Of Plays & Ploys

5. Then: Lies and Truths

"You can come out now. My teacher left." The princess said.

Nexlin and Joden looked at each other, each questioning the other with only the eyes: What should we do?

"You, behind the bushes. Come out before I call the guards."

Ilsea didn't have to say anything more. Joden popped out from his hiding place within a millisecond.

"It's you." Ilsea scowled.
"H-hi." Joden awkwardly waved at her.

Then Nexlin popped out.

"There's two of you?!" Ilsea exclaimed.
"You know each other?" Nexlin asked. "You know the pretty princess and you didn't tell me?" He asked his brother incredulously.
"Can't you see we're in trouble?" He whispered.
"You're in deep trouble." Ilsea announced. "If you don't tell me who you are."
"I'm Loden." Joden said quickly. "This is my brother... Coden."

Nex glared at his brother. Wow. How creative.

"Why did you come here?" She asked. "Wait, how did you even get in here?"
"Loden said you were really pretty." Nexlin quickly interjected. "I wanted to see how pretty."

Ilsea's face flushed in all shades of red. She looked at the ground, then at the twins, then at the ground again.

The scene was comical and yet Joden was entranced. The princess's face was rapidly reddening, her hands fidgeting ever so slightly.

The twins' dad spoke in poetry only to their mother's ears. And their eavesdropping children's, of course.
At the sight of the blushing girl, a memory resurfaced.

"No swords left to fight,
No games to win,
No ploys to play.
But against you?
Just the sight
Of your grin
And my heartstrings
Are but strings for your lyre.
Yours to play,
Yours to tear.

For my beloved,
I'm an instrument...
Gladly, willingly,
I become yours to play."

If it weren't for the fact that Nexlin had help hide their escape route, Joden would've beat him up right there. The urge was increasing as Nexlin smiled deviously at him.

"You can't stay here." Ilsea mustered after a while. "This area is only emptied for my swordsmanship training. They will be back soon."
"You use a sword too? Wow, just wow." Nexlin said.
"Okay, we'll leave." Joden said. "But can I come see you again?"

———

"Your highness." The maid firmly answered. "Her highness Princess Ilsea asked not to be disturbed during her training." The maid said.
"I'm sure her brother is an exception." Leordak replied flatly.

Leordak went into the garden. He'd heard that his sister asked to have separate lessons. She also asked the king if she could also train with a swordsmanship instructor as well.

She's doing her best to stay away from me. He thought.

"Hello Illie. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

Ilsea turned around quickly, alarmed.

"You're not." She quickly said. She looked at the bushes then back at him.
"... I don't know what to say. I only wanted to see that you're okay. That everything is okay."
"I'm fine." She flatly said, not meeting his eyes.
"You're not fine Ilsea. You can't be fine."
"I can be fine." She choked out.
"Ilsea, please."
"You know, I thought the Queen loved you more for being born first. Then I envied you for being her first child."
"I- "
"Then I thought she loved you more for being a boy. So I envied you for being a boy. Then I thought it was because you were so much better than me. You are strong, talented and funny."