"So, Raven was the chocolate thief then?" I asked as I read a book.
Of course, I knew it already.
"Yeah, and I was thinking who dared to steal my chocolates. But if it's Raven then it's fine."
"He seems to be like you," I said not looking at her as she was playing with him.
"Besides, Lucas had told me not to get these two too much close to us." I said.
"I don't like him, he's scary and he's too touchy with you. Why do you let him touch you anyway?" Athy asked.
"What are you talking Princesses?" Lily entered the room and Athy quickly smiled.
"We're talking about how Ara hadn't named her cat yet."
"I told you it's not a cat."
"Hm?" Lily walked over to where the cub was curled up beside me on the arm of the chair watching me.
"Aw... Princess it's staring at you. Won't you give it a little attention?" Lily said and I glanced at the cub which quickly perked up noticing my gaze.
It really wants my attention.
"Besides, have you thought of what to call it?"
I sighed as I found this slightly troublesome, if I hang out with it too much then it'll end up giving me a mana explosion.
The cub looked at me with its bright blue eyes and I ran my eyes over its pure white fur which had the dark black stripes.
"Snow." I spoke making its tail sway and eyes grow radiant.
"Wow! Raven and Snow!" Athy cheered and Lily smiled as well but just as she went to pet Snow it turned and glared up at her baring its sharp teeth.
"Tone it down, Snow." I said in a calm voice and the cub quickly looked down.
"I-It listens to you quite well." Lily seemed a bit uneasy as she straightened up.
After that day, Athy insisted that I take care of Snow despite me telling her that it'd be dangerous for us, yet, she always kept Raven beside her. Feeding him, bathing him, sleeping with him and playing with him all the time.
I, on the other hand, since I was used to going around the palace for training and all, Snow followed me everywhere even till Dad's room.
"What's that thing?" Dad asked as he saw Snow trailing behind me inside his room.
I looked back at Snow who looked up at me and I sighed.
"My pet, seems like it followed me all the way here. Sorry, it will just stay in a corner and not create any nuisance so, can it stay?" I asked and Dad simply looked away.
"You heard?"
"Mew." The cub mewled and I sighed running my hands through my hair as I walked over and sat beside Dad.
I picked up the papers and started reading through them watching from the corner of my eye as Snow went over and sat in a corner watching me.
"It's rare for you to keep a pet." Dad said.
"Athy brought one for her so, she insisted me on keeping one too."
"You do realise that is not a cat."
He's really perceptive.
"Yeah, everyone else thinks it is." I said as I read through the reports.
I picked up the feather pen as I started making some corrections before I went ahead.
Dad and I didn't say anything after that and the rest of the routine continued till I put Dad to sleep and started absorbing his black mana but just as I was doing that Snow hopped over on the bed trying to stop me.
"Get away." I hissed at it and it got scared and stepped back.
I absorbed the black mana till my limit and then fell asleep.
The next morning I woke up feeling something warm on both my sides, I could see Dad's face in front of me so, what was at my back?
I turned my head to see Snow curled behind me. The cub seemed to have a complex disposition, it was quite different if compared to Raven. First of all, I didn't know that there were any Mana Beasts who resembled a tiger, it was loke something as I was for the story. A mystery.
A few days passed and Snow went behind me everywhere, I had taken pity on him and let him follow me at times I'd even entertained him and fed him but he still ended up sleeping beside me at nights when I was with Dad.
Athy didn't once come to see Dad in these few days as she was busy spending all her time with Raven. I stopped her everytime but she just said she wouldn't be with him for a long time but did just that.
"Princess Athanasia, it's high time you should go and greet, His Majesty." Felix reminded her and the next day I and Athy stood before Dad.
She was dressed in a pink dress while I wore a deep blue one, for some reason my chest was feeling a little tight and I was feeling tired. Did I catch cold or something?
Athy went to her cute character acting.
"Hehehe, Daddy, I missed you."
"Like hell you did." I commented in her head but she ignored me.
Dad didn't say anything as he simply looked at Athy, well, he hadn't seen her in a few days while I was frequenting him.
"Your Majesty, the weather's nice today. How about going for a walk outside?" Felix suggested while Athy looked at Dad's throne.
This girl and her obsession for gold, I swear.
"A walk, that doesn't sound so bad." Dad said and I breathed deeply.
