'The First Princess of Bloom!'
'The Maid Princess! Is she really the Maid Princess?'
'What is she doing here among the slaves?'
A low and confused whisper arose among the knights. Everyone heard about the greatest failure of the Bloom Royal family- Hazel Bloom– the First Princess. Hazel lost her mother when she was only 3 years old; since then she was forced to grow up in the maid quarter under the care of her mother's Maid-in-honour, Miri and after her death, all alone.
King Anthony, the current ruler of the Bloom and Hazel's biological father, got married again to a wealthy noble's daughter, Lily, with whom he already had a son and daughter before the marriage as she was King's beloved Mistress.
Lily, the new Queen of the Bloom, never wanted a rival for her kids so Hazel was fated to suffer since childhood. She was forbidden to attend any social gatherings as a Princess or step inside the Royal palace. The small attic of the maid's castle was her cosy bedroom and the diverse and beautiful forest of the Bloom was her school and playground.
Her tragedy didn't end here; her fate was always unfair to her.
As a royal blood of Bloom, her four step siblings were blessed with the magical powers but Hazel possessed no magic in her blood when their magic cores were tested. She was the first royalty of the Bloom with such a disgrace.
Since then, the royal members didn't spare a single opportunity to humiliate and torture her.
***
"How?"
Hazel murmured in awe, looking up at the Young Prince, "How did you recognise me?"
Taking a step back from her, he answered in his deep voice, "Princess, you got quite a famous reputation. Everybody has heard about you on the continent."
"But, only a few have met me. I can't remember attending any social gathering where Your Highness was present," Hazel mumbled while trying to read his red eyes which still focused on her face. His face looked grave but there was a softness in his tone while addressing her.
Letting go her waist, he murmured while looking away as if to hide his disappointment, "If you can't remember, I will prefer it in this way." Then, turning to his guards, he commanded harshly, "Prepare the caravan and drive Princess Hazel back to the Bloom Kingdom before the sunrise. Nobody– not a single soul must know about her identity."
"I can't leave alone, Your Highness. Allow me to take those girls with me," Hazel demanded promptly, stealing a glance at those helpless women who were still kneeling on the sand. The knights stopped their searching after the sudden change of the situation.
The captain of the troops hastily approached the Prince as he whispered in his ears, "Sirius, we can't let them go. Some of them can be with the slave trafficking gang and leaving witnesses-"
As if reading their conversation, Hazel demanded again in her soft but bold voice, "Don't tell me that you are really planning to kill those innocent and helpless females. That will be a sin. You can't just kill anyone out of suspicion. Look at them. They are just victims-"
While rubbing his temples, Sirius interrupted Hazel in a troubled tone, "Princess, I understand that you are kind hearted but allow me to decide-"
"I won't go without them."
Sighing, Sirius tried to explain, "That will complicate the political relations between two kingdoms. I am trying to help you. Why don't you just think of yourself and leave-"
Hazel took a few steps closer to Sirius as she pleaded, looking at those scared and trembling ladies, "Help me a little more then, Your Highness. Let them go. They are all the victims of an obnoxious crime only, you can't punish them for that."
Sirius looked conflicted. His red and cold eyes looked slightly gentle while staring at Hazel as if he was having a hard time to refuse her demand. Her hazel eyes shone bright in the pale light of the moon.
After a brief pause, Sirius gave in at last, surprising all his knights, "Alright. I will allow you to take them back with you but they must not blurt out a single word about tonight. None must know that Flareon is involved in the slave trafficking scandal. May I have your word, Princess?"
Hazel's exhausted face lit up instantly. Looking up, she proclaimed with a bright smile, "I promise, Your Highness. They won't speak a word about it." The scared maidens also agreed with Hazel as they replied in a scared chorus, "We will never say anything to anyone. Please let us go."
"Drive them all back to the Bloom border safely, Marco," Sirius commanded, looking at the captain of the knights as he started walking back to Kaju who was waving its bushy tail lazily with frequent neighs.
Marco looked worried, still he bowed to Sirius reluctantly as he signed the guards to take the woman back to the caravan. Sighing in relief, Hazel hastily approached Rue who was still sitting on the sand while wiping his bleeding nose. Sitting next to him, Jo was sobbing in fear.
Gently patting Jo's head, Hazel murmured while checking his wounds, "Don't cry, Jo. He is going to be alright." The injuries weren't that bad though Rue's nose was still bleeding, "Your brother is a strong man, Jo. Don't cry for him. He is fit and fine."
Tearing the side of her old gown, Hazel wiped away the blood of his face as she whispered, "Endure it for a while, Rue. I will heal you soon."
"Thanks, Your Highness. Please don't bother to heal me anymore. I will be alright. You have already done a lot for us. I am grateful-," Rue muttered, suppressing his intense pain as he stood up to go back to the caravan with Jo, following the other victims.
"Shh! We will talk about it later, Kid. Go back inside the caravan," Hazel cut him in the middle in her silky voice.
The guards were carefully helping the females to climb in the caravan as two of them climbed on the driver's seat.
The sparkling stars and the vast, dark sky above her head looked ethereal—like the canvas of the Almighty. Staring at the brightest star, Hazel sighed in relief and murmured,
"Heh! My fate is truly unpredictable."
Instinctively, her gaze drifted to the young prince, who was gently patting the silky mane of his dearest horse, preparing for his departure. His handsome face seemed to glow with a kind of passionate beauty.
Hazel took a hesitant step toward him. So many questions lingered in her mind.
'How did he recognize me? Have we met before?'
She stopped abruptly, unsure.
'Should I at least ask his name? Which prince is he?'
"Your Highness, the caravan is ready," Marco interrupted her thoughts, startling Hazel. "We must depart now if we are to cross the border before sunrise."
Hazel hesitated, her eyes lingering for a few more seconds on the red-clad figure, before she silently nodded and followed Marco. Her small, delicate feet sank into the coarse sand of the silvery desert, leaving footprints behind her. She didn't notice the pair of crimson eyes that followed her every move from behind.
Hazel was about to step into the caravan when the loud, approaching sound of hooves drew everyone's attention. The guards quickly gathered, alert, as four riders approached at full speed.
A playful yet commanding voice rang out, addressing the young prince, "My My! It seems my little brother is off on his own secret mission."
The guards with him chuckled tauntingly. His commanding voice echoed again, "Unfortunately, I've been sent to spoil your little adventure."
All the guards, standing on the desert, instantly knelt to that tall silhouette in black robe as they greeted bowing their heads, "Hail to Your Highness the Second Prince!"
The Second Prince dismounted smoothly from his black horse and strode toward his brother with an enigmatic smile.
"Sirius, His Majesty summons you immediately," he declared in his deep, commanding voice, then added with a glance toward the caravan, "—and that includes your captives."