06 Untrustworthy

In the small room, Chinua was soaking in the bathtub, only to realize that she had read something like this before in the Palace Library. She sighed, wondering if she would bleed like this every month, what she would do with her stomach cramps during army training.

Chinua asked, "Auntie, do you have stomach cramps when you bleed?"

The middle-aged woman explained, "I personally don't have it, but I heard that some women have it, some women will have it throughout the bleeding period, and some have early signs, but once the bleeding occurs, the symptoms disappear." She smiled at Chinua. "How are your stomach cramps?"

Chinua realized that she no longer had stomach cramps since she was bleeding. "No more," she said.

The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "That's good." She sighed. "Isn't your mother worried that you're traveling with those servants? They're men. Men can't be trusted. They're like sneaky wolves, and they usually follow quietly until they attack you." She sighed again and shook her head. "Your mother should teach you these things."

Chinua looked at the worried middle-aged woman and said, "These are things my mother didn't teach me, we didn't live together. She lives in a different house. I'm sure Khenbish and Khunbish won't hurt me."

The middle-aged woman said, "They are your servants, not your brothers."

Chinua said, "We've known each other since childhood. They're my closest family."

The middle-aged woman said, "You rich people and your servants. I don't think I will ever understand the rich, and the rich will never understand the poor." She sighed. "No matter how big and delicious the meal on the rich people's table is, I won't trade my boiled beef and mutton for it."

Chinua asked, "Why not?"

The middle-aged woman said, "Because having dinner at the table with my family after a long day of working, even if it's just cooked beef and mutton, it tastes better." She looked at Chinua. "Next time, have a family dinner with your family and you'll see what I means."

Chinua said, "I will try it next time I go home."

The middle-aged woman grabbed Chinua's clothes and dipped her clothes in a hot bucket. She undid the long belt around her waist and began to tear the black belt into small pieces. "Since you're starting to bleed, don't sleep with any man," she said. "If you do, you'll get pregnant." She neatly folded the torn rags into ten small pieces and placed it on the table. "Who are the two men waiting for you outside?"

Chinua said, "I told you before that they are my servants."

The middle-aged woman turned to look at Chinua and said, "Men can't be trusted, whether they are servants or friends. You have to take care of yourself."

Chinua said, "Thank you, but they do not dare to hurt me."

The middle-aged woman asked, "Are you finished?"

Chinua said, "Yes."

The middle-aged woman grabbed a folded black cloth on the table and handed it to Chinua She said, "Get out of the tub and put this rag in your privates."

Chinua grabbed the black rag and tucked it between her legs. She said, "Done."

The middle-aged woman put one end of the belt on Chinua's abdomen and put it down. She walked behind Chinua and said, "Now spread your legs, a little bit." After Chinua had done what she was told, the middle-aged woman grabbed the other end of the belt and pulled it back to her buttocks. She tore the end of the belt in half and wrapped it tightly around Chinua's waist.

The middle-aged woman walked back to Chinua and said, "This should fix the rag between your legs. You can get dressed now." She sat down on the low stool. "Remember to change as needed. If you change frequently, there should be no blood on your clothes. Instead, wash these rags and reuse them, so there is no need to remake them."

Chinua looked at the middle-aged woman she had just met and found that she had spoken to her more times than Qara had ever spoken to her in her life. She smiled and said, "Thank you for teaching me how to take care of myself, I will never forget you."

The middle-aged woman said, "If you really want to thank me, say that my tavern is the best, and wish me a prosperous business."

Chinua smiled and said, "I will. I will definitely rest here on the way back."

The middle-aged woman said, "I will always welcome you, it's getting late, you must be tired, I won't force you to talk to me anymore." She walked to the door and opened it.

Khunbish and Khenbish were still standing at the door, blocking the middle-aged woman. The middle-aged woman looked back at Chinua. "Remember what I told you about men."

Chinua said, "I will."

The middle-aged woman pushed Khunbish and Khenbish aside and said, "You two take good care of your master. Also, wash her bloody clothes in the bucket."

Khunbish said, "Thank you."

The middle-aged woman walked out of the room and disappeared into the corridor.

