The Sword Of A Princess

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

Lionel

"Come on, wake up. There you go, take it easy." My heavy eye blinked open, the crust falling away. I clamped them it as the sunlight danced too brightly around me, my head was throbbing- along with the rest of my aching body. A sharp pain rippled throughout my ribs as I tried to move.

"Can you stand?" The man asked, I tried to look at him, his brown hair was tussled over his head, hazel eyes stared back at me.

"Don't." I managed to mutter out between the heavy breaths attempting to push him away with my hand as my mind blanked again.

I felt my body moving but I was too exhausted to open my eye. I saw the same brown hair holding me upright, my legs half moved on their own then I wasn't standing at all.

"I don't know what happened to you, but I know she might have something to do with this." The voice said, I felt a soft fabric rest over my body covering me. My head rested on a hard surface, then I felt my entire body jerk and movement rattled below me as the carriage begun to roll. The sun was bright in the sky, the storm long passed after its heavy downfall soaking into the fields crops that covered the land. I could still smell the rain lingering in the air.

⚔

"Lionel! Lionel quick!" Athena yelled as she raced towards me in a pastel purple gown, from inside the castle, her blonde hair braided back in her usual style falling behind her shoulders.

"What is it?" I perked up sheathing my sword and stepping away from the training figure.

"Run!" A large smile crossed her lips as she raced towards me, behind her Percy made a fast haste behind her, not exactly running but close to it. She grabbed my arm before I could speak and we ran through the training grounds and around to the stables, hiding from Percy in one of the stalls. I fell back onto the hay as she crouched by the fence.

"Why are you running Princess?" I asked her, but she only grinned in return and peaked back out to see if Percy had followed us.

"Dance lessons." Athena whispered as she ducked back down behind the fence of the empty stall.

"So I needed to be dragged into this? I could get into trouble." I tried to tell her but she waved it off.

"Looks like he gave up. Come on." Athena said grabbing onto my arm, her hand sliding down to my hand as she guided us out of the stables, walking to nowhere.

"Learning to dance doesn't sound that hard to do." I thought aloud.

Athena smirked looking back at me, "You don't know how to dance?" She asked raising a brow.

I rubbed my neck feeling slightly embarrassed. I know all of the people she knows, friends, lords and ladies all know how to dance to every song that played at a Royal ball. For her to know someone who doesn't- I was on a completely different class to everyone else in her life.

"Do I look like I know how to dance." I held my hands out gesturing to myself, paying it off as smoothly as I could.

I had sweated through my shirt from training and dirt covered my boots and the bottom of my trousers. I was sure my hair was a mess too, unlike all the combed back looks from inside the castle.

"Why don't I teach you something for once." Athena smiled and grabbed my hand resting it on her waist. I backed away unsure about the sudden proximity between us.

She was the Princess of Verona, I was an orphaned knight- how could there be anything like that between us?

"Relax Lionel, you won't have your hands chopped off." Athena huffed and placed my hand back on her hip. I felt the softness of her dress, her body beneath that- I sucked in a sharp, nervous breath.