✨✨✨
“You and my personal maid will be sharing the same room. She used to have the room all to herself, but since you’re beautiful like Kira, you both will become my personal maids” Narmada said as she walks to Kira’s room with Tatiana.
“Sorry to ask this though, but Are you a princess?” Tatiana asked.
“Yes I am. A princess who likes being in a commoner’s robe” Narmada said and Tatiana quickly bowed her head.
“I’m sorry my princess. Sorry for mistaken you as a maid” Tatiana said and Narmada laughs.
“You don’t have to be sorry Tatiana. I love it when people mistake me to be a commoner” Narmada said and when Tatiana raised her head to look at her, she smiled.
✨✨✨
Narmada talked to Kira and Kira was so happy to be roommate with Tatiana. And you won’t blame her, Tatiana is easily liked by everyone she meets expect for those that their brains were in their buttocks.
And just as Narmada has ordered, Kira was showing her around the palace and also telling her the roles of everyone in the place, but Tatiana wasn’t interested in knowing about them. All she wanted to hear was the story of Cheng and why he was told to live in the cottage that’s so far from the palace.
“Prince Thiago is the first prince and I’ll advice you to avoid him the best way you can, he’s a womanizer and just like his mother Queen Anjali, he’s every wicked” Kira said and Tatiana nods but she wasn’t even paying attention.
“Then Prince Waylon is the second Prince and Princess Narmada is his sister, both are very kind just like their mother. And since you already met them, there’s no need to talk about them, but be careful with Harlow, she’s Prince Waylon’s childhood friend but every protective of him” Kira said.
“The last prince is Jia, he’s Queen Anjali’s son. He’s ten years old and if you ask me, I’ll say his so different from Queen Anjali and Prince Thiago. So cute and nice”.
*Why can’t she talk about Cheng? Why did she skip him?* Tatiana asked inwardly.
“And then there is Supriya, she’s……”
“What about Cheng?” Tatiana asked cutting her short.
“Cheng?” Kira asked and Tatiana nods her head.
“Is been long everyone talked about him, so how did you know him?” Kira asked.
“How I got to know him doesn’t matter, Can you tell me what happened to him and why he’s not here in the main palace?” She asked.
“I don’t know much about him, but from the rumors I have heard from the older maids who were present when the whole event happened ten years ago, said Prince Cheng is a demon”
“A demon?” Tatiana asked.
“Yes. I heard he was possessed ten years ago on the night of the lantern festival”.
*On the night of the lantern festival? Was that why he didn’t come see me? Tatiana thought.
“He was possessed by a demon?” Tatiana asked Kira.
“Yes he was. And according to the older maids, they said Cheng killed a lot of maids and bodyguards and almost destroyed the entire palace. Everyone didn’t only h@të him, but feared him too. And that was why the king said he should be in the faraway side of the palace and that no one should ever talk about him”.
“That’s so cruel, how can a father do that to his son” Tatiana said angrily. She wasn’t even considering the fact that Cheng is a demon.
“Didn’t you hear what I just said? Prince Cheng is a demon and dangerous too. He’s just going to cause havoc if he’s allowed to live in the palace with us. He’s not human” Kira said and Tatiana only looks at Kira.
✨✨✨✨✨✨
“Are you working so hard to impress the king?” Thiago asked when he sees Waylon going to his room.
“And what that’s supposed to mean Thiago?” Waylon asked in return.
“You headed the maid’s testing because you want to please father so he can handle the throne over to you, right?” Thiago asked.
“That’s not true Thiago. I’m not interested in becoming king” Waylon said and Thiago snickers.
“Do you possibly think I’m going to buy that? You want to take the throne while acting to not be interested in it!!” Thiago shouted.
“Think all you want Thiago. And if you want to the throne that badly, try to earn it not using force” Waylon said and leaves.
Thiago clenched his fist with so much indignation.
“The throne is mine. Is mine!!! I deserve to be king!!!” He shouted.
✨✨✨✨✨✨
⟨ KIRA’S ROOM ⟩
It late and everyone has returned to their rooms, probably sleeping, but Tatiana found it difficult to sleep. She kept rolling on the bed, trying to sleep, but she couldn’t. Her mind was occupied with Cheng.
She sits up in the bed and looks at Kira. She was sleeping, snoring. “I would be able to sleep if I don’t see him” She said. And with that she got up from the bed and left the room.
She carefully jumped the window since the entire doors that lead to the premises of the palace was locked. And as slow as a snail she walks slowly towards the cottage. And when she was sure she’s far from the palace she increase the pace of her feet, still she got the cottage.
She went to the particular spot where Cheng fainted earlier, but he was no longer there and inside the cottage was dark.
“Where did he go?” She asked looking around and a snake bite her.
“Ouch!” She screams in pain, falling to the ground, holding her bitten leg.
“Why’re you here?” Cheng asked walking towards her and Tatiana smiled on seeing him. If it was be another person, they’d run for their life after seeing what he was like earlier.
But Tatiana was different. Butterflies kept doing its festival in her stomach, just by seeing his face.
“What happened to you?” Cheng asked squatting closer to her.
“A snake bite me”.
“Does it hurt?” He asked checking it out and Tatiana nods her head.
“Is not a poisonous snake, else you will have been dead by now. But let’s see what I can do about it” He said and carries her up in a bridal style and Tatiana gasp.
“Are you scared?” Cheng asked and Tatiana shakes her head smiling.
Cheng carried her inside the cottage, he moves his eyes a little and fire entered the sticks stand inside the cottage.
He drops Tatiana carefully on the chair and observed her bitten leg. He snapped his finger and the bitten spot healed immediately, without leaving any trace of bitten mark.
“Wow, you healed me. I no longer feel pain Cheng” She said smiling.
“How did you know me?” He asked.
“Because we met years ago. I didn’t change that much, so why can’t you remember my face?”.
“I don’t remember meeting anyone ten years ago. The only thing I can remember on the lantern festival ten years ago, is when I turned into a demon” Cheng said.
“It hurts that you can’t remember me. But I’ll make you remember who I am so that you will keep to the promise you made to me” Tatiana said.
“Promise? What promise?” Cheng asked looking at her.
“Let’s take it slowly, since you can’t remember me” She said.
Cheng remember what he did to her earlier and said;
“I almost killed you earlier and yet you came back here even after witnessing what I’m capable of doing. Aren’t you afraid of me?” He asked.
“No I’m not. Cuz I know you didn’t wish to be this way. If there’s someone to blame, it should be the demon inside of you and the person responsible for it” Tatiana said and Cheng smiles lightly.
“What’s your name?” He asked.
“Tatiana”
“Huh?”
“Tatiana. Ta-Ti-Ana” Tatiana said breaking it down for him, like she did ten years ago.
“Tatiana is way too long, I’ll just call you Tiana” Cheng said and Tatiana smiles.
“You’re still the same, even without remembering me” She muttered
“Huh?”
“Is nothing Cheng. Since you’re conscious now, I’ll be able to sleep. Lemme go back to the main palace before Kira notice I’m not in the room” Tatiana said. She stood up from the chair and tries to leave, but Cheng held her hand.
“Please stay with me for a little while” He said looking at her enchanting eyes.
……
TBC
