Plummet

Traitor

When my sword no longer touched her neck, Princess Hue stood up straighter. A different light danced in her eyes now. I knew it was not respect, but it certainly was admiration. And I needed her admiration way more than her respect.

"That was befitting duel, Tutor Pham. I hope to begin learning the crossbow from our next lesson." and she stepped aside, walking away without turning. Why then, did I know her to be smiling? And then again, the tilt of her head was very majestic, her black hair longer and glossier than even Anh's...

Anh.

I turned to face her, as composedly as possible. It was quite surprising to see her holding a dagger, playing with the hilt unconcernedly. She stared at me.

It made my heart jolt involuntarily. I walked up to her, we were alone. "That was brave of you, Lady Anh."

I expected her to smile, but she scoffed. "And that was very foolish of you, Pham." she crossed her arms. My eyes widened a little, and she shook her head, going back to her usual spot and picking up her book. She brought it to me, and pushed the book into my hands.

I stared at the cover. Advanced Statecraft.

"So..." I surmised, shocked, "You don't read-"

"Romances," she completed, and shook her head. "I do not."

I looked at her, at the dagger in her hand, and the book in mine. So this was Anh. Nothing I knew her to be, but a thousand times more alluring, a million times more irresistible.

"Meet me in the library," she said, unimpressed, pulling the book out of my arms.

+ + +

If possible, the library was darker tonight. And it was earlier than the previous day. Only half the lamps were lit, it was eerily quiet and while not scared, I was certainly not comfortable in such a place. It was a thing about strong men, we had the most unlikely fears. Mine was darkness. But nobody could ever come to know of it. It was the one thing I could never allow. Weakness is for the common people.

I heard the same footsteps, this time more hurried. I turned to the face the entrance, and could only make out Anh's silhouette making its way in. But in a fraction she was closer to me than I could have imagined, and that certainly did unnerve me, but there was no way one could show it.

"Lady Anh, this unlikely setting is quite unbefitting of you." I stopped a second, "And so is our current proximity."

"Minh," she breathed, and my heart hammered all of a sudden. She was calling me... Minh? "I know who you are."

And my heart hammered faster, louder, scared out of wits, but still composed. There was one chance... "In case it is about my flowery past, I could justify every one of my action for you, right now."

She shook her head, a hand reaching upto my neck. She snaked it around, looking up, as if I was the object of all her affections, almost a look of... devotion. "No, Minh. I know why you are here." she smiled coming a little closer, "I suspected it for quite some time, and now I know for sure that you are the same Pham Nam Minh. We work for the same man!" and her lips crashed against mine, ending a parching wait. A thirst I had harbored ever since I saw her. Anh's arms tightened around my neck as I wrapped mine around her back. For possibly a minute I didn't know any power, fame, money or crossbow. All I wanted to do was grab her hand and run away to someplace far away from Yokel and all this mess.

But as soon we broke apart, reality came crashing back. I looked down, eyes moving unsuredly and put a hand to my lips. Anh removed it, "You kissed me back." she grinned fully, "The stony Pham Nam Minh, the right hand of our Lord, do you not have a brain?" she slapped my arm gently. I had no idea what was happening, who Anh was and what she was saying, so I frowned at her.

"Come now, show me your number."

Then it struck me, hard and clear, all at once. Anh was... entrusted the same job as me. We both had to break the crossbow, and her way was simply different from mine. Clearly much more effective, since Princess Hue seemed to trust her on her life.

I mutely rolled up my sleeve, where just below the shoulder a number was burnt into my skin. 664. On of the freshest joiner, one of the best. She rubbed her thumb against it, closing her eyes. A tear rolled out, then she opened her eyes, smiling. "I'm 2.. I was the first one who joined him." and she showed me the red skin, the black mark.

"But you're young," I was breathless, this was too much to absorb at once. It was beautiful, it was utopian, but I still couldn't comprehend it.

"Yes," suddenly Anh's eyes filled up. "I'm-" she choked, and I rubbed her back. All at once, she fell against my chest, crying. "I'm his daughter, Minh."

+ + +

"You shall not be alone, Minh." the Lords says, turning to face me. He throws the snapped leaf aside. "You shall find help in the Palace even without looking for it. I have made arrangements already."

"My Lord, you must know I do not go to look for help." I reply, resolute. The Lord walks up to me, he isn't the age he looks. Premature aging seems rampant among the Royals.

"That is exactly what I fear." he puts a hand to my shoulder, "You're pride will come in your way."

I shake my head.

"Pride will make my way. It's the Royals who must fear."

But I'm wrong. Pride never makes my way.

Love does.