Chapter 15 : The Orange

Even though Zina's current role as an enslaved person, Zhang Wei goes back to her side when he currently almost finished eating his apple. He had placed the left-over seed of the apple on the corner side, "I will pick it up when I am finished dealing with you, Clarrie." And afterward, without warning, he took her orange and separated the pieces before giving her a bit of orange. The orange was not that sweet when Zina tasted it, and she did not have enough energy to reject the General's offer. Although it was less important to see that the General was currently serving her, the source of his income still came from the prince's hand in the past years as his soldier; the prince, in Zina's eyes, was all about power and holding his continuing success as his own without giving credits to his people. Perhaps she got it wrong in thinking of the prince that way since they never actually met or knew each other, but mostly it was reality for some neighboring princes that became kings. Still, she doubted that the prince was a good person; the fundamental reason was that the previous Queens that ruled the land of Fort Pampanga were displeased with their life.

Zhang Wei serving one slave of the Princess ought to be challenging, he was not born to help others the way his people serve him, but right then, he did the unexpected like General Julius.

"Here, finish the rest of its pieces," Zhang Wei feeds the next orange piece as Zina opens her mouth. "And put the seeds on the vacant space on my palm." He added while he opened his left hand wide to make Zina place the extra seeds on his palm.

"General, I do not like to say sorry, but as a slave, I would like to apologize for how I acted before."

Zhang Wei lifted an eyebrow and stared at Zina, who was not looking at him back. "If you want your apology to be accepted, do me a favor."

Zina finally glanced at him with an unsettled look. "I do not like that kind of tone." She said soon. "Anyone can ask favors, but someone like you, General…It is not a usual thing."

"Hear me out first, Clarrie." Zina shakes her head slowly as a hint of listening.

"I want you to be my messenger. I know anyone can deliver me a message, but this is different because you'll tell me what the Princess likes to do and what she does not like to do. Does she have any allergies or not?"

"Why would I become your messenger? Is this connected to the prince? Does he want to learn what the Princess mostly does in her vacant time? But, because I cannot say yes to this, the Princess is kind, strong, and gentle at some moments, and I, as her slave, would not have offended by my failure to keep some of her important points by myself."

"Then how about asking her permission? As a General, it would be a shame on my part if I asked you as my messenger and let you take actions that are against your will. So, it is better to tell or ask her about the truth of what we are discussing now. Would that be alright?" Zhang Wei asked, feeling as if he was responsible for keeping the slave faithful to the Princess. His favor was making him think tightened by an unseen fetter everywhere his neck.

"I think so," Zina chewed the second to the last piece of orange.

"I will wait three days for you to decide, but no more extensions. It is a wide area here in Port Pampanga, so it means I cannot ruin my schedule, but I can indeed make some time for you. And well, I want you to know that having a General on your side is good enough."

"Any General will do, General," Zina said in criticism.

Zhang Wei thinks that he would have a good term with the slave, but he guesses that it would not be that easy, so he just bobbed half-heartedly while progressively standing up and watching the last piece of orange that Zina plans on eating. "Finally, all the oranges children have been devoured by a beast."

Zina frowned, "You do not have to say it like that, General. Show some respect for the food." She spoke.

"I will say it the way I want to say things. If you do not like the way I say it, then there are no other reasons than to keep yourself side-tracked. Besides, an enslaved person like you is good at it."

The earlier thought about General Julius in Zina's mind was not the same as before, she had developed funny nonsense about his memory loss, attitude change, or does he have dual personalities. She was altering weird interests. She recently discovered how a person's character changes when she and her sister Sabi read books in the mini library room in their palace in London. There was proof of the General's trait as Zina recalled what was listed in the book 'Know how personality works.' She often stares at the General and looks away, and she keeps repeating it. Besides, he was still in the radius of her sight.

Zhang Wei noticed what the enslaved person was trying to do, so he grinned at her with no other meaning than to give back the look she was sending at him. Zina's expression changed from a slightly pale face to reddened cheeks. Reminding Zhang Wei what tomato looks like. As he acted like General Julius, it pretty much seems a good fortune that they grew up together, becoming proficient at understanding each other's characters like a real brother.

Yet as Zina kept thinking about the prince, she felt warmth, but she was not focused on the strange prince whom she had never met; the surface was towards General Julius. It was odd. His company was manipulating her at the moment.