XXXI

Princess Roshanne

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T'was a lovely day, the princess thought as she peered from the window, the sun was up once more, the kingdom was peaceful, despite the sudden arrival of Dae's father, it must be because the king is away, searching for a golden haired bastard.... A smile thug upon her lips, a bastard he will never see again, too bad for him her sources were more faster, and her assassins... Are more agile. And the babe and it's mother were peacefully dealt with. She took a sip of her tea before she looks at the quiet lady who's sitting across from her, her red hair was put into a braid, her head was adorned with flowers and she's wearing a green dress. Lady Dae was reading a book, quietly. She asked to meet her again, it's already been four days since their last meeting in the parlor, she's been busy dealing with the kingdoms problem.

"How's the harem?" Dae looked up from her book when she asked her that.

"Oh... It was good." Dae answered her with a smile on her lip, but she never misses the way she blushes... Seemingly to remember something, Roshanne tilts her head to the side.

"Anything else?" She asked again, and Dae shakes her head, Roshanne decided to leave her at that. She places down the tea cup and cleared her throat, Dae looked back at her, she raised her brow and Dae quickly put down her book and sits straight.

"Let's get down to business shall we?" She asked her, and Dae nods her head, she remained quiet and waited for her to speak again.

"We should have had this conversation before, but as you know... We got distracted." Dae's face turned beat red and Roshanne enjoyed it, finding it quiet pleasurable to see her blushing and sweating, it was also the reason why she decided to take a seat far from her... Because she knows that she wouldn't be able to resist Dae.... Maybe she could fuck her again after this meeting, but for now she would have to focus to the problem at hand.

"I don't want to beat around the bush and drag this conversations longer Dae.... I would just want an honest answer from you, and I want you to tell me the truth." Roshanne didn't miss the way Dae's bracelet glow... And she fought back the smile that was threatening to spill.

"Tell me the purpose of your father. Why did he surrender?" She asked her, Dae swallowed twice before looking down at her hands.

"My father may have many reasons for his surrender, he wanted to protect the kingdom, and he wanted to kill the king." Dae admitted, Roshanne nods her head. They wanted the same thing after all.

"What is your purpose Dae? Why did you agree to marry my father?" Dae bit her lower lip, Roshanne could see how hard she's trying to not spill everything, but in the end it was impossible.

"I didn't, my father forced me. He... Wanted me to kill the king, but not before giving birth to his child. My father also wanted me to kill you and your family." Roshanne brow raised... So that was his plan.

"And how are you going to do that?" Dae swallowed, then she took something out from her sleeve and put it on the table, it was vial containing a purple liquid, Roshanne eyes squinted.

"By poisoning us?" She asked Dae who nods in confirmation, before looking down in shame.

"Forgive me your highness. But I never wanted to do it." Roshanne smiles and grab the vial, she examined it for a few moment before placing it back down to the table.

"No... It's okay. You haven't done anything wrong, you are just doing what you're father wanted you to do, because you are his good girl." Dae looked up at her with wide eye... Seems like she wasn't expecting her to take this news greatly, Roshanne just smiled.

"But your days as his good girl is long over Dae... You are now mine. And as I promise I will help you." Dae's brow furrowed.

"Help me what?" She asked her in confusion.

"Help you kill this family." Dae looked startled and horrified at the notion, she guess it was because no matter what happened Dae will always be a good person, and kindness will always prevail.

"B-but your highness! That is wrong... That is beyond morale." Dae tried to argue, so cute she thought.

"Morale? What do you know about it? Dae this kingdom has no place for morale, it wouldn't bring you anywhere, in this war that my father sets, everyone must get their hands dirtied. Everyone must kill someone if they wished to survive." She told her, it was a lesson she must teach Dae right now. In order for her to succeed, in order for them to succeed.

" Now... You will not have to worry about anything else... Just be my obedient girl.... Become my spy against your father and I will do the poisoning." She promises Dae, who was looking at the vial. Guilt was still written all over her face.

"You must know his every move, know his every plan and tell it to me. Directly to me... The same goes to my father... Befriend him, gain his trust and then tell me whatever it is he plans." Dae stared at her wide eyed.

" Do... Do I have to lay with him?" The smile on Roshanne lips disappeared, now the image of Dae being assaulted by her father came back rearing to her mind, and a vile feeling arouse from her chest, she doesn't like it... The idea of Dae laying with her father brought a bitter taste in her mouth.

" No." Came her cold answer.

" Unless you wanted to... Do you want to lay with my father? I won't stop you." A lie Roshanne thought, she won't allow her, simply Because she is hers to fuck. She thought that the idea of sharing is not so fun... Specially when it is Dae they are talking about, she belongs only to her now.

"Of course not! No your highness... I was... Simply asking." Dae answered horrified at the notion of having to lay with the king again.

"Good... Then come now." Dae looked confused for a moment when she pats her leg, she didn't get what she meant so she sighed.

"Come sit here." Roshanne ordered which made Dae look even more confused.

