Inbu's Heart

Chapter Two: The Farmer's Daughter

Mei stretched her arms, leaning back against the mattress. She rolled over, feeling the sun rays on her face. Even without the chickens crowing, she knew it was time to get up. Two Shih Tzu dogs jumped on her bed. The black one Oxo, pulled the covers away, the white one, Tenshi, licked her hand and using her tongue to slap Mei's face.

So much for a lie-in. Since her brothers moved to the neighbouring kingdom of Oppai, the dogs took over their morning ritual of waking Mei up. Mei picked a blue dress to slip on, it was her favourite colour, didn't get spoilt by the dirt.

"Mei!" her mother roared. "Take a look at this!"

Gasping, Mei's hands shook. The tenseness in her stomach made her feel there was a knot in it. Her mother's tone sounded serious. She hoped nothing had gone wrong. "Are they all right?" Overcome with worry, she panted and dashed down the stairs.

Her mother, larger than life could barely fit through the kitchenette banging everything she touched from fruit bowls to spatulas. "Yes! They're all right, all seventeen of them."

"Seventeen?" Mei shook her head and squinted at her mother. Her father chuckled and returned to work on the farm. Mei began to count with her fingers. "Lucozade, Pepsi, Fanta, Pepper, Coca, Cola, Sprite, Seven-up, Mountain Dew, Root..." Mei's band had gone blank. She steered her head up towards her mother. "Are you counting the dogs in this too?"

"Yes!"

"That leaves twelve. Who's the other five?"

"That would be Guinness, Peroni, Yanjing, Fosters and Heineken."

"How come I didn't meet them?" Mei asked.

"You haven't seen them since you were in my belly."

"Where they some of the orphans that you took in?" Mei asked. She knew her mother and father had adopted many children from the orphanage, but she never realized that she had thirteen brothers and two furry sisters.

"Yes," her mother nodded, preparing the breakfast; a local delicacy that consisted of deep-fried slugs drowning in soy sauce and rice. "Anyway breakfast is nearly ready and I got everybody's favourite."

"Oh that's very kind of you, but I'll make my own breakfast. You can save the rest for dad's supper." Mei thought she'd dodge the bullet when she could. She was convinced then slugs were what made Sprite ill.

Mei's farmer came back in, taking a banana from the bowl. "And if you include the animals, it's one-hundred-AND-EIGHTY!"

"What did they write?"

"This isn't from them," Mother said, laughing. "It's from the palace."

Mei sat down next to her father who took a sip from his teacup. Placing a hand on her heart, she took a seat, dragging the chair closer to her mother. Her mother became distracted when she saw Oxo and Tenshi head for the door.

"You stay inside!" Mother slammed the gates shut in Oxo and Tenshi's noses. "You don't want to be in the King's stew."

"They need to go out at some point!" Mei sighed, feeling sorry for her two furry brothers. "They want fresh air! They need exercise."

"I don't want my babies to be kidnapped like many of the others."

"I'll walk them later," Mei promised her. Her mother eventually got round to giving her the letter and reading the letter made her squee in excitement. Clapping her hands she danced around the house and then returned to her seat to read the paper out again.

She thought she was dreaming when she read the title.

COULD YOU BE THE FUTURE PRINCESS OF PANTALON?

Crown Prince Inbu Whisky Baboon is holding a tournament to determine who is worthy of his hand. The tournament is open to women of all ages regardless of their wealth and class. During the quest for Prince Anbu's heart, every trait will be tested.

If you feel you are worthy, come to the palace and make yourself known.

Mei's father took a glimpse at the letter and sneered at it. "I always thought he was gay."

"Oh, the king must be going on at him. I can see the King passing the throne down to one of his grandsons."

"The poor princesses," Mei's father sighed as he spoke. "Far too young to be doing that sort of thing. I feel sorry for Jane who died."

"I'm gonna do it!"

"Are you really going to do it?" Mother asked, lips trembling.

Mei nodded, hurdling up from her seat to hug her mother. "Of course I'm going to do it. I just feel like this is the right thing to do."

Her father's mouth dropped open. "Are you mad?"

"No!" Mei replied. "I just want to go down in history as a great woman."

Father began to prance around. His speech slurred and his lips quivered as if he wanted to say something but the words were stuck in his mouth. "Don't feel... disheartened if lose. You are just a farmers daughter after all."

Mei raised her voice. "I want him more than any of them."

"But you've never met him."

Her father meant well, trying to bring Mei back into reality. She just wanted to dream big about the fantasies of being a spoilt princess in a beautiful castle with a thousand dresses. "But I think he will love me just at first sight."

"That's not how it works in real life, my dear." Father folded his arms. "That is not a loving relationship, but lust." He glanced at his mother, disgruntled as he spoke. "It never ends well."

"Oh, sweetie!" Mother kissed her cheek. "Think of all the money and fame we would get if she does this."

"Honey, it is important to be realistic." 

"What do you know about love?" Mei asked her father.

The way her father pointed at her gave her the goosebumps and not the good kind. "More than you do! You see I loved your mother for her personality. It took time, but we learned to love each other...Are you sure you still want to do this?"

"Yes!"

At that point her father had given up. "Then I wish you good luck!"