: Leave!

"Dear, why are you standing there? Aren't you joining us?" My mother inquired. We've already arrived in the western region. We got here yesterday, and today my parents planned to distribute food to the people.

Yesterday, upon our arrival, my parents were deeply saddened by the dire conditions in the western region. Poverty was rampant, and malnutrition had led to numerous deaths. Moved by this, my parents are eager to lend a hand and provide assistance to those in need during our stay here.

    The western region is the farthest territory of the Vrawyth Kingdom. Apart from being the farthest, you also need to ride a ship to get there. However, the currents of the water are something you should be afraid of. Many ships sink because they carry heavy loads, which is the same reason why the monarch finds it challenging to send resources to this land.

    There is an alternative route for sending resources to the western region, which is through the Forest of Grimlemn. However, this path presents its own set of challenges, as it is infested with bandits. These bandits not only rob travelers but also pose a threat to their lives, making the journey perilous for anyone who attempts to pass through their territory.

    I grabbed my coat and joined my parents outside. They had arranged tables in the plaza, where a long line of people awaited food. Their clothing was tattered, with many patches and holes, and their bodies were thin, their skin darkened by days spent working vigorously under the sun.

    I approached my parents, who had begun serving bowls of soup to the people. Alongside the soup, they had also prepared vegetables and fruits to distribute. Knowing the soup would only suffice for one meal, they provided additional fruits and vegetables for the people to have dinner as well.

   I heard from my parents that most people here only eat once a day. There aren't a lot of job opportunities, and if there are, the cost of food exceeds the money they have.

   I stopped in my tracks when I saw a very familiar face. It's Prince Fraser! He's wearing a ripped shirt and oversized shorts, held up by a belt to prevent them from falling. There's a lot of mud on his body. He looks back at me when he notices someone is staring at him.

   I shifted my eyes away from him. There's a rule set by the King during this journey in the western region. Don't acknowledge or pretend that we don't know Prince Fraser. Moving towards my parents, I assist in distributing food to the people. Many of them appear joyful, shedding tears as they receive their bowl of soup and their portions of vegetables and fruits.

   An elderly lady walks in front of me, accompanied by a small child aged seven to nine. I step away from my post and help the old lady to sit in a chair. Tables and chairs are scattered around so that everyone can enjoy their bowl of soup here.

   "Grandma, please have a seat here, and I'll bring you your bowl shortly," I gently smile at her.

   Grandma cried when she heard what I said and waved her hands at me. "How could I let the Count's daughter do that? Rea, get the soup from the Count's daughter," she said. The little child, Rea, immediately stood up. I stopped her right away. She looked so thin and feeble. I was afraid she would hurt herself if I let her take the bowl of soup.

"You don't need to worry about that," I reassure the little girl, gently patting her head. "Just sit there. I'll handle everything."

I walk back to take two bowls of soup, asking one of our maids to hold the other bowl. Grandma smiles at me and starts to eat from her bowl. The little girl just stares at the bowl but doesn't move an inch.

"Why aren't you eating? You don't like it?"

The little girl shakes her head and looks at her hands, fidgeting nervously. She then looks back at me with teary eyes. "Can I take this back home?" she asks softly.

I look at the bowl and the little girl, realizing why she doesn't want to eat. It's rare for them to have something like this. She probably plans to save it for later in case they don't have anything else to eat.

    I ask one of our maids to get another pack of fruits and vegetables. "Grandmother, here, take this," I say as I place the two packages on the table. "You know, I think it's best if I arrange for someone to send you home. I don't think you could carry these packages on your own."

Grandmother and the little girl both thank me, and I simply smile at them. I also give the little girl a bar of chocolate. I heard from my parents that most children here don't know what chocolate tastes like. Poor child.

    The food feeding lasts for an entire day. The line wouldn't stop, and it keeps getting longer and longer. Mother and Father ask our maids to look for people who could help them cook food. My parents offer money to those who helped, but all of them declined it, saying that feeding the people here for an entire day is enough payment.

    As we're on our way to the house we were staying in, our carriage passes through a small house. In front of it, two children are selling things. Besides them, there's a young lady, probably the same age as me, sitting with them.

I ask them to stop the carriage. "Miss, I don't think it's safe to get out," the driver warns.

    I signal the maid to stop talking. I'm about to get out when I feel my body stiffen. No matter how much I try to move my feet, they won't budge. They feel heavy, as if someone is putting weight on them.

"Miss?" The maid seems confused, wondering why I stopped the carriage and haven't done anything since.

   My hand moves on its own, signaling the coachman to move again. The carriage starts moving once more. I try to look back, but my head won't move. I can't move my whole body. No! No! Why is this happening? There isn't a scene like this in the novel, but why can't I control my body?

    That lady! I stopped the carriage because I think she looks familiar. Does it have anything to do with the lady? If yes, who is she? I couldn't really see her face because of the mud on her body, dress, and face. It's like she swam in a pool of mud. Who is she?

