EMPEROR AND I

PRINCESS LE-ANNE

WOMEN OF ART QUARTERS

Word got out, and so King Tobba found out that Le-anne pa.s.sed down the opportunity to become a concubine. Typical of her father, countless pigeon mail flooded its way to Nevoria. She felt disheartened with how her father called her foolish, useless and good for nothing. Moreover, he outrageously threatened that he would not hesitate having her cover exposed, something that would have her executed and poled on the capital city gate.

Le-anne had been quite sure of her decision but now when her father was involved and furious with her, she was losing much confidence in herself. He was her father; one person that was supposed to stand by her and believe in her.

And here she was, stuck in a foreign palace, stripped of her t.i.tle and all she did was practice all day in preparation for a birthday that was three months away. The emperor was basically non-existent because not even once had she crossed paths with him and his entourage. At this rate, she wasn"t sure about her ability to hold her father"s trust any longer. And she desperately needed him to trust her, for this was her only hope to survive.

It was no secret that the Imperial women of art despised her with a pa.s.sion. They felt that they had been looked down upon because a lady from an outside manor, which was Le-anne, was chosen to perform on Virtuous Consort Shu"s birthday. Arrogant, prideful, spoilt… you name it all, she had heard it being whispered behind her back. This all just proved a point that she had about Nevorian women, they were spoilt, well treated cows that had nothing much to do because of the riches of their country, thus all they knew to do was cause trouble.

They could gossip all they wanted behind her back, that didn"t bother her but burning her clothes? It was uncalled for.

She watched the junior girls that served the Senior Lady of Art, dance around with her robes while some of her garbs they chucked into the big blazing fire that they had made on the pavement outside Le-anne"s sleeping room. She had been moved into the women of art quarters. Being unfamiliar with the palace, she strategically acted docile, quiet and reserved and that"s why everyone thought they could stomp on her and get away with it.

However, today they were going to regret having crossed her path. She quickly rushed towards the baobab tree and stripped off a big branch, anger seething within her.

How dare they?

She tiptoed towards the unsuspecting palace maids and whack!! She slashed anyone that came in her way and screams of mercy rang in the air. One by one, she ruthlessly beat them up. If death they would have, then so be it.

"What are you doing?" The Senior Lady of Art grabbed her hand, stopping her. Where had she come from? Unless… had she been watching from a distance whether they were doing a job well done for her? Relief cast on the palace maids faces as they hid behind their mistress.

"What am I doing?" Princess Le-anne shouted. "You dare ask me that after disrespectfully sneaking into my room?"

"They are just children." The senior lady acted dumb.

Did she think Le-anne was stupid? It was clear like the sky that she was the one who had sent them to do such a despicable thing.

"And my clothes were worth five years of your wages!" Le-anne was now panting and trembling with so much angst.

"What? How dare a servant like you talk to me like that?" The Senior Lady of Art mocked, looking at the princess in disgust.

Thwack!!

Le-anne slapped her and the woman jolted backwards in shock. Still she felt like slapping her a thousand times more.

"You!" the lady tried to speak.

Again, Le-anne slapped her and she fell to the floor. The girls behind her gasped, lost for words by her boldness.

"Madam, madam…" They cried beside her and tried to help her up but she shook them off and got up by herself, her hand raised with the intention to return the favour.

Princess Le-anne swerved to the left and easily avoided her attempt. They were now both raving like untamed dogs.

"I will kill you lil…"

"What"s this ruckus?" An authoritative voice demanded and in panic they all fell to the ground. The princess didn"t know who it was but all she saw were his black leather boots that were beautifully embroidered with gold dragon art alongside the golden robes that swept the ground.

The dragon?

Oh no!

"Greetings and blessings to his majesty, Emperor Huizhong!" They hailed as their heads. .h.i.t the ground.

Of all the places she had envisioned to meet him, this was not one, not in her wildest dreams.

S.V