the King’s knights asked. He must be already a senior knight based on his uniform. He has a cape on his one shoulder and the royal insignia patch was surrounded with red with his was white.

“I am here to wait for the king.”

“You are not allowed here. Go back to your assigned station.”

“I am the princess’s knight and I am here to report the princess’s journey.”

“Let him in,” the king said from the inside. He must have heard him or maybe he was anticipating him.

The knight’s did not have other choice but the open the door.

“What brings you here, my boy, Liriel.”

Liriel bowed to the king and kneeled on one of his knees. “I am here to report the princess’s journey, your majesty.”

“Go on.”

“Yesterday, the princess arrived safely on the house. After resting, her journey to the farm started. She met farmers and talked to them about their needs. She’s supposed to be at port, right now, if she did not decided to get back here.”

“That, why did she decided to go back here?” the king asked. The king already knew the answer but he just wanted to ask Liriel to see if he would tell the truth.

“While we were buying food from the market, she saw the kids lining up to a testing venue. She was curious about. She asked what was the test all about and I answered her. But, she did not stopped her and more questions about the consequence. I answered her truthfully your majesty because it said on my contract that I should not lie to the princess. That’s why she decided to go back to the palace, your majesty. She wanted to talk to you.”

“How did she heard about the slums?” Liriel continued to look down. He did not meet the king’s eyes. He needed to look regretful.

“It is also my fault, your majesty. She asked for an opinion about the marginalized sector in our country.”

“All right. But whu are you not in the slums, though?” with what the king asked, Liriel wanted to clench his fist but he could not do it. He needed to gain his trust.

“I was immediately brought to the orphanage, your majesty. My lawyer immediately brought me their after how many hours of staying alone in the house.” He was alone because he killed his parents. He still wanted to know the reason about the declaration. He did not even consult his parents about it. They were his adviser and researchers. Aside from that, they were good friends. Liriel was very confused with what happened five years ago. He felt very betrayed. He treat him as his second father but then, he betrayed him and even deprived him from having a parents.

“All right, you’re supposed to be there but I’ll let that slip since you are like a son to me. However, I forbid you to fall in love. You have your parents blood. You have the possibility to produce a child with a left-hand dominant. So again, you are not allowed to fall in love to anyone and especially to the princess.”

Liriel looked at the king and then stood up. He bowed to him with just his head. “You have my word, your majesty.”

Agreeing to the king was one of the way to gain his trust no matter what he wanted you to do.