EMPEROR AND I

PRINCESS LE-ANNE

LADY QUEENS" MANOR

"Your leg is too stiff." The princess reprimanded the girl who stood in front of her learning her twists. The girl knowingly extended her hand and squeezed her eyes shut, expectant of the pain that would follow. Le-anne stretched out her arm, her slim wooden rod pointing towards the sky and with all her might, she hit the girl hard.

"Aaaah..." the girl writhed in agony, stopping her tears from falling.

"Mistress Kei is the one to blame, for this is the only teaching method I know." Le-anne smirked.

"Relax your hands when you twirl around." The princess said to another before she stretched her hand and repeated the previous punishment.

"These frivolous ladies are lacking," Le-anne shook her head with hopelessness and wiggled her finger, which signaled the musicians to stop playing the instruments.

Confidently, she walked to the front, dropped her rod and clicked her fingers twice before the music started again. Breathing in and out, she relaxed her mind and let the music take over. Her hands extended towards the sky as if in submission, the broad sleeves of her robes waving flamboyantly. Like a wind G.o.ddess, she swung her hands forth and effortlessly the rest of her body followed. Her feet fleetingly brushed the ground, still maintaining the lightness of a feather.

The crowd gasped in reverence.

"Her ladyship makes it look so easy..."

"She is beautiful..."

"Magnificent..."

Her body bent swiftly, swaying about like the wind was leading her. She was lost in the moment like she was free―free from her burdens, worries and responsibilities.

Left, right, left, her feet arched and tip tapped the ground. Increasing her pace made her seem like a graceful flapping bird flying abroad.

"A blooming lotus flower..." a familiar voice spoke and at these words, Le-anne spun around and suddenly came to a halt. The crowd was not slow in moaning out their disappointment, either.

"That"s it!" The princess smiled and looked at Mistress Han who had been observing from the far end. Mistress Han was the mistress who was in charge of the manor"s welfare. Le-anne was quite fond of the woman"s pastel white skin that made her pink lips stand out.

"The Dancing Lotus Flower?" Mistress Han questioned with a puzzled look.

"Yes!" Princess Le-anne reached for the mistress" hands, "Mistress Han is a true poet."

"Her Ladyship praises me too much." Mistress Han simpered while batting her long eyelashes. Ideas were already buzzing in the princess" head. It"s like Mistress Han had just removed whatever that was clogging her mind. Although they had trained so hard for the past few days, she had felt like they were going in circles but now they were gaining direction. They would call the dance "Dancing Lotus Flower".

"Her Ladyship is also a gifted young woman," Mistress Han complimented her. "When Lord Wei sent word that he would help me prepare for the Imperial Summer Festival dance, it never crossed my mind that he would send his precious daughter," she continued as she enclasped the princess" hand.

Princess Le-anne shrugged her shoulders and grinned. Her insides on the other side were doing the opposite. Although Mistress Han was ten summers older than her, they had easily bonded. Lying and being fake to a stranger was easy but doing it to someone who kept winning her heart was a challenge. For the first time after losing Nameless, there was someone she could call a friend but a wall of lies and deception stood between them. No matter how much they held hands with true friendship affection, a hedge still stood between them.

Mistress Han pulled her close and whispered, "But Lady Wei should stop beating my girls, most of them just became of age and are truly delicate."

The princess gave her an evil laugh and playfully pushed her away.

And Mistress Han"s response? She moaned in defeat like a damsel in distress.

"May the ladies please take their positions," the princess spoke up, her tone sounding more authoritative as she picked her rod. "As I have told you before, I dance and you watch, then you dance and I watch," she smirked while approaching them again and they grumbled.

"Dance is an art and art is not copied. If I dance and you copy me, we will be the laughing stock of the Imperial City." She gave her lecture as she casually walked up and down. "When I danced, the Lady Queens were supposed to watch closely and now they must make that dance their own. Breathing in and out at the right moments is—"

The hairs on her back rose in apprehension and alarm bells rang in her head.

Intruder.

Someone had just jumped from the tree onto the back of the manor. Her body stiffened but still her face was expressionless.

"I wish to take a break," the girls breathed a sigh of relief at her proclamation, "Mistress Han shall take over from here." She walked away from the practising ladies and neared the back of the manor. Ai tried to follow her but she shook her head. She did not want to risk her life.

Without thinking twice, she took a sharp turn and saw a built man having his back towards her.

S.V