alwaysunqualified

  Chapter 31.1 - Princess(1)

  I gently close the book and softly pce it on the desk, where a servant promptly arrives to collect it, repcing it with a soothing drink crafted by our chef to nourish both mind and soul, enhancing my Blessing.

  Sitting there, I ponder the task before me. My mother—no, the queen—has tasked me with understanding the common people of the city. Despite reading every avaible book, I still find myself unable to truly grasp their lives.

  A soft hand strokes my hair. “A princess should not fret,” my shadow murmurs.

  I am grateful for her common presence; she is always at my side. To me, she is as much a mother as my own. Indeed, she might as well marry my father, but she has vowed to marry the same man I choose so she can remain my shadow forever.

  Taking her words to heart, I breathe deeply, centering myself, and decide on my next step.

  “Fetch me clothing that will blend in with the commoners,” I command, realizing I need practical experience.

  I stand and allow them to prepare me. They remove my royal robes, adorned with a rainbow of colors, and dress me in a simple blue dress, working with both speed and care. After my servants finish, my shadow drapes a matching cloak over my shoulders.

  "You have shown your face enough that someone may recognize you," she advised. I let her adjust and straighten the cloak, ensuring I looked presentable.

  "Yes," I acknowledged, grateful for my Shadow's constant care.

  "Are you ready, Princess?" my Shadow asked.

  "Yes, you may escort me," I replied, giving her the command she needed to guide me away from the castle. As we departed, the scenery shifted to a colge of buildings. Before I could take in the view, a small fairy zipped in front of my face.

  "Ah, so cute," I excimed, captivated by her appearance.

  She hovered proudly in front of me, allowing me ample time to admire her. I found myself wondering about her type.

  "Love," she decred, as if she had read my thoughts.

  They do say love fairies have a deep understanding of others, even more than those individuals understand themselves. This was quite an exciting find, as love fairies are exceedingly rare. "Wow, a love fairy. Our library has scarcely any information on them. How about I—"

  I was abruptly cut off by my shadow. "Princess, someone is approaching. He bypassed my basic deceptive yer; he must be here for the fairy."

  Once she mentioned it, I could hear the footsteps. I quickly pulled my hood down to cover my face before turning to face the newcomer. He was a young boy with silver hair and tall stature for his age. I briefly wondered if he might have giant blood in his lineage, a rarity in this region but not unheard of.

  "Hello, might this fairy be yours?" I inquired.

  "Let me guess, you went ‘so cute,'" he said, offering a slightly awkward but charming smile.

  'Oh no, a seer! Did he know I would appear here? What should I do?' Panic fluttered inside me.

  "Calm down, Princess," my shadow soothed.

  'That's right, Mother would not let another seer outpy her,' I thought, seeking reassurance. Yet, I needed to be certain. “H-how did you know? Do you have a Blessing of sight?”

  "No, I've just seen simir reactions countless times before," he replied, looking somewhat clueless about the actual situation.

  "See," my shadow says.

  "O-oh," I responded, relieved. I must be making a fool of myself. I need to calm down.

  "Her name is Alice, and I'm Liev," he introduced.

  "Right, introductions. My name is, uh, Jeane," I caught myself just before revealing my true identity.

  "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jeane," he said, helping me finally begin to calm down. He was just a little boy; I had no reason to be on edge. It must be the excitement of being in town on my own for the first time.

  Looking slightly annoyed, he asked, “you looked lost, would you like us to show you around?”

  'Did he notice me underestimating him because of his age? No, that can't be it,' I thought, observing the fleeting emotion across his face.

  "I'm not sure," I said, not really having a pn and not wanting to become entangled with his parents. And what about his parents, anyway? How could they let such a young boy travel alone? Perhaps I should express my concerns to them.

  "Safe with us," the little fairy assured.

  "These five think to—" my shadow paused mid-sentence. "He noticed me."

  Her words took me by surprise. 'Why did my mother not inform me about such a potential asset to our city? Will he not mature in time for the next Breaking? Perhaps we could find a time spring to accelerate his growth.'

  'No, Mother must have her reasons; that must be why she assigned me this task. In any case, I must show him the respect he deserves,' I thought, reverting to my training to ensure I made a good impression on him.

  "I would be most delighted if sir would escort me,” I said as I was trained to, hoping I had not shown too much disrespect. Noticing a change in his expression, I worried my fears might be valid. "Is something amiss?"

  "I was just charmed by you," he admitted.

