The Princess was Kicked Out

The fallen supporting timber of the house caught everyone's attention. Bandung Bondowoso turned his gaze to a house that was almost consumed by fire. For a moment, he closed his eyes. Then, miraculously, a wind blew, so strong that it extinguished the entire fire in the village.

I was amazed to see the fire extinguished in such a short time. The villagers immediately cheered. Then they called out their thanks to the King.

Next to me, Roro Jonggrang stood trembling. Her complexion was pale. She was stunned when the king walked towards us. Surprisingly, the princess stepped back. She hid behind me.

Bandung Bondowoso's gaze was knife-sharp, and piercing, giving me an incredible chill when our eyes met. However, his focus was not on me, but on Roro Jonggrang.

"Whose idea was this?" the king asked in a low voice.

Roro Jonggrang's hand held my arm tightly, channeling her inexplicable fear.

His gaze shifted to Aunt Sumi. "Your idea?" he asked.

Aunt Sumi immediately prostrated herself. Her palms were on the ground. Her head bowed deeply. "This was my idea, Your Majesty," she said.

I glanced to the side. The princess opened her mouth in surprise.

"Your idea almost killed an entire village," he chided in a mocking voice.

"This is my fault, Your Majesty. I'm willing to accept any punishment."

Aunt Sumi tapped her forehead repeatedly. She cried and begged to be punished.

"Seer, whose idea was this?"

I was stunned when Bandung Bondowoso called out to me. I was a fake seer, but I felt called. I glanced at Aunt Sumi. "Aunt Sumi, Your Majesty," I replied with a hard grip on my left arm.

Through her eyes, the princess was angry with me.

"Who told you to burn?"

Bandung Bondowoso's gaze moved to the villagers. In an instant, the villagers fell silent in their positions. They stared at each other and then replied, "We were given orders by Her Highness the Princess."

Roro Jonggrang's grip on my arm grew stronger. I was sure it would leave a mark. I clenched my fist.

"Princess, you told the villagers to burn without thinking about the consequences," he explained, "You plan to kill my people?"

The princess replied loudly, "Why would I want to kill my people? They are the things I must protect."

"Then you should have thought about your orders, right?"

Silence. Roro Jonggrang fell silent. Her face looked down at the ground. A teardrop escaped from the corner of her eyes.

"Bring the princess back to the palace," Bandung Bondowoso ordered.

The guards advanced toward us. They stood in front of me, waiting for the Princess to come. Instead, she quietly hid behind my back.

I whispered to her, "Princess, please follow the king's orders. It will save you."

"Huh... save? I won't take your word for it," she replied with a mocking laugh, "You only obey him. You're the one following his orders."

"Princess, come with us," invited one of the guards.

"I won't!"

The refusal reached Bandung Bondowoso's ears. He, who was about to return, turned around. His forehead was furrowed with sharply swooping eyebrows. "Repeat," he ordered coldly.

"I will not return! I will not surrender myself to you! Why should I marry you?! I hate you!"

The princess's loud cry split the night. The guards, villagers, and even Aunt Sumi fell silent at her outcry. I, on the other hand, frowned at how loudly she screamed. Moreover, she still had a firm grip on my arm.

Bandung Bondowoso had a flat expression. His hand removed the hair from his forehead. Sweat soaked his face. He spoke, "The royal princess does not wish to return to the palace? Then it's better not to return forever."

In an instant, everyone gasped.

I swallowed. It was an expulsion order. If the princess must not return to the palace forever, she was no longer the royal princess. She would be a commoner.

Roro Jonggrang has irregular breathing. She bit her lower lip in annoyance. I thought she would deny it, but her next words made me widen my eyes.

"It's easier to look after my people when I'm a commoner," she retorted boldly but still stood behind me.

Bandung Bondowoso looked on with a flat stare.

"A dissident girl like me must bore you, right? You might prefer an obedient girl like her."

She released her grip and pushed me forward in a single motion, making me fall flat on my face in front of the king.

I looked back. Roro Jonggrang confidently approached Aunt Sumi and told her to get up. I couldn't believe she chose this. She's willing to give up luxury for freedom. She's willing to sacrifice.

"Starting today, the royal princess is officially exiled for eternity."

Bandung Bondowoso's declaration left shock in everyone's hearts. Even so, no one dared to oppose it. Even the princess seemed to accept it with relief.

The king turned around and ordered, "Return to the palace."

The two guards approached me to help me up. Once my feet were on the ground, I looked back. Aunt Sumi was standing awkwardly while the princess was busy checking on her.

Would they be alright?

"Seer, let's go this way."

A guard pointed the way with his hand. I turned around and started walking. My face was downcast. Thank goodness they weren't punished. Only, I was worried about how they would survive outside the palace.

"Seer, did you know this beforehand?" asked the guard walking beside me.

I shook my head. "No," I replied, "Fate can be changed if humans try."

"Your words make me believe I will be rich someday."

My ears felt familiar with the voice. I lifted my gaze. Then, I blinked rapidly as I looked at the man's face. How could he be here?

"Candra?"