Chapter 01 : Life of the Princess
1627 Words
n the kingdom of Icrazia, the entire kingdom celebrated Princess Eva's birthday as she had become eligible to wed according to the regulations enforced by King Hendrik. Unlike other fathers who brought jewelry as presents for their daughters, King Hendrik had invited a skilled martial artist, Sensei Hans, to instruct his daughter.
As they practiced in the castle grounds, King Hendrik kept a close watch on his daughter until Queen Kayna approached him. "My king," she exclaimed.
"Yes, what?" asked King Hendrik.
"Nothing, dear king. I only wanted to witness our daughter's remarkable skills with you, with your permission, of course," stated Queen Kayna.
"Very good, you have my approval," remarked King Hendrik as the queen nodded and followed him.
Princess Eva found it challenging to practice under her new instructor as this was his first time training a girl. His treatments were brutal, and he did not allow her a chance to catch her breath. However, Princess Eva tried her best to evade and land at least one strike on him as her parents watched.
As the training went on, King Hendrik sighed. "What is it, my king?" inquired Queen Kayna.
"Look at her. By her age, I had already taken down Balthazar the paladin in hand-to-hand combat, but she is taking a lot of time to even hit back," said King Hendrik.
"With respect, my king, she isn't you. Your greatness knows no boundaries," replied Queen Kayna.
"But she is my daughter. Why must she behave so... puny?" asked King Hendrik.
"My king, she is a... girl. It will take time for her to develop as a warrior like you. Possibly, she loves wizardry like her mother," remarked Queen Kayna.
"You expect my daughter to become a witch?" asked King Hendrik.
"My king, I am not a witch. I am a sorceress. If I had talents in sword fighting, perhaps I would have been a wonderful warrior. But isn't it because of magic that I was able to inflict a disease on this kingdom? Compel its citizens to turn on their ruler," remarked Queen Kayna.
"Former king," corrected King Hendrik.
"Former king, sure, my apologies," answered Queen Kayna. "Very good. You make a point. From tomorrow onwards, you teach her fast and efficiently," stated King Hendrik as he prepared to depart.
"Yes, my king. Thank you," answered Queen Kayna.
"Sensei Hans, you may stop now," remarked Queen Kayna as both Sensei Hans and Princess Eva stopped, allowing the princess a minute to recover. "Very well then, training will begin tomorrow. Rest up. (Turning to Queen Kayna) My queen," said Sensei Hans as he said farewell and proceeded to depart.
Just as he left, Queen Kayna approached her daughter as she rested while looking at her injuries. "My gosh, are you alright?" said Queen Kayna as she quickly responded to her injuries.
"I am... okay. It's only bruises," stated Princess Eva.
"I do not understand why he must teach you harshly," said Queen Kayna.
"He didn't. He was really being nice after my last fight with the king. It's where the bruises are from," remarked Princess Eva, to which Queen Kayna froze.
"You do not talk against the king," stated Queen Kayna.
"But I... alright, I apologize. You were right. I should have picked sorcery. It's a bit scary, but at least I won't have bruises," remarked Princess Eva.
"Of course, you won't. If you're as bad at sorcery as you were in sword fighting, you'll be left to starve in prison," remarked Queen Kayna.
"What?" questioned Princess Eva.
"I'm not kidding. They left me to starve there. I lost count of the days, and when that didn't work, they fastened me to the walls. They tried other techniques too, but you won't suffer the same fate, my flower. Magic runs in your blood," remarked Queen Kayna.
"Yes, it's too bad that I won't get to learn sorcery anymore," replied Princess Eva.
"Nonsense, your training begins tomorrow," remarked Queen Kayna.
"But," Princess Eva began before being interrupted by Queen Kayna. "As I warned you before, Eva, do not speak out against the monarch, even if he's your father."
"Very well. It's done. Let us get you ready now. Your party starts shortly," Queen Kayna said after finishing sewing.
"No! I mean, no, your Majesty. I spoke of visiting the inn on my birthday. You promised," Princess Eva said.
"Nonsense. That place is dirty. Why do you insist on going there? It's where those peasants relax," replied Queen Kayna with contempt.
"Mother, they are peasants," Princess Eva corrected.
"Yes, peasants, nasty pig-faced peasants. You'll get infected if you go near them," stated Queen Kayna.
