Spellbound: COMPLETE

Chapter Twenty-Six: Simeon

Simeon's POV

I watched the princess burst through the clearing and then sink to her knees, through the bushes that concealed me. I almost felt sorry for her, but she was late and must know that I had to keep my word. I had waited for a full twenty-four hours, and she had only now decided to come.

I was about to walk away when I imagined the conversation I would have once I got home:

"How did it go?" My younger brother would ask.

"Well, I waited and she didn't come until just after midnight-"

"So what did she say? Will she help us?"

"I didn't talk to her."

"What? Why not? She was right there."

"The day was over, she had to-"

"You blew a chance for us to have royal help, something we've been wanting for years, just because she was a few minutes late?"

I sighed. I'll talk to her Humphrey, but this is for you, not her.

Looking around and not seeing anyone else, I began to rise from my crouched position. Then I felt something wrong and quickly and silently ducked down for better cover.

Someone else was here.

"Whatever is the matter, princess?" A tall man, dressed very fancily, asked.

He must be a prince with that kind of apparel, I thought with a shiver. There was something off about him, but I couldn't tell what it was.

My only option seemed to be to stay. I hoped he would leave so I could talk to her, or I could at least observe him in order to see if he was a threat.

The man knelt next to her and put his hand on her shoulder, but it was impossible to hear their conversation from my position. I cursed under my breath and stayed as silent as possible, hoping to catch something they were saying.

"It doesn't matter," the princess said, her expression turning hard and cold.

It doesn't matter? What doesn't matter? Curse your silent voices and these bushes that were too far away.

"Then let me take you back inside," he said and helped the princess stand up.

He didn't look very strong. I was certain he had never worked a day in his life, except perhaps a few trainings with how to use a sword. I could beat him with my eyes closed.

She nodded and let him lead her through the maze, and I followed close enough behind that they were always within my sights. I needed to talk to the princess, and I didn't want to have to find her at a later date.

I watched as the Prince led her up to the back doors of the castle. She went inside and I felt tense. How was I supposed to talk to her now? Maybe I could climb up to her room.

The prince walked down the stairs and I sunk back into the bushes I was hiding in. Then he stopped abruptly and I narrowed my eyes. I hated when I couldn't predict what an opponent's next move was going to be.

Then I cursed myself; I had left my bow and arrow at my original position in the bushes. How could I have been so careless?

"It is no use trying to hide. I know you are there," the rich man said looking right at me, through the shadows.

My eyes narrowed even more.

I would not have even noticed myself if I was in his position. I decided to stay where I was. I preferred the dark shadows to any wealthy man.

He rolled his eyes. "Hurry and come out."

I grumbled, I hated being ordered around. Especially by rude rich men who felt privileged because they were born into a higher class.

"'ow long did ye know?" I asked, stepping half out of the shadows.

I grinned when he looked surprised at my confidence, or maybe it was the tone of my voice that surprised him. It was a disguise that I had been perfecting for nearly five years now.

"Since I stepped into the clearing where I found the princess."

"Who be ye?" I asked and wondered why he hadn't revealed my location earlier. I know I would have, it was always impressive to the ladies when I did.

He gave me a wicked grin. "The princess knows me as Prince Wilson Worthington II."

"And that not be ye real name?" I asked trying to figure out what his intentions were.

He wasn't showing any emotion through his movements, which concerned me. People were usually so easy to read, especially the conceited, overconfident ones. But I refused to show my worry and instead replaced it with curiosity. I had a feeling if he knew I was scared he would strike.

"I did not say that," he answered.

"What should I be knowing ye as?" I asked stepping closer to show I wasn't scared of him.

"You are a peasant? Yes, judging from your clothes," he said and I clenched my fists trying to contain my resurfacing anger: I hated being called that. "No... You think you're some kind of hero." He laughed. "You're no more than a rogue. A hood in the night. That's even more pathetic. To think that you could possibly make a difference at all."

That was the last straw. This man was every reason why I was fighting against the royalists and rich. I put all my fury into my running and fist that was going to land right on his nose. I could feel the satisfying crunch as I gained on him.

He held out his hand to block my punch, which I easily calculated and moved around, going for a hook with my other hand.

His fingers quickly encased my hand, stopping me entirely.

All I could do was stand in shock, staring at my hand trapped in his.

"Do not ever do that again. Peasant." He spat in my face as he said the word. "Princess Ariadne never wanted to help you. She was late on purpose so she would have an excuse to be rid of your troubles without hurting your feelings. But I think you should know the truth, which is why I'm not hurting you right now. I just wanted to talk. She told me to take her back to the castle so that there was no way you would have the ability to approach her to try and coerce her into helping you.

"She has bigger things to worry about than people like you. Go your way and never come back."

He threw my arm and I stumbled backward, before righting myself and running back to the safety of the woods. Why I had ever left them, I didn't know.

I'm sorry Humphrey. They really are all the same. And they were all threats to anyone lower than them.

Thank you for reading!

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