Plummet

Admirer

Friends.

To begin with, I despised friendship and everything to do with that word. Friends were a lot more trouble than they were worth - backstabbing, self-centered morons. And then again, all I befriended people for was my own benefit, so if Princess Hue's friendship served my purpose, well, I didn't mind friendship anymore.

So yes, this was how lives changed. No longer did I eat in solitude in my chamber (although I had enjoyed that), now, it was the Princess' chamber. It was not her wish, the Lord had ordered it, because he wished me to take more control of the Princess' routine in order to change her for the better, impressed as he was after hearing about our little adventure together. However, the fact that surprised me the most was that Princess Hue accepted this offer with grace and Anh. Lord Lac hardly knew that he was digging his own grave.

Day by day I advanced in her esteem, even in fact, Princess Hue began telling me things that she didn't want to tell Anh. But did that mean she was falling for me? Sure, if trust was directly proportional to love, then she was loving me more day by day.

And I? I was loving Anh more day by day. She was so perfect - even the slightly evil parts of her - I couldn't believe I used to consider myself the best person in all of Yokel. But then, if I was the best man and she the best woman, we had to be together. Another realization had hit me one day - that if the crossbow was broken and our Lord began rule, Anh would succeed him.

I could possibly sit on the throne of Yokel if I married this woman I loved so much. Which was perhaps why I loved her so bad: she could fulfill every wish of mine. With her would come the power, respect and wealth I had always wanted. It gave me the motivation, it made power and determination course through me.

Something else that happened day by day, was Princess Hue progress. The days almost flew by me - and then, it was the night right before her test. A simple process, where Princess Hue would wield a usual crossbow in front of her father and tutor, and possibly a few other people. It was my test as much as hers. I had refused dinner, tomorrow night, I had to do 'it'.

But all I could think was how differently it had all unfolded from my planning. We were still only... friends. I had expected Princess Hue to fall for me within a month. To keep up the pretense for quite some time, weave thicker webs of my attraction over her until she was very literally hypnotized. Anh was to be a... a temporary thing. And here I was - back at the centre of my room, sitting my legs folded. And cursing myself for my inability to plan ahead.

Where had all those days gone... I could have kissed Princess Hue anyday. I should have had kissed her when Anh was a few minutes late to lunch. When she was sick and we were alone at training. I had come very close to it on several occasions - there was an electric tension between Princess Hue and me that I knew she noticed. But all those times, I had felt I was cheating on Anh in some way. That if she walked in to us kissing... she would react in a way that would cost us too bad. I was scared of Princess Hue herself.

Friendship is a damned thing. I didn't want her to hate me again. I, who had never cared before. I had changed.

Not as much as her though. No where as much as Princess Hue.

"I heard you didn't want to eat tonight, Tutor Pham?" her voiced questioned. I never heard her coming - unlike Anh. She always had to speak until I noticed. And there was Anh behind her, I knew, I could hear her footsteps.

I didn't get up, surprised as I was, Princess Hue was a changed person. Ever since the water episode, I had noticed her politeness grow. She knew she was a mortal, even if the dragon-princess. I nodded. "I knocked, you know. You were too busy murmuring to yourself to hear."

I nodded again. "Such an honor, Princess Hue walking down to my chambers?" I questioned.

She broke a smile, and Anh appeared at her shoulder that very moment - just barely visible because of the obvious height difference. She almost pushed Princess Hue out of the way, "Tutor Pham, our princess is a very noble soul. I hope you shall not forget again."

I couldn't help grinning at Anh. "I shall not, Lady Anh. But my questio-"

"I have grown very accustomed to dining with you, Tutor Pham. So you must eat." Princess Hue smiled. Either she was red in the face from blushing or from embarrassment. Just to make sure, I stared at her as if I didn't understand. Subtle games.

She grew redder - blushing, indeed. And then I broke eye contact all at once. This woman did admire me. I knew. But in one day, would it be admiration enough to take me to the crossbow?

+ + +

They walk by me, not noticing. But the man turns back to glance at me - and then grips his girl's hand harder, as if I would steal her right from his side. I smile at the man, I like his trust in my good looks and abilities. 

I'm on my way back into the Palace, a little stroll, it never harms anybody. But of course, I go nowhere suspicious. I have to be a fool not to noticed the spies following me, thinking themselves to be well camouflaged. Truth is, most men are fools. I do see a few familiar faces, but I pretend not to. They needn't see me socialise with the wrong kind. Unknown to them, in the midst of the thickest crowd of the markets, I've had a note slipped into the lower pocket of robes. I slip my book out, the letter pushed into a random page, and bury my nose into it. To anybody following or watching me, I am only reading astronomy.

It's a book Anh gave me, seeing it, the messenger knows I met her. I have had a few other correspondences with the Lord, the very first about the Anh, the next about Hue, another about myself and a couple of advices. Unsurprisingly, this time, the words are about how we have only six days left. I know.

But as things are going, six days aren't enough...