Today was the day that Athy would end up having the mana explosion and probably even me because despite everything I had been allowing Snow near me and even absorbing the black mana from Dad. If that wasn't enough I hadn't come around Lucas in these few days. God knows where that idiot was!
Suddenly I felt like something pluck me from the back of my dress and I doubled over feeling the tightness in my chest grow.
"Your Majesty, if you gra... hold them like that it may cause the Princesses discomfort."
"She just needs to sit there and hold still. What part of that's uncomfortable?" Dad said while I was struggling to get down.
"Rather than that, you should carry her like this." Felix carried Athy in his arms and she held onto him.
"I... I can't breath!" I grunted as I struggled to breath properly.
"Here, please try holding her like I did now."
I was pulled up from the deathly position and suddenly I felt as I could breath as Dad held me against his chest. I rested my head on his shoulder as I gripped his robe in my fingers.
I survived.
"I just want Felix to carry me!" Athy cried out not releasing Felix and I closed my eyes as I slowly relaxed myself.
I felt Dad's large hand on my back and I slowly tilted my head back to look at Athy and Felix. Felix looked quite happy that Athy chose him.
"Fine, you carry her, I'll carry her." Dad said and I frowned slightly.
"I'm fine walking on my own." I said.
"So, you're saying you don't want me to carry you?" Dad said looking down at me and I sighed. He was just going to do what he wanted.
"Fine, it's not bad to get a free ride once in a while." I said as I rested my head on his broad shoulder.
If anything I'd like to have body like him.
Dad and Felix started walking carrying me and Athy respectively.
"Does Felix always carry you like this?"
"No, this is the first time I've let someone carry me after I started walking." I said.
Well, I'll be honest his walking is a bit faster than my pace.
I wrapped my arms around his neck as I looked at Felix who was walking behind us.
"So, he carries your sister around?"
"Yeah, Athy likes being carried."
"And you don't?"
"I prefer using my own strength to do my work." I said, it quite eerily sounded like the things like Dad preferred doing.
"Even now, if you put me down, I'd rather walk on my own."
"Are you saying you'd rather walk than me carrying you?" He asked and I chuckled.
"You and Athy are sometimes similar." I mumbled.
"In what sense?"
"Stubbornness and doing whatever you want despite what others say." I mumbled feeling slightly sleepy.
"Well, honestly..." I breathed in Dad's scent which was always soothing.
"It's quite comforting to be carried by you like this, I'm afraid I'll get used to this quickly." I said.
"You're quite talkative today." He said and I sighed.
"I don't know, I feel slightly weird today." I admitted.
"Are you feeling sick?"
"No, just a little strange. I have a bad feeling... It's hard to explain."
"You make no sense." He said.
We reached near the garden and I noticed the buzzing sound.
"I know..."
My eyes followed the bug which was buzzing around flying close to us. Wait, this was the bug which made Athy slap Dad.
I wouldn't do that.
I used a little air magic and smacked the bug away from us.
"You could use air magic spell too, I see."
"I rarely use it." I said before resting my head on his shoulder.
We reached near our usual place where we have tea every morning and I was placed down rather gently on the white chair beside Athy.
Dad took a seat in front of us and I couldn't help but feel the tightness in my chest growing. I was starting to sweat and my body felt colder. What the hell! Was I having a heart attack?!
"I guess Princess Amara enjoyed being carried by His Majesty for the first time."
"You're assigned to guard them not act like their carrier." Dad said and Felix looked slightly crestfallen but even if I try to ignore it I couldn't stop this growing pain in my chest.
Where was Lucas when you needed him?!
I tried to breath normally but a cough rose in my throat and I coughed loudly feeling the warm liquid drip down my mouth onto my hands and dress.
Blood. It's happening.
I coughed again and clutched my chest as I turned to look at Athy who stared at me with blood on her mouth too.
I turned my head to Dad whose eyes were wide and face morphed in shock as I felt my body slowly tilt and my vision went black with only Felix's voice echoing in my head.
The moment I regained consciousness I saw Felix in front of my face and the excruciating pain in my chest it was as if my insides were on fire.
Well, I'd only seen Athy cry in the manwha but I didn't know it was this painful. Athy! How was she doing?!
"Ahhhhhh!" I screeched despite me trying to hold it in.
I growled and turned and twisted in my bed trying to put out the fire but it seemed quite impossible.
To me I was sounding like a wild animal was trying to get out of its chains, and trust me, I was doing the same.
