The Princess' Handmaiden

Chapter 17

"We're almost there." Nayeon commented, and Mina was confused.

"Then why did we leave so early?" She asked, and her handmaiden grinned sheepishly.

"I wanted you to have more time to explore. We only had a couple of hours last time."

The princess, once again, found Nayeon really sweet.

🐧👑🐧

Mina wasn't sure why, but she suddenly felt very nervous, and she found the situation she was in to be nauseating. Nayeon had just knocked on the door of Hana's house, and they were waiting for the lady to exit. The door opened to reveal a happy looking woman, but her welcoming smile became shock as she studied the princess.

"Mina?" She rushed out and quickly cupped the girl's face in her hands, her eyes darting over her. The princess was unable to speak. She just stood there, her arms limp at her sides. "Come inside, both of you."

🐧👑🐧

They entered Hana's house, and soon Mina was walking with her into another room. When they were alone, tears shimmered in the lady's eyes.

"I am so sorry...Please tell me he didn't-"

Mina nodded grimly.

"He did." She answered simply, looking down at the floor. Hana's lips were parted as she stammered potential apologies, but they all came out incoherently. She ended up resorting to pulling the girl into a tight embrace, crying quietly.

"I'm so happy that you're safe..." She sobbed, and Mina's eyes softened.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologising?" Hana asked, and the princess sighed.

"When I first found out you left, before hearing the truth, I hated you."

Hana smiled warmly.

"That's alright. I would have too." She replied.

🐧👑🐧

"So you snuck out?" Hana repeated incredulously. "I never thought you'd have the courage to do that."

"I didn't either. I think at some point today reality will hit and I'll get scared and want to return." 

"You've done this once before, you'll be fine." Nayeon reassured her, but the princess turned to look at her.

"That was for a couple hours. This is for an entire day." Mina gritted her teeth, and her handmaiden sighed.

"Alright, here's the deal. We look around until the end of the market, then you can decide whether you want to go back early, or stay."

"Fine." 

Hana chuckled lightly, quite fond of the pair's dynamic.

"Well, you'd better get going. The market will open soon." She smiled, and Mina gaped at the lady.

"I was really talking to you for that long?" She questioned, and Nayeon laughed.

"Yes, poor Bunny must have been so bored." Hana teased, poking the handmaiden's cheek.

"I've already told you not to call me that!!"

🐧👑🐧

As the girls were walking, Mina felt warm inside. She was relieved that she finally met with Hana again.

"The market's that way!" Nayeon pointed, already seeing sellers begin to open their stands. The handmaiden pulled her over to a food stand.

"Seriously?" Mina asked, and Nayeon rolled her eyes.

"I'm hungry. Am I not allowed to eat?"

As the girls darted around the market, the princess stopped at a flower stall. She picked out a bunch of daffodils, and shyly handed it to Nayeon. Mina didn't notice it, but blush creeped up on the handmaiden's cheeks.

"And I'm guessing these daffodils have a meaning too?" She questioned, and Mina nodded.

"Daffodils mean purity. One daffodil foretells misfortune, while a bunch indicate joy and happiness." Mina was telling this lie in such an expert way that she was beginning to believe it herself. The truth is, daffodils mean unrequited love. Of course, how could the princess know that her love wasn't as unrequited as she thought?

🐧👑🐧

Mina didn't know how she found herself straying from Nayeon. She wanted to stay close, as she still didn't understand how anything really worked, but she may have gotten carried away. As the princess looked around, she bumped into a tall person. It was a man. 

"Hello. I have a shop not too far off, I sell the most beautiful flowers. Do you want to come and see?" He grinned, and Mina (being quite naive due to her disconnection to the outside world) instantly believed him.

As they walked, the princess did get a little uncomfortable from him taking hold of her arm, but she assumed it was simply a tradition or culture. It was only when he turned back to look at her and spoke again that she understood.

"You should smile more. Your face is so beautiful."

Mina's heart seemed to stop. She thought back to the man from the palace's words, and immediately went into a state of panic. The princess began frantically clawing at his hand, trying to wrench it from her arm.

"Please let go...Please!" She begged, tears pricking at her eyes as the man's face was replaced with the face of the worker. Memories of what he did to her flooded back, and her panic worsened. The man must have gotten annoyed, as he rose his hand in the air, threatening to hit her.

"Do you know who I am? I am a noble, you cannot fight against me." He argued sternly, and that shut Mina up. If there was one thing that she'd been taught throughout the eleven years that Ms Red Lips was her handmaiden, it was to never question someone of higher authority. Sure, Mina was a princess, but that was only a title. Nobody actually saw her as royalty.

So she let him drag her along, trembling violently as she inhaled sharply, the cool air hurting her lungs. It was like her body had shut down, and all she could do was panic and dread what was coming. Mina was convinced that nobody would save her. Why would they? Nobody saved her the previous time it happened, so why should they save her then? The princess turned out to be wrong. Her breath caught in her throat when she heard a familiar voice.

"Excuse me, Sir?"

(AHHHH I'M SO SORRY FOR THIS TERRIBLE CHAPTER 😭😭I HAVE REALLY LOW MOTIVATION 😭)