The Scarlet Phoenix and the Prince of Winter

Chapter Twenty

The news that the Crown Prince went out of the castle with a girl one night spread like wildfire in the whole kingdom. It became the talk of the town by everyone, but mostly by each and every woman alive.

There were lots of speculations and theories as to who might be this lucky woman, and I thank the heavens that the only people who know that it was me is the Crown Prince, myself, Madame Morris, and the Royal Guards that were there when I went to his room that night after we came back from our house at Aurville. I had second thoughts about those Royal guards, but they promised Prince Kao that they would not say a single word about it, according to Prince Kao himself so I tried my best not to worry.

Even the other court servants were talking about this issue the whole day and I was dying from restraining myself to tell them that it was me. That even if I was not actually her girlfriend, I was the girl that they were talking about. But I was not dumb to say that to them because there are only two possible scenarios that will happen if I tell them that it was me--- the girl that they were gossiping about.

In fact, I don't even know which of the two possible scenarios that I would prefer. Is it the possibility that they would believe me and get jealous of me and then the next thing I know everyone's eyes are on me, or the other possible scenario in which they will just laugh loudly at my claim and will call me names such as 'crazy,' 'barking mad,' or 'lunatic.' I think I slightly prefer the latter, but only because there was a good chance that in the former, I will be assassinated by the current King himself.

But still, even if I have to keep this to myself (I could not even share it with Jang because of Madame Morris' stern warning) it felt so good that I was getting involved with the Crown Prince. It felt so romantic and exciting that while the rest of the kingdom is trying to guess who is that mysterious girl, I was just here inside the castle enjoying the buzzing atmosphere.

The only downside to this is that Madame Morris still seemed to think that something romantic is really going on between me and the Crown Prince so she did her best to check on me almost every minute, like that would help to keep the secret intact.

"I am just carrying my duty," she told me when I asked her why was she accompanying me when it was my turn to clean the upper rooms near the Crown Prince's own room. She must have thought that there was a high chance that I would slip inside Prince Kao's room and she was with me to prevent it from happening. "I'll have to supervise you."

"I can understand that, but you don't have to accompany me everywhere, Madame Morris. I have no plans in seeing the Cr---" I paused when I realized that I might get heard, and Madame Morris' eyes were bulging. "H-Him. Believe me or not, I just want a peaceful and warm life too, you know."

"I cannot be complacent when I don't know what I am actually dealing with," she responded, and that was actually a fair point. I knew that she was talking about the fact that she still does not know why does the Crown Prince talk to me in private, so it is only natural for her to be this vigilant.

"Thank you for this, Madame Morris. I appreciate your concern too, but wouldn't this be suspicious too?"

"What do you mean?"

"This!" I said, pointing the two of us. "People could notice that you are behaving differently these days. You don't follow a single court servant the whole day, right? So I just thought that people who see this might get some ideas."

She looked mortified with what I said and then suddenly excused herself and went back to what she was initially going to do. I find her cute but I was also laughing because I was able to drive her away. Shaking my head, I was enjoying what was happening. If only she knows what is actually happening between the Crown Prince and me. She would not use her free time just by following me if she learns that Prince Kao was more interested in my dead mother than me. But she doesn't know that, so I'll guess I will have to bear her presence for a while until the rumors die down.

But the only problem is, it seems that the issue will not die down that easily. The opposite is what is happening right now. The story that the Crown Prince was having a secret relationship with an unknown woman had captured the attention of everyone that it became a daily habit to guess who could that be. Several popular women from prominent families were thrown in by the people, claiming that it was them. Some of these women were even riding the issue by hinting to the public that it could be them by giving false statements.

The funniest of them all was a woman called Arrah, whose mother was claiming that it was her daughter that the Crown Prince might be seeing. She said that her daughter had a boyfriend that lives in the castle, and that at first they thought that it was a Royal Guard but was now convinced that it was actually the Crown Prince disguised as a Royal Guard.

In short, Arrah, the poor lady has been fooled by the Crown Prince into thinking that she was in love with a lowly guard and was now having the dilemma of whether she'll going to continue the love affair or she'll going to cut ties with Prince Kao for her safety. I had the time of my life laughing from this story because it was as hilarious as the fact that their mother-and-daughter was a hit among the public. They even gained followers and supporters which was beyond my comprehension on how did they manage to do.

Jang was giving me a shrouded look when I retold to her this story because she did not find it funny. "It could be true though," she told me seriously and the smile on my face evaporated. "She might be the girl that the Crown Prince is seeing."

"Oh come on, Jang. Seriously? You believe her story?"

She shrugged. "Well, it could be anyone, right? Plus, that girl comes from a wealthy and famous family so it's not really that farfetched."

"Just because she's from a wealthy family, you think that it could be her?"

"I don't necessarily say that it is her. I'm just saying that it is not impossible."

