Sequel: The Game ›
Status: complete, but revisions are being made
The Pauper Princess
Chapter Thirty-Seven
“How did Valahn know about the blades?” Ekohl inquires. I had just sat down on the bed and begun brushing through my hair when he asked. Mehta suddenly decided she needs another bath.
“He saw them.”
“Yes, I gathered that, but how?” He stands directly in front of me, giving me a stern look. I sigh and set the brush aside for now.
“In the hall earlier … “ I twirl a stand of hair around my index finger, trying to think of the right words. “There was an incident.” He said nothing, just looked at me, waiting . I sigh and flop back onto the bed. “Alright, it was more than an incident. We ran into Valahn and another man in the hall. The other man, Chelan, said… He insulted us.” I can feel my face heat up as I think of his words, and the anger I had felt, and feel, starts bubbling to the surface.
“Is that it?”
“What do you mean ‘is that it’!” I sit up and face Ekohl. “He called us trash, Ekohl!” He pauses for a moment, taking this in.
“You can’t let it bother you so much,” he says calmly.
“How can it not bother me?” I stalk over to the balcony and glare at the courtyard below. I hear the thudding of boots behind me and know Ekohl is approaching. I cross my arms on the cool marble railing and study the people below. Even at this late hour, servants are rushing back and forth between the palace entrance below and the gate to the town, no doubt trying to make arrangements for tomorrow’s ceremony.
“You can’t expect everyone to like us, Siya.” Ekohl explains softly. “Our people have been at war for centuries. They won’t change their minds in a single day.” He leans against the railing in the opposite direction of me and stares into the bedroom. “And threatening everyone who doesn’t like us,” he continued, “won’t change their opinions for the better.”
“I know,” I sigh.
“Then why-“
“I don’t know, alright?” I interrupted. “I’m just tired, and you know I don’t always think before I act. I just reacted. But now it’s over, so let’s just forget it ever happened.” Several minutes pass and Ekohl doesn’t say a word. “Don’t you have something you should be doing?” I grumble. Seeing a small smile cross his face, I turn to walk back into the room, but Ekohl quickly grabs my wrist. Suddenly his face is completely serious.
“Wait,” he says, and for some reason I do. He looks back into the room, and I follow suit. Nothing’s changed.
“Ekohl, what is it?” I asked impatiently.
“Do you regret it?”
“Regret what?”
“Switching places with Mehta,” he says quietly. “Do you think you’ll ever look back and wish that you had married Jegan?” I can’t answer right away. I’d always wonder what would have happened. But would I regret it?
“No,” I decide. “I’ve had enough of palace life.” Ekohl nods, a smile mysteriously playing across his lips.
“Do you think you can handle being a commoner?” He asks. A look confirms that the smile is now a smirk. I glare at him jokingly.
“Of course I can. I’m not the kind of pampered princess that needs someone to do everything for me,” I insist. He looks unconvinced, so I turn back to the courtyard and pretend to be offended.
“I’m sorry,” he says, and suddenly he wraps his arms around me and leans his chin on my shoulder. I’m a bit shocked by the contact, but I just give in and lean my head against his.
“Do you really think I can’t do it?” I ask.
“You’ll be fine,” he assures me.
Suddenly, a knock comes from the main door, and Ekohl leaves to answer it. I look up to the sky just in time to see a shooting star. With a smile, I make a wish before heading back inside.
“He saw them.”
“Yes, I gathered that, but how?” He stands directly in front of me, giving me a stern look. I sigh and set the brush aside for now.
“In the hall earlier … “ I twirl a stand of hair around my index finger, trying to think of the right words. “There was an incident.” He said nothing, just looked at me, waiting . I sigh and flop back onto the bed. “Alright, it was more than an incident. We ran into Valahn and another man in the hall. The other man, Chelan, said… He insulted us.” I can feel my face heat up as I think of his words, and the anger I had felt, and feel, starts bubbling to the surface.
“Is that it?”
“What do you mean ‘is that it’!” I sit up and face Ekohl. “He called us trash, Ekohl!” He pauses for a moment, taking this in.
“You can’t let it bother you so much,” he says calmly.
“How can it not bother me?” I stalk over to the balcony and glare at the courtyard below. I hear the thudding of boots behind me and know Ekohl is approaching. I cross my arms on the cool marble railing and study the people below. Even at this late hour, servants are rushing back and forth between the palace entrance below and the gate to the town, no doubt trying to make arrangements for tomorrow’s ceremony.
“You can’t expect everyone to like us, Siya.” Ekohl explains softly. “Our people have been at war for centuries. They won’t change their minds in a single day.” He leans against the railing in the opposite direction of me and stares into the bedroom. “And threatening everyone who doesn’t like us,” he continued, “won’t change their opinions for the better.”
“I know,” I sigh.
“Then why-“
“I don’t know, alright?” I interrupted. “I’m just tired, and you know I don’t always think before I act. I just reacted. But now it’s over, so let’s just forget it ever happened.” Several minutes pass and Ekohl doesn’t say a word. “Don’t you have something you should be doing?” I grumble. Seeing a small smile cross his face, I turn to walk back into the room, but Ekohl quickly grabs my wrist. Suddenly his face is completely serious.
“Wait,” he says, and for some reason I do. He looks back into the room, and I follow suit. Nothing’s changed.
“Ekohl, what is it?” I asked impatiently.
“Do you regret it?”
“Regret what?”
“Switching places with Mehta,” he says quietly. “Do you think you’ll ever look back and wish that you had married Jegan?” I can’t answer right away. I’d always wonder what would have happened. But would I regret it?
“No,” I decide. “I’ve had enough of palace life.” Ekohl nods, a smile mysteriously playing across his lips.
“Do you think you can handle being a commoner?” He asks. A look confirms that the smile is now a smirk. I glare at him jokingly.
“Of course I can. I’m not the kind of pampered princess that needs someone to do everything for me,” I insist. He looks unconvinced, so I turn back to the courtyard and pretend to be offended.
“I’m sorry,” he says, and suddenly he wraps his arms around me and leans his chin on my shoulder. I’m a bit shocked by the contact, but I just give in and lean my head against his.
“Do you really think I can’t do it?” I ask.
“You’ll be fine,” he assures me.
Suddenly, a knock comes from the main door, and Ekohl leaves to answer it. I look up to the sky just in time to see a shooting star. With a smile, I make a wish before heading back inside.