EMPEROR AND I

THE BORDERLANDS

There was nothing to like about Mistress Kei.

She had a thick Nevorian accent that she liked to show off as if it were the greatest thing in the world, and her hobby was to talk about everything the princess was doing wrong, but mostly, she never smiled.

To Princess Le-anne, the woman was everything that Nameless was not, so how dare she replace her as an instructor?

"Inform his majesty that you have made him some tea, following the courtesy of a servant," Mistress Kei instructed the princess as she playfully swayed the stick held in her hand.

The princess did as she was instructed. "Your majesty! This servant has brewed some tea for you."

Smack.

Princess Le-anne felt a sharp pain numb her body and winced, her knuckles clenching to restrain herself from lashing out. She wanted to scream at Mistress Kei and remind her that she was the princess of Huticah and no way was the woman worthy of laying a single finger on her, but instead, she chose to swallow down her pride.

Besides, the princess had already chastised her multiple times before, and it was always the same cycle. Mistress Kei would apologise but still do the same thing later onwards. The fact that she was a princess didn"t seem to bother her, as being her student was enough for her to treat her as a mere servant.

"How many times must I repeat myself that it"s informal to use "you" or "I"? One who is inferior may not use direct speech when speaking to their superior," she lectured the princess, her face wearing a stony expression. One look at Mistress Kei and one would think she was an ice block but when she moved, a graceful aura hugged her body. How a person could have a dual impression was beyond the princess" understanding.

"Your majesty! This servant has brewed some tea." Princess Le-anne corrected herself as she bowed respectfully, completing the act.

"Courtesy of a n.o.ble?"

"Your majesty! Your subject has made some tea."

"You are now his lady. Tell him that you have made some tea."

"Your majesty! Shenja has made some tea." The princess milked her words with a smile. Women who belonged to the emperor were supposed to refer to themselves as Shenja in front of his majesty unless he excused the woman to use her name, which showed deep favor from him.

"And what is your name, my lady?"

"Lady Wei. Lady Wei Li Lian." Le-anne spoke through gritted teeth. She was Princess Le-anne, not some lowly Lady Wei.

Nevoria was a great nation, and so its customs and culture were so intertwined and hard to grasp. Slaves did not belong to a clan, so they were only permitted a one syllable name whilst the lowborn and middle cla.s.s was only allowed two syllable names, leaving the n.o.bles and royalty to afford three.

Everything was about status in Nevoria.

"You need to better that accent of yours," Mistress Kei sighed with annoyance. "I think this is it for the day." She threw the stick on the floor.

The maids waiting on the princess ran to her aid. They each stood by her side, and she rested her hands on them for balance as she stood up. She could still feel Mistress Kei scrutinizing each move she made.

Although she was only eighteen summers old, she couldn"t stand up by herself because, after all, she had to be some pampered and spoilt Lady Wei who could not do things for herself like the rest of the lavished Nevorian women. Besides their impossible clothing, she had learned to walk, eat, and even breathe like them.

Nevorian women wore flamboyant dresses that consisted of wide sleeves, and sometimes, a robe to show off wealth, not forgetting the silks they wore underneath. Mistress Kei had made it a priority for her to start dressing like a Nevorian woman while Nameless had not cared for such things.

"The sooner the better," she had said when the princess threw a fit about it. Her country Huticah was a vast desert in which women specialized in wearing loose trousers and upper garments with a veil to cover their hair from the sandy winds; dresses were only for special occasions.

Princess Le-anne walked into her room, which was dim, as half of the many candles were lit. It was the way she liked it to be. The lavender scent greeted her nostrils, and she breathed it in to relax. However, she could tell something was out of order.

"Think with your senses," Mistress Kei had once taught her, not overlooking that she spent two moons blindfolded to sharpen her senses.

"I shall tend to myself. You may leave." She dismissed her maids.

"But—" Ai, one of the maids tried to protest, but the princess raised her hand to silence her.

Reluctantly, they took their leave.

"They have left. Reveal yourself," she commanded. Her heart was beating so fast, unsure if sending away her maids had been the right thing to do.

From behind the huge copper mirror, a familiar figure slowly emerged.

S.V