* * * *
Irisa pulled the coughing Samuel out of the river, then suddenly turned green. She coughed and looked at him, Aaron standing over them, tall and broad. He held the sword so skilfully and she had watched him fight those things! He was skilled, he had fought them before! It has no problem with him, it was as though he already knew their weaknesses.
"Princess, are you alright?" Aaron asked slamming the sword or the ground, he fell to his knees trying to check if the water had worked, "you... You can walk Aaron! You can walk!" Aaron looked at his own body and looked back at her. She looked shattered and broken, he sighed, that what was the maiden Martha was talking about! He should have known.
"Was I going to die without knowing the truth?" Irisa asked feeling betrayed.
Samuel coughed slowly regaining consciousness, he whipped his head toward Aaron to finding his position unbelievable.
"You lied." Samuel simply stated and shook his head, "why have you lied for this long..."
"We need to get out of here now!" Aaron stood to his looking around him as the dissolved guards starting evolving again. Irisa helped Samuel up who still felt weak. He had never felt that kind of cut before, thank the Gods their lake wasn't far from them.
Aaron walked smoothly toward the wheelchair and turned it around glancing at the two of them in amazement, "we have to take another route outside this place." Irisa glanced at Samuel's face who also was mesmerized by what he was seeing.
Aaron yanked out jewellery and walked toward another part of the waterfall, he slammed the jewelry into the wall and it opened shaking the room violently. It was as though they were back to where they started from. Irisa frowned, how did he know of this route?
She felt everything suddenly change due to what she and the soldier had just witnessed, he could not only stand well, he was a skilled fighter. Aaron took the pathway clenching his jaw, he could feel the princess's and the soldier's stare.
They stopped and saw Martha scoffing and smirking, "they know the truth my prince! Now they know how you will be king and not your brother and do not even think of telling the crown prince because if you do Samuel, the Gods shall strike you down!"
"You will take her to your home and I do not mean that manor, your actual home, they will treat her like the future queen she is!"
"I am not going anywhere with this liar!" she spat out angrily.
"You do not have a choice in this matter, Irisa. This are the instructions of the Gods." Irisa scoffed, "Gods?!"
"Do not say another word!" Martha shouted silencing her. She looked away from him not wanting to cause herself more anger.
"You will go back to the prince and tell him an healer, a strange one managed to suck the poison out of the princess and you will tell him you are suspicious of Aaron's behavior. You will demand he let you stay by their side but you will be the ear and the eyes of Aaron in the palace and you will be Irisa's guard."
Samuel nodded slowly, what mess had he gotten himself into, he just wanted to survive now he was stuck with them, knowing them they wouldn't trust him no matter what he said or did.
"Return to my cottage, take your people and leave." Irisa nodded and make sure she stuck by Samuel's side because he seemed more trustworthy than her husband.
They got to the front of the cottage, finding Raymond and Nancy, her eyes widened, before she ran toward her lady's side. She asked brightly, "m'lady! You seem healed! Is your illness gone?!" Irisa smiled softly and nodded.
"It is, I mean, we need to leave now." Aaron walked back to them, making Namcy's eyes widened.
"You are not wet at all, did you take a bath in the lake at all?"
"He did not have to." Irisa gritted out, she couldn't believe that he had lied all this while. She was going to die believing her husband was crippled and he wouldn't have said anything.
"What do you mean m'lady?"
"The prince was never crippled, he just pretended to be."
"I was crippled!"
"Not while I met you! I knew it! You were at Hasten right? You and Raymond, by the tree side killing another man! We saw it that night!" Aaron looked away, sighing.
"We need to..."
"No! You will not say anything to me, are we clear?" she asked angrily. Irisa turned back to Nancy, "I need your help, he is weak so he would have to stay in the carriage for his safety. Aaron will stay with him in the carriage, I do not want to see his face." Irisa helped Samuel into the carriage leaving the carriage wheeler who seemed unbothered by his master walking.
"Let us leave, we should arrive in Omoral within four hours, we have to pay King Edge a visit and have some discussions." Irisa tucked him well and he smiled, thanking her.
She nodded and moved outside the carriage, Aaron stood there staring at what she was doing. She couldn't just imagine that he had been lying to her, to everyone since whenever.
"We need to talk Irisa, that what the maiden said we should do," this was the first time he was calling and name and even though she loved the way he called it, she couldn't look past his lies.
"I am not talking to you Aaron, I want nothing to do with you!" she said walking toward Samuel's horse, Nancy sat her position next to the carriage wheeler, ready to go.
"Irisa I had my reasons for not telling you, I didn't know you that much, it is my deepest secret I could not tell you."