"Thank you your highness, but I am comfortable with my seat, besides I am heavy. I don't want to burden you." Dae politely declines which made Roshanne chuckle.

" I am not asking lady Dae... I am demanding." She told her, Dae hesitated still, but one raise from her brow had her standing up and walking towards to her, Dae sat on her lap awkwardly... She gently wrap her arm around her waist and pulled her closer to her.

"We still haven't talked intimately... We know nothing of each other. Why don't we get to know one another better... The way a friend should have." She suggested, only it was a ploy of her to further to get to know Dae, to know what she likes and dislikes, how to treat her right so in that way, Dae wouldn't dare to go against her, the chance of betrayal would be slim... She was used to this, she had done this, she could even call herself a master in the art of manipulation. She had practiced it on he maids. Made sure to hone the skill more.

"There's nothing to know about me your highness." She tilts her head to the side, she placed her hand on top of Dae's lap and she didn't miss how Dae looked at her hand.

"Nonsense, I believe there is more to know about you." She told her, before relaxing to her own seat... She doesn't worry about this kind of position they have, they are not to be disturbed and their are guards posted outside. They would warn just in case.

"How about you tell me something of when you are young." Dae bit her lower lip and looked down at her lap.

"Well... Ever since I could remember I was already at the tower." She told her, Roshanne nods her head.

"Well I was not raised here... I was raised by my grandmother. I grew up in the small village of Shreen and didn't get to meet my family till I was eight, and my father, I didn't get to know him till I was ten." She shared so just Dae would feel even more relaxed around her. To open up more.

"My father always replaces my maids every five months, so that I wouldn't be able to form any special bond with them." She told her, this made Roshanne's brow furrowed, what a heartless man, she thought, she depraved her of any connections from the others so that he could manipulate her more... Well at some point it did work..... But that only made Dae more vulnerable to human emotion, the moment someone shower her with attention and love that she craves the easier she is to be pulled away from him.

"Well there was this one exception." A soft smile appeared on Dae's lip which surprised Roshanne, because it was a smile that she doesn't often sees from her.

"Do tell me about it." She encourages her, she saw hesitation but the smile never quite left Dae's lips... Who is this person to cause that smile?

"Well.... it was the daughter of the maid I used to have when I was about thirteen, the maid wasn't really supposed to bring her daughter with her, but she was an old woman and the choirs up from my tower seems to much for her." Dae began to share, still that smile was well etched on her lips. She looks beautiful, innocent even... Roshanne got to see a small glimpse of the little girl that was trapped in the tower, of a child that was repressed.

"She was about my age, I remember, she has the same color of hair as me... And from what I learned she is a daughter of a Sakran man... Her father was also a nomad, traveling the vast desert... She told me about her father's travels, that he told her... She told me about this oasis that was situated in the middle of unconquered land. She told me of the great wilder beast that lives their. And of a river that she claims could grant eternal youth." Roshanne's brow raised, the river of blessings... She have heard about it from her father, it was myth well known by all... A river that was hidden in the middle of the desert, or somewhere in the desert, it was said to grant youth to whoever drinks from it... It was her father's obsession and she didn't know why... Ever since the king tried and conquered the Lysos, which serves as the sole protector of the unconquered lands, it was all he talks about..

Youth, youth... But why? Is that so he could rule longer? But that would be nonsense! They already have something of their own... The golden pool in their temple, which granted purification as well as healing, but one this it does not grant.... Youth... Maybe he wasn't content with it.

"And you believe her?" She curiously asked her, Dae stared at her and shifted in her seat, trying to get more comfortable.

"Yes your highness, I do believe in her... You see even my father claims that the unconquered land remained a stranger to them... It was so vast that the possibility of such legends being true was correct." Dae had shared, so the river of youth... Could be true, but she must know more about it.

" Can you tell me what else you know about it?" She inquires, there got to be something more to it that giving back your youth.

" I am afraid that.... That's the only thing I know about. Before Brie could tell me more about it... She and her mother was sent away..." Brie? Wasn't that the name of the woman that Dae had called when she was asleep?

" But I could ask my father about it if you want. He was well versed about this stories more." She told her which made Roshanne smile... She was already going to do her job.

" That would be great." She stated before leaning back.

" So tell me more about this woman." She stated, becoming curious about this said woman. She must be really important for Dae.

"We were friends, she was my only friend, Brie was a good girl, I remember we often play and she often reads for me... She also taught me the basic of reading that's why even though I can't read that well, I have an idea on how to read basic words." Roshanne nods her head.

"And I am guessing your father found out about it so that's why she was sent away?" Dae looked at her surprised, and then she smiles.

"How did you guess." Roshanne shrugs her shoulder before looking away, she put her hand on Dae's lower back.

" With that kind of man, it wasn't hard to guess." She answered. Dae hummed and nods her head.

" What about you princess?" Roshanne looked back at Dae.

" What about me?" She asked with a raise brow.

" Do you have friends too?" Roshanne stared at her for a moment, does she have friends? She thinks.

