~Bedelia P.O.V~
The princess sat patiently by the window; her chin rested upon her palm whilst her ruby like eyes gazed upon the white blobs of fluff that slowly pasted her window and admiring the exotic shapes they made. The sounds of sweet birds flying past window and the soft breeze of the wind against the glass was the only sound that was heard within her room.
Bedelia has stayed in the same position for the past hour, the clouds and the passing birds being her only source of entertainment. The scene she pulled a week ago was still fresh in her mind that she wished could go away but it had screwed itself in her mind without a way to unscrew it.
The burnt mark on her wrist that Lykos had left faded away thanks to the healing of the healers in the castle. His cold glare still sent shivers down her spine whenever she thought of it, not wanting to get on his bad side again. Lykos had told her to leave Ventus and return to Drakon, but she didn't want to go back not until Benjamin is back to health all healed and restored back to his self again after all Ben is one of a few that don't see her as an arrogant and spoil daughter of the Drakon Emperor who is ready to send her to a fat noble man with multiple concubines.
Her brother wouldn't know she hadn't left Ventus since he left with Neil to Azura that was months away from Taivas on foot but weeks away by dragon, but the time would have reduced due to the insanely fast Regius Dragons the two princes rode on. This means Lykos wouldn't know she left yet and can stay here a little longer before his return and slipping away unnoticed.
Bedelia's cloud watching was interrupted by a sudden knock at the door. "You have permission to enter" she answered politely, glancing towards the direction of the beautiful white decorated wooden door.
The door slowly creaked open and the person that stepped made Bedelia rise up from her seat in shock before bowing her head down in courtesy. "I must apologise for my ignorant manners, your royal highness Queen Arabella of Ventus" Bedelia did not lift her head to meet the gentle violet eyes of the empress in shame of her sudden rude courtesy.
"Raise your head my dear Bedelia. There is no need to speak so formally" Arabella's voice was a soft medallic tune, yet it was a beautiful gentle music that only tuned out a sad rhythm.
"I must not speak uninhibited towards the rulers of Ventus, especially to her majesty the Queen"
Bedelia took a quick peek and saw how pale the queen was, her violet eyes showed no light but a dull and gloomy colour, she had light purple bags under her eyes that revealed the lack of sleep she was getting. The queen looked sick however her gentle smile covered most of the tired and sick features that had rested upon her face.
"Your just like your mother, always so persistent at the smallest matters" Arabella gracefully walked towards the table and took a seat in front of Bedelia who had rose her head up, her hands fiddling with the lace of her dress and her ruby eyes locked with the violet orbs of the queen, the nervous sweat breaking out.
Arabella gestured the princess to sit with the same warm smile that calmed Bedelia's heart whenever she received the warmth of the queen. "Thank you" she bowed again, taking the same seat she had risen from.
"I apologise for my impolite question, but may I know why her majesty is here?" Bedelia asked with a slight hesitation. The queen continued to smile however it reflected the sadness that was bolted within her heart. "I must apologise if I have interrupted you, but I was at need to see someone to ease my mind. My little boy has been feeling worse by each passing day that I could not bear to stay in the same room without letting myself fall" Bedelia watched the teary eyes of the queen that had held so strong till now. Bedelia could see how much she has held on, the duty of a queen to her people and to her family and the blame for falling the other has taken a huge toll on her health.
She could hear the raspy breathing coming from Arabella, sweat was suddenly starting to form on her brow and her eyes were becoming drowsy. Bedelia felt the sudden worry for the queen who looked like she was about to collapse any second
"Your majes-" before Bedelia get to say anything Arabella had immediately collapsed falling from her chair and onto the hard marble tiles.
"YOUR MAJESTY!"
"What is the condition of her majesty the queen?" Bedelia questioned the royal physician, her hands were trembling from the stress and her red eyes reflecting the ounce of worry. Carlos sighed pushing his glasses up that had fell down to his nose. "Her majesty has been skipping her meals lately and staying up all night." He explained averting his silver eyes to the sleeping queen laying soundly on her huge bed.
"It has taken a great toll on her health" Bedelia clenched the hem of dress praying to the Gods above that it was not a risk to the queen's life. "But it's not crucial. She will feel better in a few days after having better rest and eating well"
"I see, what about Benjamin? Is he doing better?"
