Jude returned and Astin grinned. It was show time. She placed a hand on her head and started acting weak. Jude noticed this and asked,
"What's wrong, your highness? You don't look too good."
"My...my head hurts." She said and Frederick grew alarmed. "I need to go back and rest."
'This is my chance.' Jude thought and stood up. "I'll help you back to your room." He said and aided her. As much as she wanted to push him away, she had to bear with it.
Once they were far off, she glanced back at Fedrick and winked. That was when he discovered that it was all an act. He fell at ease.
"Your majesty, I heard the princess fell ill. Should I call the doctor?" The king's assistant asked, also looking alarmed but he waved him off.
"She's alright. Just playing around." He said leaving the assistant confused.
Suddenly, a scream came from Astin's room. It was Astin's voice.
Felix was the first to rush in and he discovered Astin covering herself with her hands and seeing Felix, she pointed at Jude.
"He wanted to take advantage of me. Arrest him!" She claimed.
Jude, who was still confused, fell to his knees. He didn't know what was going on at all.
"When did I try to take advantage of you, your highness?"
"Shut up, are you calling me a liar? Deny that you tried to force a kiss on me. Go ahead and deny it!" She said, looking viciously at him. "You wanted to take my Innocence for granted just because I favoured you, right?"
'Wait, what's going on?' Jude thought, dripping with sweat. 'Wasn't she the one who seduced me into kissing her? How did it turn this way?' he thought, still confused. 'No, she still loves me. I'll have to play the ignorant fool just to get her to forgive me.' he concluded and began to beg. "I am deeply sorry, your highness. I only wanted to show you that my love for you is still true."
'To hell with your love!' she thought, getting annoyed all of a sudden. Tears suddenly started falling from her eyes and she covered her mouth. "Jude, I never thought you harbour ill intentions over me."
"What?!" Jude exclaimed. What would give her they idea?
"What would the people think of me when I become queen, if they heard that I gave myself to a lowly man before my engagement? A useless commoner." She sobbed, covering her mouth with a hankie.
'Lowly man? Useless commoner?' Jude thought, feeling offended.
"I would lose all their respect. Is that what you mean when you said you loved me?" She cried looking pitiful.
"It's not that, your highness. I swear."
"Shut up! I don't wanna hear it. Guards!" She yelled. "Take this useless excuse of a man to the dark room."
"The...the...the dark room?" Jude's eyes widened in fear.
The dark room was a no-return journey. Why was she behaving like this? Didn't she love him anymore?
"I'm... I'm sorry, your highness. I'll never do it again." He pleaded as the guards dragged him out. "Please forgive me. I love you."
"Take him away!" She yelled and shut her doors leaving her, Felix and Quinella alone in the room. Once in closed doors, Astin stopped sobbing and started laughing. She cleaned the tears with the hanky and tossed it aside.
"Pathetic." She exclaimed.
"Your highness, did he really try to take advantage of you?" Quinella asked.
"Tch, as if I'd ever let that happen!" She said, walking towards her chair and sat down, crossing her legs. "I just gave him a taste of his own medicine."
"I thought you were really crying!" Felix said with no single expression.
"Just fake tears. Nothing to it." She said and looked into the mirror.
She saw the reflection of someone she used to be and shook her head. Not anymore. She wasn't going to be bound by the bloodline of royalty anymore. She wanted to live the life of any normal average girl her age. But no school, she was done with learning.
"Felix, Quinella, we're leaving the palace the day after tomorrow." She announced and turned to face them. "Will you go with me?" She inquired.
"Absolutely!" Quinella said excitedly and Felix just nodded slightly.
"Of course, your highness." He said, bowing his head.
"Good, you've got connections, right?" She asked and he nodded. "I need you to get us fake identity cards tomorrow, can you do it?"
"No job is too big, your highness." He bowed but she wasn't comfortable with his bow every now and then.
'Forget it. Once we're out of here, I'll let him know.' she thought and stood up. "Quinella?" She called.
"Yes, your highness?" Quinella answered.
"Head back first. Your brother and I still have some unfinished business to do with a certain criminal." She said, heading for the door and Quinella nodded.
Down in the dark room, Jude wouldn't let anyone touch him. He kept ranting on how the princess deeply loved him and how they'd get in trouble if they dared to touch him.
"The princess is just angry for a bit, that's why she sent me here. You'll see, once she calms down, she'll apologise to me. So none of you should think of laying a finger on me else you'll be punished by the princess." He kept ranting. There was no way he would simply give himself up for torture.
"Is that what you really think?" Astin's voice came from the entrance. They turned to see the princess with a decisive smug on her face.
Beside her stood, the stone cold Felix. He scanned the room before saying to Astin.
"Your highness, the sight of this place is scary. It will give you nightmares." He said and she scoffed.
"What am I, 12?" She asked. "What's there to give me nightmares?"