Chapter 63: I Wish You Could Be Honest With Me
Chang sat there for a while after Jian left and touched the spot on her forehead. Eventually she got up to dress herself, skipping the constricting undershirt, and went to eat.
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The first two days that Jian was gone Chang tried to fill her days with activity to help pass the time. Everything seemed to have become rather tasteless and bland without Jian there.
Her mother always seemed to tire early when they would explore the massive gardens that surrounded the palace. As her mother and Hao Jin Ying were unable to accompany her most of the time Chang did a lot of exploring by herself; exploring the massive sunlight palace halls filled with beautiful tile mosaics.
She practiced her horsemanship too in the palace paddock area, using the beautiful mare that Jian had picked out for her before. After two days of practicing she felt comfortable enough to ride into the town on her own the following day.
Chang thought it had been a very interesting place and hoped travelling there might lift up her mood a bit. Remembering Jian's words she grabbed one Amira's hijabs to match some new, more well-fitting clothes she had received from a maid yesterday before going out.
Chang told Hao Jin Ying that she was heading out alone as her morher was ever-unavailable. Even Chang knew she could be pretty dense sometimes but could tell that her mom was keeping something from her.
Everyone was, and it was beyond frustrating. It actually hurt her a little that no one trusted her with the truth. She wanted her mom to be the one to tell her the truth, and at her own volition, so despite her sadness she waited for honesty.
Slipping off the horse easily, she tied the leadline to a tree surrounded by a small grassy patch. The palace guard whom Grandpa Hakim had ordered to follow her and protect her, dismounted as she tied the line, giving the horse room to graze.
Hearing the man's weight hit the ground, Chang started a little fumbling her knot. He had been so silent, and she so preoccupied in her thoughts, that she forgot that she had company.
"Ah if you would please can you just stay here, I'd like to be alone for awhile." Chang turned to the man and hesitantly asked for her privacy, it felt weird having someone follow her around silently.
"Lady Dumont I have my orders, while this area is safe, Effendi Al-Hassan would be sorely displeased should anything happen." The man resolutely replied, refusing her request.
"But you just said it yourself this area is safe, I will be sorely displeased if I don't have my alone time." Using the very words he had, Chang tried to speak more forcefully.
"You will not even notice me Lady Hassan, I have my orders to see that no harm comes to you."
Chang's patience had reached its limit and she snapped at the man, whom she knew was only doing as he was ordered.
"If you dont let me be, I promise to hurt myself, in some way or another." Chang saw the man's uneasy look and pressed further. "I promise though if you let me be, I will be extra careful and come back within the hour to this spot."
"Lady Dumont-"
Chang saw the man's wavering mind and snapped a small branch off of the tree and pressed the jagged end against her wrist lightly applying pressure; her eyes narrowed in warning to the man.
"I mean it."
Chang knew she was being difficult, like a spoiled child, but she could not have someone she did not know hanging around her like poop on a goldfish. She had already been in a foul mood, and him hanging around only made it worse.
The man held his hands up helplessly unable to fight against her in her position. Seeing that he had surrendered Chang threw her stick on the ground, her threat having accomplished what was needed.
"Within the hour, I promise."
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