The Strongest Princess ⚜ Ch. 3

This was impossible. Pointless. How was this game supposed to help with strategy?

Devna stared at the chess board on her desk with disdain. How was she supposed to learn anything when she couldn't even remember how the pieces moved? In her frustration, she must have made some sort of sound, because a servant approached her.

"Is everything alright, Princess?"

She looked up to recognize one of the maids. Was this one Darcia? Wait, no. "Elle, hello. I just um..."

The young woman half grinned. "Would you like some help?"

The princess sighed. "Yes please."

Elle pulled over a chair and sat down next to her. "So, where should we start?"

"Well, I can't remember how this one moves, or this one. Or these two..." Devna groaned.

"Don't worry, you'll get it. Here, let me show you." She picked up each piece and moved it accordingly. "These pieces move diagonally, always on the same coloured spaces. This one moves up two and over one. And this one can move forward, backward, diagonally, and within a square around it, like this."

"Alright. It all sounds familiar now. Ugh, but how is this supposed to help with anything?"

"Once you learn the moves, it's all about seeing what could happen on the board, and preparing for it. It exercises your mind. The military classes require it because their branch is all about seeing what could happen in the world and preparing for it in advance, just the same way," the maid explained.

"I suppose that makes sense." The princess looked at the board again, trying to remember all the moves this time, moving a few to help visualize.

After several moments, Elle asked, "If I may, what are those? I've seen them a few times over the years, but I've never gotten a chance to ask what they are."

Devna looked where she was pointing - a string of colourful flags hung over the nearest window. "Oh, those are prayer flags. When the wind blows them, it carries the prayer with it. Mine are enchanted to blow with a wind from Nepal so they're never still."

She smiled, though there was an almost pensive look about her. "How beautiful."

Considering her for a moment, Devna said, "Elle, you always look so sad. Why is that?"

Her eyes widened. After a moment she finally whispered, "You'd never believe me."

Curious, she leaned forward. "Try me."

The young woman looked conflicted. "But I can't..." Her eyes searched Devna's for a moment, then she stood, quickly leaving the room.

Surprised, the princess was left sitting suddenly alone. Unsure whether to go after the maid, she stared at the door. She wasn't expecting Elle to walk back in a minute later.

She was silent as she shut and locked the door, holding a rather worn and dusty old box.

More than intrigued, Devna waited impatiently for her to sit back down. There was a sudden air of mystery that held her captivated.

Elle held on to the box in her lap for a moment, taking a deep breath. "I've never shown this to anyone before. No one's asked. And it's been so long... I can't bear to hold on to it any longer." With a trembling hand, she lifted a key on a chain from around her neck. She unlocked the ratty old box and lifted the lid.

Inside the velvet-lined box was a playing card, a fan, some jewelry, a portrait, a gold shoe and a glittering gold crown with three large diamonds.

"What is all this?" Devna whispered, unsure of what it all meant.

"These are mine," came the reply. With misty eyes, the young woman said quietly, "My name is Princess Zaina Sedell of Aldovia. My tiny kingdom has always been a target for throne hunters, and five years ago, my father was dethroned by an evil woman. Now, she hunts me so I can never overthrow her."

She tried to bite back her emotion. "Now I'm trapped. I stay here at the Knight Academy where I pretend that I'll be safer. No one knows or remembers who I am. I have no money, no family, no prospects... And having come from a life where the world was open to me, that hurts."

Closing the lid, it latched with a metallic click. "And that is why I am so sad, Princess Devna. Because it's so dangerous, you're the first person I've told besides the headmaster. No one can know, please..." The fullness of her despair showed through her eyes, and she began to cry.

Devna put a hand on her shoulder. "I won't tell anyone. You must be so brave."

Elle - or rather, Zaina - scoffed, tears still rolling down her cheeks. "I'm not brave. Or strong. I just do what I have to to survive. That's all I can do."

The princess pulled out a kerchief for her and stood to go to the window. Taking a pair of scissors, she cut off one of the flags and rehung the string holding the rest. She brought it over to the grieving young woman and held it out. "Here, I want you to have this. You could use it."

She sniffed and looked down at the coloured flag. With a smile she said, "Thank you. This is a lovely gift. Do I hang it by the window?"

"Or the doorway. Wherever a breeze will most often catch it."

Taking a steadying breath, the displaced princess nodded. "Thank you. And thank you for letting me tell you this." She chuckled. "And to think you only wanted help with chess."

Devna smiled. "This was infinitely more interesting than chess."