Dominance of Veiled Hearts

"I'm the only one who can read the scrolls easily—at least for now," I said, forcing calm into my voice. "But once the other historians catch up, they'll realize I've been holding back. It'll take them years to fully understand the scrolls, and by then, I'll be long gone."

The prince's eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering in their depths like the dying flame beside us. "So, you're deceiving them?"

His words stung, a sharp reminder of my precarious position. I'd spent too long treading carefully around these men of power, knowing one wrong move could land me in a cell—or worse.

"I'm just trying to survive," I replied, keeping my tone steady. I felt his gaze drilling into me, a scrutiny that could strip away my façade. "I can only stall them for so long, but it's better than handing over all the words."

He studied me, the tension thickening the air between us. After a long pause, he nodded, a reluctant acceptance shimmering in his eyes. "Alright. I'll help you. But if anything happens to my sister, you'll regret it."

"Fair enough," I said with a wry smile, attempting to break the tension.

He squinted, still sizing me up. "How can you be so confident?"

"I have a plan," I stated, meeting his gaze with unyielding conviction. "And I trust my plan."

The prince paused, his gaze fixed on me. I could see him wrestling with his doubts, his skepticism battling with the hope that I might actually have a clue about what I'm doing. The silence stretched, thick with tension, as he weighed whether to trust me or not.

Finally, he spoke, his voice cautious but curious. "Tell me your plan."

I couldn't help but grin to myself. 'This won't be easy, but don't underestimate me.'

"I finished transcribing the scroll from your country last night," I said, keeping my voice as calm as possible.

The prince's eyes widened in surprise. His jaw clenched, and I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. "You what?" His voice was tight, somewhere between disbelief and anger.

I swallowed hard, trying not to let his reaction shake me. I needed him on my side, but I couldn't afford to seem too eager to please. "I told you I could do it," I said, meeting his gaze head-on.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small, worn notebook. I flipped through the pages until I found the passage I had spent all night decoding. "Listen to this," I said, my voice steady as I began to read. 

"'Only those who ᜎᜒᜀᜇ᜔ ᜆ᜔ᜑᜒ ᜑᜒᜀᜇ᜔ᜆ᜔ can attain what you desire. Thus, all the power and wealth will be achieved without a broken mind.'"

The words sent a shiver down my spine, their meaning slipping just out of reach. I'd been puzzling over those characters for hours, but no matter how many times I read it, the answer refused to reveal itself. It was frustrating, like staring at a lock without a key. I know I have seen this before, but I can't remember where.

The prince's eyes narrowed, trying to understand the cryptic message. "These ᜎᜒᜀᜇ᜔ ᜆ᜔ᜑᜒ ᜑᜒᜀᜇ᜔ᜆ᜔ are the exact words from the scrolls," I continued, glancing up to see his reaction. "But this, I can't decipher what it means."

The prince's expression shifted from shock to deep thought. The silence between us grew thick as if the weight of the mysterious phrase was a challenge that needed solving.

"If these characters are hard for me to understand," I said, my voice firm, "it will probably take others years to figure them out. You can lie during the interrogation tomorrow. I'm not sure how the prince will do it, but he said he'll make you talk personally."

The prince sneered, a spark of defiance in his eyes. "Ha! How arrogant!"

I leaned closer, my tone serious. "I'll tell him I failed to negotiate with you. When it's his turn, tell him the scroll doesn't belong to you—it belongs to the princess."

"Why should I do that?" he snapped, suspicion evident in his voice.

"Don't worry," I reassured him. "They won't be able to find your sister for days. I'm telling you this so I can help you escape safely."

He looked at me, doubt still in his eyes. I knew it wasn't easy to trust a stranger, especially in such a dire situation. But it was crucial for my plan to work. "If you don't say those words," I warned, "I can't help you. The prince thinks 'the heart' in the scrolls is a literal heart. He's been collecting and dissecting the hearts of those he thinks to own the scrolls. If you die, it won't be long before your sister is caught."

His face hardened. "I won't let my sister be dragged into this. It will only put her in more danger." His protective instincts were admirable but also clouded his judgment.

Frustration bubbled up inside me, but I kept my cool. "I know, but that's not the point! We're just buying time to keep you safe. Do you understand my plan? If you die, who will protect your sister? She's lucky I found her yesterday. Do you really think she can survive running and hiding in the woods?"

I watched as my words began to sink in, the reality of the situation starting to hit him.

"How can I trust your plan? There's a possibility that my heart will be gone by then," he asked, his voice quieter now but still uncertain.

"Listen," I said, lowering my voice to a whisper. "I have these pills that can stop your heart for a few minutes but heal you faster than any normal elixir. After the prince beats you to death, I'll give you one of these pills. It'll look like you died from his interrogation. I'll take care of your body and how you escape after that is up to you."

The prince's eyes narrowed, suspicion clear on his face. "How sure are you they won't suspect my death?"

I leaned back, giving him a knowing look. "I've never met anyone who survived the prince's interrogation and lived more than a week."

My words hung heavily in the air, and for a moment, I wondered if I'd pushed too hard. My heart pounded in my chest, but I kept my expression calm. He needed to believe I was in control. I couldn't afford to show fear—not now.

'Come on! I risked my safety and spent almost all my money on that pill,' I desperately plead in my mind.

He stared at me, his mind racing as he considered my proposal. The silence stretched until he finally spoke, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"What's your name?"

"What?" I asked, surprised by the sudden shift in topic.

"I need to know your name and swear an oath of trust between us," the prince said seriously.

"I'm Tuk," I said hesitantly.

"Is that your real name?" he asked, trying to read my face.

"It doesn't matter if it's real or not, right?" I replied.

"It matters to us knights who rely on trust," he said firmly. I hesitated. Giving someone your name was like handing them a thread—one they could pull on and unravel the person I worked so hard to become. But right now, trust was a currency I needed, and it's not like he can find me in my world.

"My name is Sunniva. You can call me Sun or Iva," I introduced myself for the first time in this world.

"I'm Richard Helios, second son and prince of Homonhon. As a knight of the empire, I trust this fellow Sunniva and will help her decode the words in return for helping me." He spoke solemnly as if making a vow to a god. 

"Are you done?" I asked when he finished.

Silence stretched between us until he finally spoke, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Heart."

He looked at me, a glimmer of realization in his eyes. "the word means 'heart' in our language. The last character ᜎᜒᜀᜇ᜔ means heart and ᜑᜒᜀᜇ᜔ᜆ᜔ means learned. Together, it translates to 'learned the heart,' which can also mean 'love.'"

We both fell silent after he explained the word. The prince smirked. "Ha! That man can never attain my ancestor's power because he doesn't know how to love."

His smirk was triumphant, but my mind raced in a different direction.

The realization hit me like a lightning bolt. The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Without a word, I grabbed my notes and scribbled down the fully translated phrase, my hand moving almost on its own as the weight of the meaning sank in.

What Richard said might make sense in his context, but not with the scroll. If the heart in the scroll meant the same as love, why change the character? Something didn't add up.