The Girl Prince : Melody Of Midnight

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(PART-1)

While the drunkard old man and the fake saint are convincing the commoners, the princess has already gone out of the capital with her rangers.

On their way to the northern forest they must cross a desert. Alternative routes are passed through the territory of the neighbor kingdom. So crossing the desert is safer.

It was afternoon. The temperature was very high and the desert sand was heating up in the heat of the sun. The infantrymen were also very tired after walking continuously for a long time. Time has shown that it was impossible to reach the destination in that day. So the commander decided to rest somewhere that night. He took out a binocular and looked around. Somewhere in the distance, an oasis was seen. Commander ordered the soldiers to speed up.

When they reached that oasis, it seemed that it was once a locality. A few broken houses were seen nearby. Water well also found which still can be used. It wasn't too long the villagers abandoned that place.

The commander ordered some of the solders to look around to see if there was anything suspicious. "If everything is right, we will spend the night here."

In her carriage princess Su Jin was talking to her maid. Due to the extreme heat, she had to spend the entire day inside her carriage. Moreover, there was nothing to see in the desert. She was very bored.

The maid asked, "Princess, you didn't eat anything all day. Do you want anything to eat?

"No need. The amount of 'heat' I consumed all day was enough to fill my tiny stomach. Momo, where is eunuch Fang? "She asked. "And what's going on outside? It's not too late to sunset. Why did we stop here? Go and tell the commander that I want to talk to him."

But before Momo could went out, someone spoke from outside.

"Greetings, Princess."

"Who is there?" Princess removed the curtains of the carriage and looked outside. But she couldn't recognize the man because of the darkness.

"I'm Wan Yu," The man answered.

But the princess could not remember anyone by that name. "Which Wan Yu?"

Suddenly she remembered something "Oh! You are Wan Mu's brother. I heard a lot about you from your brother. "

The man looked a bit unfazed. Although his name is similar to the name of Wan Mu's brother, they are not siblings. However he knows about Wan Mu. And who in the capital doesn't know? This Wan Mu is the son of royal locksmith Wan Gu. He previously worked as a locksmith under his father. But later his name spreads around as a notorious thief. It is said that there is no lock in this world that he couldn't open. Despite many years of crime, he was still out of the reach of law enforcement. But after mistakenly stealing at a government office, his name was raised in the king's ear. Then the king appointed his top detectives to capture him. He is currently in hiding. No one knows about his whereabouts.

He did not understand how the princess of the country could be connected to the most famous thief of the country. However, he showed no interest in that matter. It's not his responsibility. He was sent here with another job. So, he has to do it properly.

Wan Yu said "Princess, We had a talk this morning. I am not Wan Mu's brother 'Wan Yu'. I am in charge of your safety. I am from the special guard of his highness."

"But, I did not see you among my guards," Princess detected the man with her eyes.

"Actually I'm not a normal guard. I'm their commander. That's why I wasn't with them," he replied.

Princess remembered the incident before she left her mansion in the morning.

"Ooo, you're that old civet who block my way in the morning?

The commander didn't know what should be answered.

"Yes I am," he replied.

"Then, why are you here, uncle. Do you have anything to say?"

"Yes, princess. I don't think it is possible to reach our destination today. Moreover, the infantry are tired. So I decided to rest here in this oasis for tonight. You highness has no reason to worry. All arrangements are in place. And this place is also safe. If we leave tomorrow early in the morning, we will be Northern Forest before noon. Now we only need your permission."

Princess looked straight at his eyes, "Do you really need my permission when you have decided on your own? Do whatever you want. And don't show me this face of yours again."

"Sorry, princess. I can't. His Majesty has commanded me to always keep an eye on you."

Princess Su Jin sighed, "I know. You can't disobey my father. But seeing your face makes my mood worse. So when you come to see me later, have a veil on your face!"

Uchsash Maruf 12/09/2019)

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(PART-2)

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At night, princess Su Jin was in her tent.

Some guards were assigned to protect her.

Eunuch Fang and others servants were at the next tents. So the Princess was only there. Latter a maid came.

"Greetings, Princess. Eunuch Fang sent me to serve you."

Princess didn't saw this maid before. She asked, "Are you new in the palace?"

"Yes, princess."

"What's your name?"

"This servant's name is Bai Ling," the maid replied.

The princess didn't feel the need to ask anything more. She took a fan and began to winding it.

Bai Ling said, "Princess, let me wind."

The princess said nothing and gave her the fan.

Although it was midnight, most of the soldiers were still awake. From inside the tent, Princess could hear the laughter of drunken soldiers.

"I wish I were one of these soldiers. How nice it would be if there were no bounds."

She rolled her eyes at Bai Ling. She was leaning beside the princess's bed and looked very sleepy. But she did not go to bed because the princess was still awake.

"Bai Ling, you don't have to stay awake for me. You can sleep in my bed if you want," princess said softly.

Bai Ling got up to hear the princess.

"Princess shouldn't worry for me. I am ok. I'm really not sleepy."

"But your eyes are saying something else. I will sleep latter. You sleep beside me."

Princess saw her hesitating.

"What's the matter?"

"Forgive me, your highness, I like men."