_____________

"Miss, is it really safe for you to wander around here? The Count and the Countess will surely be upset again."

"Shut your mouth!" My voice blurted out.

Early this morning, I was abruptly awakened by a strange force, the same one that occasionally controls my body. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't feel my body. Each attempt to move resulted in a searing pain, not in my physical body, but deep within my soul. It felt as though a part of me was being scorched. Unable to endure the agony, I yielded control to that mysterious force.

    I don't understand what is happening. This is the first time I've experienced such intense pain. Previously, even when I attempted to move against the mysterious force, I felt no pain. It was as if something were holding me down, preventing me from moving. But today feels different. It's as though an unseen force is pushing me from behind, and each attempt to move causes a burning sensation within me.

I am frightened! I am afraid that one day I will wake up with no control over this body. I can feel it. There is something in my body. It feels like there's someone inside my body.

    My foot walked through the small market in the center of the town. Everywhere you look, you could find someone selling different things. There are fruits that are probably a week old already because the stalk of it is already dried, indicating they had been on display for a week or more. Others offered wilted vegetables. Amidst the familiar sights, I also spotted vendors selling items I had never encountered before.

My foot stops in front of a stall, where a young man is selling fish. It's Prince Fraser! He is wearing the same attire as yesterday, and his complexion appears darker than when I last laid eyes on him.

Prince Fraser glanced up at me, his eyes briefly dilating before returning to their usual state. He focused on his fish for a moment before addressing me. "Do you require anything, the Count's daughter?"

"It's Csille," my mouth said on its own.

   He glanced at me, a hint of confusion flickering in his eyes. He seemed puzzled, likely wondering why I was disregarding the rules. According to the rule, I wasn't supposed to engage in conversation or any interaction with him, a measure taken by the King to ensure the safety of the Crown Prince.

   He shook his head at me, his expression carrying a mix of resignation and confusion. "Lady Csille, do you need anything? Would you like a fish?" He glanced at the fish with a hint of hesitation in his clear blue eyes.

The Count and Countess conduct food feeding every other day, and as a token of appreciation, people often offer what they can to them or even to Csille. Prince Fraser must be weighing whether he should give me the fish for free, knowing that doing so might mean going without food for himself that day.

My head shakes involuntarily. "You don't need to give me anything. I'm actually here to provide clothing to people. Here," I hand him a pair of simple shirt and shorts that are the right size for him. I also instruct the maid to distribute the other clothes we have to other vendors. The vendors express their gratitude and offer their goods in return. My mouth politely declines their offers.

Thank goodness! I was worried my mouth would be rude again.

    Most people here don't have enough money to buy food for themselves, let alone buy a new set of clothes.

"You shouldn't come here." I heard a whisper. I look at Prince Fraser. He is already frowning, showing how he is displeased with what I am doing. He took a stick and inconspicuously wrote something in the ground.

'Leave!'

I see! This scene aligns with the one I penned before the Crown Prince encounters Princess Paislee while disguised as a cross-dressing man. Prince Fraser is frustrated by Csille's stubbornness, so he pushes her away, concerned for her safety and the secrecy of his identity as the Crown Prince.

However, Csille is unaware that Prince Fraser's concern is solely for her safety. So, upon reading his message, she exits the scene without acknowledging anyone else, leaving everyone perplexed and fearful.

I look at what Prince Fraser wrote. Although I know what he really meant behind those words, I could still feel pain in my heart. It's like someone is pricking it, and I have an urge to cry. With blurry eyes, my foot walks out on its own.

Are these Csille's feelings? Is the reason why I couldn't control my body and felt pain when I forced myself to move because this scene was written in the book? Couldn't I really do anything to change those scenes?

____________

After that incident, my life has been relatively normal. I've been able to control my body without any issues these days. Perhaps it's because this is the time gap in my story. It is when I fast forward the story to a week or a month later.

These days, I've been assisting my parents in feeding the poor. Our efforts have made the Count and Countess beloved figures among the people. Even Csille, the Count's daughter, receives special treatment here. However, food feeding can only happen every other day due to the shortage of manpower. As much as my parents would like to do it daily, it's simply not feasible.

   I refrained from visiting Prince Fraser, knowing that he's already struggling to get by each day. I didn't want to burden him further. Our only interaction would be when he receives his free food, but even then, we didn't speak. We would exchange glances and then carry on as if nothing had occurred.

   This routine continues for almost a week now. My days aren't usually busy. If there is food feeding, I will help distribute it the whole day. The following day, I usually stay indoors to rest or take leisurely strolls, although there aren't many places to visit around here.

   One thing I've noticed is that there's a particular place in the western region that I've been unable to go. Whenever I attempt to go there, either something unexpected happens, or I lose control of my body again.

   I don't understand. What is in that place that caused me to lose control of my body?

   I attempted to remmber what I wrote, but the initial and revised versions of the novel are confusing my mind. Now, I'm unsure what's right.

'What's in there? Or better yet, who is in there?'