The Broken Princess

The guard Wanda

As the door shut behind his father, Caelum sighed and got off the bed. He hadn't thought much of his earlier encounter with his mother, he didn't think she would be upset about that. How to apologise?

Caelum made his way down to the dinning room where his father and mother currently where. The poor dining table was stacked full of food and Caelum wondered just how much the table could carry before it finally gave out. The food before him was probably enough to feed ten humans.

He took a seat directly opposite his parents and noted the anxious expression on his mother's face.

"I made your favourites." Viola said referring to the food on the table. Caelum now noticed that indeed the majority of the food served were his favourite things to eat.

"Thank you." He answered awkwardly not knowing whether it was the right time to apologise or not. Aldrich watched the exchange with a sigh.

Who did his son take after with such an awkward personality?

Viola was quick witted and didn't have a filter on her mouth. She was stubborn but quick to apologise when she was wrong. Aldrich on the other hand had a more cunning personality, he was talented at playing words to his favour. Caelum's sister was the horrible combination of both parents but Caelum on the other hand didn't seem to take any personality traits from his parents.

But then again seeing how Viola was acting right now Aldrich could say the mother and son were alike.

"Well then, let's dig in." Aldrich said and began to pile food up on his plate.

"I made that Caelum!" Viola hit the back of his hand with a spoon when he tried to reach for a certain dish.

"Ouch!" Aldrich whined "Your son is home so your husband doesn't matter anymore. Is that it?" The man was ignored.

"How is the food?" Viola asked Caelum with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"It's really good, mom." The woman beamed when he spoke.

"Then have more, here." Viola continued to pile food on his place.

"I've been abandoned." Aldrich muttered under his breath. "Have kids they said, it'll be lovely they said. No one ever said I have to share my wife's attention." once again he was Ignored.

The initial awkwardness between mother and son had dissipated before anyone even realized.

"I'm sorry about earlier, I wasn't really in a good mood then." Caelum said, looking at Viola.

"That's alright. I just need to understand that you're not a kid anymore and have things that bother you." Viola said with a smile. The princess was his childhood friend, they'd spent a good amount of time together so to hear something like that happened to someone close to him, it must've been a shock.

The rest of the meal went by smoothly, random chatter filled the room until Caelum said, "I'm going to move in to the knights quarters soon."

"What?" Viola and Aldrich chorused.

"But you just got back, you don't have to report back for a while." Viola said.

"I need to be within the palace for personal reasons."

Viola wanted to pry but thought against it. He's not a kid anymore she tried to remind herself. Just like with Estelle, Caelum was getting farther and farther away from her. If only they could remain cute little children forever. She had to accept that she no longer had any control over their lives.

Her baby boy was no longer a child but a man. There was a certain loneliness that came with the fact.

Aldrich gave her thigh a squeeze from beneath the table, probably noticing her change in mood. 'It'll be fine' was what the smile on his face was saying.

Right! Getting older didn't mean Caelum was leaving her. Even if he turned a hundred, he would always still be her baby boy.

"I'll still come by to visit, it's not like I'm going anywhere far." Caelum tried to assure Viola.

"It's fine sweetheart."

***

First thing in the morning, Caelum made his way to the palace. The faster he spoke to the king the better. He was in the castle in no time. As it was still quite early in the day, there weren't alot of people moving about. By this time, servants were busy with the daily maintenance of the castle and preparing meals. He was secretly glad that there weren't a lot of people because after yesterday's incident, he was sure his face was widely known among the servants.

He made way to the king's office, knowing the man would already be at work, such was the life of a monarch. On his way to the office, he bumped into a person, making them stumble backwards.

"Could you watch where you're going?" The female said as she tried to regain her composure. When her eyes met his, recognition set in and in a sparse second she had the end of her sword pointed at his neck. "It would seem just anyone is allowed to waltz into the castle these days." Determined amber eyes stared up at him.

Caelum was briefly shocked by her speed but once he recovered from the shock he easily manuvered her sword out of her hand.

"You're always so eager to aim your blade at my neck." Caelum said as he held the newly acquired sword to her neck. This was one of the irritating women that kept him from seeing Eliora.

"H-How did you-?" She quickly stepped back but the shock was written all over her features.

Had he been this strong yesterday? She thought to herself. She and the other guards had easily removed him from the Princess' quarters yesterday so she'd assumed him a weak demon. For him to easily steal her sword from her, he was anything but. So how come he left calmly yesterday?

A door suddenly opened and they both turned their heads in the direction of the sound.

"What's going on here?" The king asked as he peeked from the door frame. "Oh Caelum, I knew you'd come again but you're here quite early."

"Greetings to his Majesty the King." Caelum said with a bow, the point of the blade facing the ground.

The king looked from the defensive position Wanda was in to the sword in Caelum's hand and he put two and two together.

"Wanda, I haven't introduced you two before, have I? This is Caelum, a returning knight from the recent war." Caelum stood straight, staring down at the red haired female with annoyance. "And Caelum this is Wanda, one of Eliora's guards."

This man was a returning knight? Wanda thought to herself. So he wasn't just another scum trying to get close to the princess? No no no. That part hadn't been confirmed yet. Just because he was a returning knight didn't mean he wasn't a possible threat to the princess. He'd tried to enter the princess' quarters despite the rule that had been set.

"I understand you two met yesterday. Caelum just returned yesterday so he isn't fully acquainted with the new palace rules. I hope you'll understand Wanda and pardon his mistakes." So the king is trying to say this Caelum person isn't a threat. "He was the princess' former guard before you guys took the post so he's used to casually entering the princess' quarters."

He was the princess' guard. Then was it under his watch that the princess' got kidnapped? The incompetent fool.

"If his highness says so then I have no complaints. I will take my leave now." With that Wanda bowed her head to the king, snatched her sword back from Caelum and walked away.

"I get a feeling she doesn't like me." Caelum said when she was gone.

"You don't say." The king rolled his eyes and walked back to his office with Caelum hot on his tail. "So what is it you wanted to see me about?" Derrick asked when they were finally alone.

"About your offer yesterday." Caelum scratched the back of his head and shuffled on his feet. "I would like to move into the knights quarters."

Derrick said nothing and simply eyed the demon before him. There was no way Caelum would ask to live in the castle without an ulterior motive.

"You don't still have any hope of seeing the princess, do you?" Derrick asked.

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't?"

"Of course not." Derrick sighed. "You must have heard that the princess is afraid of men, haven't you?" Caelum nodded. "I know you want to see her but it may cause more harm to her than good. She's been getting better lately, her condition could relapse if she's suddenly startled."

"I would never do anything to hurt the princess." Caelum stated firmly.

"Then I'll take your word for that." The king said. "I'll have my Butler prepare a room for you in the knights quarters. it'll probably be ready by tomorrow so you're free to move in by then."

"I'm thankful, your highness." Caelum said with a bow and turned to walk out of the office.

"Caelum if anything happens to Eliora, you'll have me to deal with."

"I'll keep that in mind, your Majesty." with that, Caelum shut the door behind him.

Caelum was definitely special, to receive a direct threat from the king himself. What an honor.