Suspicion or a Jest

 The tea party continues under the warm sun. The noblewomen have just made their veiled remarks. Xena Rhys Ravenwood, as the princess of Banh she is rather courageous to pick on the princess of Flarite I see. I sat there sipping my tea forcing myself to fake a smile, staring at princess Xena as she lets out a sly smile.

"Ladies, you are making the princess uncomfortable. Even though is wasn't that good of an experience it is still a privilege for a princess to dine alone with the King." Xena, with the sweetest voice, stops the ladies. "I daresay, many would consider it––above their station to be so near to His Majesty without a council. " She added. She's getting on my nerves.

Pauses, eyes narrowing slightly, taking the princess hint. The noblewoman right beside me; Lady Astrid then replied, "Well one can simply forget such positions when you are tête-à-tête with the King himself."

Lady Clementine fanning herself, "Indeed. And again, may I mention the menu, my vegetables are such a dreadful taste for his majesty to serve." I see, so they are picking at my taste now? Well, I can tolerate it. It is good that they are spreading these kinds of gossips about the king disliking me and all, even though they are quite annoying it looks like they are still helpful, I suppose. I sat there as I listened to their chatters for a while until.

"I heard that the lady intentionally left her shoe to his majesty last night, such a blatant attempt at securing his attention." One of the ladies mentioned.

How did they find out about that?!

Princess Xena raising an eyebrow after hearing it said, "Perhaps next time the princess will dine with us. We can teach you a thing or two about more refined methods of gaining favor." She chuckled feigning innocence.

Are rumors about me spreading about wanting his majesty's attention?! No, this is not good, if he hears about this, that's a disaster waiting to happen. No, no, no that can't happen!

I then calmly entered the conversation keeping my voice measured, "For a lady who spent her night with his majesty, that is such outpaced imaginations. While I appreciate your concern for my romantic prospects, I assure you, there's a far simpler explanation." I sounded so elegant.

However, with my remark skeptical eyebrows were raised. "Oh, pray enlighten us?"

Ugh. Their testing my patience… letting out a slight smile, I replied, "Last night's ball was rather––lively. The ballroom was crowded, and in the flurry of waltzes and curtsies. I took off my shoes for a while to rest, but seem to have misplaced it. So, I had to return to my chambers after discovering my loss. I didn't know that his majesty was the one who found it or be burdened by such trifling matter." Of course, this was a lie.

Unconvinced, " But, to leave it there… deliberately?"

Sipping my tea, I replied, "My dear princess Xena, I only anticipated the royal retrieval service. A servant to find it after the party and return it to my lady-in-waiting. I assumed quite reasonably. His majesty recovering a stray slipper was rather surprising, it strikes me as… improbable. " And yes, this is another lie.

Intrigued, Princess Mira also joined the conversation, "Improbable? Perhaps. But it still became possible. I'd say that the princess was rather lucky for his majesty to find her shoes by chance last night then…" The ladies then began to whisper among each other. "I see, so that is how it is?" one of the noble ladies said with an awkward smile. "I see that lady Xena was wrong. You are quite lucky princess." Added the other. With that the conversation shifted to another subject.

–––

"Haaa…" PLOP. I laid myself down the bed. "The bath is ready your highness." Claire informed me as she went out of the bathroom holding my change of clothes. However, the clothes weren't the usual nightrobes that I would were for the couple nights.

A few days ago, after I sneaked into the palace and duke Lucian almost catching me. I suspected that they highly suspect me as a woman because of the fabric that was cut off from my scarf that night. That is why I instructed Claire to prepare men's clothing for me along with my nightrobe to change afterwards. With this I plan to shift their target to a whole different person.

"Just put the clothes on the table Claire I'll take a bath on my own. You can leave now." But Claire doesn't have any clue about that.

After Claire left the room, i then went inside the bathroom and took a very relaxing bath. It was I doting on myself before I go to battle. And just as expected after a few minutes as I submerged my whole body into the water, I slowly turned back into myself again. A beautiful, dashingly handsome prince out of a fairytale.

"Haaa… if only I could be me right now. I could easily charm the ladies and quickly get information."

 Anyways, I got out from the bath and dried myself off. I then put on the clothes that Claire has prepared for me and took the scarf that I hid on my closet out and wrapped it around my head.

"Okay! Good to go."

I leaped out of the balcony and headed towards the main palace. However just as I was about to reach the west side of the main palace, I noticed that there are more guards patrolling that area.

This isn't good. I quickly his myself in the shadows and concealed myself. with this many guards it is impossible to reach the library without getting caught. Since I can't go past the guards, I made a change of plans. Instead of going to the library I took a longer path in the woods. Jumping from one tree to another as I go around to the other side of the palace. 