"No, your Majesty, respectfully, isn't Sister Octavia from the low town? She seems healthy enough," stated Princess Eva.
"Is she the reason for this new love affection? Very well, I should have her eyes pulled out, just like her mother," stated Queen Kayna.
"No! She's my... friend. She has worked here all her life. We need faithful staff," replied Princess Eva.
"Yes, I agree. We need loyalty after what occurred. Never mind. You are not to go near the inn. Do you understand?" questioned Queen Kayna.
"But the people there always seem so cheerful. I want to see what they are always smiling about," stated Princess Eva.
"Nonsense. They're idiots. They've gone insane. Witnessing that will only worry you," stated Queen Kayna.
"Fine. Okay," Princess Eva murmured.
"Now get dressed and meet me in the ballroom. Take a shower for God's sake. You smell like the pig's arse," stated Queen Kayna before leaving. Princess Eva stared at the sky for a while before going to her room. As she walked in, she found her uncle there, frightening the servant girl, who was now weeping.
"Uncle!" cried Princess Eva.
"Princess Eva, what are you doing here?" said Uncle Fyord.
"This is my chamber. What are you doing here?" questioned Princess Eva.
"This is your room? Well, I see. I apologize. I think I may have the wrong room again. Anyway, I am here to congratulate you on your engagement," remarked Uncle Fyord.
"My engagement? It's my birthday," stated Princess Eva.
"Your mother informed me that it's a surprise engagement. Excuse me, I don't know what it means. Anyway, good luck. I will see you soon, I think," said Uncle Fyord as he left the room.
"Are you alright?" Princess Eva asked the servant girl.
"He slaughtered my parents, sold my brother into s*****y, and now he wants me as his slave. What did I do to deserve such punishment?" the servant girl shouted.
Princess Eva expressed her condolences for Yuriko's family and offered to speak with her mother about letting her live there as a servant girl. Yuriko was grateful and hugged her, but quickly apologized for being emotional. Princess Eva understood, as she too was going through a difficult time with her engagement. She asked for Yuriko's name and they both laughed.
"Please forgive me for asking, but may I inquire about your family's situation?" asked Princess Eva with concern.
Yuriko hesitated before replying, "My family was caught in a fire, Princess. I was the only one who managed to escape."
"I'm so sorry for your loss," said Princess Eva softly. "Please know that you are safe here with me. I would like to offer you a position as my servant girl, if that is something that interests you. I will speak with my mother about it."
"Thank you, Princess Eva. That is very kind of you," replied Yuriko with a grateful smile.
As they continued to talk, Princess Eva's attention was drawn to the sounds of laughter and music coming from the inn. Yuriko became worried, but Princess Eva assured her that she liked the people there and had no intention of harming them.
Yuriko was surprised by this, as she knew that many people in Hightown disliked the inn and wanted it to be destroyed. Princess Eva explained that she was envious of the freedom and joy that the people in the inn seemed to have.
Yuriko asked why Princess Eva couldn't simply go to the inn herself, and Princess Eva revealed that she was not authorized to do so. She had once tried to sneak out, but something had happened that made her reluctant to do so again.
Yuriko was curious, but Princess Eva didn't want to discuss it further. Instead, she asked Yuriko about her experiences at the inn and what it was like there. "Certainly, Eva. I've been to Hightown, and it's very different from the royal palace," replied Yuriko. "It's a bustling city with people from all walks of life. You can find anything you want there - from exotic foods to rare treasures."
"Really? That sounds amazing," exclaimed Eva. "I wish I could go there someday."
"You can, Eva. You're a princess, and you can go wherever you want. But you have to be careful. Hightown can be dangerous for someone like you," warned Yuriko.
"I know, I know. But I'm tired of living like a caged bird in this palace. I want to be free," sighed Eva.
"I understand how you feel, Eva. But you have to remember that you have responsibilities as a princess. You can't just run away from them," advised Yuriko.
"I know, you're right. But sometimes, I wish I could just be a normal person and do what I want," replied Eva wistfully.
"I understand, Eva. But being a princess has its advantages too. You have the power to make a difference in people's lives," said Yuriko encouragingly.
"You're right, Yuriko. I'll try to remember that," said Eva with a smile. "Thank you for being such a good friend."
"Anytime, Eva. That's what friends are for," replied Yuriko with a smile.
- Writer
