Lara

CHAPTER 3: THE KIND OF WOMAN SHE DESPISES (1)

LARA’S FLASHBACK

“Is this your daughter now? Wow! The last time I saw her was years ago. She was so tiny then!”

“What a beautiful girl! It’s really obvious where she takes all her genes from!”

“Imagine if we will have the tradition of finding the crown princess for Crown Prince Rydall. This little miss Lara can ace the evaluation. I just know it!”

Lara does not understand what is happening around her, but she guessed that whatever it is, it is making her mother happy and that matters the most. She and her mother rarely go out like this because of her condition, so seeing her happy like this makes her happy, too. Though she does not really like whenever people are staring at her like this.

Maybe it is because she was only home-schooled or maybe for the fact that she was not really used to being in front of a crowd like this. She cannot even sit with the kids, these women’s children, because she is not comfortable around them. They are giving him weird looks and she is scared. But she has to go back and sit on the kids’ table again.

She did not talk much and she is just glad that the other kids seem to take the hint that she is uncomfortable around them or maybe they got tired trying to have her speak. Either way, she is just glad that they don’t bother her anymore.

Have fun and make friends—she often hears this from her ladies-in-waiting and their butlers whenever she will go out. Like what she said, these times are very rare occasions and perhaps that is why everyone in their home is cheering her to “make friends”. But for her, that is the most useless thing she can ever do.

Why would she make friends knowing that she will not meet them again? Or if she is going to meet them again, it will be months or maybe years later. Having friends is too big of a responsibility that she does not know if she will ever be ready to take.

She only knows so much from the books she has read and is still reading. Having friends means sharing everything you have, means sharing who you are. She does not even like the sound of that because how does one really share herself to anyone? Just by reading friendship from the books seems a lot more tiring than having its benefits.

She’s bantering with herself so much that she did not notice that everyone joined the floor for dancing. Of course, she knows how to dance but even if someone does take the courage of asking her, her answer is already a solid rejection for the invitation.

But before anyone could even attempt, she actually walked out from the scene.

She already forgot what this gathering is for, but she is really not having it. She looked at the table where her mother is, she could not possibly ask her to leave now, so instead of walking to her again, she decided to take a stroll and find herself in the library of this mansion.

Good thing that this library is filled with books they do not have at home. She continued on browsing the books on the shelves, thinking that she could have escaped the whole awkward situation with the other children if knew this room earlier.

“That’s a sad thought about the friendship you have there in your head.”

Startled, she almost stumbled down upon hearing that voice.

A young boy, surely just her age, is sitting at one of the tables here. How come that she did not notice him before? She swears she looked around the room before entering. But then, she immediately noticed what the boy is wearing—his coat has the crest of the North Kingdom.

He suddenly chuckles, realizing where she is looking. “Nah, this is not my coat, but my friend’s. What’s your name?”

Normally, she would not even give any stranger a second look, but this boy made her answer just by looking at her the way he is doing now. “I’m name is Lara. Who are you?”

There is a doubting feeling in her about this boy not being from the North Kingdom. This boy is literally reading what is in her mind and only the people of the North Kingdom have the history with magic like what this boy possesses.

The boy grins, completely knowing what she just thought of. “It’s nice meeting you, Lara.” He steps down from the table and walks towards her to offer his hand. “I’m Yael.”

That immediately had her brow up. “Yael? As in Prince Yael, the crown prince’s cousin?”

“I would be happier if you shake my hand first before labelling me the label that I hate the most.”

A little embarrassed, she immediately shook his hand which in return made him smile again as if he was not offended just now.

“Yes, I am that prince, but please I would rather hear just my name, instead of having that label that goes along with it.”

Surprised with herself, before she even notices it, she is already laughing. “You have a funny look in your face, I-I’m sorry.”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “I get that a lot.”

“Prince Yael—”

Another boy appears and this time, for sure, this boy is from the North Kingdom. She can now see that Yael was not lying at all that his coat belongs to a friend. She and the new boy shared eye contact for a moment before looking away to take his jacket.

No words were said anymore and she did not even get to say goodbye to be respectful because she ran away. Her mother is already looking for her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“The word only favors the kind.”

It was Lara’s mother’s dying words and even at her young age, she understood what she meant perfectly. She knew what she was talking about because she did what she specifically told her to do instead of accompanying her in her deathbed.

She was instructed to her journal and that she did.

The journal contained everything to why her mother is her mother. Her mother could have been the queen of the West King of Asrael right now if it is not for a damned woman who stole the attention of the crown prince away from her. A woman who is pure and is kind and is everything her mom refuses to be.

The world only favors the kind and she already knows that the world will never favor her. Hatred is already planted in her heart and she despises the kind of woman the world favors… because she knows to herself that she will never be like them, too.

She never knew she could hate something with all her young heart.

She will never be like them.