[Hiatus] A Hundred Nights in Sindria

A Princess is a Commodity

*knock* *knock*

"Enter." I commanded.

The door to my bed chamber opened and a petite young servant gave a low bow.

"Your highness, his majesty the emperor is calling for you to join him and his highness the first prince in the throne room."

It was hard to think that she was talking to me when she kept her head down and her eyes to her feet while talking.

It wasn't her fault though. Servants aren't allowed to look straight at the members of the royal family unless she is required to do so.

"Thank you. I'll be there in a few minutes." I said laying down the scroll I was just reading on my bed.

"Anything you need, your highness?" She asked meekly.

"No, I'm fine. You're dismissed." I replied as I stood up and made my way to my vanity.

She gave another low bow and proceeded to the door. As the door closed I stared at my reflection on the mirror.

It wasn't everyday I was called by my father the emperor himself but whenever a princess gets called in the throne room it could only mean one thing.

I brushed the thought away as I made it to the hallway.

As I reached the entrance to the throne room, the door suddenly opened and out came a dark aura full of menace, despair, and depravity.

As I moved back from the sudden outburst, Gyokuen was there. She and her faithful herd of weird advisors with creepy looking mask-like faces were making their way out of the throne room.

I never really liked Gyokuen that much. Specially when she clung to my father when he became emperor.

I liked her children though. Both Hakuei and Hakuryuu were very kind and engaging people. It's such a sad thing that they had to lose their older brothers.

I wouldn't know how to cope if I lost mine.

Gyokuen noticed me and suddenly started walking towards me. She stopped in front of me with her attendants behind her.

"Araaa~ If it isn't the virgin first imperial princess~", she said in a sickening sweet voice.

I blushed at the remark, hoping she didn't notice.

"Good morning, your majesty." I said as I gave a half-hearted bow.

"Hmmmm~ that's odd. You seem to not be in high spirits today. I seriously thought you'd snap back at me or something." She said smiling creepily.

I swear, everytime she smiles like that I consider crawling to Koumei-nii or En-nii's bed chambers. Her smile haunts me at night.

"Oh please, I simply don't wanna make a scene here and cause disturbances to my dear father, the emperor." I said as sweetly as I could manage to hide my irritation.

"Oh well, you'll stop being a disturbance in this palace soon enough. Enjoy it while it lasts." She said as she mockingly walks away from me without hearing my reply.

If I even had any response to that.

What did she even mean by that?

The previous thought I was keeping out of my mind made its way back in again and I had to fight hard to ignore it.

"It's alright. It's okay. You'll be fine. En-nii promised. It's going to be okay." I said to myself as confidently as I could.

My eyes darted to the door to the throne room and as I released a deep sigh I made my way in.

As I walked inside the huge throne room I saw the emperor sitting on his throne, obviously, and En-nii sitting on a mat on the floor in front of our father.

I gave a low bow.

"You called for me, your majesty."

He raised his hand to tell me to go towards them and as I came closer to them I saw another mat beside En-nii's place.

The emperor pointed at the mat and I took my place beside En-nii.

There was nothing but silence in the huge throne room. In these circumstances, the princess should never speak before a man and never when the emperor does not implore you to.

I merely kept silent as I waited for either of them to start speaking.

"Using Koutsuki against him is a futile effort."

En-nii said breaking the silence. I almost jumped out of proper sitting position by the loudness of his voice.

"She is of royal blood. He is not. That in itself is enough reason."

The emperor's voice sounded more stern and commanding than basic conversational.

I sat there not understanding anything in their conversation.

"The other party isn't that interested in that anymore."

"I DO NOT CARE ABOUT HIS INTERESTS!! WHAT MATTERS IS WE GET HIM AND HIS COUNTRY TO OUR SIDE!!"

The emperor's voice boomed and echoed inside the hallow throne room.

I sat even more upright. Afraid for my life. I sneaked a peek at En-nii. He was as calm as I entered eventhough he has enraged the emperor.

Somehow it made me admire him even more than I already do.

"It matters."

En-nii replied with a sigh.

The emperor made a confused look and seemed to show interest at his words.

"That king could have women as young as Koutsuki and even more beautiful at his disposal. Letting him have her would be wasting our resources."

I stiffened at his remarks. Although I had been prepared to do my duty as a princess, I wasn't prepared to be viewed as a mere commodity at everyone's disposal.

I felt my cheeks burning and my eyes welling up. En-nii must've noticed cause he let out another sigh and spoke before the emperor even gave him permission.

"She doesn't have a say in this. Why did you even had to summon her?"

En-nii asked.

"I was merely assessing. But if it is truly as you said then she is not needed here. You are dismissed."

For a moment I sat there unable to process anything.

I was about to get wed off to somewhere and someone and none of my opinions mattered.

"I- I-"

But before I could even protest I felt En-nii's hand on my shoulder. His look told me to stop, to do as I am told, to be a proper princess of Kou.

So I did.

I stood up as gracefully as I could, bowed as gracefully as I could, and walked towards the door as gracefully as I could.

But as the doors closed behind me, I ran.

I ran as fast as I could.

It didn't matter what I looked like while doing it. How un-princess-like I was looking.

I just had to go.

Somewhere.

Anywhere.

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Please give me comments, reactions, and suggestions.

Sorry for any typos and misspells!

Dedicated to rottosora!

There I posted the story! Happy now? Though there will be massive changes!

Because Sinbad... T︵T