The Weakness of Trust

Upon waking up and then staying awake until she could return (temporarily) to bed, Zayobi again woke up, at four in the morning.

Will I need to deal with Hedyla patrolling now too? She thought, staring down the window onto the field where more than tens of soldiers began surrounding Kamiko.

The princess strained her eyes around the crimson lit yard.

I can’t see her, but there’s always the chance she’s hiding among the soldiers and plans to jump Kamiko without notice. Maybe Hedyla thinks that’s what I did yesterday?

She shock her head. Time to act instead of theorize, Zayobi.

“Alright, I will earn another safeguard for my escapes if this works.”

At that she materialized her chakram before spinning it on her fingers.

And shot it out high above the field.

Thundering explosions could be heard from outside the window as the whole view turned red, fire could be seen on the wind itself.

She took a breath, waited around ten seconds, and waved a hand down in a slash.

The same instant a portal appeared Zayobi reached inside it in the blink of an eye before vanishing along with it.

I’m simply perfect! Thought the spoiled princess.

I had a hunch when I went inside the realm the second time, I believe it acts as an outer part of my soul, being my Divine Creation after all, and thus could also memorize the Spiritual Energy of whoever enters it.

The chakram glowed brighter from her excitement, almost enough to signal her location like a flare.

All I had to do was open the portal to the chakram, quickly touch it before it advances, and hop inside it like always.

With her ego in the skies, (which she wasn’t so far away from actually) the princess laughed to herself as she flew outside her kingdom.

“Let’s see…” The princess beamed while deep in thoughts. I have two baskets ready, one for Agmon. I got a few pages to draw maps on while I’ll be guiding him, some to reward him with and some to keep to myself.

She just climbed down the tree she’d landed on while inside the chakram.

He shouldn’t be hard to spot with his bright blue fur and all.

And a few minutes later, after scanning the strawberry bushes she had cleared out yesterday to make sure she truly did, the fluffy prince appeared at the end of her sight.

“Oh my, are you being subservient today or something?” She said upon seeing him from up close. “Why do you not carry a basket when I’m about to show you my harvest routes? There’s no way your kingdom is lacking containers for fruits and vegetables, right?”

“Uh…” It probably took him a moment to realize who he was about to answer, or that he had to accept the fact that this was the personality of Ashraha’s heir princess.

“I was…” He looked down. “...More invested, well, my mind was…” He answered as he rose to meet her eyes: “...In you than the strawberries…”

Could this be the reason why he doesn’t have a fiancee yet? Is my type this rare? I don’t have the answer to both of these questions to be honest, though I would imagine that nothing would stop the first girl to hear those words from his mouth to leap and kiss him...

“Hmm… You don’t look red yourself for me to accept you as a trade for strawberries though.” It was scary how bluntly she stated that. “The important thing is making you accustomed to the areas in the forest you haven’t been to.” She gestured a “follow me.”

“Wait, Zayobi, can I ask you something? It might sway your guidance to somewhere less ideal, but…” It wasn’t pitiful, though the prince’s voice knelled a little as he stood in place.

“You made the mistake of asking, and I refuse.” She said with a grin. “I can feel a tint of worry in that poetic inquiry of yours, and instead of being your shoulder, I should be what I am: Your guide. Sorrow must not write the terms of the journey.”

“Huh…?”

“Listen, whatever troubles you, even if it can affect the taste of the strawberries, never let it take you astray from the path you chose to walk to obtain the fruits!”

He must be a shoulder to others if he desires to use that of another. My father’s lessons are bearing fruits right in front of my eyes here, yet I desire an orchard, not a single tree.

“It’s undesirable to have a friend who thinks the empathy of his close ones is something earned with a question. You want me to allow you to bring up a topic you deem subversive? No, you should’ve been able to fly it in my face proudly had it really mattered to your heart.”

“And what if the topic is a prelude meant to convey that I desire bringing up a topic flagged as subversive? To allow us to stand above something controversial?”

“This inquiry isn’t even poetic, it’s sad, Agmon.” She put her hands on her hips. “You want my empathy on some subject I might have a bias against, right?” Still she smiled. “Empathy is but a weakness created from trust!”

“I don’t get that…” He nearly sighed at her exclamation.

“Do you trust me?”

“I do.”

“Can you empathize with me?”

“I believe so.”

She stepped closer. “And why can you do it?”

At that, the cage of silence opened.

Silence flew in the forest, danced around them, and began to weigh on Agmon’s mind.

Not a minute had passed when Zayobi spoke: “It might’ve been good that you didn’t answer at all instead of saying ‘because I’m a heir to the throne as well’ or something along those lines.”

She put a hand on his shoulder. “Empathy is important, but many people hand it out with a bow on top before knowing what real trust is. The empathy you desire is mutual trust, and I can give you that.”

The lightning in his spine shaking his legs could be felt in Zayobi’s palm as she firmly held him from falling. He realized after it subsided; her eyes alone had him in place.

“Thanks.” He reluctantly looked away before he could sink further into those red eyes, yet now her ever-present grin stole his attention.

“Great to be helpful, great indeed. Now let us be off and not waste more time on topics your father should’ve taught you.”

She snatched his arm and broke into a dash.