Warrior Hearts

Backfired!

A/N: Anddd...it's a double update! Happy reading xx

"Your Highness," Celeste pants, halting with a jerk in front of me. Eyes wide, I stare at my lady-in-waiting.

"What in the world has happened, Celeste?" I question, as she buckles forwards in a desperate attempt to regain her steady breathing.

"His Highness' grandmother has summoned you at once. Please let's hasten towards her chambers." Celeste says, pivoting around and heading back the way she came. For some reason, my heart begins to cause a racket within the confines of my chest. Truth be told, I genuinely adored the way Malhotra spoke about his grandmother, and that entailed me to grow an immediate liking towards her. However, now when I'm mere minutes away from meeting her, I cannot help but feel a tangle of nerves tighten in the centre of my stomach. After all, I simply fail to think of a single reason as to why she'd wish to meet me.

My eyes widen as a realisation slams into me like a truck. Malhotra must've filled his grandmother's ears against me! I'm sure of it. In fact, I can bet my entire kingdom on this. I mean, what else can I expect from a vile man like Malhotra? Hurriedly sheathing my sword at my side, I begin to make my way behind Celeste. Moreover, the urgency in my lady-in-waiting's demeanour solidifies my faith in the fact that Malhotra's grandmother is an important member of this palace.

"This way, Your Highness." Celeste guides me, as she makes a sharp turn around a corner. Lord, being suddenly summoned in this manner has most certainly caught me off guard. "Her chambers are right through that door." Gesturing towards two mahogany doors on my left, Celeste steps behind me, casting her gaze down towards the floor. Clearing my throat, I pass my hand over the front of my shirt. Regardless of whether or not Malhotra has spewed utter nonsense against me, I am well aware of the truth, and that is what I shall stick by. After all, considering I have done nothing wrong, why should I fear his grandmother? On the contrary, Malhotra should be the one who's worried sick. Lord, I can face soldiers in a battle with greater ease than this. Pressing my right palm against the cool wood of the door, I push down on its handle with my left hand.

"Careful," Malhotra hisses, as the door pushes against his back. Swivelling around to face me, he glares at me with orbs that are the size of saucers. Rolling my eyes, I allow my shoulders to sag forwards in relaxation. 

"Looks like I'm well capable of winning the battle without so much as even trying." I comment, as I step into the chambers, shutting the door behind me. "Did I hurt you?" Narrowing his eyes at me, Malhotra rubs at his forearm.

"Indeed," he replies. Grinning, I pat myself on the shoulder.

"That's great, then!" I exclaim, clapping my hands together. "Shall I do that again? Perhaps you'll get another bruise."

"You're playing unfair." Malhotra spits, wagging his finger in front of my face. "Stop using the woman card on me. Princess, you know this as well as I do that I cannot so much as disturb a hair on your head just because of your gender. So I suggest you learn to play fair and then meet me on the battlefield." Cocking an eyebrow at Malhotra, I scoff in disbelief.

"Look who's lecturing me on playing fair," I retort, rolling my eyes. "You're the one who had to falsely seduce me, both, in our duel and to secure my hand in marriage. Or else you and I know that you'd have lost both times."

"So that's how Manik did it." A woman's voice calls out from the left corner of the room. At once, my head snaps towards the source of the voice. Lord, I got so engrossed in waging a verbal war against Malhotra that the entire purpose of my visit to these chambers escaped my mind altogether. Side-stepping my enemy, I face the woman in the corner, as I clasp my hands together in front of me.