Her Poison His cure: Behind The Mask

My brother laughed slightly at my childish gleaming.

“That’s right, and the eyes are the only part of our body that tolerates darkness but accepts brightness.” He explained further.

“I don’t understand,”

“The eyes are the most important key to listening to your people, not your ear”

I heard my father ‘s voice from behind. We both turned back to see His Majesty walking in with mother who is heavily pregnant.

“Father!” We both called at the same time and stood up to acknowledge our parents.

Father and mother walked further into the room and sat down. My brother and I followed.

“You used your hand to give out to your people and used your ear to listen to their worries. Every part of the body has their own function that they perform to a nation, but the eyes perform the biggest function. Once you close your eyes there is no way you can see the other part of your body, you might be able to use them but it will be more difficult to utilize them than when your eyes are opened.” Father explained my questions.

“Oh” I nodded at the explanation.

Father had always been the type that liked to lecture. My brother got that from him though. I guessed if he wasn’t a crown prince he would have become a teacher.

“Mother, are you okay?”

Brother’s voice boomed my ear, jolting me out of my thoughts. I looked at his face and noticed he was looking at mother so I traced my gaze to her.

“Are you okay mother”

Noticing the uncomfortable look on mother’s face. I also couldn’t help but ask.

We all turned our attention to her.

“My queen, what is the problem?” Father asked.

Mother looked at us and chuckled lightly. I don’t blame her because the look on our faces is not a thing to write about. I mean we have a panicked look on our faces.

She placed her hand on her protruding tummy, rubbing it lightly. “It’s nothing serious. The baby has been kicking frequently these days” She smiles looking down at her stomach.

Father smiled and took his hand to his wife’s tummy, stroking it gently.

He suddenly gasped.” I felt the baby move” he said and smiled curled up at our lips.

“If your subject should see this side of you, I guess they will be shocked to the bone” brother teasingly joke.

Father laughed lightly.”I guess you are right”

“His Majesty told me how you handle the situation with your teacher earlier today. I am really proud of you” mother suddenly said to the brother which earned her a smile from him.

“The person that I think deserves that appraisal is the princess,”

“What did you mean?” Brother

sought.

“Isn’t she the one who gave you the answer to the riddle?” He replied.

I exchanged a weary glance with my brother in surprise.

“What is going on?” I blurted out.

“I know she is the one who gave you the answer to the riddle. I didn’t want to flop your play earlier with your teacher. I heard when you both were talking last night” Father answered.

What is he talking about?

We bursted into laughter when we realized what he might be thinking. Perhaps he heard our conversation last night.

“Why are you guys laughing?” mother asked when she saw her husband tense in anger.

We quickly compost ourselves and mutter an apology to him. He easily gets angry and that’s what happened right now. Seeing his tense shoulder means he is already angry at us for laughing at his words.

“I didn’t provide him with the answer”

“But I heard when you guys when talking last night” He queried in confusion.

I knew it. Of Course that would be the case. My gaze move to my brother who is still staring at father in surprise, I nudge him slightly to start his explanation.

He cleared his voice.

“I guessed you didn’t listen till the end. It is true that she helped me with my worries yesterday, but all she does is give me some encouraging words. It was those words that motivated me to rebuke my teacher earlier today and she gave me hints on how to solve the riddle”

Brother explained and my mind drifted back to what it was yesterday night.

“I am sure your teacher wants to test your brain and find out how determined you are, and this riddle has something to do with your studies which I am sure of. He is trying to know if you can easily be intimidated. So sit tight and think carefully what the answer to this riddle might be”

Those were my exact words yesterday night. Recalling that I even prank him yesterday made me burst into laughter and as if my brother already know what going in my mind he throws me a playful glare.

“What is funny. Don’t think I forget what you did yesterday” brother examined, staring a me with that play glare still on his face.

He was so happy when his sister volunteer to provide the answer to the riddle to him yesterday night but was disappointed when I tease him instead of helping him by telling him to bribe his teacher and the problem will be solved and he on the other hand was planning on doing so but I started laughing and told him it was a prank.

After our bickering I then gives him hints and motivational words to solve the riddle on his own without requiring help from anyone and it was those words that encouraged him greatly. he didn’t sleep till daybreak busy thinking what the answer to the riddle might be until he finally got it.

I looked at his face and saw his lip curled into a smiling pace. He must recalling yesterday incident as well.

“I believe you will be able to get the correct answers, which you did.” I said, smiling with utmost respect for my brother.

“I won’t have done it without you,” He replied with the smile still plastered on his lip.

“I am proud of you two” Father said and the whole family smiled.

Seeing my family sitting down and having a happy conversation like this is something which happens once in a while. Everyone is always busy with his or her duty making it impossible for such gathering to always occurred. I need to explore this opportunity well.

“I have a favour to importuned you with father”

“What is that” he raised his gaze to meet mine.

“There’s this maid. I want her to be transferred to me”

“Maid?”

“Yes Father. I will really appreciate it if you could granted my request”

“If that is the case, then your mother is the one who you should ask,” he replied, turning to mother. “She is the only one who has the right to give out order concerning the internal court’s”

“Or what did you say my queen?” He added.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” mother replied, bowing her head slightly. “Who is this maid you wish to recruit?” She asked

“I didn’t know her name but she is working at the palace laundry room”

“It must be the maid that you took side with yesterday,” brother chimed in making me turned to him.

“How did you know that?”

“I heard the maids gossiping about it. it is circulating rapidly among the maids, they are talking about how you took her side without knowing her before. some are even saying maybe you know her.” He explained.

That’s is the deadly and sweetest poison or antidote in the palace.

Rumour.

Once a bad rumour spread about, that could certainly took something important in your life if not your life itself. And the case reversable to a good rumour, it can also add something important to your life, if not your safety and life itself.

“I didn’t know her, and I didn’t take her side either. I just defend her against injustice but I won’t lie that I have come to take a liking to her and wished to make her mine.”

“I will see what I can do about it” mother replied – which me smiled happily.

“Thank you very much mother”

“With that being solved” Father said and turned to his wife

“My queen would you mind excusing me and the crown prince. I must have a word with him”

“Yes Your Majesty” mother replied and stood up with the help of Father holding her by her waist.

“And you too suk”

Father said turning to me. I smiled happily and stood up.

“Yes Father” I replied and joined my hand with my mother’s own.

“Mother let us go and have our own mother and daughter talk as well” I pout and the whole family bursted into laughter.

“Sure let us do that” mother replied and we both bow to father before turning around and leaving the room with our hands joined together.

I could see Father and my brother smiling while looking at us as we walk out.