The young princess scowled, definitely not liking the response her mother gave her as she crossed her arms once again, shaking her head with her chin lifted in pouty defiance. “That isn’t fair...Kozu gets...” Her chin fell back down and she frowned in thought. “He gets to parade around topless when Xiu Mei is staying here and I can’t even buy a stupid dress or hug people the way I want.” She did not want to get Kozu into trouble but it was not fair and he was going to ignore her for Xiu Mei now, she just knew it. She was very tempted to just let what she’d seen slip but decided against it. She would not want him to tell on her, afterall. It was maybe the first time she was able to keep silent.
She snuggled back into her mother, pouting. Until her mother spoke of her mother and Zuma closed her eyes and listened. She almost thought they did really love each other, listening to her mother speak and without saying anything, she thought about all her mother was saying. However, it wasn’t love. “What if you’d loved somebody else but had to marry Daddy?” She spoke quietly, not opening her eyes and then a frown formed and she mumbled into her mother’s shoulder. “I don’t want...Daddy wouldn’t make me...he’s not mean like Xiu Mei’s father.” Slowly and cautiously, she wrapped her arms around her mother and held tight. She did not want to think that one day she might have to marry someone she did not like or know. It had not seemed like a possibility before but it was slowly becoming one.