The False Princess

Chapter 18

Edited

I gallop back to the mansion, brimming with confidence. I trust Mufar. I do. But in the past, trusting people hasn't worked out so well for me. If he stabs me in the back......

When I reach the stables, I dismount Mystique. I already feel better. I feel like a princess. I feel like my old self. I'm ready. Ready to show Gai that I am the best choice. The only choice.

Around noon, he summons us into a room used as a temporary classroom.

"You already know the bare essentials of being a lady. But you must know who Eadu really was to pull this off." Gai says. Briss timidly raises her hand.

"How do we know the princess is really dead?" She mumbles, looking defeated. Gai's eyes flash angrily, as he turns away from Briss coldly.

"Trust me. She's dead. Now may I continue?" He answers with frustration. Briss shrinks low in her seat.

"As I was saying, today I myself will teach you about Eadu's past. Now, she was a........"

I pretend to pay attention when he's talking. Of course, I already know this stuff. I know it as well as I know how to breathe. Its instinctive. With each name that Gai says, a face pops into my mind.
Lady Arli from the house of Kodmon
A chubby women with stringy brown hair that always yelled at me. I didn't like her very much.
Uncle Mitt- the guy that always laughed and helped me prank the court members. Uncle Mitt is awesome. And dead.

However, one thing does catch my attention.

"This was Eadu's knife Ignis." Gai says, showing us a picture. It's a small knife, but no doubt it's dangerous. It's pure silver, with amethysts in the handle. It's beautiful. It's even more gorgeous and deadly in real life.

"Eadu was a skilled knife fighter. One of the best for her age really. The real Ignis went down with the ship that took Eadu's life. But we're going to make a copy to make you look more authentic. Nobody will doubt you with Ignis," He finishes looking at his fancy watch. Then Gai stalks out of the room. I exchange a look with the others for a brief moment. Nobody moves for a second. Then I bolt after him.

We find him in a shed that we've never been in before. Lining the walls is the widest variety of weapons I've seen in my life. Swords, bows and arrows, maces, knives-anything you could think of. Gai selects three knives with rubber covering the sharp tips, and tosses them to us.

"Mufar will teach you. Learn fast ladies." He says simply. Then he leaves us alone. I immediately select a dummy and attack it. We used knives on the streets a lot, so I know enough to hold me over in a fight. Mufar walks in and immediately catches our attention.

"Ok. First lesson is holding." He starts. I let my mind wander slightly, but Mufar doesn't miss anything. He quickly engages me in battle, soon disarming me, with his knife at my throat.

"Pay attention. Even the smallest things can save your life in battle." He growls. I nod and let a rare, true grin creep onto my face. This is going to be a interesting lesson.