The Pains Of Being A Royal

Bonus Chapter

The tension in the room cut through like ice shards with a brief air of regret hanging low as three men huddled close around the bed their eyes trained upon the pale figure tucked under the warm blanket.

One of them kept pacing sending redundant looks of anger towards the other two who sat on either side.

"I told you not to do this." The pacing male growled. "Now look what you've done."

"She's only unconscious." The one on the left muttered defensively but his expression didn't give away any hint of composure instead it traced signs of heavy shame. "I thought-"

"You thought what Aiden?!" Christian snapped aloud. "That she would be able to summon her powers out of fear?"

"I'm sorry," Aiden muttered turning away. "I didn't think it would scare her that much."

"Well, now thanks to the two of you she's never going to trust us again." Christian sighed pressing his temple.

"It was necessary Christian..." Dominic whispered playing with the ring on his finger restlessly not matching the calmness of his voice.

"Necessary?"

The voice came from the open door as the demoness walked inside her eyes drawing to the unconscious figure lying in the bed.

"You call throwing your sister off the cliff necessary?" The red hair had her nostrils flared in anger as she glared at the three men respectively.

"Merida." The eldest one acknowledged silently. 

"Your highness," Merida said resentfully, bowing but her hostile expression didn't change at all.

"She is fine." Dominic continued calmly but his apprehensive expression said otherwise.

"Fine?" The demoness's face turned red as she took a few steps nearer to the men. "You threw her off the cliff!"

"We've seen her powers react to her emotions. We don't have much of a choice. The Noble's already decided to pay her a visit." Dominic muttered pressing his temples.

An unamused chuckle resounded around as Merida shook her head in disbelief.

"Do you all see nothing but obligations?"

This made the eldest turn around with his brows raised.

"I'm afraid I don't follow you."

The demoness, on the other hand, took deep breaths fidgeting with the hilt of her sword to distract her anger.

"I have looked over Lady Helen since the day she was born." Merida grit her teeth. "And I could have told her that but I didn't."

"What has this got to do with what happened?" Aiden questioned quietly making Merida glance in his direction.

"I suggest you don't interrupt me, your Majesty." Merida hissed her eyes narrowing. "For both your safety and mine."

Christian leaned against the corner wall of the room. In case the demoness decided to behead his younger brother, he'd rather lean back and stay away from harm's way.

"Let her speak." Dominic waved his hand at his youngest brother who took the threat as an incentive to shut up.

"The reason I never told her majesty the truth was because I knew she didn't remember me," Merida said her eyes wandering back to the bed. "I wanted her to remember in her own willing way."

When everyone continued to look clueless the red-haired lady gave out a frustrated groan.

"Powers and memories? Things such as these cannot be forced out of someone." The three men shifted uncomfortably knowing they could neither accept nor deny the jab. "All of you are so buried under your obligations to uphold authority that you forget the reality that the princess has changed."  

"We know that Merida." Dominic looked back at his father's ring in silence.

"But have you accepted that?" Merida proceeded firmly, challenging his stare with a glare of her own. "And even if you did accept that you still forget to acknowledge that in front of her."

"She is the princess of hell." Dominic declared firmly. "She's got to be tough."

"Forgive me for disagreeing your majesty but before being the princess of hell Lady Helen is your sister," Merida said boldly.

"I never denied that." Dominic hissed pressing his temple.

"Of course you didn't," Merida muttered tonelessly. "You know what the princess said to me before the lesson your majesty?"

Dominic looked sideways his grip on the ring intensifying.

"That all of you put obligation in front of family." The woman paused looking at each one of them briefly. "And I think she's right."

The King looked up his eyes turning a darker shade in anger but Merida was unfazed by it.

"I was assigned by your father to protect Lady Helen." Merida declared this time her gaze focused on the king. "And I will carry out my duty to do so. If I have to protect her happiness and life from the Nobles...."

Merida took in a deep breath.

"-or you."

Dominic jaw tightened and fisted in his palms as he got up and passed the guard without another word.

"You've got guts challenging him like that," Aiden whispered after a moment or two.

"And you've got guts to throw my lady off the cliff and still sit before me." Merida shot back icily as Aiden shifted uneasily in his seat. He did not trust the red-haired demoness or her sword for that matter.

Christian who had been quiet the whole time spoke up.

"What else did she say about us?"

Merida looked towards him briefly before going back to her original position.

"Not my place to say." She answered plainly.

"She hates us," Aiden stated the obvious.

"Why shouldn't she?" Christian huffed crossing his arms.

Merida continued to remain silent as Aiden turned to bed with a thoughtful expression on his face. 

"Then I guess we just have to make it up to her." He concluded his face turning determined.

"And how may I ask do you plan to do that?" Christian asked while Merida raised her brow questioningly.

Aiden smiled as he pulled the blanket over the sleeping figure.

"By doing something that she wants for once."

Here's the new chapter. I hope you like it :) as for the next chapter, we have another new and important character being introduced. Hope everyone is doing well and don't forget to vote and comment your thoughts ❤