"What else are you hiding Aaron? Why is the mask still on your face! I am sure you are hiding something underneath the mask too right."
"No, nothing Irisa please hear me out, I could not have said anything, I was unsure."
"Well thank you Aaron, thank you for telling me where I stand in your life. I thought this past few days meant something to you, to us! Well I think I was wrong," she looked down, blinking her angry tears away. She climbed unto the horse angrily, wiping her face furiously, "the time we spent on this journey means something to me Irisa, we are meant to be together!"
"I thought we did, but how am I supposed to trust you after this? Everyone thinks that you are paralyzed. I even accepted that fact even though I felt so shallow that I was being disrespected, so all this was just for show?! It was a lie along!" she said angrily and kicked the horse violently.
Aaron stepped back out of reflex and the horse jolt forward. He sighed and walked back toward Raymond who stared at him knowingly, he remembered asking Aaron to tell his wife, if she was going to be his forever sooner or later she would find out.
Aaron walked toward the carriage and entered it, he glared at Samuel who was merely resting, the carriage wheeler started their journey back to Omoral.
* * * *
Three days later.
Throughout the journey, Irisa had religiously avoided Aaron to his dismay, he didn't know he had hurt her to that extent. He sighed as soon as they entered the capital, Samuel was generally quiet, he said nothing about Aaron faking his paralysis but Aaron couldn't help but feel that he was going to destroy everything he had worked for.
He had sent a letter to inform the empress of the lie they had told, they went to Omoral and found a healer who healed Irisa, she is resting and wouldn't be able to anyone as she was still somewhat weak.
Anxious Donald had a happy choice over the woman's recovery, Beatrice the woman his mother wanted him to marry was too docile and doormat for him to like. Irisa was quite the opposite, beautiful, elegant, and classy. The kind of woman that would fit to rule by his side, he wished he had seen her before she was married to that crippled bastard Aaron. He couldn't imagine her life in that disgusting manner, she must be suffering.
"My prince," the maid entered the prince's chamber, she looked nothing like Irisa but she was the closest he could find to her, she had skin very much like Irisa and he would use enjoy his fantasy as much as he could, "come forward beloved!"
The maid walked forward, bowing her head, this was one of the biggest bed chambers in the palace. Arts of penis and women's breasts were placed on opposite sides of the walls, and the prince's huge bed lay in the middle. A chair and study table were placed near the window, which stretched far and wild giving a perfect view of the garden.
"Do you know how lucky you are to be in my presence," the maid nodded, smiling, "Yes! Yes my prince! I am so honored, what do you want me to do for you?" she asked excitedly.
"Strip!" he commanded making her whip her head up, her eyes widening, she realized that she had gotten herself into a mess she couldn't get out of.
"M... Your... Your Highness... You are betrothed to the hasten princess, how can you lay with me, a mere maid?"
"Keep your mouth shut!" he shot up angrily, "I will not repeat myself maid! You are in my presence, who gave you permission to speak freely?" she fell to her knees, ceremoniously bowing.
"I am so sorry your highness, it wasn't my intention to offend or insult you. I am indeed honoured to be in your presence but what you are asking for me, it is too much..." he took two long strides toward her and pulled her corn rolls, making her scream.
He yanked her jaw and held it violently, "Do you think you can defy me, Maid?!" he gritted, making her shake her head, tears breamed from her eyes, she felt so shaken just staring at his eyes, he had a vile, malicious look. He was not going to spare her.
"If you do not want to do it yourself, I will do it for you." she shook her head violently but it was too late, he tore her upper garment violently making her yell and wail in pain. She covered her chest area tears flowing from her eyes. He pulled her up by the hair and pushed her unto the bed, "I am going to enjoy this!"
* * * *
"I know what you think, I would never tell prince Donald when you practically saved my life." Samuel started, they were in the market square of the capital.
Aaron sighed, "I can not trust you Samuel, you are one of prince Donald's most loyal men. I do not even know you," Samuel sighed and nodded.
"I do understand where you are coming from your highness but that maiden, she said a lot of things, and one of it being never to tell the prince, I would be struck down by the Gods if I dare."
Aaron shook his head, "even at that. You can simply say all this and want to test that theory. I have worked all my life for that throne Samuel, if you really wanted me trust you then prove yourself."
"I will not tell him about you faking your paralysis."
"I do not care about that, he would never believe you Samuel even though you do tell him so I am not even worried but protecting the princess is your mission, just focus on it." Samuel nodded and looked away.
They were on their way to the manor but Samuel was dropped a route could be taken to the Emperor's palace. He bowed and thanked Irisa before informing her of his arrival that would be soon.
