The Destined Princess and the Hidden Knight

Chapter Four

I was never good at sports or any games. Mother has kept me away from that, the same reason, as all the other mothers do. Dust in hair, if I fall I would get hurt or might get a cut. And one of the main big reasons was that girls don't look graceful while playing games. They are born to sit and watch sports while the boys display their talent, opt for knitting, painting, or if you are privileged enough write poems. 

By the time I would have started learning all that, my life had taken a major turn and I fell behind, I fell behind hard. All I knew was how to dance because my mother was a dancer, a skill which was frowned upon to be known and yet a skill needed in every court. 

Dancers were entertainers, the life of a big gathering, something everyone was excited to watch, and yet if someone from the royal family wished to take it up, they wouldn't be allowed for it. Although the fact that no one knew was, Princesses were sent to learn the skills, to keep their would-be grooms happy in the privacy of their household. And I was the one who would teach them that. But right now, I was standing in the middle of all the court girls who were ready to do anything to impress the Prince and try being a concubine. 

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for the first hit. And then it came to me. 

Gift stood in front of me, the woolen ball in her hand, the red string a little loose and playing between her fingers, a small smile on her face, as she juggled the ball from right hand to left and to right. More thread came loose, which made the purpose of the hit nonexistent. The ball wouldn't make any impact and...

She threw the ball in my direction and I hopped to my right, just as we did in dance, left leg following the right. 

As the first hit was a miss, my hope to survive this game increased. I quickly did a half-turn as another court girl picked up the ball and threw a shot at me. My gaze followed the ball which was barely able to make it to me and fell just by her feet. There was no strength in the throw. I was no better before or now, but I could at least manage a throw. 

Third hit

She passed the ball to another court girl, Freya, who looked at Gift first and juggled the ball between her hands making more thread come loose. The size of the ball gets smaller with each throw. She aimed the ball at me and pulled her arm back to throw it with a strong force. The ball would be coming at a high speed, all I had to do was to duck.

And so I did.

Luckily the ball hit someone just behind me and it wasn't a gift. 

"Ouch," the girl screamed so loud as if got hit by an arrow. Rubbing the portion on her calves, she slowly pulled up the gown a little and began looking for the injured area, her gaze contradicting her actions and falling on the Prince, hoping that he would come and rescue her. 

Damsel in distress?

Were all girls supposed to be like this? Hoping for their Prince to come on a white horse and rescue them?

Why was I different then, why I knew that if I ever was in need, no one would come for me.

After having no luck, the girl passed the ball to her friend, stomped her feet, and left the game, standing by the side to watch. Only if I could do that.

Her friend made another weak throw and even though it wasn't by her feet, and reached till me, I was quick enough to jump up and let the ball roll to the opposite side.

Just one more hit and the game would be...

"Ouchhh" I yelled as I felt a strong hit on my back, probably leaving a purple scar right now. 

I sucked in a breath, as my hand reached to my back, inspecting the impact of the hit. 

What was it? 

"I thought since the woolen ball was all loose and open, we could use this rubber one"

Her giggle didn't convey any sort of guilt in her message and why would she even feel guilty, I was too distracted to dodge that I didn't notice their play all along or at least their intention for opening the string. 

I looked around for the court lady who was looking over the game but she was nowhere to be seen, the girl who was barely hurt had taken her inside to see the nonexistent bruise on her calf. 

Even without knowing, I had messed up with the wrong girl. And now I have to pay for it.

The Prince was seated far away to know what was going on, but just that I was getting hit now after missing four hits. 

There were not just one, two but three balls now in play. My gaze traveled between the three girls holding it. 

Gift, Freya, and Merry, three entitled and spoiled princesses, whom I have displeased somehow and even I weren't aware of the reason.

"Aaaaaah" I screamed again on the second hit

"This one for being the daughter of a drunk man" 

"Owwww" another one, this time on the back of my thigh, making me jump up in pain

"This one for being the daughter of a traitor"

What were they even saying now, my father was no traitor

"Aahh ahh ouch" I almost feel as the hit landed on my foot.

"And this one for trying to want something, that you don't deserve, you pathetic..", before Merry could complete her sentence, I felt two strong hands on my shoulder.

No, no, no, I wished it wasn't who I thought it was. If my white knight was here, I would be in bigger trouble than I was already facing right now. He should have never noticed me in the first place and him being here to protect me would only make them hate me more. 

Why was this even happening?

"You okay?" The deep and calming voice settled something inside me which was trying to escape. Maybe hope, hope that good things only happen to bad people. I could feel his height towering way above me in the shadows made on the ground. His broad shoulders were mocking my fragile ones, and his royal attire made my bland dress duller. He didn't take off his hands as the court lady came back and only nodded in her direction. 

"The play was a great entertainment, but the girls still need to learn how to behave in front of the Prince" 

The ground went silent immediately, even the court lady was looking down in disappointment and shame. 

I could only stand with my gaze down, holding my one hand with the other and trying not to fall right there right now. I have never felt this safe in years. Only his presence was making my breathing finally relax. I slowly turned and peeked a glance at him. His black eyes looking in my brown eyes were filled with....pity? A sense to save someone. 

A sudden pain settled in my chest. I was no princess, in his eyes, I was just a victim, his subject, whom he had to look out for.