TEN. SECRETS OF THE PRINCESS

"Quand on a pas ce que l'on aime, il faut aimer ce que l'on a"

"When one doesn't have the things that one loves, one must love what one has."

JENNIE+

I refuse to believe that I have hit rock bottom yet seeing through the fact that the girl that I despised the most took the highest rank in the preliminary exam, frankly made me feel helpless. I knew at that point, I was a disgrace. But would that be an enough reason to let this atrocious foreigner dictate how I should study? Yet alone control my endeavors? 

"No." I blabbered in great refute. "You seriously don't have to do what the magistrate told you." I added. We were still in the palace of the country's magistrates, arguing over this predicament of mine.

"Do you see your situation here? The highest student monarch in the country has placed 70th and yet she's still convinced she has her together. Hm. Ridiculous." Jisoo huffed in mockery.

"Even the foreigners ranked higher than you, your majesty." Eunwoo unnecessarily emphasized.

"Your reputation barely exists now."

"Stop slapping it to my face. I've heard that enough." I bellowed.

"Which is why you need more slapping." Jisoo rebutted.

"Just because you ranked first in the exam doesn't mean you can ridicule your princess like this. You might end up being the first person to be beheaded this century, Jisoo. I warn you."

"That's if you'll remain the princess of Monaco when you fail the final exam." This argument has been so exhausting. I hate bantering with kids. Ugh.

"Look I have it figured out. I can pass the final exam all by myself." Her stubbornness just magnified.

"Yeah, and by what means? Recklessly drag racing in the middle of the night again?" Eunwoo injected.

"And ban pizza in the middle of the week?"  Jisoo added, with a surprisingly huge pout on her face.

"What?!" My face crunched in confusion.

"You banned pizza because I refused to talk to you. That was borderline rude." She ranted as if her human rights were deliberately violated.  I guess she was still bitter that she wasn't able to get pizza on a busy Wednesday last time.

"I hate pizza. And because you were so despicable and abhorrent to me, up until now. You were never like this." I glared at Jisoo as I felt my heart race in anger.

"You were never like this too, princess." The foreigner retorted the same intensity. 

"Hey, hey. Calm down, ladies. We don't need to do death glares at each other. Let us just meet into a mutual agreement and not shed blood over this royal ground." Eunwoo stepped forward blocking the distance between us.

"Then how can you even dare step on this royal ground if you only wish to slander your princess." I interjected.

I then saw Jisoo crossed her arms and stated, "Know that I mean no harm since the beginning. And yet you seem threatened by any of my means. Why would you allow such immaturity stretch your veins, Jennie? When you're the princess here."

"I stand by what I said. I don't need your help. Regardless, if I am a princess or not."

A frugal annoyance burdened my chest so I decided it was time to walk away from this bull. I turned over but as I was about to step away she suddenly grabbed me by the arm and pulled me close to her. I heard my heart beating erratically. I don't if it was flutter or utmost rage. But Jisoo intricately whispered, "Can you stop defending your ego for once and listen to me? I'm not the enemy here, Jennie." I saw her jaw constrict and her eyes were of rash despise towards me.

I decided to stay sulking when I heard the door opening and a voice appeared, "Jennie?" It was Krystal. A sudden relief came over me. Finally, someone who can save me.

"Don't go." I heard Jisoo's straining voice. A hypocrite.

I hoarsely sighed as I slipped my arms away from the Parisian while saying, "It's my turn to step away now, Jisoo. Don't even try to stop me because I didn't stop you the last time." I quickly took a turn and met Krystal's worrying eyes, I held her hand as she escorted me out of the Magistrate's court.

...

The Monaco sun was looking generous in the sky as I was walking towards the main roundabout of the campus, my classes have ended early, and outside stood my royal guards that has been strictly following my endeavors. I bet the royal court has intensified the protocol they made for me, since they can't afford anymore of my controversies. 

There was an exclusive state dinner for the monarchs that I needed to attend to which I had to mingle again with the other invited royalties. But I was glad that Krystal was present, since she was the only sensible monarch I can talk to and not to mention, to also go beyond words. Which is absurd but it is what I've chosen. I've chosen to my ex again.

"What are your plans for redemption?" The Belgian monarch asked separating me from my thoughts.

"I'm not yet sure, but I'm never going to seek help from those foreigners."  I grunted as I took a sip from my glass of champagne.

"But you said the magistrate of education ordained them. I think them being foreigners doesn't matter, Jennie. What matters is that they're brilliant. And you need it."

"What about you? You ranked fifth. You can help me." I argued.

"I do everything but to teach, Jennie. I at it." Seeing a frown from her made it more amusing to hear. I lightly chuckled and said, "Well that explains a lot."

"Excuse me?" She pushed herself backward in reaction.

