The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

Eva of the Order

A woman's sleeping face. A scaled four legged body. A furred, coiling tail.

"Are you fascinated by the Order's emblem, Princess Eleftheria?" the woman, who introduced herself as Eleina, asked at the head of the waiting table. We were now inside a different room, well inside the Order's territory. My other two companions left earlier to announce my arrival to the leader of the organization. For whatever reasons, Farseer was held in a different room, so I was alone with the new acquaintance.

Just as implied by Eleina's question, I had been staring at the emblem at the wall beside me for probably a long time. I lowered my head in embarrassment. I muttered, "... It is quite an unusual figure."

Then, finding an opportunity, I looked back up at the woman and asked, "Do you know what the creature is called?"

Eleina looked towards the emblem, thinking thoughtfully. "I believe it was never meant to be a representation of any real being. I suppose it was an emblem designed long ago by the Order's first founders."

Hiding my disappointment, I nodded quietly.

Then, Regina and Janmira came into the room. Regina smiled as usual, but there was a heaviness in the air that hinted at the seriousness of her next words. "Princess Elly, your presence is being requested by High Monk Eva."

I stood up from my seat, wondering what this would all be about. I didn't even know anything about this "Order". Although I knew Farseer and Regina wouldn't bring me to a dangerous place, I also worried after not seeing my mentor at all since coming here. Not to mention, Eleina's creepiness when she immediately knew my identity at first glance was definitely unnerving as well. As much as I wanted to pull either of them to the side and ask them, "Where exactly am I?" and "Who are these people?", I also sensed it wasn't the right time. I was also pretty sure that if my mentor and the yellow-haired mage wanted to tell me about this "Order" beforehand, they already would have. Yet they didn't, so there must be a reason for having me come here so blind.

I sighed, and willed myself to bravely go through it all. As a princess, lost or not, I knew when I had to step up and act accordingly.

"Alright," I announced. "Please lead me towards the room."

Regina grabbed my shoulder reassuredly and led me forward. And so Regina and I travelled down the dark halls quietly, our gait slow and steady. I resisted the urge to ask my questions. Then, she broke the silence herself, "Aren't you going to ask anything, Princess?"

"Will you even be able to answer?" I asked back, my head facing forward.

I heard her soft laugh. "You are clever for your age, Princess Elly."

"I only deduced from some things. You and my mentor would never have brought me here without any knowledge unless you had no choice but to do so."

"Well... I can't say you're wrong," Regina said. "But, I can still give an advice here and there."

"Really?" I only asked, waiting for her answer.

"Tell the truth, and only the truth."

"... That's it?"

"Yes," she said, just as we had arrived at the front of large and heavyset bronze double doors. "But, it doesn't mean you cannot control which truths to tell."

Then, she grabbed my shoulders so I would face her. She told me, "And I believe you would know what is wise to tell and keep unknown."

I nodded slightly after a moment of pause. I was a bit shocked to realize that my hands were shaking slightly. For what reason, I wasn't sure.