Heart desired

//Chapter 38//

"Something is bothering you." Kahlee peered in to my eyes. "Did the king scold you for having an affair with his son?"

I was riding on a hiruta with Kahlee. We were passing the streets of Yorosso. Hirutas could run seven or so miles for an hour, so the speed was not an issue. The issue was my sore butt, having riding this uncomfortable carriage for hours.

"For the third time, no, the king did not scold me." I said. "And certainly not for that reason."

"Well, I don't want to go for another four or so hours just sitting in silence." She whined. "Even Little Pinkie is bored."

This Little Pinkie she was referring to was indeed our hiruta. I did not understand what was so little about a four legged heavy animal with a big snout and reddish scales. Kahlee seemed to be emotionally attached to the animal, so I did not see a point of arguing or questioning her choices of pet names.

When I came outside of the palace, Kahlee had been waiting for me with the ride. This hiruta was from Lord Draken's personal collection, honed to run and fight.

Good for Little Pinkie.

I was still thinking about what the king said. Do I want to earn my kingdom back? Do I want to avenge my father? Do I want to avenge my friends? Do I want to finish what we started a long time ago?

Honestly, the answer was simple. I wanted it. For the past two years, I had been on that cell, thinking and replaying everything that happened, with different scenarios and different endings. No matter what I imagined, the reality was always there, making ot all worthless.

All of that had happened because I had sought and meddled in business I should not have. If I had decided to not to steal that ledger, my friends would be still alive. If I had not gone to that rooftop to meet Savin, my father would still be alive.

The choice seemed easy. I just had to remove myself from the main picture.

"You are thinking again." Kahlee said. "Okay, you have two options. One, tell me what's going on. Two, watch me send a massage to the second prince informing our departure, because I have nothing to do and I am bored out of my mind."

I glared at her. This girl had a crafty way of doing whatever she wanted. She didn't break my stare, challenging me with her eyes.

I sighed. "There's no need to do that. I don't think you would understand even if I tell you about it."

She leaned back on her seat. We were on opposite sides, facing each other. I could see her excitement after finally getting me to talk. There was a imprint on her cheek from sleeping against the window. I couldn't help but smile a little.

"Okay, let me tell you a story first." I said. "Once upon a time, there was a princess. She had everything she wanted. Friends, family, wealth and love. She liked to do dangerous, reckless things. Her friends always were with her, always supporting her mischievous acts."

"Sounds like someone I would like very much to meet." Kahlee grinned. I laughed, remembering my life back then. Sure, she would have fit right in with us.

"She would have been very much glad to meet you too." I continued. "One day, one of her friends find sout about something horrible happening in the country. He decides to learn and investigate more about it. The princess volunteered to find and steal evidence, so they could confirm it. She succeed in finding information."

"What kind of information?" Kahlee asked.

I didn't blame her curiosity. "Her friend's dad had gone missing when he was just three years old. He heard a rumour of his father working as a slave. But that was impossible, because there were no slaves in the country. The princess found out a ledger stating all the slave tradings and thievery and secret assassin missions, proving it real."

"Damn." Kahlee said. "The king must have been so wretched to do something like that."

"No, it was not the king. It was the ministers." I corrected her instinctively. "Though I guess he also bears the responsibility. He knew all of those things, but he never did anything to stop them. He was powerless."

"Or he was just a coward."

"Uh huh." I did not want to admit I thought the same. "But I think they held something over him that made him afraid of the ministers."

"Then he was a coward and an idiot." Kahlee stated. Even though she was my father, I could not help but agree with her.

"So," I continued, deciding not to comment on that. "The princess and her friends started an organization against the ministers. They themselves became assassins, torturers and thieves. They managed to discover so many ways to interrupt their plans. Unfortunately, one of her friend's family found out about this, and decided to turn them in. That friend's father was also a corrupted minister."

"He turned his own child in?" She asked in disbelief. "What a monster."

"Yup." I nodded. "Somehow, the princess and her friends were all captured. Then they were all excecuted, except one. Yhe princess was pardoned because she was of royalty, and she was exiled with the friend she managed to rescue."

"The princess must have been devastated." She said. "At least she had that friend left."

I squeezed out a smile. She understood me more than I thought she would.

"Well, then, after eight years, the princess and her friend encounter another kingdom, which they did not know of before. Somehow, they discover that their kingdom is in a war with this other kingdom. In order to stop people from dying, the princess goes to her home kingdom before her exile is up."

"That's you and Prince Surren, right?" Kahlee said, snapping her fingers.

I nodded. "Now that you know, should I stop?"

"No, no" she shook her head. "I still don't know why you were upset. Keep going."

This girl reminded me of myself before all that happened. She was filled with curiosity, just like me was.

"So, the moment they step in to the kingdom, everything started to go downhill again. The princess suddenly found out about a brother she never had. They were discovered by the ministers. They were attacked at the night. The princess lost her father that night. She was thrown in to a prison. She did not know what happened to her friend, but she was glad that she could finally not interverne with anything."

"Why is that?" Kahlee asked. "She was not intervening. She was just doing her duty to protect her kingdom and her people."

I sighed. "You see, there was this... vision she was having every night. It warned her to stop seeking, or she would perish. When she met with her father, he confirmed it to her with another vision his first queen had. So, the princess decided to not to do anything and just stay put in that cell."

"I think it was stupid." She said. "Why would you be so concerned about something that had yet to happen? If it was inevitable, then nothing would change just because she decided to stay away. Inevitable happenes no matter what happens. I think she inherited cowardice from her father."

I glared at her again. I was sure that she knew that this story was about me. Yet, her points were dead on.

Seeing my silence, she touched my hand. "Tell me more, I like this princess."

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