The Blade Princess

---Double the Grief---

"I think this is not the best time to meet him. I need to calm him down and pretend to be his good son." 

He thought I was worried that he was not taking me to meet his father.

"Please stay safe."

And with my words, I saw the aura in his beautiful indigo eyes change from Dark Prince to Bretrarum I came to know. There was a little surprise in them too.

He sighed and shook his head like he couldn't believe what I said. His hands cupped my cheek and he gave me a quick kiss.

"I will come back to you." He said and just as quickly he left.

I was left half smiling and half anxious in Henley's room.

It made me wonder, if he did find me here what would he think and what would I say?

---

I think a few hours passed while I hid in the cupboard and my worry kept increasing. I have been betrayed before by the same man who left me here and my mind couldn't think anything except negative thoughts. But I tried my best to remember the look in his eyes when he said he will come back.

Just like my thoughts reached him the door opened and I peeked from the little space in between the door to see if it was Bretrarum coming to take me back because my legs were numb after sitting here for so long.

But instead, I saw Henley walk in with a sword in his hand dripping with blood.

His expression was unrecognizable and guarded, his body slumped and tired. I was about to make a split second decision and open the wardrobe to meet him but before I could the door opened again and in walked the Queen with large footsteps looking furious.

"Why are you still looking for her?" She was absolutely enraged.

"I told you Lia is important." He said and I felt tears form in my eyes.

He still cared for me as I did but his care went beyond the feelings I could reciprocate. I felt like a bad person for some reason for doing this to him when we were friends and slightly more than that for a long time. It was not his fault that he was not there when I was plunged in the darkness.

"She is a rebellious princess with no values or virtue. She is practically going to be a whore to that evil Prince. What more do you want from her?" Queen bad mouthed me and I flinched at her harsh words.

They were a clear version of what my life was right now.

"You don't understand, do you. I told you to leave this to me. I will handle it. I need her on my side, she is the only one who knows the secret of the sword that can destroy all our plans and hard work." He said and I felt like everything slow down.

A hollowness built in my gut and I realized what was happening. I couldn't breathe as I strained my eyes ears to listen to everything and let this fragile world built around me to shatter.

I felt so much hurt that my whole body recoiled with it and my heart squeezed inside my chest enough to hinder my breathing process.

"I will marry whoever you want. I don't want her for love, once she has done what is required of her you can kill or sell her whatever you want. But for then I need to get her back from our enemies." He said with obvious malice in his voice.

I covered my mouth and bit my lips to stop myself from sobbing hard. Tears spilled down my eyes as everything inside and outside of me ached.

"You should have told me why all the pretense?" Queen asked a little confused.

"I needed her to feel that someone is on her side. She is alone and vulnerable and this is the best time to manipulate her into believing that I am one true love."

"You are not her one true love I know that, "Queen said as I struggled to keep breathing and not the let the despair hit me.

"How, she has no one else?" The betraying bastard said.

Had no one else, which was true and hurting like hell now.

"One day she will know that I was the cause of her Kingdom's downfall. I thought I would plunder that kingdom and find the sword but I couldn't lift it or remove it. I lost all hope on this, thank God she managed to escape from Nevarlia." Henley said with a sinister look on his face and an evil smile I have never seen on his face.

With my heart, it felt like my soul was breaking. This was Henley, my childhood friend. This coming from his made me believe that maybe I was a blind fool to be treated like this by not on but two Princes.

Maybe I was so sheltered by my father that I had no clue about the lies and the mistrust.

But right now my head was spinning with nauseousness and grief. Henley killed my family, destroyed my Kingdom. He pretended this for so long, just because of the rumor that I might get him the sword of Relicia. Had he known I can't lift it, he would have me killed.

"You can't get her back for now. That brutal Prince has her and it will not be able to get anything from him let alone his bride to be. With King here, we can't lift a finger. It was he who helped you to attack Silverlights."

"His son lost to me in the battle I can ask for anything as the champion I will ask for Lia back and I will be a hero for her. He can't deny my champion's trophy." Henley said and I choked with fear and grief.

I was only breathing right then hoping that even after hours Bretrarum might come back and that I still had a hope to live, someone who was not using me for their benefit or someone who cared for me just because they want to.

"Sire, King calls for you." A guard announced from outside the door.

"Don't let father know about this. He adores the girl." Henley warned his step-mother and she airly nodded.

As soon as they both left the place, I broke down maybe from inside too as I cried my heart out feeling if the heavy burden on my chest might actually kill me.

---

Honestly, I wrote this chapter twice. I had conflicting thoughts about Henley. I was confused if I should make him bad or keep him as good as he was. But the trouble is my brain keeps visualizing the sinister smile on him from way before I made him a bad character.

Also, this was a chapter with 2200+ words so *self shoulder pat*

Hope this makes Monday better even though it didn't for me since I was living the betrayed Lia at the moment and had to feel her emotions to write.

Leave comments and your thoughts about this chapter.

NEXT UPDATE: FRIDAY.