Soon after, they got to the old manor, Irisa stopped the horse and came down without help. She walked toward Nancy and smiled, "I am so glad you didn't die m'lady, who would be with me now!" she asked before her lady shook her head.
"Do not say that Nancy, death is not in the my oath any longer, I am safe." Irisa reassured and they intertined their hands.
"Mistress," Anita bowed smiling, "we welcome you back into our mist, we are so happy that you are here with us!" Irisa nodded.
"I am happy too that I am alive." Anita's eyes fell unto Aaron's figure, he approached them without the wheelchair. She looked back at Irisa who watched her all the while, "I am sorry Mistress." she apologized knowing that keeping the master's secret would cost her.
"You do not owe your me your trust Anita, it is good that you are faithful and obedient to your master." Anita nodded and looked away, Irisa took Nancy's hands and walked into the manor slowly trying not get more angry.
She felt angry, and upset, she couldn't explain how much hurt she felt that she was going to die not knowing the truth.
"I cannot believe he lied all this while!" Nancy said as soon as they were in the comfort of their small room. Irisa sighed and climbed unto the bed, "I feel so stupid for ever trusting him. He was so good at lying!" Nancy tilted her head and sighed sadly and walked slowly toward Irisa, she sat by her side on the bed and took her hands.
"I am so sorry you are to witness that, you didn'r deserve the lie M'lady, nobody does." Irisa nodded and squeezed Nancy's hands.
"I am fine, I am fine."
"What are you going to do eventually? You cannot be angry forever m'lady, you will have to face him eventually." Irisa looked away.
"I do not know, I just... I am so angry! So frustrated! I cannot even look in the face! He never said something!" she whispered, tears checking her. "When I first saw him walk, it felt unreal, as if I was in a dream. He fought the things off skillfully as if he knew them personally." Irisa shook her head and looked out side her window, wiping a small tear away.
"Everything is all so overwhelming, I just... This past one week as being the hardest I have had ever. I thought we were finally getting somewhere but how can I recover from this? How can I even trust he wasn't faking it along!"
Nancy nodded sympathetic, "I can understand where you are coming from m'lady, but please do not be angry with him for too long, I beg you. It bad enough already, not talking to him with make things worst!" Irisa nodded and pushed her self deeper into the hard mattress.
"I just hate that he didn't say anything. Was it that important to him?"
"Once you feel less angry m'lady, go to him and asked why he didn't tell you, it would make you feel better." Irisa nodded and closed her eyes, "I need rest." she simply stated and Nancy knew it was her cue to leave.
She walked out of the room, finding Aaron by the door, she bowed slightly and walked away quickly. She walked toward her the kitchen, finding Anita.
* * * *
Two weeks later.
"M'lady, please you need to eat something, the food was so nice yesterday! I mean, please just come with and see him." Irisa groaned into her bed and shook her hands, "I am not going, tell him to eat his food and stop bothering me!" Nancy sighed.
"M'lady, aren't you being childish?" Irisa shot up fro the pillow and narrowed her eyes, "I am sorry m'lady that came out wrong. But really... He has being making, coming here! Buying you gifts, he brought you a horse! He bought more seeds and flowers to plant in your garden!"
"I accepted none of them!"
"Well you did gush over the horses's beauty. So..."
"So what?! Because I like..."
"More like love." Nancy murmured.
"Nancy! Do not let me punish you for speaking freely with me." Nancy rolled her eyes.
"I am telling you the truth princess it being more than two weeks now and he has made sure you are as comfortable as anything, offering to change your bed!" Irisa folded her arm.
"I am not going anywhere Nancy, you can tell him to shove that food up his lying ass." Nancy shook her head.
"You are so stubborn, m'lady" Irisa looked away as she bowed and made her way out of the room, she walked back toward the dinning table, seeing Aaron who anticipated his wife's arrival. Nancy could not get over the fact that he could walk. It was so much of a surprise when Irisa had pointed it out.
"My princess," Nancy bowed and courtesy. Aaron ignored her and looked behind her, "where is she?" he finally met her gaze.
"She said she wasn't coming, that you could have your dinner and go to bed." Aaron narrowed his eyes.
"Is that really what she said?" Nancy sighed.
"That is the best version of what she said,"
"I want to hear what she said," Nancy strached her head. What does this man really want?
"I don'r think that is a good idea your highness. Why not just ear your food and go to bed." Aaron shook his head.
"Tell me what she said Nancy, I want to hear it." he pressed, Nancy almost rolled her eyes, the princess was just as stubborn and persistent has her lady. If he wanted to hear it then she was going to tell him.
"She said and I quote, 'You can tell him to shove that food up his lying ass.' end of quote"
Aaron gritted his teeth, before standing to his feet and shaking his head, he marched toward her room furiously.
* * * *