Carlos avoided eye contact with the princess, his face dropping to the floor hiding away the guilt building in his eyes. "I apologise your highness, but his condition is far from our hands"
Bedelia clenched her jaw, the fury anger revealing through her eyes as she fisted her hands. "You call yourselves healers, yet you can't figure out what is wrong with the prince. Are you even doing your job? or have you given up because you can't be bothered to figure it yourselves" she hissed.
The angry flame that surrounded Bedelia made the physician bow down quickly, his body shaking violently. "y-your m-majesty I apologise for disappointing you. But we are doing the best we can however Benjamin's condition is unknown to all of us" Carlos was in a stuttering mess, trying to keep himself from getting burned by the furious princess.
"These excusers are weak just like you. If you cannot do something so simple, then get out of my sight. I will find someone who will replace your ignorant selves" she span furiously, her dress swaying behind her as marched her way to the door, the royals guards opening the giant doors for her.
Carlos was left alone with the queen, his body had failed him and dropped on a nearby chair. The beads of sweat falling down his brow down his cheeks resembling the fear he pursued from the fury of the princess of Drakon, Carlos could hear his own heartbeat in his ears loud and quick.
If only he was more knowledgeable.
~Taivas, Ventus~
The princess marched through the beautiful city of Taivas with her royal guards following behind. Their glittering red and silver armour reflected the rays of sun blinding anyone that looked at it, the sounds of metal boots hitting the ground rattled their armour. The civilians made sure to make way for the incoming princess that didn't seem to be in a good mood and her terrifying well-built guards that followed her.
Walking through, she suddenly came to a slow pace as she started to realise her foolish remark earlier. Where was she going to found a physician who knows how to cure Benjamin? And how long does she have until it's too late?
Bedelia couldn't come up with anything on the spot but maybe shopping and looking around could help her give her some ideas. Going with that idea, the red-haired princess made her way to the famous dress store in Taivas, the place that sold the best quality and beautiful designed dresses in the whole kingdom.
The guards stood outside the store with their hand resting upon the hand of their blades while the princess went inside and as she did the aristocrats inside the store stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Their eyes reflecting the disinterested towards her however none dared to reveal it on their faces in fear she might do something unspeakable.
However, everyone bowed in respect as she is the princess of Drakon and a loyal ally of Ventus. Nevertheless, Bedelia showed no interest towards the aristocrats of Ventus, walking gracefully with her nose stuck in the air. The haughty aura surrounding the princess.
"Her royal majesty" a man approached her with a stiffened bow, she glanced down at the lowly servant, her red eyes eyeing him up and down like a master looking for a slave "We are at your service"
"I want to see your best dresses for today" Bedelia demanded with a voice of confident striking a shiver down the servants spine who bowed in response before walking away.
She stood in the middle of the store all by herself, no lady approached her as if she had a contagious disease furthermore, she was in the centre of the murmurs coming from the noble ladies that whispered behind their gloved hands; giant gowns they wore that took most of their surroundings.
"Bold of her to show her face after trying to burn the daughter of the Baron"
"Doesn't she have any shame"
"I pray to the Gods she doesn't burn this place down with her temper"
"Thank the Gods his highness Neil has no affection towards her, or our kingdom will be in ruins"
Bedelia eyes hardened and narrowed into slits as she sent a hostile glare towards the noble ladies that suddenly quiet them down, turning their attention away from her and pretending they hadn't said anything.
Bedelia took a slow deep breath to calm herself down when suddenly her muscles went stiff, and she nearly chocked on her own salvia as hearing a unexpected voice that triggered the demon within her. It made her want to send another fireball towards her and burn every strong of hair resting upon her head.
"It's a pleasure to see her royal highness Bedelia again" the mockery of Katherine's voice made Bedelia to clench her fist on her sides and turn her head back glaring at the woman whose light brown hair was tied into a stylish braid filled with gems and flowers resting upon her shoulder, her pearl like eyes shining the mischief and sly manner of the woman that hid from the view of the people. Who was she to mock her? Does she not realise that a crown princess holds more power then the lowly daughter of the Baron?
"Lady Katherine" Bedelia voice came out sharp and venomous towards the sly woman whose evil grin hid behind a fan. Anyone who looked in the ladies silver eyes could see the malicious intention towards the princess and how she was going to ruin her.
"It's a great pleasure that the princess hasn't forgotten me after the encounter at the counts gathering" Bedelia felt her fingers twitch with heat, the room felt like it was closing in around her. In her mind, she was growing larger and larger, expanding with rage. If she didn't do something, fast, to get herself under control, she'd explode and take out everyone and everything around her.
