Plummet

Tutor

Kind lords have always been mythical creatures. It's the one thing I knew for sure. And their children? Disgusting. But I need that crossbow destroyed. And I will go to any lengths for it.

As for waiting in a secluded spot in the Royal Training Grounds for the Princess, you can call that brilliance or luck. I call it brilliance. Lord Quan has no son, no heir. Only an heiress, Princess Hue. And it's mandatory for her to wield his Legendary Crossbow on the day of her coronation. A ruler who isn't a fighter is but a ceremonial doll.

The crossbow, you see. The crossbow that was under her care, that only she had access to, as the heir to all that belongs to her father. And make no mistake, Princess Hue was a dangerous warrior. There was no way I could fight her, defeat her and destroy the bow, it would be easy for her to hold me back and call for reinforcements. Fortunately, she needed to learn to use the crossbow itself. It was extremely important before she reached twenty-six - that was when Lord Quan will step down. And I was, call this brilliance, the finest crossbow wielder in all of Yokel. Call this brilliance as well, that I was present exactly at the moment they were looking a tutor. So now, it was these training classes between me and the crossbow. Princess Hue's heart had to shatter along with the bow. And right now, I didn't know which would be more satisfying. 

"You will teach me!?" a disgusted voice called out. I was not surprised, being addressed from behind, in less than polite words, had become a routine. But the voice was different. It was soft, yet firm. The softness was not delicate, it powerful. But the disgust brought me back to why the Lord's children were intolerable: you had to be an aristocrat to stand in front of them. A noble's offspring to sit with them. And straight up a sycophant to be able to talk to them.

But maybe that was because I hadn't faced her yet. I hadn't heard her come, sure signs of a good warrior, so my back was turned. While normally it would have been unthinkable to turn your back to the Princess, I was her tutor. And the little thing about facing me... I had good genetics.

"Why Princess, do you sound so appalled?" I wondered out loud, turning to face her. I smiled, my brilliant smile - the smile they said any girl would die for.

Damn it.

She was so close to me that I could see myself mirrored in her black eyes - my high cheekbones, strong jaw, haughty eyebrows, hazel eyes... and that rakish smile. We were almost of the same height, I would have to stand on tiptoes to kiss her forehead. Credit to my focused mind to be already thinking about kissing her.

Seeing me, somebody drew in a sharp breath - and that was when I realized that we weren't alone. There were two women, one clearly Princess Hue, the one who had spoken to me. Her features - handsome and regal - impressed me. Her hairdo was tight, her arms lithe and muscular. She looked highly like a cat - but a proud, powerful cat. Her skin was a light shade of brown, the same as Lord Quan's: tanned. They were warriors.

But the other girl... I stole a quick, irritated glance at her. Her eyes were downcast, not scared, just uncomfortable. She was clearly not used to the training grounds. In one hand she carried a thick volume, it could have been a romance. She rubbed her thumb across the brown, uneven pages - her pale, delicate thumb was red from even that little exercise. Her skin rosy, unlike the princess' - clearly not a warrior's skin, it looked smooth, glowy. Her black hair, sharp eyebrows... everything about her seemed perfect. The serene expression, the nervous blush, my irritation began fading away.

"You seem quite smitten with Anh," the disgust in Princess Hue's voice had increased. I shook myself, I had to make her fall in love with me, not some common lass Anh. As I saw the blush spread across Anh's face, she looked up the tiniest bit. And then fully, all at once. I was taken aback by the rapidity of it all, disarmed, because Anh was... gorgeous.

Stop! I commanded myself, Focus!

"Princess Hue," I smiled again, but she seemed unaffected by my features. It was slightly frustrating to have girls blush at you all your life unwantedly, and then have a woman not caring at all, when you want her to. "I expressly wished this to be a solitary lesson. The knowledge of the crossbow cannot be gained in front of an audience. It is an auspic-"

"Anh will remain." Princess Hue cut me across, with an air of finality. I swear on my family name, I could have slit her neck in my fury. My hand must have traced the hilt of my sword, my body trembled a little - but of course, the anger was short-lived. I did not care if a silly girl saw me weave the webs of my attraction over Princess Hue. She could take notes. But all the same, I knew I would have to deal with this Anh later on. She was too irresistible to miss. I was too good-looking to be denied.

"Any special reasons, Princess?"

"Let's see," Princess Hue began, signaling Anh to a corner. "you're a young man with an unclean background-"

"Your first lesson, Princess Hue," I began, quite unconcerned, "will be to respect those superior to you. In skill, or age. And as in this case, both."

The Princess gave me a wry smile. "No woman of noble birth will allow herself hours of solitude, in the sole company of a man who means nothing to her."

"Then I'll have to gain your trust, I assume?" I said, raising my chin in a proud, challenging gesture. The taller I appeared, the better.

Princess Hue glanced at Anh, I heard her flip the pages of the book. Turning back to me she smiled, and nodded.

Call this my best stroke of brilliance, but a wave of shock passed through me as I realised that Anh was my test.

+ + +

"Minh, this is our last battle," Mother whispers into my ear. Her hands feel rough through the thin, cheap fabric on my back. It's simple: no crossbow, no coronation. Lord Quan's heir is sent into exile for being unable to protect the crossbow entrusted to her at the age of thirteen.

I have nothing against her, but that is the only way I can get rid of this frustrating poverty. Our Chief, Lord Quan's distant, banished cousin, will gain power. All of us will be rewarded, and that, for doing the thing which gives us the most satisfaction. We hate the Regime. We're the families that lost all their wealth during his rule.

Indeed, my father was a corrupt official. But every Yokelian is corrupt. The laws only target the rich - they reduced us to Nothings. The rich have no right to get richer.

"Goodbye, Con trai." she says, letting go of me. I feel glad the hug is over. I love my mother, but I love other things more.

Princess Hue, get ready for a life in exile.