by Zola Tau
The following morning, the crown prince walked towards, Ada as she laid sketching hand puppets onto the wall, with the morning sun that shined through the window.
"Seems as though you live for your own personal elimination." The young prince said coming eye to eye with a half awaken Ada, in the early morning. Ada chuckled slightly as a form of awareness of the truth of the Crown Prince's statement.
"Do you always rest at the doorsteps of a stranger?" She asked with a snarky tone in her voice.
Awkwardly the young prince chuckled away Ada's bold observation, then said in a witty snare "If I didn't show some form of concern to a visitor, my father wouldn't let me hear the rest of it. You owe me one-" he hadn't finished what it was he wanted to say because Ada lifted her finger into his face, staring into the worn Prince's eyes she asked: "On what terms do I owe you anything? What did you sacrifice?"
The Prince looked at her and scoffed "For the time I wasted watching over you, and listening to your snores." He teased like child, whom would rather hear the anger of one they were attracted to rather than to hear nothing at all.
Ada wrinkled her nose and stayed silent. She stared at her hand that has now started to feel numb taking away attention from her obligated want to give a witty response to the prince for his teasing. With an exhalation, Ada stared at her hand a little longer, whether it was anger that embedded itself in her heart. The truth was that as a woman, she was embarrassed to have created such a scene, which required a Prince to stay watch. "Nevertheless what good is it to mourn over something if it doesn't help any?" she silently scoffed.
She mumbled words of encouragement to herself and then proceeded to get out of bed. She studied the face of the reluctant Prince, as he walked about picking up the random treasures she decorated her room with and looking at them by chance that they'd tell a story.
He would stare at it, and once he noticed that he met her gaze, he would place it down as if he wasn't even the slightest bit intrigued. " I suggest you leave before my father finds his way here...he'd kill both you and me, he wouldn't ask for the truth he'd go off of his intuition, though it may be wrong " Ada finally said adding a bit of discomfort to the awkward air.
The confidence that was tattooed in his voice finally found the reason to escape. " I hope you don't take it to offense when I say, though I appreciate the compliment, I have an ideal that you don't fulfill, I am aware you find me attractive though." he teased as he pointed at Ada walking slowly towards her, then he suddenly came to a halt.
“Nevertheless I must be on my way." The prince said with a bow.
Ada frowned and stared as the young man disappeared with her white blanket, she tilted her head elegantly staring off after him as a merchant would stare in admiration at a mysterious jewel. She felt no need to even say a word to him; she had her reasons to feel attracted and disgustingly intrigued all at the same wave of motion.
She mocked herself for calling him attractive; there were not many things of this world that she found to be attractive, then again the only male her father allowed her to speak to was a knight named Ayo, who to her father because of Ayo's protective nature towards Ada, he accepted him. Attractive was such a vague word to some, but for her, it was a word only worthy to be used, when it applied just right. The more she thought about it, she debated herself into the thought that, maybe just maybe it was the faint of the moment that made her think such a thing was okay to say out loud.
"Two different lands” Ada finally said to herself as she gestured a motion of her right and left finger growing apart towards opposite direction. She then proceeded to nod her head in agreement with herself "Yes! Two different worlds." she sighed walking about the room as if a prisoner held captive not by fault of her own but responsibility of the world around her, never her own.
“I yearn to go back home and rest: to rest in both mind and spirit, with no worries about not being like everyone I see pass me." She said as she prepared herself for a wash.
Ada walked through two see-through curtains into a washroom. The velvet cherry rose infused water decorated with immaculate white Lily petals and candles outlining the square pool for washing. The temperature of the room kept it warm and left a sense of a relaxing environment. A feeling of freedom was placed into her core as she slid into the pool; it was as if all her feelings melted at the touch of the warm water she sat in currently.
In the silence, she came to peace with everything, because her problems no longer seemed to need the attention they craved. As Ada was relaxing her ease was quickly interrupted when she felt the presence of another rush into the room. Ada opened her eyes to see before her Nari, who for some odd reason was making incalculable efforts to hide her face.
As much as she tried, her tiny hands could only cover so much, which left a majority of her face exposed. Ada gestured her eyes towards the servant girl and stared at her carefully, the servant's cheeks smudged with bruises and the underneath of her eyes puffy.
" Goodness!” Ada called out lifting her head, quickly backing out of the water. “What happened to you, Nari?" she called out. “Oh I just fell last night, Princess don't let it bring you to worry" Nari lied.
"I am sorry for being late." She added.
Though Ada didn't believe it, she didn't pressure the truth from Nari; for she found it distasteful when others treated her that way when they were searching for a response they should never be expected to receive. She just nodded and soaked in the warm water for a few moments longer. Awkwardly she found herself stealing glances of Nari, yearning to ask her what happened.
Both, the princess and her servant took notice to the thick feeling in the atmosphere, therefore Nari started a conversation aside from the one the princess wanted to address, which to do so she made up a rumor.
