Hate You Forever

Two: Good Tea

Third POV

☆

‘’You see, Inid, do not ever wish to become a knight or work this hard to own any government post as a lady?’’

Inid, not older than eight years old, stared at her mother in confusion and asked, ‘’But why, mother?’’

The marchioness of the Dull State frowned and hit her daughter on the head with the tip of her hand fan, as if she attempted to reset whatever nonsense those books about strong women had brainwashed her only child with.

Her gloved hands remained firmly on her hips as she glared down at her insolent daughter and said with a stern look.

‘’Because they always end up lonely and bitter like the Princess!’’

Inid remained confused. Her mother, Marchioness Angard, leaned back to fan herself quickly and continued.

‘’You know nothing of how hard it is for a woman like me to be this pretty and delicate like a flower and you want to grow up to act like a man and expect another man to come and love and take care of you?’’

‘’Hmph. Nonsense.’’

‘’It’s all foolish ambitions.’’

‘’If only you were a boy, I wouldn’t have to struggle so much to adopt an heir that will carry on our family's name and be worthy,’’ Angard mumbled to herself.

‘’If you had a boy, I am pretty sure he wouldn’t want to be the heir of such a narrow-minded family.’’

Angard gasped as she turned around to come face to face with Era, the Royal Princess of Ihydra.

‘’Your Majesty!’’

She was so flustered that she addressed the princess incorrectly. She panicked when she saw her daughter standing there like a fool and staring at the princess in a fitted outfit designed in the likeness of a man.

She moved quickly and forced the girl to kneel on the hot pavement outside the Lockheart mansion.

Angard wiped a bit of sweat rolling down her cheeks with her gloved hands and she wondered why no one told her that the princess was visiting today.

‘’Your Highness!’’ She corrected herself immediately while keeping her eyes glued to the ground.

Era observed the marchioness calmly, head tilting a bit to the side as the hot sun burned down on them. It was the child she pitied the most and wondered what kind of mother would stop her child from becoming whatever she wanted simply because she was afraid of her never receiving the love of a man.

The one she too craved but will never receive.

Gwen holding the golden umbrella beside her looked up to stare at the princess when she sighed with her head down.

‘’What’s wrong with being lonely and strong?’’

You cry every night and envy those who travel around the world on many romantic escapades.

Her inner voice answered.

‘’If your daughter wants to become a knight, then let her be. If she wants a government post, then let her run for it in the future.’’

The child heard it and looked up to stare at the only person who didn’t shame her for thinking differently or call her ambitions foolish.

Era felt the child staring at her and locked eyes with the beautiful young lady with the greenest eyes ever.

‘’I am sure there will be a place for you in my office once you are old enough.’’

Inid took that as a promise, one she would write in her diary and meditate on every day.

Era then felt like she had said more than enough. Marquis Lockheart invited her over to talk about the war coming in a few years and the uprising in the north, but visiting this place and mansion for the first time, the princess felt as though she had made a mistake.

She didn’t know she was the model for every girl that dreamt to be different to think otherwise. The symbol as to why a girl shouldn’t be that powerful because the price of that was eternal loneliness.

It hurt her more than she refused to acknowledge and it only made her hatred for herself, rather than for the people who made her feel that way, grow.

‘’Your Highness, shall we visit the bookstore instead and return for a meeting with Marquis Lockheart later?’’ Gwen offered. Marchioness Angard stiffened and trembled. She looked up immediately with her eyes wide like the sun above.

A—a— meeting?

She had just been the reason the princess changed her mind about a meeting with her not-so-abusive husband.

Oh no, this is bad.

Very bad.

Dhian will cut her in half right after packing her bags and sending her back to the farm he picked her from?

Era nodded and turned immediately to leave.

It seemed as though I am not welcomed here as well.

‘’W—wait! Your Majesty—ah!’’ Angard stood up too fast, stepped on her dress, staggered, and fell into a fountain with a huge splash.

The ground maids and workers rushed to her aid as the royal family's carriage left and passed the carriage bringing Marquis Dhian Lockheart in.

The Marquis flew out of the carriage before it had a chance to stop and stared with his hands above his head, wondering why the princess left before he had the chance to welcome her in.

☆

‘’Good tea.’’

Gwen returned her smile before pushing the saucer filled with freshly baked small bread and Tarania toasts.

Era took a small bite of the toast and nodded in approval at the taste. She picked up a chess piece and made her move before it was Gwen’s turn to play.

‘’Surprisingly, your Sorrow garden produces the best tea leaves for a weed. I recently discovered the weed and thought it looked similar to a Circe tea herb.’’

Era looked impressed and said, ‘’Which unfortunate weed of mine ended up inside one of Gwen’s murderous teapots this time?’’

Gwen smiled before taking the small teapot brewing with the tea and refilled her princess cup with the dark-brown liquid.

‘’Hmm, smells nice too.’’ Era praised as Gwen lowered the pot carefully onto the tray before easing back into her seat to make her move on the chessboard. Era observed her move and gave her the ‘you are awfully good at this’ look.

‘’It’s the weed that recently started growing along with the Pir grass, Your Highness. It’s dark and gold in color. Soft and fresh and it wilts when it rains.’’

Era leaned back on her seat and thought about the peculiarity of that weed.

Gwen paused to stare at the princess as well, long enough for her deep brown gaze to flash a subtle gold—one Era had always caught in her gaze but believed she had imagined it.

‘’Wilts when it rains?’’

Gwen nodded before moving another piece and it was another clean checkmate.

Era sighed when she won the game again.

‘’Good gods in the divine realm, when am I ever going to win against my maid over a chess game.’’

Gwen only smiled, her dimples showing as the princess teased her over and over again. Then the princess made up her mind, sat up straighter, and said, ‘’Alright, a promise is a promise.’’

‘’What is it you want this time? Just tell me, and if it doesn’t exist, I’ll make it real for you.’’

Gwen didn’t say anything for a while but watched the princess with quiet intrigue. The look was soft, with subtle affection in those eyes that gleamed gold when she wasn’t looking.

Good thing I have protected and kept everyone far away from you since your birth.

You are mine and you shall remain that way forever.

‘’I heard there are two infinite stones with great power in one of the temples in Taratia.’’

Era thought about it for a while and nodded her head that it was true.

‘’One stone grants good wishes and brings good luck and favour, while the other brings curses and pain upon the world.’’

Era listened to her words before making eye contact with her and asking, ‘’Do you want those infinite stones for yourself forever?’’

Gwen blushed, looked down, and shook her head that there was nothing else she desired again when she had everything she had ever wanted right before her.

‘’No, but I wish Her Highness to travel to Taratia by sea and wish upon the infinite stones that brings blessings before the end of this lunar month.’’

Era blinked and thought about that odd request. But a deal was a deal and she had never broken any of her deals with Gwen before.

‘’Who knows? The god of that stone might grant you your one wish, and you might return as a different person in a good way.’’

The god of that stone… might grant me my one wish, and I will…

Era thought about it and one small thought crossed her mind.

Could a magical stone really be merciful enough to give me the romance I have been craving all my life?

She stared right at her maid and there it was again. That beautiful, yet subtle flicker of gold in her eyes, as if something else had been watching, observing her long enough through that lens.

‘’Will you make me more delicious teas like this if I do?’’

Gwen laughed, which made Era’s smile linger long enough to be praised by the setting sun.

‘’Alright then, It’s a promise.’’