Cassandra

Chapter Forteen

Cassandra POV 

The rain has stopped and so has my tears. The chilling wind of the night has started to blow. Everything is going quite expect for the thoughts in my mind. I could only hear few sounds of the bats and the nocturnal creatures which are little calming in this gloomy night. 

I pick up my helmet and my sword. The blade isn’t blunt and it holds the history of making the enemies kneel down on the ground, except for today. Today it faced defeat for the first time since it’s yielder wasn’t strong enough, wasn’t brave enough, wasn’t a man. My ears are still ringing with his laugh, with the cheers around and I put both my hands over them. 

“Stop, Stop, Please stop”, I feel like the tears are going to come again and I don’t want to be weak now. 

I don’t know if I would be able to pick up the sword again, hold it with my head held high. I don’t know what I will say to Louis who will ask me about my first fight.  I don’t know how will I face Daddy. 

I drag my body to my chambers where I wasn’t expecting two people who I didn’t want to face today standing by the side of the door. 

Evan and Prince Cedric. 

I want to retreat, but where else will I go?

As I reach the gate, Prince Cedric engulfs me in a strong hug. I could feel his warm body against my cold, his clean clothes against my dirty ones. I raise my eyes and see Evan standing a little distance apart. He has a scowl on his face which confuses me. 

Is he disappointed by me?

I put some distance between me and Prince Cedric and finally meet his gaze. 

“You shouldn’t have done that, my clothes, they made yours dirty”, I am feeling guilty of causing this trouble to him. 

“My Lady, I was really worried after you left the field so suddenly”, I could feel the concern in his voice and Evan moves forward and keeps the palm of one of his hand on my shoulder. It felt like he was moving in to hug me too but he took his steps back and looked sideways. 

“You are really kind, Sire. You think about others too even being a Prince”, my admiration is sincere since I know his kingdom is much larger than ours and so does their army. 

“My Lady, I would always worry for your safety and well being.”, I smile hearing his calm and kind words. 

“Cass…you okay?”, Evan’s eyes are fixated on me, his eyebrows knitted together. His lips parted waiting to ask a question or to console me and I don’t want either thing to be done. 

“Do you guys eat?”, I slap my hand over my mouth. 

“I mean did you eat Sire and Evan?”, my eyes are on the floor, obviously I don’t know how to address them together. 

“You could call me Cedric”, he has a smile playing on his face while I see Evan move towards my side. I raise my eyebrows but he ignores it. 

“I already told you, I can only address you as Sire”, I smile back 

“She is going to get punished if she doesn’t address me by my name”, I feel Evan’s arm coming around my shoulder and I give me a scowl before pushing his arm aside. 

“We were waiting for you My Lady”, Prince Cedric's voice is back to concern again and I don’t like it at all. 

“You shouldn't have”, I shake my head

There won’t be anything left now. They shouldn’t have waited for me. 

“We couldn’t eat without our friend, could we?”, my heart flutters hearing the word friend. I have never been called a friend, nor considered one. I have been to the palace most of the time and hung out with my brothers and Maria.

“Is that what friends do?”, Evan chuckles hearing my question but when he sees my expression he pats my head. 

“Yes Cass…it is what we do”, I pat back on his head and he laughs again. 

I turn back to look at the kitchen when I realize what have I done

“Cass…your hair?”, Evan is reaching for it when I turn back 

“I am…I am..not able to wash them properly”, I look down not wanting to see their faces and ask me more questions 

“But they were beautiful”, Prince Cedric says and I had to laugh

“No..they weren’t…I was never able to wash them properly…even at palace my Mom…”, I almost told them that I live in the palace.

“I mean..my mom used to work at palace and never has time to wash them for me”, I feel bad lying to them. 

“So you just cut them off?”, they are more shocked than I am. 

“Can we eat something now? I am really hungry”, I don’t want them to pry on the subject or ask me more things. 

I take Evan’s hand and started dragging him to the grounds. 

“Okay..okay Cass…we will come”, Evan and Prince Cedric both accompany me to the dining place where we take our plates and sit down on the ground. 

Prince Cedric is finding it difficult to sit and eat while Evan and I have made ourselves comfortable. 

I sigh seeing the empty plates again. It is not too late and still, we don’t have enough food. I feel bad for the class that eats after us. There won’t be anything left then. 

I am taken out my thoughts when Evan nudges me. 

“So where were you? We looked for you everywhere and even in your chambers but you weren’t there”, he is eating and talking with his mouth full while Prince Cedric is more concentrated on cutting the piece of chicken and eating quietly. 

“I was at the back..near the bathing lake”, I say taking a bite of the bread and regretting not sneaking in the kitchen earlier. 

“There is a bathing lake?”, I hear both of them say together while some of the heads turn towards us. 

“Sssssh…will you guys keep it down?”, I put a finger over my lips. 

“Yeah, there is near my chambers.”, I hope I haven’t told them a lot

“Have you heard about it, Cedric?”, Evan asks him, holding his spoon mid-air, waiting curiously for his reply. 

“He must have not, it is just for women”, why did I have to tell this or anything to them. 

“JUST FOR WOMEN”, both of them say in unison again and I cover my face in embarrassment. 

“I was right, guys stink”, I am about to get up when Evan holds my hand.

“Okay..okay…I apologize. I won’t ask anything more about the heavenly land where the woman bathes”, this time I hit him on his head just like I do with my brothers when they annoy me. 

“Evan..”, I say in a threatening tone and he chuckles along with Prince Cedric. 

“I have finished eating… I am going to my chambers..you guys can continue to talk about whatever guys talk about”, I say bowing down to Prince Cedric and tapping on Evan’s head for the last time before he could grab my hand again, I raise it up and stick my tongue out. 

I could smell the sweat and dirt on me and I don’t know why none of them complained. I am too tired to take a bath now, so I decide to change into my gown and cover myself with tons of blankets. 

I don’t wish to write anything about today in my diary. Maybe later when this day is over, I could. 

I am awoken by my grumbling tummy and a headache. I stretch my arms and realize that it’s our free day today since we all participated in duel yesterday. We are told to clean our chambers today but then again it is not more important than food right now. 

I decide on skipping on bathing today and slowly sneak towards the kitchen. 

My breakfast cookies are already kept on the plate beside Grace and I jump up and down. 

“Your mouse is here”, I hear another woman say between giggling and Grace turns back to see me. Her smile as usual, twinkling. 

“So I guess they have given me a name”, I say between bites when Grace signals me to sit under the stand. 

I am glad that I did that since the next second our Teacher marches inside filled with rage. 

“The Breakfast is taking too long to cook, why has it been delayed?”, Grace shivers due to his loud noise. 

“Master…”I hear her speak, maybe she is the head maid. Now it becomes clear that why everyone obeys her and no one has yet complained about me. 

“Breakfast and dinner made are not enough for everyone. I was trying to complete the cooking so that everyone can be fed properly” I loud thump makes me shake. 

“The Princes should be fed at the proper time so I could begin training them, maybe you should get up early if you want to cook more”, he closes the gate behind his back and I am left without words. 

So my observation was right, the Princes are fed properly by a delicious meal while rest of us starve