" I have Alastair and Margaret... As well as my cousin... So I guess they are friends... The closer thing to a friend that I could have." Dae nodded her head, her feet was swinging back and forth, she looks like a kid... She guess she's enjoying this.

" Well... Other than them?" Other than them? Roshanne thinks back... She has her mentor, then there's Odette... But other than them... She has no one.

"Well there's my mentor... Then Odette of course... And well." She looks at Dae's eyes and smiled.

"You... I have you." She watches as Dae's face slowly turns red, then a shy smile appeared on her lips... She looks bashful.

"I ... Well thank you your highness." They fell silent for a moment, Roshanne was enjoying herself as she watches Dae's blushing face... Something about it intrigues her... She found it pleasing to look at... Specially how the way the red starts from her chest up to the tip of her ears... It often reminds her of when Dae was beneath her and writhing and moaning helplessly...

She guess she was intoxicated to that look of Dae... You could almost say she's fascinated by it... Because Dae's expression... We're as natural as it can get... It was pure... No hint of malice or any deception, there was no sign of ambition, something she often sees to the women she bed in the city of flesh. Or to the men. She started rubbing her thumb against Dae's lower back.

"So tell me about them." Dae had inquired. She Chuckle.

"Hmmm.... Let's see... Alastair was my Younger brother, he was raised in the city of Cadalin, and he grew up there until he was five... When her mother died when he was eight... I took it upon myself to take care of him." And so their afternoon was spent with them talking and sharing little bits of things.... And by the end of the day... Roshanne had already learned a few things about Dae.

Her preference towards sweet food, and her dislike of something sour and spicy... She learns that Dae loves to sing, and knows how to paint... A talent she found surprising... She also learned that Dae was abandoned by her mother the moment she was born, and her lord father despice that woman.... Dae also told her that her father often claims that she looks like her mother. And Dae had never really build a relationship with any of her siblings. She also learned of weakness about her father.

Dae's father has a scar on his leg, caused by the war when one of their soldier hit him during the battle, and that wound never quite healed right and that cause the king a great discomfort... Marcus his eldest son was a quiet man... But from what Dae had told her... Was an ambitious one. Frederick and the rest wasn't much of a threat as Marcus who's always planning something.... That's why Dae had warned her not to let her guard down around him.

By the end of the afternoon she had dismissed Dae telling her she had to prepare for something. Then promised her that she would see her again soon.

That night Roshanne dined in her room alone, she was reading reports, and a letter that arrived from the Isle of Bastards... The letter contains only one word and a gold hair strand.

Done....

It said in the letter... Roshanne touched the hair and her brow furrowed... Gold... So it was possible, her father could still have another golden child... From what she had gathered before, the child actually was born with golden hair the same as Khalil and her, and has eyes the color of her father's... But the blood of that child was said to be red.... Still not a blessed one... But still... He was threat to her... And another bastard. Roshanne sighed and walked towards the hearth. And tossed the letter, she watches as it burns. Then headed towards her door.

"Tell Odette that I am at the temple, I would return in an hour... And I want my bathe prepared by then." She instructed the guards before closing the door... She walked barefoot from the castle up to the temple... Where there she was greeted by Archbishop Lante, the divine punisher.

"Good evening princess... What brought you here so late in the evening?" He asked her, Archbishop Lante was called a divine punisher, because it was him who give punishment to the criminals who wanted to atone or their sins.

"I have committed a grave crime." She told him. The smile on his lips disappeared.

"Saintee." He spoke, his voice was condescending.... Archbishop Lante was the only who could treat her like she was below him, but only during this time. Where she has to cleanse herself from a sin she had commited

"I will now have my punishment." She told him, The Archbishop looked down on her... She awaited his instructions.

"To the penitence room... Wait for me there." He told her. Roshanne nods her head and bid as what he told her... This wasn't the first time she had done This, she has committed crimes before, for the sake of her own safety... But this time... It was out of complete selfishness... As Roshanne made her way to the penitence room she tried to reflect on her actions for the past month... She was manipulating a poor girl for her own sake... She was planning on killing her mother, she was killed a poor mother and her innocent infant....

Roshanne tried to picture the babe... She imagine a child who's face was the same as her... Or of Khalil... She tried to imagine it smiling, she imagine him growing.... There's a life ahead of him. She thought, he might even become a noble Knight, a good man, a good father... But before his life could even begin, Roshanne had decided to end it. Because she knows that he could also become like her father, a monster, a bastard like Kaspian.... So it was for the better, but still... She wished she had come up with something else.

Her steps falters when she entered the cold room of penitence, right there on the ground was a pile of salt... and in the middle A single statue of the Goddess Riahanon, the Goddess of Divine justice and law.... She started at the cold image of the goddess looking down on her with a sword in her hand pointing against her.... Roshanne began to undress before slowly kneeling down. Roshanne bit her lips as the salt slowly sink against her flesh.... She clasp her hands together and began her prayer.