Chapter 7

Lu sipped her tea in a dainty pink China cup. It was her favourite and it showed the girlish side of her. She was seated at a table near the gilded window. She looked out into the gardens and sighed. The room she was in was complete with a large bed made of the golden phoenix feathers, a large sandal closet filled with carefully selected clothes made just for her. A cage, Lu thought, a gilded cage.

Lu looked out through the window towards the far distance. Her home was somewhere out there. She was missing it already. Her palace was not unlike this one but she missed her friends, her mother and her sister. But she did not miss her father though. The king who gave away his own daughter to his neighbours.

Her handmaid slipped into the room with a plate of creamy desserts. She laid them in front of the princess. The princess took a pastry gave it to her maid and took for herself. "These are good Xi, aren't they? Its worth coming here for these....." ,she said.

"Xi, does anyone have any suspicions regarding yesterday?" , she asked the maid.

"No, mylady. They don't. They don't even know of it."

"The prince and the royal family ?..."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Her hand maid Xi slowly opened the door. A guard stood before them and said, "The prince requests your presence in his parlour, mylady."

Lu stood up and said, "Yes, you may go. Both me and my hand maid will be there in 5minutes." After the guard left, Xi closed the door. " My lady that's what I wanted to tell you. I don't know whether the Prince knows anything." "Then there is only way to know it for sure. I cannot reject a direct invitation from the prince. Come with me, let's go."

Both of them made their way towards the prince. On reaching the parlour, a servant announced their presence to the prince who was seated inside. The prince got up on seeing them and smiled. A smile makes a face very beautiful. But when the prince smiled it somehow made him more sinister. The smile did not reach his cold eyes. He dismissed the handmaid. Xi left the prince and the princess alone in the room.

"Princess Lu, please do take a seat. You have become more beautiful. Our country's air suits you I think."

"Thank you, Prince Jen. Your compliments are very kind as always. "

The prince smiled that sinister smile of his again. "You better get used to it. You will be hearing these compliments daily for the rest of your life. We are to be betrothed after all."

"But prince we are not yet betrothed. "

"Worry not darling. It's just a matter of time."

Lu smothered down the wave of disgust she felt at hearing him call her darling. She just smiled at him and asked, "Is there a reason for your Majesty to summon me?"

"No, Should there be a reason to summon you princess? I just wanted to see my future queen whom I waited twenty years for. After all you were sent here to get acquainted to me. So why don't you come tomorrow for our hunting trip?"

"As for the last request I must decline your Majesty. I have to catch up on my rest. I'm afraid that a hunting trip will tire me further. I'm sorry my lord. I'll make up to you another time."

" Will you? Or will you say some excuse like this time.... ", he got up from his seat and walked towards her. He touched her cheek lightly. "...Why does it feel like you are running away from me? Are you afraid of me?..." Lu stiffened noticeably when he touched her. She wanted to go throw his hand away. She reigned in her growing disgust and anger and said him, "Of course not ,Your Majesty. I'll definitely not refuse you the next time."

"Are you sure?..." He traced his hand lightly down her cheek, her neck. His hand slipped further down and lingered on her shoulder. Lu gripped the table cloth firmly. " Yes, Your Majesty. ", she said. "Then it's a promise princess. I hate people who break promises....Then the next week we are going to the forest for a hunting trip. One week is more than enough for your rest", he said. He lifted his hand from her shoulder. She released the table cloth. "Then Your Majesty. I'll take my leave" , she curtsied and turned to leave.

"Wait, let's meet again another day like this. I would like to get to know you further", saying this the prince have another smile and left the room.

Lu went outside the parlour and walked briskly towards her room. Xi followed her in silence. Xi guessed the mood of the princess and accompanied her in complete silence.

On entering the room, Lu ordered Xi to fill up the bath. She stripped immediately and entered the hot bath. She viciously scrubbed her neck and shoulder. She was disgusted by the touch of the prince. She cursed her father for sending her to the hole of a snake. The prince was worse than a snake. She scrubbed her shoulder until it became deep red. Lu stayed in the bath for a long time. The whole time she was in a deep thought. After an hour she left her bath. Xi gave her a red plush bathrobe to cover herself. Covering herself she went in front of a mirror to examine her sore shoulder. Seeing the red shoulder on her otherwise pale body she felt immensely satisfied.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her long blonde hair lay as damp golden strings, her luminous green eyes stared back at her in defiance. Due to her long bath her already pale skin looked even paler. Her lush red lips looked redder. She smiled cruelly at the mirror. They would have a nice surprise. She had a plan. A plan to defeat the royal family. And that plan was already in motion....

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