The five brothers formed a circle around him, and the fight began. They swung their swords with all their might, using the kind of force they never used against each other. They attacked him as if he was their enemy, fighting as if their lives depended on it.
No one uttered a word. The General and his soldiers watched in silence, joy lighting up their faces. It didn't take long before Regan knocked all five of them to the ground. I could sense a sudden shift in the atmosphere when he did. For someone who had slain hundreds of enemies, five people were nothing to him. But they quickly got back up and lunged at him once more. The fight resumed, but this time, something was different. Ivan, wearing an evil smirk, walked towards the training ground. He positioned himself behind Regan, his eyes searching for where the mask was hooked.
Oh no... Dread filled me as I realized his intentions. I knew he despised Regan, but revealing his face in front of everyone was pure wickedness. I couldn't let him do that.
"My lady..." Lisa panicked when she saw me approaching the training ground. Nobody could stop me from confronting that cruel prince, Ivan.
Ivan's fingers moved towards Regan's hair, and surprisingly, Regan didn't even try to stop him. He continued fighting his brothers. I hastened my steps, my heart pounding, as I saw the smirk on Ivan's face deepen. He had found the hook and now he was about to expose the scar on Regan's face.
I swiftly intervened, pushing Ivan away. It was a gentle push, enough to keep him at a distance, but it seemed like he changed his mind halfway, stumbling to the ground with a growl of pain.
Time seemed to freeze for a moment, and everyone fell into a shocked silence. I had just struck a prince.
Regan and his brothers stopped their fight, staring at me with surprise on their faces , except for Regan. His expression remained calm, unchanged. Ivan lay on the ground, growling in apparent agony, while I stared at him, my eyes wide open in disbelief.
The General and some soldiers approached us. I knew I would be punished for laying hands on a prince.
"My lady," the General said, trying to suppress his amusement as he bowed. The other soldiers stood behind him, their attention drawn to Ivan's whimpering. The General shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips, and turned to me.
"My lady... You are aware that it is a crime to touch a prince, let alone make him fall," he stated, pausing as if considering what punishment to impose.
"Are you prepared to face the consequences of your actions, my lady?" he inquired, and I stood frozen. I hadn't pushed Ivan with much force, but everything had spiraled out of control.
"I didn't do anything to him..." I defended myself firmly, but my words seemed to fall on deaf ears.
"Are you suggesting that we are all lying, my lady?"
"No... I never said you were lying. I didn't do anything to him. He's lying," I asserted strongly. I was only making things worse for myself, but I couldn't accept punishment for something I hadn't done.
"We apologize, my lady, but you must face the consequences according to the rules. Take her away and give her fifty lashes," the General commanded the soldiers, and they began to move toward me.
"Don't you dare touch her," Regan's voice cut through the air, deadly and commanding. Everyone turned to him, including the General.
"Your Highness... We are merely doing what is right..." the General continued, a hint of fear creeping into his voice.
Regan glanced down at his fallen brother, shaking his head with a sigh. "Take me instead and do not lay a finger on her," he warned firmly.
The General nodded at the soldiers, giving them permission to proceed. They approached Regan but dared not lay a hand on him. They still feared him.
I watched in agony as he was led away by the soldiers. They bound his hands to a rack, and the leather whips began to rain down on his back. He had removed his armor and was left with only tattered clothing that was being shredded further with each lash. But he didn't flinch, nor did his expression change. It was as if the whipping had no effect on him. His torn clothes were saturated with blood, yet he remained standing, refusing to give his brothers the satisfaction they desired.
Each whip that struck him made me want to scream in horror, but he made no sound. As one soldier grew tired, another took over, continuing the brutal punishment.
Another lash landed on his back, and I couldn't bear to witness it. My hands flew to cover my mouth, trying to stifle any sound. Lord, please make this stop, I silently pleaded, tears blurring my vision. This was an unimaginable horror.
"My lady... Where are you going?" I heard Lisa's voice from behind. I hadn't even realized that I was moving towards him. She gripped my hand and guided me away.
"My lady, you will only get yourself into more trouble. It's the rules," Lisa said, pulling me into a corner.
Why? What kind of rule allows the punishment of a prince? Lord, please... I can't bear to see this continue any longer.
To my relief, it seemed like my prayers had been answered because the guards began to uncuff his hands, and he fell to his knees while some of the guards rushed to his side.
I followed behind them, my legs trembling and my heart pounding. This time, my heart wasn't pounding out of fear, but out of guilt and shame. I couldn't even bring myself to look at him now.
Once we reached our chamber, the guards left, leaving just the two of us. He didn't speak to me; he simply moved inside and sat on the bed.
"Are you coming in or leaving?" His tone was stern and filled with an air of danger. He had never spoken to me that way before.
I stepped away from the door and entered, avoiding his gaze on me. I went into the bathroom and grabbed a bowl of water and a piece of cloth.
"I need to clean your wound," I said, standing in front of him. But he didn't move or say anything.
"Do you need help?" I asked when he continued to ignore me.
"I don't need it," he replied in a low voice and stood up to leave, but I blocked his path.
"You should remove what's left of your clothes and let me clean your wound," I said firmly, though his intense stare sent a shiver down my spine. Still, I wasn't afraid.
"Get out of my way," he ordered harshly.
"I need to clean your wound. How can I let you go when you're in pain?"
"I'm not in pain. Now leave the way!" he ordered again, as if his patience was wearing thin.
"No, I won't," I stubbornly insisted, and then it happened in an instant.
A force threw me across the room. I collided with the wall and crashed onto the floor, landing flat on the carpet. The pain that surged through my body was excruciating. It felt as if I was moments away from death.
He had broken his promise.