CHAPTER 021: Will You Kneel?

That night, Princess Jasmine cried on her pillow thinking that tomorrow she had to be ready to hear the news about the death of the first Princess.

Weeks passed and when she returned to the Adamas Palace, she found the first Princess silently reading and actually waiting for her.

She was so happy, yet it was short-lived.

The friendship between her and the first Princess was cut brief.

Queen Eriela was so disappointed with Princess Jasmine after hearing the first Princess did not die. Princess Jasmine received severe punishment for it.

More than learning things, Princess Jasmine yearned to have her mother's validation as a child. She valued Queen Eriela's happiness more than hers.

After receiving the punishment and reflecting on her actions and beliefs. Princess Jasmine concluded that she was more ready to let go of her admiration for the first Princess than lose her mother's little consideration of her.

For a decade, Princess Jasmine was keeping her pretense. She made a thick wall to not allow any sympathy for the first Princess.

The apathy she had up to today was the result of her betrayal of her first friend.

She became someone who would feel nothing upon seeing the dead body of the person she once admired.

She was fairly sure that she became a monster, who did not deserve to be even called a friend of someone, who would always welcome her. Making the owner of the comfortable chamber room get poisoned every time they saw each other.

At some point, the second Princess had the premonition that the first Princess was somehow aware of what she was doing to the meals.

Princess Yanarym just let it pass.

Throughout those years, Princess Jasmine kept her eyes on the first Princess.

That was the main reason why today she could discern something unusual from the first Princess. She watched her all these years and Princess Yanarym who was standing proud and brilliantly right before her eyes were not the princess she knew.

These two versions of the first Princess were so different and alike at the same time.

'How did it happen? When did she become like this?'

The first Princess that Princess Jasmine knew was fragile… she would always lie in bed. There was always a fuzzy and welcoming air that surrounded Princess Yanarym.

This Princess Yanarym was smiling and softly speaking.

Princess Jasmine could not put her finger on what was so different from before…

Was it about that… the first Princess was able to talk now? Was it about her eyes that had an unfamiliar glint in them? Or was it her smile that felt like an upfront mask?

The second Princess was burning a hole in Princess Yanarym's face.

The condition of her health seemed to be at its worst. Despite looking feeble, unwell, and haggard; she was currently brimming with vitality. Was that it? Was that the difference from before?

Earlier Princess Yanarym was on the verge of dying… and she died.

Wait, did they kill her? Did she really die? Obviously not, because she was still alive.

Princess Jasmine's mind was in turmoil.

She was so certain that Princess Yanarym died. They successfully ended her life. Her sister did it.

The first Princess had no pulse; Princess Jasmine was certain because she was holding her wrists and hands. Although there was a possibility of pretending to die; tampering with her heartbeat was not possible. Princess Yanarym was no God, how could she pull off that trick?

Princess Jasmine was always perceptive in any circumstances life threw her. However, today, at this moment, she was too dumbfounded to process another thing.

"Don't you hear what my mother said? Everyone returns to your post." Princess Jasmine uttered with a flat stern tone. She could not make out of any of this, they had to retreat, or her mother would be a laughingstock if this kept on happening.

"We greet the moon of the Menotalis. May the sun of Seerian bring blessing upon you, First Princess Yanarym!" The people who were behind Queen Eriela and the princesses shouted in unison. The merriment in their tone could not be disguised by their bowing heads.

"Aw. Thank you. You don't need to kneel." Princess Yanarym said when every servant on the back almost kissed the floor when they bowed their heads.

"Everyone should leave now; my cousin still has to take a rest now that she's returning to her duty as the princess." Princess Liezel said with a big smile but gritted teeth.

"Yes, Your Highness!" The maids and guards took another bow and left with their thrilled hearts.

Princess Yanarym took a step back and returned to the window frame to take a seat. She crossed her legs and arms seeing that the ones that were left were Queen Eriela, Princess Jasmine, and Princess Liezel.

"Did you not hear what I said?! Leave!" Princess Liezel screamed at Aliah who was too stunned to move a muscle.

"Isn't she mine?" Yanarym charmingly smiled at them as she tilted her head to inspect their countenance. "I believe that you sent her here to be my maid."

"T-that…"

"I will accept your gift, Your Majesty. I think almost ten years of my withdrawal from society is enough. I should do my duties as the first Princess of Menotalis just like what my 'cousin' said… Also, the three of you can leave now too. Because I need to 'rest,' right, Cousin Liezel?" Princess Liezel bit her lips so hard that she could feel they would be wounded.

She was so annoyed, but she also felt so powerless. 'When did this annoying pest have gained such a smart mouth?'

"Princess Yanarym," Princess Jasmine interrupted. "We understand that you are sick, but how could you treat the Queen, our mother as if she is your servant?"

"Servant?" Yanarym paused and chuckled. "Is that what it looks like?" She hummed with a smile and shifted her eyes outside the window. "If so, a servant should kneel to the ground like what the servants did to welcome me. Don't you think so?"

Princess Yanarym redirected her playful eyes on them. "Will you kneel to me?"