The Broken Princess

Home sweet home

A wave of nostalgia washed over Caelum as he stared at the house before him. His childhood home. The streets were busy as people went about their daily activities. The occasional sound of a hammer banging on a nail echoed, the sound coming from the carpenter's shop nearby. He heard men shout from the bar down the street, at some distance an lady scolded a child for breaking her windows.

Some things never change. How much he'd missed this peaceful scenery.

With his large bag in his left hand, Caelum knocked on the door to his family home with the right. Without wasting much time, a small female with blonde hair opened the door. She stared up at him with shock written all over her features, soon tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Caelum!" She exclaimed as she pulled him into a bone crushing hug. Caelum dropped his bag to the side and hugged her back, a smile making it's way to his face. He relished in the familiar scent of spices that surrounded him. She pulled away from the hug, taking his face between her hands as she inspected him. "It's really you, Caelum."

"I'm home, mom." he smiled down at her.

"Who's at the door, Viola?" A deep voice called from inside the house. An all too familiar voice to Caelum. Soon a large man appeared, his eyes going wide as he stared at Caelum. "Well I'll be damned."

Just like Caelum, the man had short dark hair and lightly tanned skin but unlike Caelum he had deep brown eyes. Caelum got his eyes from his mother after all.

"Its been a while, Father." Caelum said as he stepped away from his mother. He stood stiff in front of his father like a soldier would in front of his commander. Well his father had been his commander at some point.

With a hearty laugh his father pulled him into a hug.

"You awkward kid, that's not how to greet your father."

He stood awkwardly in his father's embrace not knowing how to react. Eventually, he awkwardly patted his father's back before he was freed.

"You look so different. You got taller and bigger, I almost didn't recognize you." His mom said as she analysed him. "You got so.... muscular."

"Well of course he did! He's finally looking like a man now." Aldrich said as he casually snaked his arm around his wife's waist.

"Don't touch me when you're covered in filth." His mother scolded, glaring hard at his father.

"But I'm like this because I'm helping you out." His father whined. One hard hard glare from his mother and the man fell silent. Looking like a child that has been scolded.

Caelum smiled at his parents. They hadn't changed even one bit. He always found it hilarious how his father- known as one of the most powerful warriors in Driskula- could be so easily controlled by his smallish mother.

His father was formerly the commander of all knights in the Driskula kingdom. Caelum had even trained under the man when he was still a squire. Now the man worked as the head tactician, dutied with making up plans and strategies for battles. In terms of status in the Driskula kingdom, his father was highly ranked. The man was feared by the strongest warriors and yet his smallish mother had a tight leash on the man.

The mate bond was both a beautiful and frightening thing.

When the greetings were over, Caelum was ushered in by his eager mother.

"Dinner will be ready soon so why don't you wash up in the meantime."

He nodded, making his way up to his old bedroom. The room was just as he left it. Surprisingly it was completely dust free despite the lack of use over the years. His mom must have had it cleaned regularly he thought. His bed was the same but looked smaller now. The small bed might not be able to take his hulking frame now. Had he really been that tiny?

His old wooden dresser still had his old clothes them. Clothes that would never fit him now. On the dresser was an old picture frame. A picture of him and the princess when she was 13 encased in it. The princess had forced him to give her a piggy back ride in the photo, she smiled brightly behind him while his face held a look of annoyance.

'The good old days.'

He dropped his bag by the foot of the bed and sat down.

He was finally home. Six years of battle and now he was finally home. No more would he have to witness his comrades fall as they warred. No more would he have to sleep with an eye open for fear of an attack. And now he could finally see the princess.

Tomorrow he would head to castle to pay his respects to the king and meet with the princess. Excitement bubbled in him as he thought of seeing Eliora's bright blue eyes and silver hair. At long last he would be able to see her.

Moments passed before his mom knocked at his door, informing him that the meal was ready. He followed her down the steps and to their living room where a mountain of food was laid out. The aroma teased his senses and his stomach growled in response.

"If I had known you were coming, I would have made more food." His mom said with a sigh. "Well I have the chance to fatten you up now that you're home."

Caelum laughed as he dropped into his seat. Their table had four chairs, one for each family member and it was then he realised a person was missing.

"Where's Estelle?" He only just noticed that his sister was no where to be seen. Well that wasn't particularly odd, she was almost never home.

"That brat!" Viola grit her teeth. "She's gone somewhere again without saying anything. I haven't heard from her in a week."

"She'll be fine, you need to stop worrying so much. She's a full grown adult." Aldrich said in a attempt to calm his wife.

Estelle was Caelum's much older sister. She was about eighty in human years but had frozen into her immortality at twenty two. Caelum on the other hand was just twenty four and was yet to hit his transition. Immortals transitioned when their bodies were considered to be at their peak. It happened much later in males than in the females.

"She's like that because she takes after you." Viola said with annoyance.

Their little couple's spat continued and ended after a few exchanges. After that random talk filled the room and matter regarding the castle came up.

"How's the princess doing?" Caelum asked his father. As Aldrich was someone of importance in the kingdom, he was at the castle every other day.

"The princess, huh?" The man went silent after that, chewing his food silently.

Matters involving the princess were kept secret so news of her capture and present mental state never spread out of the kingdom. So obviously Caelum wouldn't know what happened. Aldrich didn't know how to tell his son that the princess wasn't doing well. So instead of having do deal with Caelum's reaction when he found out, the man chose to dodge the question.

"You might see her when you go to the castle tomorrow." Though that would likely not happen.

The princess didn't fare well around men except her father. There was no way Caelum would be allowed to meet her. Aldrich didn't voice out his thoughts.

Caelum noticed his question was avoided but didn't think much of it. In the first place there was no reason why his father and the princess would meet. So his father probably didn't know.

After that, the men stuffed themselves full of food. It had been years since Caelum had a proper home cooked meal so he relished in the taste of the food. Viola was unmatched when it came to cooking delicious food. Once dinner was done, Caelum excused himself with the guise of being tired after his journey home. Viola had no choice but to let him rest.

Now Caelum laid on his bed, his body taking up the whole space, leaving no free room. The only thing on his mind- the princess.

***

"Hey, did you hear? The knights dispatched for the war are finally returning home." One maid said to another as they walked by.

"The war is truly over. The palace is going to be busy now that the knights are returning." The other one said.

"There going to be so much work for us to do once they return." the first maid lamented.

"It's not so bad. Maybe I'll meet my mate among them."

Their conversation faded away as they got further. Eliora had instantly stopped paying attention to her book when she heard the knights would be returning. That means Caelum would be coming home too. Her hand absently stroked the stone she wore in her neck.

"Is that true, Sabrina." She asked the maid that was currently attending to her. "Is the war really over?"

Sabrina finished pouring a cup of tea for the princess before she spoke.

"Yes it is, your highness. The Vernon kingdom sent a letter of surrender to the king. It ended in Driskula's victory."

"Then Caelum will be coming back." Eliora said in excitement.

A look flashed across Sabrina's face as the princess spoke but it was gone as soon as it came.

"I stand to believed so, your highness." Sabrina answered curtly.

An angelic like smile made it's way to Eliora's lips and Sabrina stood shocked. She had no interest in females but even her heart fluttered. She would never be able to get used to the princess' ethereal beauty. There was no man alive who would be able to resist the princess.

It was odd to see the usually stoic princess look so excited. And to think it would be because her former guard was returning.

"I'll be right outside if you need anything princess." Sabrina said and only when Eliora acknowledged her did she walk out of the room.