The Blade Princess

---The Masked Prince---

It was time for the Healer to leave because the tournament needed the Prince to come in. Among his admirers, I stood far in the back probably people wondering around me why my eyes were swollen and red. Bretrarum left me conflicted as ever because I thought he just befriended me to use me as a spy to get close to Henley.

And maybe he did, who knows that guy had so many layers that it made had for anyone to trust. But right now when he said he was there to protect, there in the enemy kingdom just to protect me by heart cried. With no one left to care for me, this meant a lot.

My hate and feelings towards him battled in my mind as I had to cry myself to sleep.

As he climbed the horse and people bowed to him respectfully excluding me, his eyes met mine and I felt all the pain in his heart flow through them to me. A tear escaped my eyes and I looked away. 

As the Healer left the premises, I know the masked Bretrarum will be back and this time the palace will be buzzing with fear.

---

I looked outside the window at the moon that shined so brightly in the sky that it lighted up everything around. Even standing there among the millions of stars, it outshone every one of them. When my father was alive I aimed to be a star, someone that twinkled with the pride and joy of her father. Now I had to be the moon as I was left all alone.

Sweet, distant music filled the palace as the ceremony began with a ball and Queen strictly said to keep me off limits. I was in her words a disgrace. King argued for my sake and his friendship with my father but Queen was stubborn and had the upper hand. So while the palace was filled with Prince and Princess' from far the wide for the prestigious tournament ball I was hiding here reminiscing about the past and living the painful present.

Suddenly the constant eye on me Tahira opened the door and walked in.

"Prince is here." She said with a tone of excitement.

Without even realizing, I felt the thrill run through me even though we met less than twelve hours ago.

"And?" I said as nonchalantly as possible.

"The people are scared out of their wits." She said excitedly, her eyes widened in awe at her master.

It made me wonder seeing her if Bretrarum mind manipulated me as well. Was I actually feeling things for him or was this just a mind game. But the poison inside me reacted only around him. And I kind of felt sad that I felt out of love with Henley. He was now more like a person I cared for.

"You should come and see." She said which meant she can't leave me alone and she wanted to go.

"And have the Queen behead me, no thank you," I said giving a lame excuse to avoid Henley, Queen and especially Bretrarum.

Being near him caused me immense pain, literally.

"Okay then let's hide and see the ceremony?" She suggested too happy about this idea and even though I tried to be calm about it I wanted to see.

So I agreed.

---

A few minutes later we were standing in Queen's room from where everything down the hall was visible. The guards were all handled by Tahira. We stood at the window and witnessed the ceremony from the dark.

And I suppressed a smile because only the King, Queen and Bretrarum was sitting while everyone else was standing in attention. No one even stood close to him or dared meet his eyes. And it hit me, how he has been feared and alone forever. Why no one would agree to teach him to dance. But even being a loner, he sat their emitting power of the whole army combined.