Female Man

Chapter Thirteen – Contest

She would just run away to somewhere. Another question, where?

Kiera knew she wouldn’t handle the truth. For over a week now, she had been trying to escape. Jumping through windows, breaking glasses, making holes in the walls.

She was just destroying his property, her property as she earlier remarked. Whenever they crossed she would sigh witch-possessed. She was so dramatic.

She couldn’t run, his mansion was covered with a magical shield. She would stay with him and accept him the way he was, not like she had another choice. He didn’t have another choice either.

He couldn’t go to Konia to look for a royal male. Konians worshipped gods and their gods possessed them. It was a witch serving their god that had cursed his father for being so unruly.

Amelia would soon give up, she had no choice.

And soon she did give up, it was her seventh attempt breaking the walls, eleventh attempt to jump through the windows, fourth attempt breaking glasses and she got lots of injuries as results.

She decided to rest while complaining tiredly. “You’re really amusing, Princess” he said from behind her. She didn’t move while her leg were on a stool. “You are here to laugh and mock at me, right? I have never faced such embarrassments in my life” she whimpered.

He wanted to reply “there’s a first time for everything” but that stool could become a weapon so he swallowed his words. He just smiled and left for the kitchen.

He came back with a Jolly and a bowl and towels. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Watch and see, Princess” he replied and stooped low to clean her wounds then dried it.

“Awwn” Jolly moaned.

Amelia rolled her eyes, was he acting “nice husband”.

“And how did you get in here?” She enquired sternly.

“Well, I am certainly not a magician, she brings me here”. Jolly hopped to Amelia.

“She?... Your brother? He’s a he” Amelia snapped. Jolly smiled, she had been making those mistakes to confuse Amelia. When Kiera and Jolly left, Amelia let her mind think.

Can’t he just let me leave instead of playing nice? Would he force her to bear him a son? Couldn’t he dispense the witch’s traces somehow else?

Must he need a royal male? She gasped and peeked to see if they’re coming back. Wait, did it mean he was Royal? Technically, since he’s biological father was a Konian Prince, it means his royal. Or should be.

And now, he’s mother was dead. Seems he had a bag of bad luck following him around. And for the first time, she felt pity towards her thus man, husband.

His name was Koline but he called himself Kiera to remember his mother. Perhaps she should be more understanding. Not that she’d bear him a son though.

She couldn’t just love in peace here after all those terrible things he had told her. Witch-possessed! Could her life be more messed up?

Jolly was painting again when she went outside. She assumed Kiera would be at his usual spot, near the stables. “Why do you guys do the drawing and painting contest every week?” she asked. Jolly turned to her and clashed her white set of teeth.

“Because there’s always an inspiration. And a price of course” she replied. “Then what was the inspiration when he draw me sleeping? Ugly things of the world?” Amelia frowned.

Jolly shook her head and went back to her drawing, “On the contrary, Princess” she started, “The inspiration for that week was the cutest thing we saw that week. I thought those sprouting blue tulips were cute. Well he.. he thought his new wife sleeping was cute" she giggled at the end.

Amelia felt her cheeks burn again. Could he be that sweet? "He always wins the contest anyway but I love painting" Jolly added.

The little girl reminded Amelia of her brother and all the silly things he does. Charles hadn't stayed long with their mother before she passed away. In other to make him feel normal, the King had employed lots of babysitters.

These babysitters had doted and pampered on the young Prince, letting him do all the silly things he wanted. "Imagine him hiding the General's sword" Amelia said aloud.

When she saw Jolly's confused expression, she explained she just remembered a silly memory of her younger brother, it was a fond memory too.

Jolly shook her head and went back to her work. Amelia watched her for some minutes. It was boring with only the sound of birds to make the mansion alive. How was he leaving here all alone? And it was also chilly too.

"That's it! I'm going in" she stood up abruptly. Her legs still hurt from her escapades. Reality dawning on her that she would never escape tore her chest. Jolly nodded, eyes fixed on her painting.

Guess she really wants to win this contest. "So what's this week contest anyway?" Amelia leaned on a wall for balance. Going in might not be a good idea, everywhere looked lonely. She peered into Jolly's painting sheet and noticed it was a familiar figure.

"This week is drawing and painting the most annoying person you've met. I didn't want to accept it but it's my father" the girl grumbled.

Amelia smiled. No doubt Kiera's drawing would be her, his "new wife". Sounded like he had had an old one. But even she accepted that she annoyed him. She better go check though and she hopped over to him. As she came closer, the smell of horse dung destroyed the air.

Kiera wasn't at his usual spot but his painting tools were there. All of a sudden, he appeared in front of Amelia. "Good heavens" she yelled. He paid no attention and zoomed off to his stables. She wanted to follow him, to of course yell, but the smell was too strong. Ha horse was sick again.

She peeked at his painting.

He was also drawing Sam, his stepdad. Seems the man was really annoying. "And I thought his figure would have been me. Guess I'm not that annoying" she shrugged. Footsteps came closer, "You're more amusing than annoying, Princess" Kiera said. Frowning she replied, "And you are more ugly to good-looking!!".

He squeezed his face. She didn't know what she said, she blurted it out. "Well, I mean..." she hesitated.