Her Poison His cure: Behind The Mask

After the morning class. All the other teachers depart leaving the crown prince and his literature teachers behind to talk

They both sit facing each with a table of refreshments placed in front of them. The eunuch served them their tea and stood beside them awaiting any order.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“I have a question to ask Your highness” he revered, and sipped his tea.

“Go on”

“If I had guessed the correct answer. Would you have stopped learning literature as you claim?” He demanded.

The prince inhaled deeply “that was my resolve.”

“I took you for a mere student but your determination is respectable” He replied with a smile.

“It was my sister who gave me this courage” The prince esteemed dreamly, a wide smile spread on his lip

“What an intelligent young princess,” he complimented.

“How old is the princess”

“She is fifteen.”

The teacher couldn’t help the surprise look that clouds his face.

“Fifteen? You discuss your worry with such a young sister” He wondered.

“Your royal highness, the tea is getting cold. please enjoy the tea before it loses its fragrance.” The eunuch reminded them.

“Right,” The prince nodded.

“I have a gift for Your highness”

He expressed his gratitude, opening a bowl of Taffy on the table.

“Please help yourself,” he offered, pointing at the Taffy placed on the table.

The prince smiled and reached forward to take some Taffy but paused when a hand stopped him. He looked up confusedly at his teacher.

“In other words, the rebuke came from your sister, not you.” He asked.

“Yes, I suppose so since she is the one who motivates me.”

“Then it is your sister who deserves to eat this precious Taffy.”

“What?” The prince exclaimed.

The prince looked at him, calculating. He must have guessed what his teacher was thinking.

He cleared his voice.

“I am sorry, Your royal highness. I will have to wrap up the Taffy. I’d like to give them to my unseen students, not the one sitting before me” he added with a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

The prince smiled, a lopsided smile.

……

The sound of the birds and the tinkling of wind chimes resounded in my head. The fragrance from the garden gently drifts through the window creating a heady floral scent in my room.

I sat on the chairs in my quarter and lay down my head on the window frame while looking at the garden.

There was a gorgeous range of flowers; azalea, butterfly bush, calibrachoa, Angelonia. Carved hedges depicted strange shapes all around the array.

I love the sound of tinkling wind chimes, birds, burbling fountains, waterfalls, colored lights and plants gently rustling in the wind. When these sounds combine, it’s really amazing.

The birds, butterflies, bees and other small animals are also attracted to the sound of water and every year there are numerous frogs and toads that come here to live.

I like seeing tiny frogs and toads in and around the pond situated beside butterfly bush flowers.

My other love is the sounds of moving water- which may seem strange given the fact that I am afraid of water.

I have always been afraid of water and fire since I was a young child. It still puzzles me on how I enjoyed the sound of water and crackling fire despite being afraid of them.

“You and your nature again”

A shrill cry pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned in the direction of the voice to see my brother sitting on a chair .

“Brother” I called while walking toward him and sat down on a chair facing him.

“When did you come in?” I added.

“Well it’s been long, but you are so lost in your thoughts that you didn’t notice me,” he responded.

I smiled with discomfiture.”you should know me for that”

He placed a box on the table in front of her. “From my teacher?”

“Yes,” I inquired, looking intently at the box.

The box was wrapped with a white silk material.

He smiles. “It’s a gift of gratitude”

Gift of gratitude then means it was from his teacher. Why is he giving this to me? Seemed like he noticed my confused daze and he chuckled lightly.

“I confess that you give me the courage to rebuke his actions.” He said with a reassuring smile.

“You what? What did he say?” I exclaimed loudly.

I am not a fan of big gestures and I like not being noticed by people, but hearing him say that he told his teacher I was the one who helped him kind of surprised me.

“He called you his true student and prepared this gift for you” came his reply with a benign mirth cleared in his tone.

“Is that so”

“Yes”

I guess I am left with no choice but to accept it. I reached for the box and moved it to my front, opening it I dipped my hand inside and came out with Taffy.

My eyes suddenly lit up as if I just encountered something important. “Isn’t this Taffy?”

“Yes. Go on and eat” he said

I put the Taffy in my mouth and closed my Eyes mourning in pleasure.

“Wow. This is delicious”

“How did your riddle go?” I asked. my mouth full with taffy

He smiles, his eyes glistening with gratitude. And that gives me my answer that It went well.

“That’s good” I missed with utmost relief.

“The answer to the riddle?” I demand

I have been curious to know so I couldn’t stop the question from escaping my mouth.

“Eyelids,” he muttered.

“Eyelids” I repeated slowly with surprise clearly shown on my face.

“Yes”

“How is that the answer?”

If I could remember well. The riddle was what can lighten the world yet can darken it immediately. So how did he come up with that answer?

Knowing me, my brother quickly started with an explanation.

“Think about it yourself. Put yourself in my shoes and assume you are the one given the riddle, to solve.” He ordered.

I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, taking in my surroundings. After a few seconds I opened them.

“You are right. Eyelids are the answer! Close your eyes and the word goes dark” I gestured with my hand closing her eyes.

“But if you open your eyes, the world is bright!” I said, opening my eyes.