It was smooth sailing, since with my normal body this is more or less an exercise for me. It was much faster; my senses are back and am stronger than my body as a woman. I could feel the thick night air with the scent of damp earth as I counterpoint to the rustling leaves.

 I then felt someone's presence on the trees, concealing themselves––prickling sensation on the back of my nape, a sense of being watched. They seem to be someone skilled as they can match my pace. Well judging by their movements, similar rhythm of the rustling leaves and the subtle shifts of weight told me that it was a man. They don't seem to be hiding their energy. Are they testing me?

 I sped up my pace, that made the branches a blur beneath my hands and feet. I needed to know who was following me. Reaching the next tree, I dove into its dense foliage and into the shadows. The rustling stopped. Then I saw him, a silhouette––tense and alert. However, defenseless in the open. This was my chance.

 I launched myself from my hiding place onto him. A collision of flesh and bone. Tackling him down, his surprised gasp echoed in the stillness of the forest. I pinned him down and in the dim light, I finally saw his face.

 "Duke Wynterton?"

The surprise made me loosen my grip, giving him a chance. He struck–a knee to my gut made me gag out cause of the pain. And suddenly, I was the one pressed against the ground with his dagger glinting in my throat. His breath was ragged, "Who sent you?" He looked over my head and saw the scarf covering me. The same scarf that he tore a piece off. "It was a guy?" Just as I planned. With this they will the spy is a man. Taking Princess Ellaine off the list.

 "Well, a man or a woman, you still need to die." Pressing his blade against my throat, slitting it as blood dripped down. The pain then sharpened my focus. My hand slowly crept the tree's roots, as my fingertips brushed it releasing my energy.

 The roots erupted. Wood snapped upward towards Lucian's direction. Making him leap backwards to dodge it. However, the roots still caught up to him and grazed his arm. Hissing in pain as he holds his injured arm, "Magic?!" It was my chance. I escaped in great haste, panting as I ran back stopping the blood dripping from my neck with my hands. Retreating back to the west palace.

"Damn it!" I threw my scarf in anger. Feeling the blood drip down from my neck I grew angrier, clutching my neck and squeezed it as more blood flowed out from my wound. "Agh!" Clenching my teeth, I breathed out and let out a sigh to calm myself.

"I'll heal this first."

I sat down at the couch and used a healing spell on my wound. After activating the spell, the bleeding stopped as the wound began to close. However, as the wound was about to close completely, I felt my neck heat up as well as the area surrounding it, igniting a spark of energy. Stopping my wound from healing.

"Damnit!" I shouted in frustration. "His sword…" gritting my teeth. "It's an artifact, isn't it?" It was the first time after a while that things didn't go as planned. I only planned to get caught as a man. But now I let my guard down, now the duke knows what I look like. I didn't know that the king would send the duke himself to follow me. It seems that the fruit was much more of I secret than I thought it would be. As he can't even trust his aides for this one.

I looked down, vision in a blur with anger. Artifacts are items that has magic within it, either imbued by a sorcerer or is naturally absorbed by an item that has been exposed to natural energy for hundreds of years. These items once absorb energy then turns into artifacts that has unique uses and abilities, depending on what type of energy it absorbed. And Lucians sword seems to be one of them.

"The sword of Crasta huh?"

"A sword that inflicts wounds that cannot be healed by magic or regeneration. A powerful sword indeed. It is said that sword was passed down from the Lords of the dukedom. Seemingly as it is a very historic sword."

"Ha! As if this day couldn't get any worse." I scoffed.

I stood up from the couch and headed towards the dressing room took out the potions and drank one bottle. As my body turned back into that of a woman, I quickly put on my nightrobe and opened the table drawer beside my bed. Took out the bandages, solutions and ointments. I then began to dress the wound, enduring the numbing pain by biting off a piece of cloth.

After dressing the wound leaned my back on the couch. Closing my eyes to catch a break.

"Haaa… I'll have to tell Claire to prepare something that will cover my neck tomorrow."

–––

A couple of days after the incident. "Agh! What is his problem?!" Caleb is heading towards the Kings study. Seemingly in a bad mood such early in the morning.

"Princess please calm down." The butler said, flustered.

Even after that day of the luncheon, he still calls for me, saying that I greet him every morning. This has been my routine for the last couple days. I don't know why, but because of this the ladies grew increasingly hostile towards me. They would play mischievous tricks just to get on my nerves. I can't even catch a break with them.

 "Your majesty, the princess is here." Declared one of the knights.

 "Greetings to your majesty the light and sun of the empire." Gracefully greeting him with a curtsey. Raymond then stood up from his seat, tucking away his papers.

 "Would you care for a morning stroll princess?"

 "Y-yes?" I replied with a confused expression.