Khenbish said, "I'll wash it."

Khunbish closed the door and walked towards Chinua. He said, "Chinua, did that lady heal you?"

Chinua said, "There's no cure. It's a natural bleeding that every woman has to endure every month."

Khunbish said, "Sorry, we don't know anything about it."

Chinua said, "It's not your fault. I don't know as much as you two." She got up, walked to the edge of the bed, and sat on the edge. "Let's say we're all equally at fault."

Khenbish hung Chinua's clothes on the wooden board and said to Chinua and Khunbish, "Chinua, the bed is very small, you can sleep on the bed. I and Khunbish sleep on the floor."

Chinua looked at the two men standing in front of her and asked, "Will there be a day... Will the two of you betray me?"

Khunbish and Khenbish quickly turned to face Chinua. They wondered why Chinua asked such a question. Khunbish and Khenbish both fell to their knees and said, "Not even death can take away my loyalty to Chinua, my life is yours."

Chinua said with a smile, "Distance tests the strength of a horse, time reveals a person's heart." She lay on the bed. "Don't think too much. I never said I doubted your loyalty."

Khunbish asked, "Why did Chinua ask this question all of a sudden?"

Chinua said, "The aunt said that men are unreliable." She smiled. "I bet she had met a lot of unfaithful men in her life, and that makes her label them all untrustworthy." She sighed. "I know that wherever I go, you two will follow me, even if you know very well that death is inevitable."

On the way to Nta-tshua, the three of them rode by the river, and Chinua sneered.

Khunbish asked, "What's so funny?"

Chinua said, "We talked about the river when I went to ask the king for permission to enlist in the Northern Army training camp, we talked about this river."

Khenbish asked, "What advice does Chinua given?"

Chinua said, "I told the King that the river was an important defense against the capital." Chinua smiled. "To be honest, at the time I wasn't sure if that was true, but now it seems that building a dam here is a good defense." She dismounted and walked along the riverbank. She pointed to the mountain on the right. "Anyone who wants to get to Ntsua-Ntu has to go through here. Our first defense should be at Nta-Tshua, and the last defense is here before the enemy reaches Ntoo Village."

Khunbish asked, "Chinua, from our youth until now, I only see you studying warfare. You hardly have time to live like other princesses. I see other princesses painting, studying poetry, and dressing gorgeously." He looked at Chinua and felt sad. "Before we left, the other princesses had a tea party, and you didn't attend, why?"

Chinua simply replied, "Well, that's because their way of thinking is different from mine." She continued to walk. "I prefer talking to the two of you."

Khenbish asked, "How so?"

"I'm not interested in which general's son looks better, or will make a good husband," Chinua said. "I'm not interested in which fabrics are better to wear, or which hairstyles and makeup are suitable for which occasions."

Khunbish said, "Is it because of the selfishness of Queen Qara and Prince Bastaikhan."

Chinua looked at Khunbish strangely and said, "Get that thought out of your head. It was never because of them. I want to secure my elder brother's position, but that's only part of it." She smiled at her two guards. "I want to be the princess everyone will be talking about hundreds of years from now. A princess who doesn't learn to sew but read a map. A Princess who doesn't write poetry but writes war strategies. A princess who holds no make-up brush, but holds a sword..."

Khunbish interrupted, "A princess who wears no glamorous dress, but wears armor."

Chinua smiled and hit softly on Khunbish's right chest once, "That's right."

Khunbish quipped, "Then you must be a weird princess."

Khenbish added, "To be honest, Queen Qara is a little unfair to you. Her Royal Highness, has not even taught you about monthly bleeding."

Chinua looked at his two guards and sighed, "Sometimes, you need a complete stranger to teach you a lesson and make you fully appreciate the people who are on your side."

Khunbish asked, "Are we going to stay in Nta-Tsua for two days?"

Chinua said, "No..." She got on the horse, and so did her two guards.

Khenbish looked at Khunbish and said, "Chinua has already made a plan, so there is no need to stay."

Chinua said, "We will ride past Ntu-Tsua and go straight to the Northern Army training camp." As she and her two bodyguards rode north, her horses charged in the wind and the morning sun chased her on her left side.