The Blade Princess

---Tournament Winnings---

"I am not yours," I say nevertheless pretending to be annoyed about and earned myself a glare from.

"And I thought you were supposed to rest and not interact with all these people."

"I don't want to sit and wait for my death." After saying that I realized it was a little too harsh.

As I saw him blanch at my words, I reformed my words, "I need to distract my mind or I get depressed."

He nodded slowly as if he understood.

After a few moments, he looked up and said, "I will find the antidote, I promise."

"It's just hard for me to trust any promises now Prince," I said in a sad tone.

"Trust can come later, you need to live first." He said and walked away hiding whatever emotions his eyes held at that moment.

---

The friendly match began and Henley got to pick his opponent first being the host Kingdom this time. I don't know who he was fighting but right now anyone literally anyone was better than Bretrarum. But the next turn was given to the dark prince for choosing his opponent as the fight ended quick. 

Even though everyone called it 'friendly' but it was still as brutal as the real event. Some intelligent people still hid their moves and techniques till the actual thing but for most egoistic Prince's it was all about showing prowess.

When Bretrarum walked in the ground, the opponents wanted to run or die there instead and I suppressed a giggle. Thanks to Henley's courage I was in the stands with the other Princess much to Queen's and Amelia's annoyance. People gave me a look of disgust and annoyance but with time I was getting used to it.

I shook my head in amusement as Bretrarum walked towards Amett and crowd gasped out loud. Amett came from a powerful kingdom and for Bretrarum making enemies with him was not a smart Prince choice. Amett looked like he wanted to forfeit the match but he gulped and accepted as other sighed and relief. Bretrarum took his time with him as he struggled to spot the almost invisible prince while he was being hit from every direction. I sat through the whole things with a suppressed laughter.

While other fights took longer and there was excitement and thrill to watch and I enjoyed myself after quite some time. But when Bretrarum fought it was start and one or maximum hit and that too just their vital points around the neck or sometimes for fun of it on the leg or hitting the head with the handle of his sword. He never even unsheathed his sword and won the tournament with ease.

The last two standing victors were Henley and Bretrarum. If Bretrarum fought Henley he would lose in a blink of eyes. But as per the rules, the friendly match was just that, friendly and Henley didn't need to participate but he did as a Prince and soldier. So Bretrarum was the winner of the tournament.

If he loses the main event because of me, I would definitely feel guilty about it.

Everyone applauded his victory as he stood there looking intimidating, his eyes giving the cold glares to everyone. But then I saw the immediate change in those indigo eyes as it found mine and the coldness was replaced with inexplicable softness and warmth that made my stomach curl and I looked away worried that we will be noticed.

---

As I stepped out of my room dressed in a beautiful gown sent by Henley to me for the ball, the Queen was waiting for me.

"I don't think you should go Princess Liahna." And she was not giving me an option with kind of tone she used.

"You should know by now I don't love your son. What are you scared about?" I hissed my words at her feeling angry.

She was left speechless at my words because that meant I knew she poisoned me.

"Oh, but it's much more than that." She said this with so much menace that I knew she hated me from sometime before all this happened.

"Why do you hate me?" I finally ask.

"Because you, Princess will bring destruction to all five realms. You already destroyed your home." 

She was lying obviously. She had to. It was not my fault that we were one of the strongest five Kingdom. It was my not fault that among the five we were the first to perish. We had the strongest and biggest army, we were the force of the five Kingdoms, the one that kept the peace, the Silverlight. We were attacked by the Dark Realm and it was as simple as that.

"Your Highness, am I too early?" Bretrarum voice pulled me out of my shocked state.

"Prince." Even Queen looked terrified and gave him a stiff smile, "You are just in time."

"Is Princess Liahna coming along," He said with the underlying threat in his tone.

"Princess, by the way, you look beautiful." He obviously said it as a courtesy but I felt good.

"She is Prince, I was just here to take her myself," Queen said knowing well enough that I was the escaped prisoner from his Kingdom.

Everyone knew that I was in close vicinity of my enemy and tormentor.

"That will be great.  I have an announcement to make."

Queen nodded getting paler with passing second and gestured me to move when she was here to stop me instead. As queen started moving followed by Tahira, I turned to look at Bretrarum and mouthed thank you. which he acknowledged with a nod.

But it left me wondering what Queen was talking about and how much of it was a lie.

Bretrarum followed us in silence from a distance because of the poison my heart held. I sat down among the Princess' gathered while Bretrarum sat on the seat allotted for the champion.

King got up and made some announcement and congratulated the champion but my brain kept buzzing about what Queen said. I kept thinking back to the time my Kingdom was attacked, everything replayed in my head and I kept thinking what went wrong. Where was my fault? Why was I taught to fight since I was young? No other princess was taught this.

"Prince you are host, I would let you decide first." Bretaraum's voice brought me back.

"That's honorable of you," Henley said and I had no clue what they are talking about.

"Then I would like to dance with Princess Liahna of Silverlight," Henley said with a wide smile and my heart stopped. 

Everyone turned to look at me with multiple emotions but I got up trying not to make Henely wait as almost everyone gather either cursed me or pitied me, all except Bretrarum.

"Just like old times." He said and I gave him a small smile.

But then our proximity hit me, Tahira sat in the far corner as the music filled the halls. I finally had my chance to tell Henley about the reason behind my stay in his palace.

----

FINALLY !!!

But at this point, should she tell him or not?

Any guesses at all at what might happen in the next chapter?

I am curious how you guys are thinking, lol

NEXT UPDATE: MONDAY