3: The Strelitzia flower

“Where is he!”

“Look for him inside the palace, I’ll ask the guards to search outside.”

“Question every servant!”

“That damn brat!”

“Yamabe Hisahito! Where are you!? ”

I looked at the palace and they were all panicking. “I wonder what happened,” I said while looking their way. I take back my eyes to the plants that I was watering when I hear something behind the trees. I turned off the water and I immediately came to check if there’s a wild beast or snake in there. I was so shocked when I felt someone’s hand grab my arm and pull me into the back of the tree. “Shhh, don’t make a noise,” the man beside me said. I tried to look at him. I thought it was Ervin, but to my surprise it was “Yamabe-sama!” I shouted.

“Hey! I said don’t make a noise!” he said while covering my mouth.

He looked around and there we saw a bunch of guards roaming around the garden. “What happened?” I whispered. Why is the prince here at the garden? And why am I talking to him? Oh, no! Am I going to be thrown away?

“I sneak out of the Palace. I really wanted to see this garden but they wont let me go alone,” he said while looking at the guards. I looked at the prince. He's so close to me, he’s prettier up close. His hands are so soft and smell nice too. “What are you doing?” he asked when he noticed that I was sniffing his hands.

“Ah! Forgive me for my rudeness Yamabe-sama,” I said while bowing my head. I immediately ran out of embarrassment. I can’t believe I sniff the prince’s hands! I talked to him, I stared at him and he even touched my filthy mouth! I’m so rude! I kept on running out of embarrassment but the guards noticed me.

“Hey you! Where are you going!” the guards shouted.

I stopped running when one of the guards called me. “To the bathroom sir,” I answered. They are suspicious of me; did they see me with the prince earlier or did Yamabe-sama tell the guards about my rudeness? Am I about to get thrown out?

“Have you seen the prince around here?” the guard asked.

I shook my head “No sir, I was at the garden since morning and there is no one passing by except for me and Ervin,” I explained. I need to act normal or they will suspect me.

“There’s no way they’ll know it was the prince. Those servants aren’t even allowed to see them,” one of the guards said before leaving. I let out a huge sigh, I can’t believe all of these events are happening in one day! Ervin will freak out if I told him this!

~

Did he just sniff my hand earlier? I looked at my hands and I tried to smell it too. Maybe my hand smells weird? I even put these on his mouth! I sniffed my hand but there’s no weird smell. I wonder what that was about. But it looks like he didn’t sell me off. That was a good decision servant.

I looked around and when I noticed that the guards were gone I immediately ran inside. I’ll just tell them that I got lost in the garden, they’ll believe me eventually. Of course, they will start to speak badly to me at my back just like before. Those lowly slaves, how dare they talk trash behind my back. They respected me because of my wealth and status, without that they won’t even bother to smile at me even if it’s fake. Is this what my father had to go through before he became an emperor?

I was walking towards my room when I saw Hanako running towards me with tears in her eyes. Behind her is Tanaka-sensei with a worried look on his face.

“Ah! Yamabe-sama! I’m so glad you are okay! Where have you been? We are so worried,” Hanako said with a teary eye.

Of course she’ll cry, if I happen to get lost she’ll be dead if my parents find out. I must say, she’s really a great actress. She hated me so much why does she even care if I got lost?

“I’m fine. I just got lost when I went to the music room,” I said before walking away. I cannot risk saying that I was in the garden. They will put on some guards there and I won’t be able to sneak again.

“Stupid brat.”

Does she think I can’t hear her? That ugly woman thinks she’s high and mighty just because she’s been serving my father for a long time.

“Don’t do that again, Yamabe-sama,” Tanaka-sensei said. Everyone’s fake in this palace but Tanaka is an exemption. He might be a little strict and harsh, but he’s real.

“Yes,” I replied while smiling at him.

 I looked at Hanako who’s frowning at me but she immediately smiled when she noticed I was staring at her. I cannot believe my father is keeping these fake people around him. All these wealth and status, those fake kindness of the servants, it makes me sick. How I wish I can live a normal life where I can choose who I want to be with.