The Princess of Elfhame

Hush

A/N: This is the last chapter of The Princess of Elfhame for 2023! I'll publish more in the new year obviously. And if you think I'm done yet YOU'RE SO WRONG, BITCHES! I'm nowhere near finished with this story. It's been an honor to give you The Princess of Elfhame this year and I hope that you continue to read it and post comments and keep your love for this story as much as I do. I love you all! - Quillsblood 

Rhea 

My eyesight fades in and out, blurry vision and a ringing in my ears when I finally hear some conversation. 

"You son of a bitch! It was your job to protect her and you failed!" 

Castien? 

It sounds like he's screaming at someone.

 "How was I supposed to know that Rhea would be stabbed by some mysterious person?! If you claim you're protective of the princess, you would have seen this coming!" 

Catalan? 

"You're the one she's choosing to marry, Lord Jasce, not me! What will you do if you can't even protect your future wife? " 

"I'm not going to hover over my future wife like you do as an overbearing presence. She's allowed to have her privacy, as foreign a concept that may seem to you, Prince Castien. And the fact you would even dare to make such a claim is absurd."  

Why are they arguing? 

"Maybe you should hover, unless you want Rhea to die." 

"For context, I believe that Rhea was hurt more around you than she has been around me." 

"And at least I had the mind to go and find the people who tried to kill her," Castien says, his voice cold.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of, Prince of Dorrenhid. You don't even have a clue who I am or what I could do to you if you interfere with the safety of my future wife. If you hurt her, including by your unwanted presence that Rhea keeps shoving away, I'll kill you myself." 

"Stop," I say weakly, blinking slowly as I look at the two of them and Catalan rushes to my side, taking my hand. 

"How are you feeling?" he asks calmly and I shake my head. 

"I'm... hurting. What... what happened?" I ask as he looks at me and he sighs. 

"From what a guard knows, they turned the corner and found you bleeding out from a stab wound. But we don't know who did it," he says, calm fury in his voice and I squeeze his hand. 

"Catalan, it's not your fault. You were nowhere around me. You couldn't have known that I would be stabbed. When I woke up this morning it wasn't exactly like I knew I'd end up in bed again with a stab wound," I try to joke but Catalan's lips don't even twitch with a smile and he shakes his head. 

"The minute I find out who tried to kill you I'm going to murder them," he seethes and I squeeze his hand, shaking my head. 

"Just stay by my side," I offer and he looks down at our hands before nodding. 

I look at Castien and shake my head. 

"Blaming Catalan for not being around me is useless, Castien. And blaming him for someone else's doing is wrong. I didn't blame you when I got injured, did I?" I ask and his eyes blaze with anger. 

"Rhea, the fact you can't see that Catalan is orchestrating this is what's going to be your downfall-" 

"And if that's true, then that's my fault," I snap, finding newfound strength as I struggle to sit up and Catalan helps me to sit up as he glares at Castien.