After the ... kissing incident ... the ball was over quite quickly. The evening party was dismissed fairly easily and Prince Cain was summoned to the King's Council Chamber.
The king had looked very grumpy as he walked into the room with Cain, leaving me outside to wait in the hallway. I had a queasy feeling.
I didn't know if I was off the hook yet, but I took it fortunate that the king had only seen me as Cain's accessory. It seemed from the outside that I didn't want all of this and Cain somehow forced me to do it.
But that was only half the truth.
Should I burst in there and set things straight? That I lowkey wanted all of this? I would probably get executed afterwards for rudely interrupting a meeting between two members of the royal family, but... somehow I didn't want Cain to be solely to blame. Besides, he would certainly protect me if his father would pass his fatal sentence. So I would probably come out alive...hopefully.
I took a deep breath to steady my racing pulse and muster some courage.
I would help him. I had to do that. I didn't want only him to be punished for that.
Just as I had made the first step towards the council room to help Cain, someone behind me suddenly grabbed my elbow and pushed me against the nearest wall with immense force. I yelped in shock.
Because of the dark, diffused light of the hallway, I only saw red hair and a masculine silhouette. Then I suddenly felt the person press his lips on mine. I opened my eyes in horror and desperately tried to free myself from my tormentor's grip. But he didn't even budge.
The kiss was strange to me and the smell of the stranger was uncanny. It was a mixture of tobacco and sandalwood and something metallic that made me shiver briefly. When the stranger's tongue ran eagerly over my lips, I just whimpered anxiously and pressed my lips together in desperation to keep him out.
I felt like I couldn't breathe anymore. Was he trying to smother me?
I got sick. I suddenly felt the need to throw up.
I tried to turn my head away, but my opponent was adamant.
I didn't want that. Whoever forced me to kiss them there... I didn't like it. It should stop. I did not want that.
Stop... please stop.
I defended myself with hands and feet until the other finally let go of me and took a step back. A moment later I gasped desperately for air.
"Calm down, Chris. It's just me. We haven't seen each other in so long, and this is my greeting? That wasn't very nice of you though." Chuckled a deep, unknown voice, amused.
"Prince Leopold?! What are you doing here? The ball is long over." I asked genuinely confused, when I could make out my attacker in the half-dark.
Actually, he should be in the guest house of the palace. It was extremely strange that he could sneak past the palace guards and get here unseen.
Prince Leopold was the second eldest son of the Ildregan family. He was the next heir to their kingdom, as his older brother was what they called here a 'cripple'. He was unable to move his legs after an alleged horse riding accident. Yet many here in our kingdom rumor that it was Prince Leopold who caused his elder brother's accident to become the crown prince.
Prince Leopold was known for his high-spirited disposition and his flaming, fiery red hair to match.
However, I didn't understand why he was bothering me like this right now. I had never exchanged a word with him, let alone actually looked over at him during the ball. I didn't understand what could even remotely justify his sexual overreach. If you could justify something so shameful at all in the first place.
"I have to say that joining the palace guards was a smart move to get closer to the prince. The idea to pretend you lost your memory was also extremely intelligent. So you didn't even have to think of a backstory... could you seduce the prince yet? Has he already completely fallen for you? Has he told you his plans and tactics for the war yet? Have you been allowed to attend his conferences?" He bombarded me with questions. His emerald green eyes pierced me intensely.
"W-what?" I was completely confused.
What's going on here?!
I held my breath for a moment as my thoughts raced and I could only think of one solution to this frightening situation I was in right now...
Was the old Chris maybe ... a spy from Ildrega, sent by Prince Leopold? Is that how they wanted to infiltrate the enemy? Is that why the previous Chris wanted to be a palace guard so bad? To serve his client - no, his beloved? To have the upper hand in war? I noticed the panic creeping up on me.
"I knew I could rely on my favorite spy." Leopold said and thus only confirmed my terrible assumption.
"Chris." A harsh voice suddenly interrupted us.
I winced, completely startled. My gaze slid to the person whose voice I now knew all too well.
"P-Prince Cain." I said, my voice shaking.
I hadn't heard him come out of the council room. But there he was. Leaning against the wall with crossed arms.
How long has he been there? I could feel the sheer panic taking over.
I broke out in a cold sweat. My hands started shaking. I didn't want Chris to misunderstand me or the situation. But what was there for him to misunderstand in the first place?! In his eyes I was probably his enemy now.
"I knew that Prince Leopold was going to plan something devious... But that you were in cahoots with him... I honestly didn't see that coming. But that explains why you didn't want anything from me. Because you wanted information from me. To help my country's enemy." Even in this diffused candlelight, I could see Cain's disgust mixed with mad amusement on his face. I thought I could even see the color of his eyes changing.
I got terribly scared.
"Guard, please escort this lost prince back to his room. He obviously has no business here." Cain said just a little louder as a patrolling palace guard rounded the corner ahead of us. I soon realized it was George.
George only gave me a short nod and then took Leopold with him and disappeared again after a short time. Leopold was so cheeky as to wink at me again and then to say: "Bye bye, Chris. You were a good spy. I will keep you in good memory. Oh and if you do survive, then of course you are always welcome to come back to Ildrega.", As if it was his plan from the start to get rid of me in this exact moment. Or he just didn't really care about Chris in the first place.
All I knew about the previous Chris was that he really wanted to be a palace guard. Probably to make his beloved Leopold proud. Now if he had known how quickly this prince would dump him for his success, he would have been devastated.
But it wasn't up to me to judge. I had more important things to do at the moment.
As George and Leopold left the hallway, there was suddenly a depressing mood between Cain and me.
It was quiet. Uncomfortably quiet.
"You. Come with me." The prince said dangerously.
I followed him on the spot because I didn't want to get myself any further into this dilemma.
I was terrified of what might await me...