"Rumor has it you and the prince shared a bed together, the princess is that correct?" Nari said wetting her hand as she peacefully swayed her hand. Like a graceful dance, she brought it back and forth in the water. Ada turned around, and in shock, she slightly choked neither expecting such a change in topic or assumption.
" That lie, that lie hasn't made it to my father has it?" Ada asked her question tensely as she was pointing down at the invisible words at were said out loud.
Nari smiled and shook her head giving a soft laugh along with it.
"No, not at all, to be honest with you I just thought that it might've been true because of prior observation, when I saw him, the prince leaving your room today." Nari stared at the intrigued princess awaiting her to finish what she was going to say but she said nothing. "I figured if I said it was a rumor you'd be more honest with me." Nari smiled.
"Why you little... "Ada scoffed as she stared at Nari in disbelief. She splashed water onto Nari with her hands, then quickly got out and grabbed a dry wash blanket to dry off with thoroughly.
"As if a woman and man can't just be the friends, must everyone think so vile.” Ada asked herself as she was wrapping her body in the towel. "If even that with he and I" she later added.
"Even a friend is too broad of a characteristic to classify that arrogant rat of a man as." She continued as she was speaking to herself.
The Princess did this as she was ignoring, Nari's snickers and laughs. She got herself ready and just like that she managed to get dressed and depart, like always with Nari struggling to follow close behind.
As they were close to crossing the small bridge that connected the royal quarters to the palace Ada slowed down her pace. The prince was seen by Nari reading as he was sitting under the blossom tree. The majestic tree allowed the wind to take her flowers and allow them to fall all over the prince. Amused at his misfortune of having to brush flowers off his book, Ada watched along with Nari as he sprung up in anger. The moment he saw Ada laughing at him he'd walked over towards her, making sure not to break eye contact. Ada prepared to quickly rush over the bridge before he would catch up with her with a smile on her face she rushed away.
Being that she was too slow
to outrun the prince with her limited strength, of staying bed rested. it resulted that the prince easily caught up with her and snatched out a black ribbon from Ada's hair. causing her hair to spring into a captivating black cloud. He placed the fabric he stole from the princess's hair in the open space of his hanbok sleeve then walked off; he didn't apologize, rather the once mesmerizing Prince was pleased with himself as he just kept walking.
"You're very maddening you know? If it weren't for your connections with the king, I'd personally request you stay a great distance away from me." She teased while shouting after the prince. The prince looked at her in amusement and went back to reading his book.
"You know if it's the fact that you find me so beautiful that even the high crown prince couldn't help but annoy me, you're free to admit it; I won't judge." Ada scoffed as her kinky curls bounced about while she gestures some behind her ears.
"For I, to put forth the effort you so dramatically wish, I'd have to find you attractive, and that I do not" The prince replied back bitterly. He stood up and walked towards Ada with his hands behind him leaning his face close to hers.
Ada just stood bewildered for a slight moment before she found the words to softly stutter
"Every time you open your mouth you get less and less attractive." she raised her nose towards the prince for only a moment, rolled her eyes and began to walk away, it wasn't long until he too started walking beside her.
"Are you feeling any better?" he asked her at random. Ada ignored him and walked a little faster. Behind them Nari observed, she smiled to the ground, feeling pleased. Both Ada and the prince in denial of the attraction they had towards one another was truly a sight to deem entertaining. They conversed among themselves; Ada could be seen smiling up at the prince and the prince smiling down towards her.
"When are you and your father to leave?" the prince asked Ada.
"The moment he and the king decide on a plan secure enough, it could take months or a few days." Ada replied sadly at the fact that it was taking longer than she prepared for." It gets boring here sometimes with no one to speak to; Nari suffocates me worst than my mother did. "She finished as she turned to glare at her servant.
"With all the siblings I was cursed with, as I was growing up I yearned to be in your position; with so many children in one area it became annoying." The Crown Prince said.
" You're luckier than you know, Crown Prince you have so many, siblings I only have two, but they both despise me...I'm sure of it too because my step mother doesn't favor me much. " Ada replied to the prince with a chuckle of dissatisfaction.
" I don't get along with all mine so easily either, there are many of us, but the eldest ones have left to claim more land, as for the siblings I have here they crave a power I've received and mark anyone that comes near it a threat. " he cooed.
"Well, let them know that I want nothing to do with this power, why place myself in torture to share that with you?" Ada teased as she stared at the crown prince who was smiling at her playfulness. They stayed quiet as if only for a moment both their extraordinary lives seemed even the least bit common with mentions of childlike struggles and dislikes.
[제 5장]
“Whether expected or an occurrence
Of mishap that comes out of the skies,
The pain within is a deep wound of left lose”
The two spoke as they were walking towards the palace. The guards like always blocked the entrance with their swords, but today even with the prince standing in front of them they refused to let him in.
"We've been ordered to not allow in anyone at the moment." A rounded guard on the left of the prince said all while facing forward " why not?! " the Prince barked at the guard.
They didn't show fear but instead replied "The foreign king has fallen sick and requested no visitors" both men replied in unison.
