Crowned Compass ✓

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 7

"Become a knight?! Are you crazy?"

"Yes," I smiled.

Enrian rubbed his face with his hands, sighing, "Father will never let you fall through with this."

"Of course he won't, but life's too short to keep these same burdening barriers left unshattered."

"Sis...honestly...don't do it."

I laughed, "Oh, I'm doing it!"

Uvin looked at the pond, twirling a piece of grass between his thumb and index finger, "Lessi, don't."

I lost my smile, "What?"

"It's dangerous," he stood and looked over me, "it's not butterflies and sunflowers."

"I know it isn't."

"Please trust me on this, princess," his eyes saddened.

"I am not scared. I know there will be hardships no matter what, and that's why I want to join. I can finally prove to myself, to others that I ca-"

"No," he said.

I got quiet. He had always been on my side for everything, yet he's saying no to me now?

He looked at Adonis, who was sitting against the tree, silent as usual.

"If they have him looking after you," Uvin whispered, "you definitely do not need to join."

"Excuse me?"

He gripped both of my arms, forcing me to look at him, "He doesn't just get sent to play keep watch on princesses, Lessi. If he's looking after you, you have to stay."

What was he talking about?

I pushed him, "So you too, huh?"

"Hear me," he whispered, "please..."

I straightened my dress and turned around to look at Adonis. His eyes never left me.

Why were these people so alert about him?

I sighed and kissed Uvin's cheek, smoothing down his cape around his shoulders with my fingers, "I am sorry for getting angry with you. I understand your worry all too well."

He looked at me for a moment before smiling, "God bless you, princess. You go through so much, and you take it like a warrior."

I shrugged and backed away from him, "Everything has a reason. If I must suffer inside for this little time, I will."

His smile faded.

"I will see you around, Vinny."

I bowed my head and almost left, but he brought me into his arms.

"W-what are y-"

"Give them hell," he said into my ear.

I looked up at him, shocked, "But earlier you said..."

He only smirked and bowed, "You know me, princess. Take my final words."

"I...I will."

• • •

"Oh, you both arrived early!" my father exclaimed.

Enrian and I sat at the empty chairs along the long oval table.

My uncle was glaring at me from the other side.

"Problem, uncle?" I asked monotonously.

"Have you been disobedient to your mother?"

He was always asking about my mother.

Before my father, she had relations with him, but clearly he wasn't the endgame, and thank goodness he wasn't. Who knew how much worse my life would be if he was my father.