"What?" Princess was confused.

"I don't like women. Please spare me."

She somehow understood what Bai Ling was talking about. Princess smirked,

"Don't worry. I also don't like women. If you feel uncomfortable with me you don't have to stay. Go and tell eunuch Fang to come here. And you don't have to come back. "

"Thanks princess."

"Ok, go."

After a while Eunuch Fang came.

"Princess, did you call me? Can I help you with anything?"

"Sit first, brother Fang."

"Princess, it's not proper to call me brother."

"Then sister Fang, please honor me by sitting."

"Ok, brother Fang is better." Eunuch Fang sat on a coach and asked, "Princess, what's the matter?"

The princess replied, "Nothing important. It's just there is no one to talk to. I called you to talk. "

Only God knows what eunuch Fang assumed. He shouted, "Where are the maids? How dare they left you alone and refused to talk with you! "

"Old Fang! Please don't yell. Otherwise the soldiers will think I have called you to be punished. Though everyone inside the palace fears me but you are not. I think everyone else in the palace is always extra careful when talking to me. But you are different. You are always open when talking and don't hesitate to talk the truths. That's why I always discuss everything with you. And about those maids of mine, I ordered them to leave me alone. They are annoying. They are lackeys and compete with each others to flatter me."

"They're not lackeys. They are just trying to survive," old Fang looked at the princess and said. But the princess didn't seem to hear anything. Her mind was somewhere else and she was looking something intently. Eunuch Fang felt curiosity.

"Princess, what are you watching?"

"I am looking those soldiers and think about how happy their lives are."

"Are they?"

"They have freedom. What do you need more? I wish I were one of those soldiers."

"But you have more freedom than you need. You are a princess."

"Who wants to be a princess? I am the most unfortunate princess in this era. Everything is forbidden for me because I'm an f..King Princess. My father is more like a prison guard. There is no objection while his other children doing something. But I have to hear thousands of admonitions when I want to do anything...Don't do it, It shouldn't be done. Act like girls. Speak softly. Don't walk fast. Don't laugh much." Princess tried to sound like the king, "You are not a child anymore - he said I am an a.d.u.l.t now but latter the same person also advice me not to drink wine. Why? I'm big enough to drink wine and eat girls...I mean.....garlic."

"Garlic?"

"Yes, garlic... he he.... garlic are very testy. You should sometimes enjoy garlic."

"But I lost my taste a long time ago to enjoy the garlic and I don't have chopsticks," eunuch Fang thought. He smiled and said, "Princess, When I was little I heard a poem from a beggar granny."

"Which poem?" princess turned to him

He cleared her throat and said, "When I was a little boy, I had to endure many hardsh.i.p.s to earn just one meal. I had no place to live, no clothe to wear and I had to starve often. I had neither hope nor any wish to live one more day. I was in despair about my failed life. One day I was thinking of suicide. I climbed a mountain to jump from there and got rid of my all hardsh.i.p.s. Fortunately, I didn't die that day. I was saved by a beggar granny. She is one of the greatest women I have ever met. She didn't have her hands when I first met her. But her heart was like a thousand hands. She was an optimistic woman. Under any circ.u.mstances she never lost her patience. She believed in herself most of all." Eunuch Fang stopped and then asked the princess, "Your highness, do you know what the Buddha said?

The princess shook her head negatively

"Buddha said, 'He Is Able Who Thinks He Is Able.' He also said, 'Don't Let Others Write Your Fate.' That beggar granny was something like second Buddha to me. She taught me that every single life is worthy. She taught me the greatest lesson of my life."

Eunuch Fang began to recite.

"You think you're the most unlucky

Because you don't have 'boot',

You fool! Look at them

Who don't have foot! "

Princess praised Eunuch Fang, "I didn't know that you have so many skills. Bravo! Why didn't you tell me that you were a scholar? Give me some more lessons. When it is not a problem to digest thousands of advice from my father, then it's ok to hear some of yours."

Eunuch Fang replied politely, "Princess. Actually, I did not intend to give you any advice. And I do not have the courage. But as your well wisher, I would say, none of us have hand in our own birth. So we should accept our own identity with a smile. You think the life of those soldiers is full of adventures and happiness. You think like that because you never experienced their hardship. Most of them don't think like you. They also want a family like you. They also want to have a happy life like you. Do you think that they joined the army to enjoy the freedom? No, in next winter many of them will not return alive. Still,

They go to die in the battle field because they want to survive. Because they don't want to starve and they want to fed their family. Do you know, the amount of food you waste every day is enough to feed some hungry starved children for months? You have never had to suffer. That's why you think that ordinary people are living a happy life. Wrong. It's just the opposite. They aren't free. They have been enslaved by poverty, grief and hopelessness for generations. They have to work from morning to evening to earn every penny."

He put his hand on the princess's shoulder and said, "God did not want you to be one of them. You are the princess of this kingdom. So, act like a princess and carry your responsibilities. They are your people. Make them yours."

For a long time no one spoke. The princess looked at the old man in front of her. She realized something.

"Eunuch Fang."

"Yes,princess?"

Princess said, "Tell me about your life story."

(Uchsash Maruf, 15/09/2019)