"Oh. Right. Well, it is still funny. You know why? There's a loophole with their story. She claims that she has been fooled by the Crown Prince by pretending to be a Royal Guard. But that is ridiculous because if she's from a wealthy family then she would probably recognize the Crown Prince, right? So how could you fall in love with a Royal Guard that has the same face as the Crown Prince. Wouldn't be your first reaction is to think that maybe he is the Crown Prince?"

"That's true. But an explanation to that could exist."

"Well yeah. But still, I find it so hilarious. I haven't laughed for a while, to be honest. Not once since my Aunt went missing."

"Oh. I'm sorry about that. I hope your Aunt is safe wherever she is."

I nodded. "Thanks. The Royal Guards are searching for her so I am not that stressed out. I would have done the search myself but I have to work. The Ruthless Blizzards Season is fast approaching and I am still short of pebbles."

"Yeah, me too. And you know what, I just realized something from your Aunt's disappearance."

"What is that?" I asked her as we were now lying on our bunk beds.

"It's just that this winter had not only made our bodies cold, but also our insides."

"What do you mean?"

It is really weird that Jang was this serious. It almost scares me. "If someone disappears one day, poor people like us would not have even the time to search for our missing loved ones. If one family member dies, we can't even afford to grieve for them because we have to work in order to get warm. I just find that so sad."

I agreed. "It is sad." I know that I was not showing it, but deep inside I am crying my heart out because I feel so helpless. My brother hasn't contacted me yet, and nobody has seen Aunt Milca yet too. The Royal Guards that Prince Kao ordered to search for her was still not back from their search so I was starting to be more anxious as the days go by. It was already three days since that night but there was still no progress. And it scares me because the longer Aunt Milca is gone, the lower the chances of her being alive too.

"It's not only our bodies that gets cold, but also our souls. It's not just fair, you know. The rich people don't have to worry about these kinds of events."

"Well, yeah. I bet Arrah have columbars on their mansion while she daydreams about his 'prince.' Even if her acting is so stupid she still sleeps in a house that is a lot warmer than ours."

"Precisely. But wait... I just noticed something and I have to tell you this."

"What?"

"You seem to be very oddly happy about these rumors of the Crown Prince having a secret girlfriend. I have expected the opposite from you."

"What? You think I should be angry?"

"Yes. And not only angry but mad."

I was trying my best again not to spill the truth to defend myself. "Why would I do that? I have really no power over that matter, do I?"

"Yeah, but you seem to be taking this matter lightly than what I expect from you. I was so sure that you would have spent your time trying to figure out who is this woman that the Crown Prince is seeing but surprisingly, you are still calm."

"Oh. That. Maybe because I have my own problems right now, that's why I don't have the energy to discuss the matter seriously."

Her expression softened when I said that. "That makes sense. Maybe your mind is still with your Aunt and I totally understand that. I'm sorry for talking about this though."

"It's okay. I'm glad you do."

"But if you were to be asked, who do you think is the Crown Prince's woman? Or do you really think that she has a girlfriend?"

I shook my head. "I don't think that he is seeing someone right now. And I said that not because I am bitter, okay? That's what I really think."

"But why do you think that way?"

"Because I don't think the Crown Prince would actually date right now. Not now that his father is still strong. Dating a girl right now would only endanger her, right? So I think that he is still single and I still have a shot at his heart."

Jang laughed at that. "Yeah, you have a point. That is the kind of thing that the Crown Prince would do, in my opinion too. I guess I believe you. You do know him best, don't you."

"Of course!"

"And come to think of it, if he is really dating someone, then we are actually talking about a potential new queen, and that's crazy. No wonder it is such a big deal for the kingdom. People might be just really excited for a new member of the Royal Family to get inducted."

"And I don't blame them for getting way too excited. Even myself, I get excited about the probability that he's now interested in marrying a woman."

"True. But if I may talk in a different direction, I don't think whoever this girl is, if he is actually secretly dating someone, has a very bright future ahead of her. I think she's going to die before she can even sit on her throne."

That scared me. Call me ambitious, but I was already picturing myself getting hurt from people who are doing their best to bring me down. I could already picture the bad elements in this kingdom working their best just to kill me. This would be a pain in the ass and I am not sure if I am willing to be put in that position right now.

I was daydreaming about it until the next day, when I was one of the court servants tasked to sweep the Royal Garden when a Royal Guard suddenly went over me and gave me a piece of folded paper. He told me to open it in private and I think I know why.

"What is that?" One of the court servants who saw that scene asked. "Oh no, Rainha. Is that Royal Guard courting you?" They were all giggling now at me because they did not let me answer first before they make a conclusion. Now they thought that I was being courted by a Royal Guard and I could not stop that rumor from spreading to the whole castle anymore. I just did not focus on it that much because I was more excited about the letter that the Crown Prince gave me.

I opened it in the bathroom and I read the note that he wrote for me. He told me in this note to meet him at the south entrance of the castle later this evening. The last word in his note was the word 'snow carriage' and I assumed that he was talking about traveling.

Was he trying to tell me that he already has an idea of who those men are? Those men who tried to abduct me and escaped through a getaway vehicle which was a snow carriage? Are we going to be alone together again?