4 Broken Promises (1/2)

PRINCESS LE-ANNE

THE BORDERLANDS

”They have left. Reveal yourself,” Princess Le-anne commanded. Her heart was beating so fast, unsure if sending away her maids had been the right thing to do.

From behind the huge copper mirror, a familiar figure slowly emerged.

”Mistress Kei has trained you well,” he grinned. Le-anne's body tensed at the sound of his voice. His presence ignited the feelings she didn't know she still carried towards him: frustration, hurt and anger.

”Brother Hu-go, what brings you here?” She tried to keep her voice neutral.

”Her ladyship has changed.” He ignored her question, ”more confident than before; bold, calculating, and a complete seductress.” He approached her dream catcher that was swaying in the air and inspected it.

She knew from the moment he turned around that he was now a father. At the back of his bald head was a neatly braided ponytail. Huticah gave recognition to men who had children by letting them grow hair at the back of their heads. This was to motivate them to have big families so that their small nation could expand more rapidly. Boys did not become men through age but by having children.

While she had been locked in this dungeon-like place, Brother Hu-go had only paid attention to matters that concerned his throne. It hurt, and though she didn't want it to, nevertheless, it did.

”Congratulations to His Royal Highness. Is it a prince or princess?” She set distance between them by using formalities.

”A princess,” his voice was laced with something she couldn't recognize. ”I was hoping for a prince but...”

”Brother Hu-go—”

”I saw you defending Huticah's slaves earlier.” He stopped her from saying anything further, from embarrassing herself by pleading for the impossible. She considered it impossible because he valued his title more than he had ever valued her. If she wasn't sure about this before, it was clearer as day now.

”Father was wise in sending you here. Exposure to the pain of your people will be a good thing for you,” he continued.

In so many ways, he was right. The Borderlands—the land between Nevoria and Huticah—was the heart of the slave trade as Huticah sold some of its own people to Nevoria.

Overtime, this had birthed a dream in her, a passion to have her people freed. Even though she was the illegitimate daughter of the king, it did not mean she was unable to make a difference when she finally left for Nevoria. But at the same time, she did not owe anything to Huticah. All that nation had done was separate her from her mother.

”Did you send any people to Furia?”

'Brother Hu-go, you must have done this one thing right,' she pleaded from within.

”I went there myself.” He strolled towards her. ”I used to think the best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or touched until I visited Furia.” He sighed as he clutched his heart, exaggerating his deep affection. Had he really gone looking for her mother by himself?

”The land of golden beauties,” he sighed dreamily. ”However, you are the best I have seen so far, Princess. Your beauty is power and your smile a sword that can strike the greatest of warriors.” He reached for the sheer cloth that covered half of her face, but before his fingers could graze the fabric, she backed away from him. She had heard those words a thousand times. The more they were repeated to her, the less charming they were, their effect on her now no more than a gust of wind.

”Did you find Mother?” She reinforced. Could that be why he had come?

”Princess...”

From his tone, she could detect his failure in keeping another of his promises. This time, she refused to be a victim to the emotions of disappointment.