  "O-oh," I stammered, my heart racing. This felt like a scene from 'A Knight's Tale,' a book series I must have read a thousand times.

  'Wait, is this Mother's way of indicating that she has chosen him as my future husband? Is that why I suddenly needed to understand the commoners?' I pondered, trying to decipher my mother's pn.

  My train of thought was interrupted when he took my hand. 'He is quite bold, but as he is still a child and my potential future husband, I shall permit this familiarity.'

  He led me through the city, allowing me to experience firsthand many things I had only read about. The bustling crowds, the atmosphere, and the noise were all so different from what I had imagined. It was indeed the right decision to gain firsthand experience.

  He even introduced me to something not found in any books—a street py. It must have been a recent development. I made a mental note to acquire more contemporary books about the city for our library.

  It was nowhere near the grandeur of the pys we recorded and pyed in the castle, but it possessed a unique charm in its simplicity. He led me to a secluded spot off to the side where I could watch without worrying about being recognized, and I settled in, captivated by the py's modest production—a novelty I was unlikely to experience again soon.

  Suddenly, I felt a warm embrace envelop me.

  "Are you alright, my dy?" A voice that sounded much like my shadow's inquired, but with an unusual word choice.

  "I'm sorry, Princess, he could hear us. I had to adjust my Blessing," she expined, likely maniputing her magic so that he would only hear misleading information while concealing our true conversation.

  "What happened?" I asked.

  "A shadow threw a dagger at you. You were in no danger, but I was concerned the way he grabbed you might cause injury. I am relieved he is even more skilled than I anticipated," my shadow briefed me on the incident.

  As I processed her words, I looked up to see his comforting smile. He was no longer just a little boy; he was a man, a knight, embodying the hero from my favorite storie. ‘A knight in shining armor.’

  My heart wouldn't settle, and though I tried to speak, I was overwhelmed by my thoughts. 'Should I propose? No, that's his role. What should I do? Staying here doesn't sound like a bad idea.'

  "The queen has summoned you, Princess," my shadow interrupted, snapping me out of my stupor. For a brief moment, I contempted making her wait, but she is not one to be kept waiting.

  "I need to go," I finally said, pulling away from his warm embrace. As I left, a smile crept onto my face, thankful that my shadow had indulged me, allowing me to dash through the city like a carefree child before escorting me back to my room.

  My servants were already prepared, and I swiftly donned my royal robes before heading to the throne room. My presence was announced, and I entered alone, leaving my shadow at the entrance.

  It was just the queen; none of the other houses were present. I approached to offer my greetings, but she stopped me.

  "I am not here as the queen today, Grace," she said with a smile. "Tell me about your day."

  Of course, Mother knew what had transpired today; she always did, but she still let me narrate it while she simply listened with a smile.

  With a spark of excitement I hadn't felt since I was a little girl, I recounted every detail of the day, much like I used to share stories of knights' tales.

  Once I finished recounting my day, we both smiled at each other in the silence that followed, until she spoke, her words shocking me. “Please forget about him.”

  “What?” I questioned, not understanding her meaning.

  “As queen, I allowed your paths to cross because it is what is best for this city's future,” she expined.

  “Then why?” I asked, still confused.

  “He is fated to die, no matter what I do, no matter where he goes. On the next year of the Goddess of the Void, he will die then be swallowed by the void,” my mother expined.

  I was speechless. Mother has never been wrong. I had just thought I found my future husband, my knight in shining armor, and with just a few words, it was all taken away.

  “But then why?” I asked, not wanting to believe her, his smile still vivid in my mind.

  “With his death, you will grieve. That despair will lead you to hollowness. In your grief and madness, you will try to sacrifice the inhabitants of the city to the Goddess of Death. I will stop you at the cost of my husband and sisters,” she expined.

  “The city's inhabitants will regain their trust in me, dubbing me the 'Salutary Queen.' Driven by self-hate, I will guide this city into a prosperous future long beyond my ability to see,” she finished.

  “As queen, I let things py out as they should to guide this city to the best future,” she said.

  “But as your mother, I beg you. Forget about him. I do not wish for you to become hollow. I do not wish to kill you,” my mother said, tears in her eyes as she looked at me. She must have seen this scene py out thousands of times.

  I left our private meeting in a daze, not even bidding my tearful mother farewell. I was overwhelmed and uncertain about how to process everything.

  ..

  ..

  .

  In my room, I sat at my desk, though I don't know for how long. Days? Weeks? Despite my mother's words, I couldn't erase him from my thoughts.