"I-I apologize, Your Majesty but while I treating I found the traces of black mana in the Princess' body. There was none in Princess Athanasia's just Princess Amara."
"You're saying that Amara was cursed?" Dad sounded cold and harsh.
"I can't be sure."
"Then do something and heal her."
I didn't hear more because I knew nobody would be able to help me except for Lucas and God knows where that moron is!
My insides felt like they were ripping apart as I growled and twisted in my bed trying my best to keep the screams in. Tears flowed down my cheeks as I curled and then rolled in the bed.
"Ahhhh!" I cried curling myself in and struggled to do something to put out the pain.
"First, Princess Athanasia and then Princess Amara..." Felix spoke.
"He said there's black mana in her body..." Felix looked at me as I was grounding my teeth, my eyes must be looking maddening and dangerous as he quickly stepped away.
"Was she cursed?" Dad wondered as he looked at me and I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt the metalic taste in my mouth.
"Just go to sleep." He spoke as he placed his hand on my head and I fell into the oblivion again. Feeling the numbness that felt like death.
I didn't realise for how long I slept but soon I felt a familiar scent around me and I slowly opened my eyes feeling no pain in my system.
The first thing that I saw was Lucas' face. He smiled down at me, I gripped his sleeve and used the little bit of my strength to grab him into a hug.
This idiot finally arrived!
"You're finally awake. Did you think some prince would come and kiss you awake?" He asked repeating the exact same thing that I'd told him the day I'd stumbled upon him.
Despite his words he gently patted my back holding me in place.
"Says the one who slept for 200 years straight."
He released a sigh as he gently pushed me back and looked at me seriously.
"Didn't I tell you to not absorb that black mana and not to get close to that Mana Beast? Your father was convinced that you were cursed or something." He said and I plopped down on the soft pillow.
"I'm sure you saved my ass somehow." I said as I smiled and he rolled his eyes.
"You owe me one now." He said and I just waved my hand dismissively.
Just then the doors opened and Dad and Felix walked inside. I sat up and Dad walked towards me and sat on the edge of my bed.
He slowly reached out and touched my cheek pushing my bangs away.
"Are you still feeling sick?" I shook my head.
"Just a little tired."
"There won't be any side effects, right?" Dad asked Lucas who had suddenly shrunken to a child's form.
"Please now, don't act like a sick child." I told Lucas telepathically.
Despite my words he coughed and started speaking how he needed to stay around me and Athy since our conditions weren't still quite stable.
He tried to act really cute and fragile which almost made me snort.
This little drama queen.
"You deserve an award for being a cunning and deceiving jerk." I told Lucas telepathically.
"You most definitely ate my and Athy's extra mana and now you're feeding lies to my father."
"My princess, I will lay my life in your service." Lucas said as he looked at me with sparkling eyes and I almost burst out laughing.
"Blegh! Jesus, Lucas! Your acting sucks, stop it or I'll end up laughing." I spoke and he turned away coughing, saying that his condition was getting worse. All lies.
Lucas snuck a wink at me making me roll my eyes at his drama as he was taken away by Felix. I could only imagine Athy's reaction. Wait, Athy!
"How's Athy?" I asked looking at Dad.
"She's fine, she woke up two days ago." He said and I frowned but then the doors were opened and Athy and Lily ran inside.
Lily carried Athy to me and once close Athy nearly jumped on the bed and hugged me tightly making me gasp.
"Athy, too tight." I croaked and she loosened up.
"It's okay, I'm fine now." I said as I patted her back.
"You're finally awake!" She cried and then pulled back.
Lily looked at me with teary eyes and I smiled at her.
"I'm fine, Lily."
"Stop saying that!" Athy shouted and I looked at her.
"You'll never tell anyone even if you're not." She said as she cried and I sighed.
"I'm sorry." I said and she sniffed.
I took her hand and pulled her into my arms again as I looked at Dad who was watching us. I patted Athy's back gently as she held onto me.
"How long was I out?"
"Almost two months..." Lily said as she wiped her tears.
"You've been sleeping for exactly 50 days." She said and I looked at Dad who looked at me with an unexplainable expression. I wanted to tell him that I was fine but I guess I shouldn't use those words for the day.
"I'm sorry for worrying you all so much." I said instead and looked at Lily and Dad, one expressively worried face and other blank with probably numerous emotions swirling behind that mask.
I'd have to be ready for the future from here.
***
Another update, though it's a bit late.
Enjoy reading!