The Weight Of Disappointment

The Weight of Disappointment

The grand hall was eerily quiet as Mai stood in front of the royal court, her heart pounding in her chest. The weight of the King's gaze bore down on her, and every eye in the room seemed to hold an unspoken expectation. Today was the day she would prove herself—if she could. The trial was a culmination of everything she had worked for, and yet, as she stood there, ready to face it, doubt gnawed at her.

She wasn't ready. The quiet whisper in her heart had grown louder each day, warning her of the consequences of revealing her true power. But today, in front of the royal court, the truth could no longer remain hidden.

The High Council, the King, and all the nobles of the court watched her closely. Prince Lilian stood beside his father, his expression unreadable, but his eyes never left her. The challenge had been set. She was to prove her worth—first through words, then through combat. But Mai knew it wasn't about the tests themselves. It was about her secret—the power that she could neither control nor fully understand.

The first question was posed to her by an elder from the council. "Mai, if a prince disrespects his people, how should he be corrected?"

Mai opened her mouth, but her mind went blank. The question was simple enough, but the pressure of the moment made her forget everything she had learned. She glanced around the room, the eyes of the court piercing through her. Her breath caught, and she could feel the heat building in her chest, the familiar surge of power pushing against her will.

She clenched her fists, trying to focus. "A prince must—he must..." Her voice faltered. She couldn't finish. The court's silence felt deafening.

Prince Lilian, standing beside the King, allowed a small chuckle to escape his lips. "Is this your idea of answering, Mai?" he taunted. "The great tutor who's too afraid to speak when it matters?"

Her face flushed with embarrassment, but she said nothing. She had failed, and it was clear to everyone. The King looked at her, his disappointment palpable, but he said nothing. Mai could feel the eyes of the entire room on her, and the weight of the power inside her surged again—stronger, faster. It made her head spin.

The second question came, this time from a noblewoman. "What is the first rule of etiquette when entering the presence of the King?"

Mai's mind spun. She had been taught this over and over, but the words wouldn't come. The familiar energy inside her surged again, and she felt the heat spreading through her limbs. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus. "I—I don't know," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

The room fell silent, and Mai's cheeks burned. Prince Lilian's smirk widened. "You've lost your tongue now too?" he mocked.

Mai's heart thudded in her chest, but she couldn't answer. The questions were too much, too overwhelming.

The third question came from a stern-faced elder. "If a prince is to lead, what should he first know about his people?"

Mai's hands shook as she tried to steady herself. "He... he should understand their... needs..." Her voice faltered again, her mind clouded with the growing chaos inside her.

Prince Lilian's eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward, clearly growing impatient. "That's all you have to offer?" he sneered.

Mai tried to take a deep breath, but the power within her twisted, and her vision blurred. She was failing. She was failing everything, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't control it.

The fourth and final question came. The King's voice rang out, cold and commanding. "Mai, what is the most important virtue for a ruler to possess?"

Mai's breath hitched. She knew the answer. She had learned it countless times—humility, strength, wisdom. But as she opened her mouth to speak, the words were swallowed by the overwhelming force inside her. She couldn't speak. The words wouldn't come. She had failed again.

Prince Lilian stepped forward once more, his expression cold and mocking. "Pathetic," he muttered. "And you were supposed to be the one to teach me humility?"

The court stirred as laughter bubbled in the background. Mai could feel herself shrinking under the weight of their gazes, each laugh like a needle through her skin. But it wasn't just the court's mockery that stung—it was the gnawing feeling inside her that she was failing at everything, at being herself.

The King was silent, his disappointment more palpable than ever.

But now came the final test—the one-on-one combat with Prince Lilian. It was meant to be the moment she would show the court her strength, the proof that she wasn't just a commoner, that she had the ability to stand beside the prince and teach him the true meaning of humility. But as the combat began, it became clear that she was nowhere near ready.

Lilian's eyes sparkled with challenge as he stood across from her, his stance relaxed but calculating. "Let's see what you've got, Mai," he said with a sneer.

Mai raised her fists, trying to concentrate. The power inside her was restless, swirling violently, ready to explode. She knew that if she didn't get control of it, she would lose herself entirely. But the more she tried to suppress it, the stronger it grew, pushing against her will.

The first strike came fast. Prince Lilian lunged, and Mai barely managed to dodge. Her movements were slow, too slow. The power surged again, blurring her vision as she stumbled back.

Lilian smirked. "Is this really all you've got?"

She couldn't respond. The world around her was spinning, her mind racing as the power within her clawed to be free. She couldn't keep it back any longer.

With a sharp motion, Prince Lilian struck again, landing a hit on her shoulder. Mai gritted her teeth, her legs wobbling beneath her. The third strike came swiftly, sending her crashing to the ground. The court erupted in laughter as she lay there, gasping for breath.

The King's confusion was evident. He had wanted to see her power, but all he had witnessed was failure. The power he had hoped for remained hidden, and Mai—his so-called "chosen one"—was nothing but a commoner who couldn't even complete the simplest of tasks.

"You have faltered," the King finally said, his voice heavy with disappointment. "Not just in your performance, but in your ability to prove your worth. I expected more."

Mai's chest tightened. The King's words stung more than she had anticipated.

"You are dismissed," the King said, his voice cold and final.

Mai's legs felt like they might give out from under her, but she forced herself to stand tall. The whispers of the court echoed in her ears as she turned and walked toward the exit. She could hear the laughter of the nobles, the sound of their mockery. She had failed in front of them all.

But as she stepped through the heavy doors of the hall, a thought flashed through her mind—a thought that no one in the court could see. She had failed today, but this was not the end. She was not broken. This was just the beginning.

And one day, the power inside her would rise again. When the time was right