A Deal With The Prince

Chapter 16: I will skin you alive

After I came back to my shared room with Catherine, she lectured me the whole night, drilling into my head that I have to tell her beforehand before I disappear for hours.

"Are you making sweets again?" Catherine asked as we walked to the dorm kitchen.

I nodded, "Yeah, I promised after all."

"Lady Lilyana are you baking again?" one of the ladies living in the dorm saw us and asked.

"Yes I am, would you like me to make some for you?"

She smiled and beamed, "If you don't mind! Thank you Lady Lilyana!"

In the dorm, I was now extremely known for baking so whenever any lady walked past me, they would ask for some whenever I bake. This got me a good reputation among the ladies.

"I'll leave it in the kitchen so feel free to take some whenever you like." I smiled before walking away with Catherine.

We made our way to the kitchen and I didn't waste any time, beginning to bake once I got all the ingredients I needed.

"Are you going to give some to the boys?" Catherine asked as she lent a helping hand.

I pondered over it before shrugging, "Blaive and Phillip doesn't favour sugar so I'll just give sir Ralph."

"Oh right, I saw him eating a lot of desserts before."

I nodded, "We both had a good discussion on which dessert made by the school was the best."

"And you both agreed on?"

I grinned widely, "Their chocolate fudge."

"Those are really good!"

"Right!"

"I still think you should make some for Phillip at least."

"...Fine."

We continued making sweets. Catherine decided to head to bed first once she finished making sweets for Blaive. I stayed behind, making Phillip's portion. Although my mind was still lingering on what happened not long ago, I did feel slightly bad for doing that. With that in mind, I began to shape the sweets into bears.

The next day, Catherine and I went to class together. Not many people came yet so we both sat down in our seats and chatted, waiting for class to start. Soon Blaive, Phillip and Ralph walked in. Few ladies behind them, admiring their beauty.

"I forgot many ladies admire them." I told Catherine. She nodded in agreement before brightly smiling at me,

"But too bad for them!"

I laughed, knowing how proud Catherine was to be Blaive's fiancée. They walked over to us and bid us good morning.

"Good morning." I greeted back.

I turned to Phillip but he looked away, walking to his seat without uttering another word to me. I stared at him but never said anything.

Lessons started so I had no time to give Ralph or Phillip the sweets I've made. Soon, I forgot about the sweets as all the lessons were now crammed into my brain. I only remembered once lessons were over for the day.

"Did you give the sweets?" Catherine asked as we packed up for the day.

I froze on spot before quickly digging through my bag for the sweets. Taking them out, I turned to Phillip but he already stood up from his seat, walking out of class. I watched as he walked away. I frowned but decided to go to Ralph instead.

"Sir Ralph!" I called him before he left the class.

He turned to me, "You can call me Ralph. I prefer that and what is it?"

I nodded, "Okay then Ralph, here. I made these but I forgot to give them earlier." I handed the bag of sweets to Ralph.

His eyes lit up in surprise before gladly taking it. "Thank you Lady Lilyana!"

"Just call me Lilyana. I prefer that." I said, saying the same thing as he did.

He giggled and nodded. He placed it into his bag before bidding me goodbye for the day. I then left to find Phillip. Although I was not pleased with how he was acting, I still wanted to find him. I did make him sweets with his favourite animal as the shape. Searching almost everywhere in the school building, I found him near the practice ground.

"Phillip." I called out to him, making my way over.

He noticed my figure walking towards him. He was about to turn his heel and walk away. "If you take another step, I will seriously skin you alive."

Hearing my threat, he didn't move but he didn't look at me either once I was in front of him. I sighed before taking out the bag of sweets.

"Here. I made these. I know you don't like sweets that much so I reduced the sugar level in yours." I said as I placed them in his hands.

He looked down at it and noticed the shape of the sweets were bears with different kinds of expressions.

"You made these for me?" he asked, his head looking back at me so fast I felt a bit concerned for his neck.

I nodded, "I had some extra ingredients lying around so-"

My sentence got cut off when Phillip suddenly wrapped his arms around me as he pulled me in for a hug. Flustered by the sudden action, I try to wiggle my way out but he wouldn't budge.

"Um..?"

"I thought you hated me after yesterday..." he softly mumbled as he buried his face into my shoulder.

"..Why would I hate you? Is that why you kept avoiding me this whole day?" I questioned.

He didn't answer me but tightened the hug. I sighed before slowly wrapping my arms around him. Patting his back lightly, I added on, "I can never hate you."

"Good. It should always be like that." he said but slightly muffled.

"Would you ever hate me?" I asked, still patting his back as if he was a child.

He shook his head quickly, "No, I could never."

His answer made me smile, feeling reassured for something I never thought I would need. I lightly laughed, letting myself relax into the hug.

"That's nice to know."

In my mind, it clicked.

I thought of this world as mine. Not as a story that I suddenly woke up to. Accepting that, I felt my mind feeling clearer and better as if a burden was weighing me down. I relaxed into Phillip's arms, eyes closed.

'Maybe...I'm okay not knowing what is in store for the future..'

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Author's note: My college assignments are all done so I feel relaxed now!!