Fillial Piety...Wise...Loyalty... Izrina repeated these words to herself as she danced. Somewhere deep in her mind, she didn't feel like she was supposed to be dancing, but she wanted to. Her feet hurt so did her head.
Graceful....Izrina repeated. Moving her hands in the air, when she felt a sharp prick on her skin she winced but didn't stop. Then she heard a familiar voice.
"How is she?" Spinola sniffled, the woman had tried her best to hold back her tears ever since they entered the palace.
The physician pointed at the princess with genuine concern, "What caused such damage on her?" he waited but noticed the woman wasn't going to answer. He continued, "It would have been fatal if the injury in her ear stayed for long without care..."
Izrina blinked. Her body felt like it had been pressed with an anvil. She moved only her eyes to the side, when she saw Spinola the girl exhaled softly.
"Darling," Spinola mouthed, her eyes filled with gratitude that the girl had woken up.
The physician pushed a stool closer to Izrina's bed, he waved for Spinola to join him. "Turn her to her right."
Spinola did as instructed, moving the princess carefully to lay on her right.
"If you can hear me young lady....tell me your name."
Izrina gulped, "I am Iz-"
'...remember your name is RINA.'
"I am Rina," she replied with a soft voice
Spinola, who had held her breath, let go of it slowly. The princess didn't scream anymore when she spoke. She turned to look at the physician, excited. "Her hearing is back now?"
"Now to her left," the man ordered, ignoring the woman's question.
Spinola moved the girl to lay on her left side, rubbing her palm in anticipation.
"If you can hear me, tell me your name."
There was silence.
Spinola's smile dropped, "Darling, say your name." She repeated with an anxious smile.
Izrina remained as she was, staring blankly at the war. When she didn't notice any movement, she turned by herself. "Why is everyone quiet?"
Spinola parted her lips, so many emotions crossed her face. And despair toppled it all.
"It seems as I had guessed, she has lost hearing in her left ear. Like I said earlier, the injury on that ear would have been fatal if she didn't received immediate care." The physician explained. "For now, she can hear with her right ear, but we shouldn't trust that because she would struggle in crowded rooms or when someone speaks quickly and loudly since only one ear functions well."
Spinola's eyes got refilled with fresh tears. She had thought of the worse too but prayed that after treatment the girl would feel better.
"The other cuts on her body are minor and would heal in few days time with proper care. Her feet were tender and shouldn't have to be exposed near fire....aside that... the girl is healing fine." The man stood up from the stool, he handed a small bottle of ointment to Spinola.
"For the cuts on her skin." As the man turned to leave the room, he glanced at the young girl once more. He'd heard that they were prostitutes brought in as slaves. The physician had a hard time believing that. The girl he had just treated had never had a day of hard labor in her life and showed.
The man shrugged, he has survived in the palace as a physician because he knew how to keep his mouth shut. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he left the women in the room.
"Spinola...what did the man say?" Izrina asked, touching her the left side of her head that throbbed badly.
Spinola forced her tears back in, she took Izrina's hands into her own and patted them gently. "Nothing serious at all....you just need to remember to look at people's lips when they speak too fast or...um....like when you're in a crowded room." She spoke slowly to help her understand.
Izrina bit her lips, she knew what that means but there was no need acting too smart. She could hear the crack in the woman's voice. She blinked, "Are we going to stay here forever?"
Spinola had thought about their escape right from the moment they walked through those gates. "We can't....even if this place is the safest place on earth right now. Zephyrus and Ziadne are two enemy kingdoms separated by more than oceans but also deep-rooted hate." the woman paused, rubbing the girl's face.
"For now we know that we are safe from being hunted down but then..."
Izrina nodded, understanding their situation. "I must avoid capture in an enemy kingdom." Princess of Ziadne inside the enemy's territory was the greatest prank life has played on Izrina aside from taking her parents on her birthday.
The girl sighed,; there was no point crying over what had already happened. She needed to fall back and return home.
"What do we do next? Where is this place?" Izrina finally looked around the small room that had just the bed she laid on and a small stool. Even the windows were sealed shut.
"I heard this is where they isolate sick prostitutes...we are inside the palace." The woman replied, and from she had gathered so far. They would be trained to serve the king and his officials.
"And Cora?" Izrina hadn't seen the young man since they last time he tried to save them
Spinola's face brightened. "I guess that outlandish king is a man of his words. Cora has joined his army." It was hope in this sea of despair. If Cora could get closer to the king, then their escape was nearer than they imagined.
"Mm." Izrina moaned. It felt rather strange not having her guard beside her.
"I have never seen a king that....that profane!" the woman exclaimed. "On our way here I had seen him with-"
Izrina stopped the woman by patting the back if her hand. "He saved or life."
Spinola hated to agree."That he did...and Iam grateful, but there is just something about him...that just...Princess, I want you to listen carefully to me." she took her hands.
"Make sure to stay away from him. I felt his aura earlier and that young man has a darkness in his eyes that isn't just normal. He looks like he has stared into the abyss for too long and now lives in its shadow."
Izrina understood what Spinola meant. The woman wasn't even exaggerating. She has only seen his eyes, and Izrina felt chills run down her spine.
"Avoid him at all costs." Spinola completed, shaking her head in disapproval.
Izrina nodded. She had never met a man so....brute? In contrast to her polished and soft-spoken husband-to-be. That king was some sort of broken beast hanging on a loose thread, which was his crown.
"About serving the men...you don't have to worry about it." Spinola began, "I already started a rumor that you have a disease. I'm sure no king would want to lay their hands on you but even then..." the woman wasn't sure how long the lie would save them. She hope just until they escaped the kingdom.
"You have to act as invisible as you can...and never speak to anyone. Stay exactly where I can see you."
As Spinola mentioned the do's and don't's to Izrina. The girl stared blankly above the woman's face. This was it...her new life. A new beginning for her, Spinola and Cora.
It was now a battle of will or their hope to have freedom someday.
"Hope." The princess muttered.
"...Hide in- what?" Spinola asked with her brows drawn together.
Izrina gave her a wistful smile, "Hope is evil...it prolongs suffering." she remarked. "And this shall be the dog days of our misfortune."