"Well, that's my father! Let me in!" Ada cried as she pushed her way in front of the guards. The guards didn't even blink, but instead, they seemed lost in a blue gaze.
A soft knock was heard at the door from the inside, and the guards opened it up. A tiny woman walked out. "Princess..." She said holding onto Ada's hand tightly and looking down, Ada snatched her hand away, She began to get angry as she was walking down toward the palace the guards, yet like before, they blocked the entrance with their swords but today even with the prince standing in front of them they refused to let him in.
Ignoring the woman's sympathy Ada made an effort to push the woman out of her way "Where is my father?" Ada cried at the guards. The tiny woman once again tried to get a hold of her hand, but the stubborn princess always pulled it away.
"Princess, you must understand, he asked of us that we may not alarm you, only a few moments after sun fall ago you were also not doing well. As his child I see that you are worried, what I can tell you is that it seemed his tea had been-." The court woman stopped speaking and changed her choice of words "He's not right in body nor well enough at the moment to see you. You're also still fragile, exposure to him is no good for you." She finally said.
Ada tried pushing the woman away once more, to find her way inside, but the woman wouldn't allow it. The Prince held onto her by her waist preventing Ada from getting cut by the swords that blocked her path. In anger, she kicked him with the back of her legs clawing her hands into the air that stood in between both she and the woman reluctant to let her see her father.
" He'll be fine" the Prince calmly said, whispering into her ear all while still holding onto Ada as she whimpered and cried out to the headstrong petite woman blocking her way.
"It's easy to wish luck on life when it isn't yours that's being tampered with!!" Ada yelled in agony. Though Ada didn't know it the tiny woman was correct, due to her ability to get sick so easily and suddenly, the sight of her father would have made her hurl. Beyond her knowledge, Ada wasn't aware that her father was lying on his bed coughing red specs of watery substances onto the ground.
Physicians gathered around trying to think of a reason as to why it happened. " Didn't the taste tester test his tea for poison?" the King asked with his hands held behind his back he walked around in circles trying to explain the situation to those around him, even though even he, couldn't understand why.
In fury, the king called for the person that tested the foreign King's food to be found. He avoided his eyes gaze to be led outside because the sight that sat would only hurt him more than his mind already had. With Ada's father holding onto his life, she by right as his daughter pounded on the gates to be let in to see him. After what seemed like forever of consistent pounding on the gate, calling for a reply that was reluctant to be given. Ada fell to the ground, staring at the gate in both a state of anger and an overflow of sadness.
Resisting the prince's efforts to help her up, became, even more, angered once Nari's requests to aid her sick father, then report back to her was being ignored. Ada the daughter of a King, an African Princess as it was said was now both hurt and confused. She stared at the gate as the feeling of being stranded in a full room haunted her, no one that knew her father like her did was there with him in that moment. Her father was on his deathbed it seemed and he was surrounded by strangers. There wasn't a drop of blood in the room who knew him in a way besides the relationship of business, there was no one.
With the sides of her hands bruised and the wound, she obtained earlier reopened. She sat as a pauper would in the middle of the once majestic gates that quickly distorted into an image of disaster.
As dirt sat stains in her hanbok, with her hair not orderly like she'd wish she rocked back and forth unstably. It no longer grew understandable even to her if she was sane; she deeply hoped she wasn't and that by chance her current reality would all be a trick her eyes played.
"I killed him, I killed my father I killed him." she whispered to herself like a mad woman, taking comfort in the cool breeze that wiped away her warm tears.
"How could you have known, Princess?" Nari asked in a warming whis
per outstretching her to calm the broken Princess. "I got sick!" Ada responded." Maybe you still are it would make sense as to why you are making it harder on yourself as if you had control over a matter you didn't." The Prince said.
Nari shook her head at Ada's words and looked away "Princess that doesn't have anything to-" she tried to reason with Ada but the princess stopped her from continuing. "Yes it does, Nari." Ada cooed making a minimal amount of sense.
"He probably got worried and left early to rest; the person could've come into his room and...And... Because he wasn't alert he didn't see it." Ada said as she called out for breath with each word she spoke, stuttering past her fast tears and built up emotion she tried to reason with herself, though even she knew what she said made no sense.
The prince shook his head " you're connecting none related points and trying to paint a picture that was never there, is there good in what you're doing right now?" he asked concerned as he leveled his eyes to hers . Ada didn't reply, rather she stared freely crying, and too tired to even speak. "Killing yourself for your father? You don't think he'd curse you if he saw you in this very moment?" He said to her. "Ada glared at him.
" Then let him see me...let him see me!" she barked at everyone, including the guards, now the guards were taken aback by her range in volume, even to them as headstrong as they mastered to be felt for the Princess, as she drowned in her tears.
"It is not your father who is on his deathbed; therefore I wouldn't expect you to even understand how this feel, I have already lost my mother, I cannot, and will not also be left without a father. " she said softly after she calmed down. The prince grew silent now that he was stuck on his response he resorted to turning to Nari for some guidance in what to say.
