Prominence

In front of her, an Aslan official approached and tapped his wrist with a finger, reminding her that the meeting would begin soon.

"Do you miss him?"

The question stunned Aina. She said nothing for a long while, her mind full. Some were instantly suppressed emotions. As a Princess, she knew that she had to control herself, and she always guarded against that control slipping. But Lin Huiyin's one careless phrase had opened the doors in her heart.

I am a Princess. Why must I sacrifice myself? Why must it always be conflict? Why must I care so much about the opinion of others?

"Sis, are you OK?"

Aina, who had been quiet for a while, smiled radiantly. "Huiyin, thanks, you're braver than I am!"

Although Aina had to attend a meeting, she felt renewed. For the sake of her goal, she had recently become compliant, living up to others' expectations of her as the perfect, dutiful Princess. But was this perfect?