  "A queen must firmly commit to a decision," my shadow advised.

  I longed to confide in her, to seek her guidance, but I couldn't disclose anything; such were the terms of our contracts. The queen offering me a choice was already far more than what anyone else would receive.

  "It doesn't matter what you discussed. A queen must make a choice and never regret it. What is stopping you from making yours?" she asked, her hand gently brushing my hair.

  What was stopping me? I wasn't sure.

  "Shall I bring you to see him again?" she proposed, seeing right through the lies I was telling myself.

  As sharp as ever, I wanted to say no, I should have said no, but I couldn't make a choice without seeing him one more time.

  "Yes," I replied, and went through the same preparations as st time. But this time, I felt nothing like before.

  My shadow brought me straight to him, where he was walking down the street with his sisters, and my chest ached at the sight of him.

  "He has become even more skilled than before, such impressive growth in such a short time,” my shadow remarked, making me happier than when she complimented me, though I wished he hadn’t noticed us.

  I took a deep breath as he approached, greeting me. I steeled myself as I was trained and allowed my shadow to drop my stealth.

  “Hello, sir,” I greeted him, striving to maintain a neutral tone.

  “Hello, Jeane. We're on our way to visit another sister of ours. Would you like to join us?” His sister offered, welcoming me as if I were family. I could envision him all grown up, and me with my shadow, completing the circle.

  ‘No, I need to leave.’ I found myself unable to command my shadow to take me away, but I could at least make my intentions clear.

  “Hello, young miss, I am greatly indebted to your brother,” I said, hoping they would understand from this that I was not interested. The sisters seemed to grasp my message, though they didn’t appear pleased.

  “There will be no more veiled conversations, is that clear?" he said, clearly not appreciating my indirect refusal and making his displeasure known.

  So direct, I couldn't help but recall his smile. 'No, he is just a little boy. Even if that is what he grows up to be, right now he is still a child.' I reminded myself, trying to suppress my feelings.

  “You're welcome to join us; we're off to visit a friend,” he offered, breaking my thoughts as I quickly stepped back. He is so forward. I should reprimand him for trying to grab a noble without permission. I should…

  “I am most grateful for your invitation,” I found myself agreeing. Why did I agree? That's right, I thought, I'll just spend today with him, then go home and send a royal payment for the escort.

  I followed them to a small shop where I met one of his intended future brides. I sat down and chatted with them, positioning my shadow between him and me. I told her it was in case he tried to scoop me up again, but truthfully, I needed a barrier to keep from continuously gncing his way.

  We chatted for a long time, and I found the whole experience quite enjoyable. It was a fitting way to remember him by.

  Just as I was about to instruct my shadow to take me home, I was enveloped in a warm and familiar embrace.

  I felt a gentle finger lift my chin, forcing my face up into that smile that haunted my thoughts. “My little princess has been in quite the sour mood today. Concerned about the future??”

  “Do you doubt your knight so much?” His confident yet gentle voice sent shivers through my body, causing it to tingle.

  “All my little princess needs to do is pce her trust in her knight, and everything will be alright,” he continued. The realization that he knew everything yet was still willing to challenge fate caused a dam to break inside me. I felt a searing, pleasurable tingle ripple through my body, melting away all my stress and leaving me in a state of bliss.

  “The queen has summoned you,” my shadow informed me, though I wasn't even sure when I had returned to my room.

  All I knew was that my entire awareness was filled with a soothing sense of rexation and contentment.

  “Princess,” my shadow called again.

  “She can wait,” I replied, reveling in the feeling. I recognized it now—this was love. Yes, I was in love.

  This love was the very foundation upon which this city was built. Others may have forgotten, but our line still speaks of Cupid, the city of love.

  Suddenly, all my previous hesitations seemed foolish. Why was I hesitating? I was in love. I would either succeed and live happily ever after with my love or I would die for my city—a true win-win.

  “404,” I commanded.

  “Yes, Princess,” the girl appeared at my command, kneeling and ready for my orders.

  “I hereby assign you to Liev Ekker’s protection. He is already strong and dashing but not yet mature. Guard him as if you were guarding me,” I ordered.

  “Yes, Princess,” she acknowledged, leaving to carry out my orders.

  “Princess, the queen has—” I cut her off. “No need to fret, my shadow. I have chosen my side and I will cry and beg to give my knight every advantage I can. I do not have time for mother's mind games. I have people I need to meet.”

  Yes, life is so much simpler when you are in love.