The Scarlet Phoenix and the Prince of Winter

Chapter Forty Four

"I need a woman to pretend to be my girlfriend." It would have been the best thing that I would have ever heard from him if I was just not focused on the good side of things but I am a natural-born worrywart.

"W-What do you mean, Prince Kao? You mean you want to escape your impending arranged marriage by trying to find a woman who could pretend to be your girlfriend?"

He nodded and my excitement just doubled. "That's exactly what I am thinking about, Rainha. I am not dumb to not expect that my father is leaning towards a union with an old family ally that would just strengthen his hold on me once I bite the bait."

"Oh, I see. The Forresters are your father's most loyal allies," I repeated what he just told me. "Of course, your father would want to unite with them if that was possible."

"Hmm hmm," he nodded while making a sound. "If that happens, Millicent's parents, including her will be elevated as Council Members. That's three voting members of the Council so my father would gain three new votes in anything that he wants to pass as laws or declarations."

I nodded. "That's the bad side of politics. Even your marriage and family is considered as a political move."

"Precisely," Prince Kao agreed. "And I don't think that I have to hide it from anyone else. It is already an open secret that my father just wants to let me get married for his political advantage. It would be weirder if he will think of my welfare."

"Oh." I did not expect that I would be emotional for him, just like this. I always think of him as someone who is extremely hard to topple over. In my eyes, the Crown Prince is a strong and steadfast leader that is hard to get affected by small matters like this. But in reality, that is not just the case. Prince Kao is also human and needs affection and care, but I don't think that he ever receives that from his only family member left. "I'm sorry, Prince Kao."

His eyebrows furrowed. "You are apologizing to me again. No need to do that, Rainha. I am not to make you sympathize with me. I was just saying what was on my mind."

"I know that," I explained. "But I just never thought about how an important person like you needs a normal family too."

"Don't we all?" he said trying to be humorous so that the mood will become lighter. "Anyway, I like sharing these personal things with you because I feel that we are the same in some ways. We both have sad family histories and both of us never really felt how a regular household works where there is a father, a mother, and then their children. What we have are breadcrumbs, if others have whole slices of bread with them."

That was some intense and serious comparison coming from him. I would never have thought that he ever thought of us as quite the same when it comes to family history, but I think he made his point well. We do have a lot in common, especially with how we grew up with no normal family. Both have a dysfunctional family, to be honest, because I did not really felt that Aunt Milca doted on me or my mother.

She always made it a point to tell us how tired and unlucky she was to be in her position, and it was true, I have to give her that. She was still young when she had us and that changed the course of her life forever. Suddenly she had two children that she had to look out for, to feed, and to take care of. It was enough for her to feel some kind of love-hate relationship with Garreth and me.

And of course, everyone knows Prince Kao's family history. He may have a father but his father was as good as a stranger to him. As the current King maybe his father felt like it was an additional chore or responsibility to take care of his son. Or maybe he resents that his only son survived the disease that he had in exchange for the life of his wife? We never know the truth when it comes to that aspect, but it is obvious that King Luander cares for his son less than a father would normally. It does not take a genius to read how he acts towards the Crown Prince. Living here in the Palace as a court servant made me see all that push and pull drama between the two.

"Thank you for thinking of me like that," I said because I truly appreciate what he just thought of me. "I felt that way too, but I never thought that you would notice it too. I mean, I am just a nobody. You don't even have to talk to me, right? But you did and you are still talking to me and somehow that warms my heart."

His smile radiated around the room and I swear it just made me feel hot. And that's saying something when you are living in a closed kingdom with only the cold to identify the whole place. "Don't underestimate yourself, Rainha. You are not just anybody, you know. If my theories are correct, you could be the last, living descendant of the Luria Tribe, which is not ordinary at all."

I shook my head. "But I don't want to be a part of that mysterious tribe, Prince Kao. I don't need more problems in my life. My hands are already quite full from of all of these troubles that are pestering me. I don't think that I still have spare time to wonder about my ancestry."

"But that could change your life forever, Rainha. Are you sure that you don't want it just in case...?"

"Just in case what?"

Prince Kao took a deep breath before he continued on explaining. I think he was trying his best to explain it to me in such a way that I would understand it clearly, so that did make me feel bad that he had to do that just so I could comprehend what he is trying to say.

"Just in case your mother was indeed a part of the Luria or the Snow Gypsies, which right now is almost a hundred percent sure, that would mean that you are a direct descendant of that old tribe."

"Oh. And what does it mean if I am part of the Luria? The Snow Gypsies? I'm sorry if I have so many questions. I just don't get what is so important if I happened to be a direct descendant of the Snow Gypsies."

"That would mean that you are not just an ordinary person, Rainha. The Luria, or the Snow Gypsies are highly regarded as an important tribe in our kingdom, right? I'm pretty sure that you know that."

I nodded. "Yeah, luckily, I know that part. Our teachers taught it to us back in school. Ancient tribes of the kingdom are considered an important part of our society."

"That's right. But more than that lip service, our laws recognize the Luria. So that could flip your life in a one-eighty."

I don't actually get what the Crown Prince was trying to say, but it sounds good to me so I just smiled. I was about to ask more about it when someone knocked on the door and it was Millicent, calling Prince Kao from the outside of the door.

"Prince Kao! Breakfast is ready! You might have missed our Ginger and Lotus Tea! I personally prepared it for you!"

"I'll be there in a second!" he said and Millicent replied back that she will be waiting for him at the dining table. That pissed me off a lot, as that woman was trying to act like she was already the Crown Prince's girlfriend.

"So, going back to what I was trying to explain to you a while ago, I was saying that I thought of a way to get out of the said arranged marriage. And that is to tell everyone that I already have a girlfriend."

I gasped and my chest heaved when the Crown Prince said that. "But they will not believe you if you will not introduce someone as your girlfriend."

"That is true. That's why I have been thinking these past few days. I have been searching for a prospect, and I think I have found her."

He was looking at me intently so I had no choice but to wait patiently and think 'let it be me' while he was pausing. "W-Who?"

"You will soon get to know her."

That was enough to crush my heart into a million pieces. Man, I let my hopes up for no apparent reason. Damn. How stupid of me. Why would I even think that he was going to say that it was me? I am just a court servant. It is ridiculous as it is even against the law. He is not allowed to marry someone as low as me in the social status.

"I know that you will not approve of my choice, but please support me, Rainha. I need your opinion about it okay?" He was trying to be charming when he said that to me and I could do nothing else but to say yes.