Giganterra (G/T)

Chapter 26: Secrets

Ronny woke up the next morning in a very sour mood. Besides his sore muscles from his vigorous sparring exercises with Joey, his lacerated back was sore and bloody under his bandages. However, he didn't use any magic salve on his wounds, for doing so would only prove his father right: that he was soft and weak, like a crab without a shell. He winced, biting back his complaints at the acute stinging as his manservant dressed him. His clothes felt like metal files rubbing against his open sores.

The prince was deeply ashamed of himself, of his own failures. He felt mortified when he remembered he had confided with a humble human, lowering himself to that demeaning level and tossing away his regal dignity when he was at his lowest point. His father was right: He really was pathetic. Even so, he made sure to feed Tanya some of his breakfast, so she wouldn't starve. He wasn't that cruel. She stared up at him curiously, unsure of his intentions, but he avoided her gaze. He couldn't stand to face her after his humiliating confessions.

He groomed his glossy black hair, scowling at his bruised face in the mirror. He traced his fingers along the swollen edge of his cheek and frowned. As tempting as it was to simply make it vanish, his father would notice. He had no choice but to walk around all day with this unsightly bruise marring his handsome face, to be the gossip of all the servants, to have a livid badge of humiliation plastered front and center for all to behold. He sighed and left for his tutoring.

He met up with his sister on the way there in the hall. Her smug grin faded when she observed his bruise and his stiff posture, indicating how much his back hurt. She knew, of course. Their father didn't beat her, but she wasn't ignorant as to how he treated his sons. Although Bianca didn't get along well with her brother, she still had some room in her stony heart for sympathy. They filed into the classroom silently, greeted with a deferential bow from Milton. Ronny eased himself into his chair, gritting his teeth at the pain.

Milton noticed the bruise right away, but held his tongue. He figured it would be improper for him to acknowledge it, in the presence of the prince. Yet, he couldn't help but detect the dramatic difference in the demeanors of the royal siblings. Whereas the prior day, they were loud and obnoxious, berating each other and complaining about the lesson, today there was a tense, morose hush over the room. Ronny's face was pinched with strain and his eyes were glazed. He sat at an awkward angle, as if there were exposed nails in the back of his chair. Throughout the lesson, Bianca kept glancing over at him.

Ronny struggled to focus on Milton's lecture, but the tutor didn't push him. The bruise, and the prince's uncharacteristic behavior, was bothering him. Even if it wasn't his place, he wanted to make sure the prince didn't need help. He cut his lesson short and dismissed the students for lunch. Bianca left faster than Ronny since she was uninjured. As Ronny labored to haul himself out of his chair, Milton saw an opening and approached him.

"Excuse me, Your Highness, if I may speak?" Milton requested.

Ronny paused, scraping him up and down with his abrasive dark eyes. "Proceed."

"I just... wanted to make sure you were alright?" Milton said hesitantly. "Forgive me if I'm overstepping any bounds, I mean no offense." He hung his head respectfully.

Ronny glared at the tutor, unsure how to respond. He didn't expect any of his inferiors to have the audacity to confront him about his physical state, but he understood that Milton was new to court, and meant well. At least he had the common sense not to ask where his bruise came from; perhaps he could be forgiven for his mild breach in etiquette.

"I'm fine," he grunted. After a long pause, he added, "Fencing lessons were rigorous yesterday." He walked out of the room, stumbling slightly as a shot of sharp pain rocketed up his back. Milton watched him go with concern. He didn't entirely believe Ronny's excuse. He resolved to verify with the prince's fencing instructor.