"I assure you that I never forget the faces of people who do not realise where they belong" she shot back with a glare, this resulted Katherine to bare her teeth from behind the fan that covered the hatred expression pulled by the lady.
"Likewise," Katherine slammed the fan shut on her palm with a forced smile crossing her face. "I apologise if I'm intruding her highness's business, but have you come to order a dress for the royal banquet of caelibem next week?"
Bedelia gripped the hem of the blue lace of her dress. How can someone be so contempt? Was there any decencies towards the sick princes who was in death bed while these aristocrats think of a festival that might be cancelled due to the princes' illness.
"I have no such disrespect to enjoy my pleasure for the good of a festival while your prince is sick"
The people kept silent, not uttering a single word after her statement. Katherine however continued to smirk behind her gloved hand, those piercing silver eyes that turned Bedelia blood into scorching hot lava. "It seems you have not heard about what my family has invited over to Ventus" Bedelia began to wonder what this sly bitch was talking about, her ruby eyes not looking away from the silver eyes that reflected danger.
"No, I have not." Bedelia answered with a hiss. "Would you be so kind to tell me?"
Katherine scoffed, her eyes around the room as if she waiting for someone to say something to bac her up.
"My father has found a remarkable physician in Aureum who is making his way to Ventus and will cure his royal highness" she explained her face lifting up from the sheer victory. "He would be arriving in two days and before you know it the prince will be healed"
Bedelia was shocked to hear this, her jaw nearly dropped but she clenched it shut so Katherine wouldn't see it and make a big deal out of it. Although she was glad that someone had found a person who will be able to heal the young prince but not so pleased to hear it was from the family of Rosenborne.
Furthermore, her stomach turned, and she could feel her heart tighten. Something about this wasn't tasting nice. Those sly eyes of Katherine had other intentions and Bedelia knew something Katherine is going to say is going to make her lash out.
As Katherine opened her pink lips to utter another word something unexpected happened. The lady who was standing so boldly and insulting the princess within her words was now on the floor face first while mysterious white-haired woman in the most bizarre and alien like clothing she had ever seen, sat on top of Katherine with an orange creature on her lap.
The woman wore some sort of long dark teal cloak which the sleeves were incredibly long and unnecessary wide. A white crossover top that looked like the top half of a sleeping robe and her skirt was unreasonably short with these plate like armour attached to the sides, yet the skirt revealed the skin of her thighs which was shameless for a lady like her. To end this shameless type of clothes the silver white haired woman had long black socks that reached the end half of her thighs and her shoes were something she had never seen before.
Her silver-white hair was soft and silky to the eyes, a beautiful colour she rarely sees around these parts of the world especially in her kingdom and was tied in a high ponytail to keep it from distracting her. The woman had a pair of icy blue eyes that looked like it would freeze anyone if stared for too long, visible cheekbones that added the beauty to her features and red plump lips that complimented her soft milky white skin.
This woman was beautiful to the eyes and Bedelia couldn't help but feel jealous.
However, this woman was armed with weapons the princess has never seen before in the 5 human kingdoms of Alphyria.
She had appeared above Katherine out of thin air and landed on her butt on top of Katherine. It was all sudden that no one knew how to react.
The aristocrats surrounded them, watching in utter confusion on where this woman had come from and how she appeared out of thin air. The Drakon princess was baffled but inside her watching the sly bitch whine on the floor as her make up draped down her cheeks and ruining her face was amusing to watch.
"Shit" the silver-white haired woman cussed leaping off Katherine with what looked like a fox in her hands. The royal guards came bursting through the doors to see what all the screaming was about startling everyone even the silver-white haired woman.
"Your majesty princess Bedelia is everything alright" one of the guards asked making his way to the puzzled princess with his sword in hand. Bedelia nodded her head in response before glancing back at the woman who held a handout for Katherine to grab like a gentleman.
"DON'T TOUCH ME YOU PEASANT!" she screamed at the woman who seemed to be unfazed by her shouting towards her and pulled an annoyed expression towards lady Katherine, her eye lids twitching which was somewhat familiar to the princess "DO YOU REALISE WHO YOU HAVE LANDED ON!"
The woman continued to stare with her icy blue eyes that mirrored the confusion she did not show on her face whilst her hands crossed against her chest. The fox however stood beside the woman, grumbled a few barks at Katherine.
