CHAPTER 8
1807 Words
Larissa's POV
“Yes, princess. Regardless of what happened- the kiss, it was a mistake and I wish it never happened. You will never appeal to me.”
His words hit me so hard that I staggered backward and fresh tears came pooling in my eyes.
He had just finished kissing me and the next minute throwing those mean words at me, who treats a lady this way?
Shocked, I began to step back, away from him. And then, grabbing my gown, I turned and ran back to the castle not looking back.
Not to the party. I continued up the fleets of stairs for my chamber, sobbing as I knocked on the door and waited.
“Is that you, Your Highness?” a familiar voice spoke from inside.
“Yes!” I rasped and she unlocked the door, holding them wide open.
Zia's eyes were tired and sleepy. She rubbed them, and then she blinked and saw me in my state.
She jolted.
“Princess Larissa?” Zia gasped, and her eyes widened in shock.
Oh, I just collapsed into her arms and cried.
She caught me and led us inside, kicking the door shut. She sat me on the bed and began searching my face, my hands, and all my body. “Did you hurt yourself, I can't find the wound, where is it?” she asked.
“I- I'm not injured,” I mumbled.
“What is it then, why are you crying?” She stopped and her eyes widened. “Is it Prince Lucas?”
More tears streamed down my face; Prince Lucas wasn't even half the devil this man was. “No.” I shook my head.
Zia straightened and looked at me with confused eyes. “Is your father aware that this happened to you?” she probed.
“No,” I replied.
“Do you perhaps want me to fetch him for you?”
“No, Zia," I mumbled. “I just want to go to bed." I removed my tiara and placed it on the bed.
Dragging a breath, I turned around and climbed my bed. “Please, don't tell my father what happened here tonight, about me crying," I added; begged.
“I won't,” Zia promised. Quietly, she proceeded out of the room and shut the door after her.
I stretched on the bed and forced myself to sleep.
It wasn't until I swiveled again on the bed and my lashes fluttered open, that I realized it was dawn.
Rays of sunlight seeped through the curtains and illuminated the room. Yawning, I lay still and let my gaze travel across the space.
Rather than the pink painted room, tastefully furnished, my thoughts traveled to those moments last night in the stranger's arms. Closing my eyes, I fought the thoughts out of my head and resumed staring at the space.
A soft knock sounded on my door. As usual, I expected my handmaid but it was someone else.
“Father!” I breathed and jerked to a sitting on the bed.
He walked to the foot of my bed and stopped. “Hello, Larissa.”
“Good morning, father.”
He studied me. “What happened last night, you suddenly disappeared from the party?” he asked.
Gulping, I dragged the sheets to my chest. “I- I was exhausted," I mumbled, and my lips trembled slightly.
He scrutinized me. “Is that why you're still in your party clothes?”
I gulped again and nodded. “Yes!”
He crossed over to me and sat by the edge of the bed. “I was worried,” he confessed. “Are you alright now?” he asked.
“Yes, father.” I nodded and moistened my lips. “I'm sorry I didn't pre-inform you before leaving the party.”
His gaze softened even more at my words and he straightened. “I will see you at dinner tonight,” he said and planted a kiss on my head.
I frowned. “At dinner? Are you going somewhere?” Curiosity clouded my expression.
Exhaling, he walked back to the door and stopped. “This morning, I have a meeting with my councilmen. And then by noon, I shall be going to the city for inspection.”
I became even more curious. “What are you inspecting in the city?” I asked.
“A site for the trade fair tomorrow,” he replied. “Tomorrow is Azalea's annual trade fair so, I'll have to go and inspect the site and preparations,” he added.
My eyes widening, I gasped. Oh, finally, something to distract me from the kiss last night. I clambered down from my bed and stood, realizing I was still in my shoes.
I staggered a little. “A trade fair tomorrow? Will I be attending, father?” I had barely finished asking when he came interrupting me with his sharp rejection.
“-No, you won't.” King Stephan snapped. And he was already grabbing the door's handle.
“But father–”
“There's no but, Larissa!” he barked and I was startled. “You simply don't know how hard I'm trying to protect you.”
“Protect me from what?”
“-Protect you from the werewolves!” he snapped.