"Remember when you volunteered with me to teach public students? No one in your class even memorized A Marcia de Muneghu." 

Her eyes started rolling. Typical of her. "Give me a break, they were nine year olds."

"It's the national anthem." I rebutted. 

She briefly sighed, probably irritated to admit I was right. "It would've been easier if it was of Belgium's." Stubborn Krystal excused again.

Before I could respond again the main door suddenly unlocked and revealed dozens of royal guards marching towards the luminescent hall. It got everyone's attention. They all lined up side to side as the announcer declared, "Presenting His Majesty, the great King of Monaco." 

Immediately, I saw my Father whom I never saw for weeks walked in the grandiose space and all of the people cordially bowed down in his presence. The atmosphere was in great manner of courtesy and high regards to the King of the land. 

When my Father pardoned our greeting, everything was back to normal again, except that all were already under the King's watchful eyes.

"I thought he was on an Asian expedition." Krystal whispered at me as we both witnessed my Father suddenly approaching us. "Apparently not." We prepared our nervous smiles as we bowed down to the most powerful man in the land. "Father." I greeted with high courtesy.

"I am delighted to see you here, Jennie. I have heard from the magistrates that you are behaving accordingly. With that, I am assuming you're doing well in your classes and have quit that impeditive racing of yours."

"Of course, your Majesty. Following your orders were my utmost motive these past few weeks." I tried to smile as genuine as possible, but I cannot do something that's not inside me.

"And who is this beautiful lady companion of yours, darling?" He interjected making eye contact with Krystal. This is awkward. I thought as I gulped nervously.

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance again, your Majesty." Krystal placed her hand on her chest as she bowed to the King once more. "She is the princess of Belgium, Father. Remember Krystal?" I gladly introduced.

"Oh of course I have recollected about the decorous Belgian princess! Krystal Jung, It's been long since your Father asked for your return to Belgium. I'm glad you came back to Monaco." 

"I lavish the remarkable lifestyle and education of your country, Sire. I can't seem to detach myself from its beauty." After saying her last word the princess took a meaningful look at me. I found myself blushing over her subtle gesture. I hate to admit it, but her eyes have always been my weakness.

"Indeed that is a pleasant thing to hear for a ruler of this Kingdom." My Father retorted a smile. What a fraud. He never means every smile he gives. Not even to me.

"By the way, any monégasque suitor you fancy, princess? Our men here are quite gullible. It would be a lovely sight to see you be wedded by our kind. I bet your Father would be as pleased as I am."

A nervous laugh flicked from the Belgian highness, "Oh. I don't know about suitors, Sire but I have an eye for one monégasque for sure."

"Well isn't that lovely? I hope you'll be betrothed to a similar man that Jennie has. That boy, Kai is destined to be with a monarch. Am I not right, my daughter?"

"Hmm." I barely even kept a smile as the frightful embarrassment churned my guts into an elusive turmoil. The guilt has flashed the drills off my spine again like a contracting poison. I panicked and awkwardly excused myself out of the conversation. I needed a clear space to breathe.

The recollection of Krystal's dejected face whenever Kai is mentioned has crawled up my skin deeper as time moves along. I have been feeling like I should give her more than what we currently have, when I despise the idea of her and I getting back together because even just thinking about the pain stings. But then again, I can't find myself detaching from it. Krystal was the poison that made me alive. Living in dreaded secrets were the only fortresses that I trusted. For it causes less chaos and makes one seem so righteous. And I believe every monarch knows that curse very well.

As I was to take my last deep breathe to ease the tension, a cold touch suddenly tapped my shoulders. I flinched as I turned around to see who it was. "Prince Eunwoo?" His glimmering smile made the lights greed for it. He was just sometimes too shiny. 

He bowed and greeted, "Bonsoir, Votre Altesse."

"You are charming as always, cher prince." I echoed a compliment, trying to compose myself back.

"Why are you back here with these hundred year old columns? You should be out there in the velvet carpet dancing." He intended me to blush.

"Sadly my feet does not seek any music tonight, Eunwoo." I politely denied.

"That's a shame. You never really seek anything nowadays." He muttered as he looked away and put his hand on his pocket as he drinks away his glass of wine on the other hand.

"Excuse me?" My eyebrows met

"I don't want to sound discourteous but why haven't you responded to any of our emails? We already have a schedule planned for your daily study."

I huffed in sarcasm, "I'm surprised that you didn't get my implications yet."

"Oh I clearly get it, princess. But you do know I won't stop convincing you."

"Can't you just leave me be? You have nothing to lose even if you didn't follow the magistrate's command."

"Not for me at least, I am tied to a national treaty. But Jisoo is, she's just a new business elitist after all. If you fail, she will breach the contract and she will face high chances of eviction just because she failed the magistrates."