Katherine looked down and wailed in disgust. "YOU AND YOUR DOG SHALL BE PUNISHED FOR ASSAULTING THE DAUGHTER OF THE ROSENBORNE!" this resulted the fox to snare at Katherine preparing himself as if he was going to pounce on her and bite her face off revealing nothing but the flesh.
"Your highness shall we leave?" The guards whispered to Bedelia before awaiting for her answer. Bedelia however continued to watch the scene in front of her wondering what will happen to the fox and the woman, yet the whispers around continued to talk but it wasn't about her this time but about the woman.
"I wonder what sort of magic that was?"
"The commoner made a mistake for assaulting Lady Katherine"
"Poor commoner is in trouble"
"Lady Katherine is not going to let this go until the commoner is punished" they whispered among themselves.
Not wanting to interfere with this matter as she had a lot of work to do, she turned around "We shall leave"
"Are you dying?" these sudden bold words stopped Bedelia in her tracks resulting her to turn around eyeing the blue-eyed woman who stood their crossing her hands like an impatient customer. She had calm expression across her face, her lips however was twitching to say something rude to her but could be seen trying to hold back.
This caught the sudden interest of Bedelia who she had never seen someone below a noble rank to talk back like that. "Your highness?"
"Shhhh" Bedelia shushed the guard, her ruby eyes not leaving the sudden shocked face of the Katherine as if she has seen pigs fly.
"P-pardon?" Katherine stuttered, her body had stiffened, and her wailing screams stopped to a stutter of confusion.
"Answer the question. Are you dying?" she asked again yet her tone had darkened as the aura around resembled a high rank noble lady. The woman's face still held the calm expression, yet her eyes reflected the annoyance towards the Barons daughter. Katherine stood their speechless. Her silver eyes widening, any bigger it would be like giant circle buttons was sewed on her face. "N-no"
"Then why are you wailing like a donkey that had a needle stuck up his ass?" she pulled a face placing her hands on her hips as a thin eyebrow lifted up. The aristocrats couldn't help but snort out a silent laughter at the woman's statement. Bedelia herself smirked in amusement of the ladies bold accusation not realising that Katherine could have her tortured for insulting and humiliating her in front of everyone.
"E-excuse me?" she responded pulling an offended face.
"Yeaah~" She stretched the word out. "That's what I thought." The lady let out a disappointed sigh before stretching her hands up and groaning in the pleasure of hearing a crack of her bones. "Y-you... DO you realise who I am? Do you know the consequence of insulting me?" Katherine spat out, pointing her slander finger at the unfazed woman who scratched her chin in wonder.
"Nope" the words slipped out of her lips ingenuously. "And neither am I planning to" the silver white haired woman shrugged her shoulders while shaking her head.
"Y-you shall be punished by my father"
"Uh-huh" the unfazed woman did not seem like she was paying attention now, her interest was on her nails this made Katherine's face turn red like a tomato she stood in the centre of it all feeling the sudden humiliation of being ridiculed by a commoner. Bedelia was enjoying this every moment. The humiliation she felt by the hands of Katherine at the counts gathering last week was now being returned ten folds.
"Well then good luck sweetheart I will be waiting for that day to arrive" with a wave of her hand the woman walked off with no care in the world as the little fox followed beside her.
The gasps of the noble ladies echoed the room and Katherine was utterly speechless standing in the centre like a fool while her silver eyes following the back side of the mysterious woman with her jaw dropped and unable to close. The silver-white haired woman had made a fool out of Lady Katherine in front of the other nobles ladies who will soon spread rumours and gossip about until the whole city of Taivas will hear about it.
A mysterious woman had made a fool out of the lady Katherine daughter of the Baron before leaving out the door.
To Bedelia this felt like karma had slapped Katherine hard in the face that she hadn't seen it coming. It was a pleasant feeling.
The princess watched in awe, her red eyes glittering in admiration of the daring lady. The woman walked passed the princess, it felt like time had stopped for Bedelia as she glanced at the woman whose silver-white hair trailed behind her and her slowly turning to the side to gaze upon the red eyes of the princess with icy blues orbs that had trapped the cold winter wonderland itself. Those stony aloof eyes had somehow made Bedelia fill a chill run down her spine, it was the eyes of a distant predator that would bare its teeth and kill without hesitation. It had made Bedelia feel a little shaken before the woman coldly looked away and the time had returned back. The surprised Drakon princess watched her leave out the window without a single courtesy towards her or any other noble in the room.
At that moment Bedelia was curious of who this woman was and wondered to herself if she too would come across her like Katherine did.