"Damn! What do you think you're doing?" Briar was murderous as he saw the huge man drew blood from his sibling.
"This is just a payback for kicking me out of the castle. Since you stripped me off my nobility, I decided to take this precious princess from you." Heralf declared before he shifted the positioned the knife.
"Don't you dare come near me, or she dies." the huge former noble threatened.
Briar clenched his teeth knowing that one wrong move could cost his sister's life. But then, hope bloomed inside him when several horses' hooves were heard.
Knowing that the knights had finally caught up, Heralf's beefy hand gripped the princess hard.
His hold on the princess tightened which made the girl cried out in pain.
Upon noting that Rozen looked so pale that she was about to pass out, Briar gritted in frustration.
Gears turned in his head to come up with a solution on how to rescue his sister, but that ended up in vain.
But even before Briar can make up his mind, he felt a surge of mana from somewhere around the lady's maid.
He caught a glimpse of Atropa. Her eyes glowed before a small pentagram appeared adjacent to Heralf's hand.
The red hue spread to his arm with which made the lord cried out while letting go of his knife. "What in the world is… it's hot!"
Seeing an opportunity, Briar acted fast and delivered a slash towards the former noble.
Seeing that Heralf dodged and had let go of the girl, the prince quickly retrieved Rozen.
After making sure that his sister is secured in his arm, he followed up his attack with kick on the former noble's rear which made Heralf tumble face flat on the ground.
Before Heralf could rise from the ground, Briar give him another kick for good measure, which rendered the huge lord unconscious.
Upon seeing that Heralf was dealt with, his companion turned to escape. But the knights, who had just arrived, managed to restrain him.
"Rozen, are you alright?" Briar gave his sister a once over.
The girl's knees gave way, Briar break her fall and princess carried her. "Someone bring a healer here!"
"Is her highness, okay?" Atropa's voice made him stop short.
He turned to the lady who had gingerly jumped down from the carriage's roof.
The maid was far from the prim and proper one from the castle. Her hair was in disarray and her clothes were crumpled with all the reckless action from earlier.
"She doesn't seem to be injured saved for the cut on her neck."
"May I?" Atropa approached the siblings and produced a vial. She put a few drops on her hand and applied on the princess's wound.
"It hurts." Rozen grimaced.
Briar was a bit taken aback when he saw what happened next. "what…?"
The lady's maid muttered something and then the cut suddenly vanished. And for some reasons, the worn out girl bounced back with energy.
"That feels better." Rozen said before tapping her brother's shoulder. "you can put me down now."
Briar, whose eyes had been fixed on Atropa, refused to let his sister go. "I'll put you down once we are inside the carriage."
Turning to the lady's maid who looked a little weary, he said. "Atropa, come to my study after we arrive in the palace."
Marjoram's castle, The second Prince's study…
Briar was fidgeting while waiting for the lady-in-waiting. He had calmed down considerably after his sister reassured him that she was fine.
However, for some reasons, he was still listless.
He was making a fuss while they were traveling back to the castle until they reached the princess's chamber.
After the palace doctor told him that Rozen was okay, he was kicked out by his sister who had been annoyed by his constant fussing.
Thus, he was forced to retire in his study to wait for the lady's maid.
Then a knock sounded on the door.
"Your highness, it is I, Atropa."
As her muffled voice filtered his ears, he subconsciously fixed himself.
After fixing his clothes and running his hand on his hair a few times, he sat on his chair.
"Be cool, Briar." He muttered.
With his heart beating in anticipation, he cleared his throat and called. "you may come in."
The door opened and Atropa finally came into view. She had already changed from her peasant clothes earlier into her maid's uniform.
Unlike her slightly disheveled state when she had jumped from the horse towards the carriage roof, Briar noted that Atropa had once again donned that no-nonsense lady-in-waiting mode.
The flaxen-haired seemed to have been lost in thought while scrutinizing her features which was why he was a bit taken aback when she cleared her throat and said. "Your highness, why did you call for me?"
Briar blinked. All the while he was thinking that Atropa knew why he called for her. Is she playing innocent?
"You may take your seat first." He said and she complied. "The incident earlier… I have to thank you for helping me find and rescue my sister."
"It was nothing, your highness." She replied with utmost seriousness. "As her highness's lady's maid, it is my duty to ensure that she is safe."
Briar's brows creased. That is supposed to be a duty of knights to keep their master safe, not a lady-in-waiting.
He wished to retort but swallowed the words. Instead, he said. "Regardless of that. I am still grateful of what you have done."
They were both silent for a while before she mustered the courage to speak. "Is that the only reason why you have summoned me, your highness?"
Briar drew his breath. "Honestly, no. Miss Hemlock…" His eyes zeroed in on her. He looked a bit apprehensive. "I would like to ask… Are you a witch?"
Atropa paled for a bit before she answered. "I do know how to cast spells and brew potions, so you may consider me as a witch."
"thought so…" The prince sucked in his breath before he seriously fired his questions. "What is your intention? Are you here to harm the my sister? Is that why you got close to her?"
Atropa was appalled by those words, she quickly replied. "Of course not, your highness. If I wish to harm the princess, I would not have risked my life in helping her earlier."
"That makes sense." He muttered. "so what are your intentions?"
She lowered her head and replied. "I am just here for a job. I need the money to send to my family."
"I see." He mused before he stood from his seat and drew near the lady. "Atropa, would you like to earn more?"
Atropa's eyes widened. She hugged herself before asking. "Is this an indecent proposal?"
Briar was a bit stunned. "Of course not!" he immediately denied. "where did you get that idea?"
She mumbled, "I had other noble lords approach me with such offers…"
"such offers? like what?"
"becoming a mistress."
"Don't you dare accept." He snapped harshly. He got riled up with the idea that Atropa would belong to another man.
"Of course, I did not, your highness."
But soon Briar's eyes were filled with mischievous glint.
He whispered seductively while leaning on and putting his hands on the arms of the chair… trapping the maid in the process. "But I wouldn't mind offering you one, if you want."
Atropa reddened slightly, while trying to get away. "I am sorry, your highness, but I refuse. That is improper."
Sighing, Briar moved back. "I knew I couldn't convince you in doing something like that. Anyway, what I am offering is different."
Atropa tilted her head and asked. "So what is it, my lord?"
He hesitated before making up his mind. "Can you assist me in tracking down the rouge caster?"