Plummet

Manipulator

Quick fact about Princess Hue - she usually ate very well.

Today, however, she looked tensed - well, so was I. But I had a pretence to keep up, so I pretended not to notice for sometime. Later on, as if offhandedly, I began, "Does the impending test tomorrow, worry you, Princess?"

Anh looked at me, halfway through a bite. Very sophisticatedly, she wiped her mouth with a nearby silk - and continued eating.

"Not at all," the Princess replied, throwing a sideways glance at Anh. "It's something else."

"You are looking very lovelorn, Hue." Anh remarked, not looking at any of us. She was pushing us towards that topic. Crafty girl.

Princess Hue gave a small laugh, "I don't know what you are talking about." for a minute she was silent, then, just as I thought she really didn't know what Anh had been talking about, she turned to Anh with a pained expression. "I know it's right in the middle of everything but I need a - a moment with Tutor Pham."

Anh's lips curled up triumphantly way before mine could. She almost pounded Princess Hue on the back, "So y-"

"Just leave, Anh." Princess Hue repeated, shutting her eyes. I could see her trying not to laugh - or was it to cry? With her, I never knew. She neither laughed or cried. Anh looked at me for a very brief second, the tiniest flick of her head while Hue's eyes were still closed. The rustle of expensive fabric - and we were all alone.

Any minute now...

"Pham, do you st-" she began, but-

"I still feel that way about you, Princess Hue."

Better late than sorry. And by the slow creeping of colour to her face, and by her struck expression, I knew I would succeed this time. "I've loved your smile, your courage, your passion, your anger, your dignity. I've loved you every single minute that I've known you for. I have watched you with a longing I could have only dreamt of to exist in me. In two days, I shall be gone. Perhaps forever from your life. I deserve to question you, Princess. Do I mean anything to you?"

Had I known that such a sturdy face could show such depths of emotions, I would have thought twice before speaking. But in the past weeks, I had begun to see that Princess Hue was a lovable as anybody could be. There were times when I felt bad for her. Times when I felt bad for myself. But when it came to manipulation, that was sacred art. No emotions could come in between me and manipulation.

"After a long internal struggle, I have come to realize, Pham, that you probably do." Princess Hue sighed. "And it's not because of your handsome looks or your charms. All I like about you is... how you challenge me constantly. No," she shook her head. "I can't be falling for the wayward kid of a fabulously wealthy merchant. I told myself I wouldn't. You challenged me," she opened her eyes - they were a little wet, but she smiled. "You challenged me in my head that I would. And seems like you won."

Triumph roared in my heart, I didn't even bother about the fact that I still had a crossbow to break. All I knew was that - this. This was the victory I would cherish all my life. I smiled, wide and full. "Tiny correction, Princess Hue. I have no fabulously wealthy father. He died years ago without a penny to his name." Her face underwent an astonishment so acute that I feared I had sidetracked out conversation. "That hardly matters now to me. It has taught me things I would have never learnt otherwise. All that matters - all that matters-" I stammered a little as I saw Princess Hue get up and advance towards me.

A moment later, she had knelt right in front of me - a surprisingly soft finger on my lips. Her hand traced my face for a second. "I never hide my feelings." she repeated, "Bia was right about you," for a second my heart dropped, "you cannot be resisted."

And that, was my superpower.

+ + +

"She's unwell," Princess Hue replies to my question. I very know Anh is unwell, but it would be suspicious not to ask.
"That's terrible," I nod, as if I do not care. "Do you, by any chance remember that very first class... when I said this should be so solitary lesson?" I ask her, walking over to pick up the crossbow for our practice today. It is a special replica, one that is exactly the same in size and weight. Today, we practice with this.
Princess Hue is looking at me, tilting her head.
"I do remember," she nods.
Anh is pretending to be ill just so we can have time alone. I might as well begin.
I adjust the crossbow in my hands, I always shoot once before letting her use it. It's absurdly easy to hit my mark. Then, I turn to her. "It was because I wanted to be alone with... you." That isn't a lie, in any case.
Princess Hue looks at me for another long moment. A moment in which I wonder if I have done something wrong. Then she looks down. "Why are you making this so tough for me, Minh?" She's looking at me now. "We're only friends alright?"
I could kiss her right now and end that notion of hers. But I've come to respect her.
"Don't waste your time." She elaborates, "I couldn't love you even if I wanted to."
"Is it because to love me is so much beneath your dignity?"
Princess Hue takes the crossbow from me. She doesn't say anything, but I know.
It is.