–––

The evening of the encounter with the duke, in the late hours inside the Royal Chambers. A very quiet atmosphere looms throughout the room. Raymond sitting on the window bench as he flips over the book pages. Moonlight reflecting his snowy white hair, and crystal-like green eyes. 

"Your majesty." A figure looms in the background.

"For you to disturb my nightly rest, this needs to be important."

Closing his book and putting it down. He then crossed his feet with elbow resting on his knee. "Now tell me what this is about." As he looked towards Lucian. He notices the blood dripping from his hand. Scrunching his eyebrows, "You're injured?" Lucian looking at his hands replied, "Yes, but that is not what's important right now."

"Fine tell me what it is."

"It is about the spy, as I was patrolling near the princess's quarter, I noticed someone jumping over the palace walls to the woods going around the palace. So, I followed him. He was very skilled as he noticed me following him and soon after concealed his presence. I was caught off guard, but I was able to pin them down, restricting their movements…"

"It was the same spy as last time. I could tell from the scarf he was wearing. It seems that he stole it from the maid's quarters to throw us off, in thinking they were a woman."

"What about accomplices?"

Lucian shakes his head, "None, He seems to be working alone. But I still haven't found out who he serves. He seems to be a well-versed sorcerer… He was able to use a very powerful spell to get away and left me this injury."

"Also…" Lucian added, "It was vague because of the darkness, but the man had blue eyes and dark skin. Much similar to the princess of Flarite."

Raymond began to ponder, "So the spy turns out be a man but is similar to her. Only the royal family of Flarite can have blue eyes and dark skin."

"This is getting interesting…" he mumbled.

"Well, it seems that the princess has an older brother that has yet to return from war, and a younger one but with an appearance that differs from the two." Lucian responded.

Raymond stood up from his seat. "Alright then is that all?"

Lucian nodded. "Yes."

Raymond then raised his hand as Lucians wound began to glow healing itself as it the torn flesh began to stick together, the blood began to stop and the wound seems to be closing. With just one wave from his hand, Lucian's injury disappeared. "You may go now."

Lucian then bowed his head as he made his out of the room.

–––

Across the palace garden many eyes seem to be watching my every move. Agghh! If it weren't for this son of a king, I wouldn't be so conscious in the first place. Can't he just leave me alone! For the past days, patrolling of the palace has been a chore because he increased the number of guards. Still, I was able to find some secret routes inside the palace.

Casually, Raymond gestured towards a distant tower, "That tower… I've heard rumors that it holds a secret passage, a forgotten one that leads to the lower city. Is that true, or merely gossip?"

Huh? What is going on now? Well, it is true that the tower has a secret route I found it two days ago. But it didn't lead to city just the dungeon. Smiling faintly, I replied, "It is Gossip your majesty. I've never heard of such passage. Even if the palace holds secrets few are known to me."

Raymond's eyes shifted from the tower to covered neck, "Indeed princess, but it seems you possess remarkable intuition. Anticipating my thoughts before I even voice them."

My eyes flickered slightly, since that night I had always wore clothes with long necks to hide the bandages. "P-perhaps it's merely good manners, Your Majesty. Anticipating your wishes is what any courtier needs. One learns to adapt, survival in court such as this requires a keen observation to detail." What is he on about? Is he implying something? I thought I successfully shifted suspicion as a male spy.

Pausing, his voice low, "Adaptation? You say quite a useful skill, indeed. One wonders what else you've adapted to princess."

Does he know something? I wavered o so slightly, "I assure you; Your Majesty I have nothing to hide." Still keeping my composed smile.

 His majesty then chuckled letting out a good laugh, "Haha, what has gotten into you. No need to be tense princess for it is merely a jest." With a grin on his face as he walked forward and stopped in front of me. "Also, it seems that the princess has taken liking to turtleneck dresses lately." Reaching his hand towards my neck… as I stopped him from touching it.

"Yes, I am truly liking their style."

The stroll ended, leaving me more confused than before. Were does subtle hints or was I merely overthinking it? "A jest you say?" I mumbled.

That night I was inside my quarters thinking about the conversation his majesty and I had. "What is it that he wants to say?" Is he still suspicious of me? That cant be right. I lied there for hours thinking unable to fall asleep as I clutched my bandaged covered neck.

___

Few hours passed.

Rustles… I heard rustling sounds outside my balcony. The sound snapped me awake. I got out of bed and went to the balcony to check. There I noticed a tall dark figure, looming over. By instinct I gripped its hand, twisted it and slammed it on the floor. "WHO ARE YOU?!" Restricting his movement.

 The midnight wind… brushed on my skin, as the light from the moon reflected among the two of us. Making me see who the figure was.

 "Duke?!" I shouted in surprise.

 In a low voice, "Good evening, princess."

 Smiling as he looked towards me. "Would you perhaps let go of my hand?" Confused my eyes flickered. "What?" 

To be continued...