Once A Princess, Now A Slave

54

Kelsie’s POV

I decided to make a soup. A sour soup. I listed all the ingredients on a paper and dictate it on my mind while connecting with Connor.

‘Is that all?’ he asked.

“Yep!” I said loudly. I immediately closed my lips, making the ‘p’ on the ‘yep’ sounds cut. I roam my eyes around. Fortunately, no one noticed that I am talking to someone in my mind. Everyone’s busy on their food while here I am, absentmindedly cutting the left-over leaves.

‘Alright. You can come over now.’

I quickly stand on my feet and secretly escape the quarter. There are no rules about where the ingredients should be taken. All they said was we need to make a soup.

Luckily, escaping wasn’t that hard. I got on our house for about five minutes. When I went in, I saw a paper bag placed on the center table. Behind it is Connor who is sitting calmly on a large and long sofa seat. His legs are wide apart while his elbows are resting on both of his knees.

He flashed a genuine smile at me, but it appears like a smirk.

“Here you go,” he said and stand on his seat. He smoothly picked up the paper bag without removing his eyes on me.

“Thanks!” I replied and grabbed the bag on his hands.

I was about to rush outside when Connor pulled me by my arm. I bounced back like a spring and my chest hit him.

“What?” I confusingly asked.

He tilt his head. His tongue pushed the inside of his cheek and licked his lower lip.

“No kiss?” he asked in a teasing tone. I frowned.

We look at each other for about a second. My forehead are furrowed but the sides of my lips are itching to stretch up to my ears.

My lips pouted. I tiptoed to reach his lips and give it a swift kiss. His head fall back a little due to my rushed move. He was taken a back and his grip on my arm loosen. I took it as an advantage to free myself and run outside.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I heard him say to himself when I escaped him.

When I got outside the house, I look back to check if Connor is following me.

No one is standing on the entrance of the door. I thought he did not follow me after I escaped however, after a few second, his figure appeared on the door frame.

Connor leaned his arm on the door frame while his eyes pierced on me. “Later,” he mouthed.

I bite my inner cheeks to stop myself from smiling. “Later what?” I mouthed back.

“Let’s f*ck,” he whispered.

Due to our distance, I couldn’t hear what he said. But based on how he smirked and the movement of his lips, it wasn’t hard for me to understand what he said.

I roll my eyes inwardly, but the smile on my lips is putting up a fight to have a position on my face.

“F*ck yourself,” I mouthed back, mimicking the way he communicated at me.

His infamous mocking smile suddenly faded. He looked at me seriously and I notice how his energetic dark gray eyes went dull and cold. This time, he was the one who frowned while I smirk.

Connor doesn’t like it whenever I’m cursing. He said, a princess should not.

Well, I am a princess and I will curse whenever and whoever I want to curse. Also, I am tired of the society’s description of a princess. I am more than a daughter of my parents. I am also a teenager who wants to have friends, do stuff, and f*ck around.

I made sure I piss him off before turning on my back and gallop away.

I got into the Salutary quarter just on time. No one noticed my disappearance since no one cares about my presence in here. I do not know if it’s a good thing to be invisible. Before, I am always the center of attention, but now, I guess the test takes more of their time that they do not have much time to bother me anymore.

I quietly prepare all the ingredients that Connor packed for me. Since I will be doing a sour soup, I will be needing a tamarind. However, there are no tamarind left and it is not a usual fruit that is being planted here in our pack. I have no other choice but let Connor give me a tamarind powder.

I started cooking my soup. Others are already letting Mrs. Gen check their work. It only took me 15 minutes to finish my soup. I pour it onto the bowl and place it on top of my table. I look around and noticed that almost everyone is already done.

I raised my hand to notify Mrs. Gen and be included on the list of students that she has to check the works. Veya, who is assisting Mrs. Gen since the beginning, met my eyes. She noticed me raising my hand. I saw her jotting down on the small notebook that she is holding. Probably listing my name. As she should.

After Mrs. Gen checked the soup of one of the test takers, she then went to my sister.

“Hmm… the color… the texture, the smell, these are all great!” she commented.

I’m not surprised. This is a Salutary quarter. This is her forte. She’s have to Ace this if she wants to be part of this quarter. To be honest, I want her to ace this. Maybe on that way, she will stop taking other tests and accept a badge for the Salutary wolves. I do not want to take the other test with her anymore. She’s full of trouble.

“You passed!” Mrs. Gen announced. Test takers around them applaud. Kristine shyly waved her hand and smiled to all of them.

“Thank you, thank you!” she greeted back while shaking the hands of others who congratulated her.

I want to roll my eyes. I know she’s happy but she acts too much. I doubt if there are still people who believes on her fake kindness aside from her minions.

Mrs. Gen started walking towards me. I fix my stance.

“Good day, Kelsie!” Mrs. Gen greeted.

“Good day, Ma’am. Good day, Veya,” I greeted back. Even I do not want to greet the b*tch behind her, I did out of courtesy.

Mrs. Gen started checking my soup. She segregated the ingredients and checked the herbs that I used. She’s nodding her head while scrutinizing the ingredients that I made.

