The Uninvited Princess ✔

Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Pranee had been in a prison before but never willingly.

The two women stared at each other in silence for a few seconds. Pranee didn't know what to say and Ubol looked like she had no energy to speak as she eyed the princess warily.

"Did you come to finish the job?" Ubol broke the silence.

Pranee slowly shook her head. "I... I didn't come to do... that."

Ubol's eyes flicked away with a tinge of disappointment on her face. "Shame."

Pranee glanced at the ground before making the split decision to sit down. "I wanted to ask..."

"Why I wanted to kill you?"

"No— I mean, yes. Well... Sort of?" Pranee put a hand on her forehead and rubbed it.

Ubol didn't seem bothered by it. "Imagine this. There's a person lost in the jungle and made the most of it. Made a home and found life comfortable."

Pranee didn't know what direction the story was going in but nodded anyway.

"One day, the person saw their house completely destroyed and went to find materials to repair it with only a knife in hand. When they went deeper into the jungle, they were surrounded by a tiger and a pair of young leopards. The tiger is an adult, experienced in hunting and looks hungry. The leopards aren't fully grown and don't seem hungry but are still dangerous. What should the person do?" Ubol's eyes were focused on Pranee, waiting to hear a reply.

Pranee paused to think before she gave a meek suggestion. "Would running be an option?"

"Do you think a person can outrun a tiger?"

She shook her head. "No."

"They take their chances and attempt to kill the two leopards to eventually feed the tiger so they could survive," Ubol sighed. "I just had a snake on my shoulder as a companion but I didn't expect it to be so venomous."

"I see." Pranee pursed her lips. "The part about your home... Was it your tower you were talking about?"

Ubol seemed to shrink away the moment Pranee said tower. "I don't know if you know much about magic—"

"I know a decent amount I'd like to think."

"Then you should know that obtaining a tower is hard. It's costly but it's necessary if anyone wants to become a master in wizardry. Most people who can't end up specialized in specific areas. Like being a shaman or giving fortunes. They could even end up doing regular labour like farming." Ubol let out a shaky sigh. "It took me years to get to a good point in my life."

"Was it when you got the tower?"

"No, it was when I was titled the best wizard by the late king."

Father. "I remember that I think. You helped a lot of people."

"It was the first time my family didn't look at me with disdain and actually talked about me like they were proud." There was a bitterness in her tone.

"Did... they want you to not be a wizard?"

Ubol leaned her head against the stone wall behind her and closed her eyes. "Mm. Wizardry being a man's job and all. Kept saying how I should just be a good daughter and do my duties so I don't accrue bad karma."

Pranee feel tears building up in her eyes but she blinked rapidly trying not to let any fall. "I... understand."

"Do you?" Ubol looked confused but at the same time curious about what the princess had to say.

"I grew up in the palace. There was always emphasis on me needing to look a certain way so I didn't tarnish the image of the family. My mother put a huge emphasis on duty and now that she's gone, I don't know what it entails." She looked down at her hands and they were shaking. "I don't want to bring myself misfortune but what I want seems to diverge from my supposed duties."

"Such as marrying a wealthy man?" Ubol asked and Pranee nodded. Ubol then let out a sigh. "I thought I had it figured out. Dedicating my life to Isla like a soldier would be was the way I approached life. It was good to contribute to the nation. All of that and look where I ended up."

"Why didn't you just flee?" Pranee asked.

"Without my tower, I may as well have no magic. What am I if not a master wizard?" Ubol gave a dry laugh. Pranee didn't see what was funny about it. "Princess, if you could learn from my mistakes, don't feel the need to be tied down to one idea of duty while trying to please others."

"I still don't know what duty is and what I need to do."

"Does anybody?"

The conversation came to a lull and the two were back to silence and staring. This time Pranee could look at Ubol in the eyes and felt there was a sense of understanding between them.

"Your highness, we were looking for you everywhere." Anuman's voice rang out and Pranee looked behind her to see him standing by the door. "You were missing for over two hours."

No wonder there were no guards at the door. They probably were called to help the search.

"Also, please stand up, the ground is dirty," Anuman frowned.

"Ah, yes." Pranee slowly got up and dusted off her clothes. "Could you please wait outside? I'd like a moment with Ubol."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It won't take long."

Anuman bowed and left the room. Pranee turned to Ubol with a half-raised smile.

"Thank you for the talk. It... helped me clear my head." Pranee raised her hands to her face and Ubol mimicked the gesture back.

"It's not a problem. I'm sorry I almost killed you."

Pranee's smile faltered. "It didn't sound like you really wanted to do that."

"It still wasn't pleasant for you I imagine."

"It wasn't but it also wasn't the first time throughout this whole trip." Pranee held her hands tightly together.

"If this is all over, I would like to properly make it up to you."

"I couldn't possibly—"

"I'm not doing this because I'm talking to the princess of Isla but as a person that I hurt."

Pranee stood still with widened eyes. Ubol's words made her mouth hanging open but she regained some sense of composure.

"You can talk to me as your sister-in-law. You are engaged to my brother." Pranee paused for a second. "In all honesty, I should be addressing you with honorifics."

Ubol chuckled. "It wasn't my choice."

"How did it happen anyways?" Pranee asked with burning curiosity.

Ritthirong haven't expressed interest in women before, at least not in front of her so she wondered why he had chosen a wizard who seemed to have no interest in men.

"Oh." Ubol rubbed the back of her neck. "He forced me to teach him magic."