The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

Decision and Plans

"What happened? How is the princess?"

"She's currently stable, but she isn't waking up. The noble man though..."

"Sir Saturno did that? I wasn't even aware Lady Hestia of House Aron was working in the palace."

My mind was groggy and I felt the need to puke. The voices were hazy and they seemed to be echoing around my head.

"And what of the lady?"

"... supposed to be stoned for tempting a man, but-"

I desperately clung onto consciousness, but the warm Music brought me back into sleep.

~~

'Upon firm deliberation by the royal court, it has been decided that Sir Saturno of House Genta be fined 500 gold pieces for the act of committing libidinous acts inside palace grounds. Lady Hestia of House Aron, the concerned party, will be pardoned for her grievous crime of tempting a noble man, and instead be dismissed from her care-taking position in the royal palace.'

I read through the yellowing parchment in my hands. I read through it again and again. "What do they mean they're dismissing Miss Hestia?"

I looked up at my second brother, sitting beside my bed inside the palace infirmary. Prince Clement looked troubled as he replied, "It means what it says. She will cease being your nanny and she will have to leave the palace."

I felt my body grow cold. "... She's leaving because she protected me?"

The prince couldn't reply and only shook his head in defeat. Anger grew inside me.

"What does that even mean?! She protected a royal. She should be rewarded, not punished! And what's this crime that the nasty noble was sentenced for? Libidinous acts on palace grounds? Did he not try to attack me? Why isn't he punished for that? 500 gold pieces mean nothing to a merchant family like House Genta!"

My brother sighed, and deemed to hold my shaking hand. "Sister, I'm sorry. But, you know how the law thinks about anything concerning women in the act of temptation..."

"We aren't temptresses!" I screamed, belatedly realizing that I had spoken out of turn.

I bowed deeply and apologized. My brother only continued to hold my hand gently.

"Elle... I don't think I can pull any more strings. I have done my best to save Lady Hestia's life. I don't think I can do anything more."

I stared at the downhearted look of my brother. In the past year, I had tried my best to grow closer to the second prince, and surprisingly found it easy. It wasn't hard to connect with a brother who I have honestly grown to respect. Although he didn't have as much power and backers as the crown prince, he did have some well-thought of set of allies. While Prince Ara held the noose on most of the ancient, noble families, Prince Clement made sure to be on the good side of the rising merchant classes. With his connections with House Genta, he did manage to lessen the punishment on my nanny, but I was still angry at the world.

"If women weren't treated this way, we would have better laws," I muttered, frowning at the bedside table. "We're used as nothing but scapegoats for the powerful men."

The prince seemed to be looking for an answer to my woes, but he soon had to leave. A prince will always be busy, no matter how young. "Rest well, Princess Elle. I'll make sure to check on Miss Hestia, so don't worry anymore."

Alone, I stared at my pudgy hands. I have grown a bit since last year, but I was still pretty much a young child.

'But what has these tiny hands done?' I thought.