I can feel a bit of relief when I noticed that her body language is doing positive gestures. She started scooping my soup. Her brows slightly furrowed. She then straighten her back. I bite my lower lip. What did I do wrong?

“What your main ingredient on this soup?” she asked.

“Tamarind, ma’am,” I answered.

“Did you use a pure tamarind fruit?”

“N-No… I used the powdered one.”

Mrs. Gen gradually dropped the spoon back in the bowl. Behind her is Veya who flashed a small smirk on her face.

I bite my lower lip. Did I do something wrong?

“Kelsie, you know the purpose of this test is to make use of herbs, right?" Mrs. Gen asked.

"Yes, but there are no ingredients left so I need to improvise. Isn't the goal of this test is for us to know how to make food for the ill?" I asked back.

She nods. "Yes, but we have rules here. This is a Salutary quarter, Kelsie. You are taking the test to be a Salutary. Salutary wolves uses herbs and plants in everything."

I sigh. "I don't get it. Salutary wolves are bound to take care of the ill and the needy. We all know that herbs are sometimes not available, just like today. I just improvised," I explained.

Mrs. Gen shakes her head. "I got your point, Kelsie. But this is a test. You could have used other ingredients for the substitution."

I sighed. So I guess I'll fail this one too?

"I'm sorry, Kelsie," she uttered.

I nod. I cannot argue with her. This is her field. I have to respect her decision.

"Also, where did you get the tamarind powder? You can't just go home and pick the ingredients you need for convenience. You are in a test."

I lowered my head and glued my eyes to the floor. I have a lot on my mind right now but I choose to not voice them out. They did not clarify the rules so I thought, as long as I can make a soup, I'm good.

"There's still a final test tomorrow. You should do your best, alright?"

I once again nodded, still not meeting her eyes. I can sense everyone's eyes on me as well as Kristine's smirk on her face. I mentally rolled my eyes. Let me see if you can do that when we are in my field of expertise. Tss! Arrogant little b*tch!

***

Mrs. Gen continued checking the remaining products of the test takers. A lot of them passed and few failed. And I am included to those who failed.

My chest tightens. I hate this kind of feeling. You know that you can do better but you just didn’t.

“You really think Connor can always save you’re a*s, huh?”

I take a deep breath. I am currently fixing the utensils that I used. The sound of my sister’s voice approaching my direction irritates me. To not make this conversation any longer, I immediately face her.

Her eyes widen for a second and she made a small step backward. She was about to hit her face on my chest. Good thing she have a quick reflex because if not, she might broke her nose.

“Are you going to approach me just to mock me?” I asked rhetorically.

She fixed her stance and crossed her arms over her chest. She slightly tilts her head and arched a brow up. “No, I won’t. Why would I do that?” she rolled her eyes inwardly and scoffed.

This time, I am the one who arched a brow. “Well, I just assumed you would. You harmed Eva. It is not impossible for you to mock and hurt someone,” I answered.

Kristine’s forehead crumpled. “What did you say?”

“I know it was you who harmed Eva,” I answered in a cold tone.

I look at her intently. She equaled the intensity of my stares. After a few second of holding each other’s eye contact, she smirked. On the other hand, I remained looking at her with a blank expression.

“You might want to check the screws on your head, sister…” she says. She made a step forward without removing her eyes on me. The smirk playing on her lips grew wider. “You were the one who harmed her. Isn’t that the reason why you failed?” she added.

I already know she will deny it. And I have no plans of making her force to spill the truth. At least, I know she did it. That’s what matters. For now, I need to focus not only on my test, but to also guard myself to not get bullied by this b*tch.

I flashed a smile. I notice how she was disturbed by my sudden move. If I were the old Kelsie, I might already pull her hair and toss the sh*t out of her.

“Go on. Believe whatever makes you sleep at night. I heard your new house is very comfy. Connor told me about it while we were on the bed,” I answered. I made sure to lower down my voice when I said the last line.

I still have no plans of telling her about our relationship, I just want her to feel angry at me. That’s the only thing I can think of when I am planning of getting even.

I doubt that she doesn’t know. Her mother has connections. It is impossible that this kind of news won’t spread and won’t reach her.

I hook my small bag on my left shoulder. I make sure I am smiling widely when looking at her.

“I’ll go now. I have to prepare for tomorrow’s test since I already failed the exam in this quarter twice. Also, Connor is already waiting for me. He told me earlier when I picked up the ingredients that he will be waiting for me so we can take a warm bath.”

Kristine’s cheeks turned red. If this is a lame movie, I’m pretty sure there is already a smoke coming out of her nose due to anger.

“Connor doesn’t like warm bath,” she confidently said. She is smirking but I can see how one side of her lip trembles.

“Yes, he doesn’t. But he will because he wants to be with me,” I replied and walk past her, bumping my shoulders into her and flipping my hair.

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Unedited. English is not my first language. My apologies for the grammar, sentence construction, and wrong spelling.

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Once A Princess, Now A Slave

By: Joanne Cristel

©2023