Oh, and here we go again. I just yanked at my opera gloves and tossed them on the bed.
“You still don't believe they exist, do you?” Father's gaze was charring and I tried to avoid it.
“Let's say they exist, father. But you haven't explained to me our beef with them! What's their business with me, why want to hurt or kill me? Moreover, you're a King, you have an army, can't your knights protect me while we're at the trade fair, or is there something else you're not telling me, father?”
“Are you using the werewolves to cover up another truth? To lock me behind the walls of this castle?” I asked.
King Stephan was mute.
Not saying a word, he turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door after him.
My throat dried.
“You have barely touched your meal, your Highness,” that was Zia. I jolted out of my thoughts and stared at my plate. I was again recalling my conversation with my father this morning.
“I think I'm full,” I said and shoved the plate aside. Even after skipping breakfast, I was struggling to finish my lunch.
Exhaling, I stood up and strolled out of the dining hall, and headed upstairs to my room.
Minutes later, Zia joined me but lurked at the entrance.
“Is everything okay, Your Highness?” she asked.
I was seated at the dressing table, staring at my reflection in the mirror.
At Zia's question, I shifted my gaze to her in the mirror; she was standing behind me.
“I kissed someone last night.”
“Prince Lucas?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Not Prince Lucas, someone else.”
Gasping, Zia shut the door and scurried over to me, chuckling. “You kissed someone?” She gasped again.
“Yes,” I nodded.
Talking about the kiss right now, I felt the tears come up in my eyes again.
“Tell me, is it a prince charming?” Zia continued to probe, a flirtatious smile lighting her face.
Heaving a sigh, I glanced at the purple dress I was now wearing. “I don't know, Zia. He wouldn't even tell me his name.”
For a moment, I remembered how he'd kissed me; how he'd moved his lips ruthlessly over mine and made me want him.
I pushed away the forbidden reflection and stared at my palms, hating how the first tears escaped from my eyes. “A-And then, and then the next minute, he was telling me how I'd never appeal to him,” I added.
Zia's eyes widened, she gasped. “Wait, d–did he say that to you, Your Highness?”
The second and third tears that came running down my face answered the question for me. “Oh!” Zia gasped and pulled me into her arms.
The kind gesture shown to me by my handmaid brought even more tears to my eyes. I just fell into her bosom and resumed sobbing like last night.
“Whosoever it is has made the greatest mistake of his life hurting you this way, Your Highness,” Zia soothed, rubbing my back. “I swear they'd regret it,” she added and also caressed my hair.
Zia's words were soothing and I straightened. “Thank you,” I mumbled and wiped my face. “I don't know what I would have done without you.”
A warm smile played on her lips. “How about we go to the tiltyard and practice some archery,” she suggested, knowing very much how I loved that sport. How could I resist? Moreover, it would take my mind off the handsome stranger and the kiss last night.
And so we arrived at the tilt-yard in the castle and found the arena unoccupied by knights today. “That's strange,” I muttered.
“I guess everyone is preparing for the trade fair tomorrow,” Zia teased.
“You've heard?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Will you be attending?” I asked. We discussed this while crossing over the tiltyard to the storeroom.
“No.”
I glanced at Zia. “Why?”
“Because I will be on duty of course!” Zia smiled.
I stopped. “Duty shouldn't stop you from having fun, go and don't bother about me. I can always assign Nicole or Briana to stand in for you, after all, you work more than them,” I said.
“No, Your Highness. I don't want to leave your sight,” she said. “Even if I go, you know I don't have any friends in the city to bond with. I will only end up bored despite the activities. And that, I don't want.”
Going over to the storeroom, we picked each our bows and quivers, and we headed back into the field. We also dragged with us our scarecrow and hung it on a small pole in the middle of the field.
Chuckling at first, we began to loosen, and then we grew serious.
Half an hour later, I realized even this sport cannot take my thoughts off the stranger and the kiss last night. Gulping, I lowered my bow.
Zia noticed and also lowered her weapon. “What is it, Your Highness?” she asked.
The riskiest of thoughts came playing in my head. I glanced at her. “Tomorrow. How about we go hunting in the forest of Lavender?”
- Writer
