Sage's POV
As we walked to the princess's room, I realized that she had not eaten the whole day.
"Princess, have you eaten today?" I asked her as we got to her door.
"Yes."
"That's a lie," a very obvious one at that.
"Send for the maid, and tell her to get you dinner, now," I told her and she looked opposed to the idea. That was weird.
"Why?" Was she complaining over having to eat?
"Because I said so. Now do it," I smiled at her. Yes, I am aware that I sounded like her parents with the way I said it.
She ended up sending for the maid to bring her food, then she told me she wanted to take a shower and went into her room while I stayed outside.
While I was standing outside her door, the maid came, stared at my eyes a bit too long, dropped the food and went on her way.
When I did not hear plates or anything,I went inside her room and heard the water running. She has been in there for a while.
Suddenly I saw steam coming from the crack under the door of her bathroom and my eyebrows creased. Her bathroom was not small, so how hot was the water?
I took a towel from her closet and went to open her bathroom door.
"What the fuck?!" When I opened the door the princess was submerged under the water of her bathtub and the water looked hot enough to kill someone.
I quickly ran to her and wrapped her in the towel, then brought her to her room. I sat on her bed with her in my hands.
"Were you trying to boil yourself alive?" I questioned with furrowed brows.
"No," her voice was low and guilty.
"Then what was that about?!" My heart rate was racing because her skin was red and hot, she would heal but it would have hurt when she was submerged under the water.
"Nothing," her voice was barely audible and she wasn't looking at me.
"Princess look at me," she kept staring at everything but me.
When she didn't turn, I took her face in my hands and turned her to me and saw the tears in her eyes. She just looked so broken.
"What did he do to you?" She started crying and scrunched closer to my chest, I just held her and the sobs started to die down.
"I can still feel the whip on my skin. I- I just wanted to get rid of it," she cried and it hurt so much to see her sad.
"It will be okay,"I rubbed her back, wanting to kill him with my own hands.
"I don't think so," she croaked into my chest.
"Even if it isn't, I am here for you, always," I tried to calm her down.
"And forever?" She sniffled out.
"And forever princess," I gave her a small smile.
"Princess, you have to eat," I told her when she finished crying and it was reduced to sniffles. She just gave me a weak nod.
I got up, left her on the bed and went to place the tray on the table in front of her bed, then I sat down and pulled her into my lap.
"Are you going to spoon feed me too?" She questioned sarcastically.
"Actually, I am," I replied and I felt her shock.
"I'm not a child," she protested, as I brought the spoon up to her mouth.
"I know, just grant me this,"I pleaded and luckily she ate.
When I finished feeding her , she was still on my lap. I wrapped my hands around her and she melted into me.
"It's okay," I whispered into her ears and soon she fell asleep.
I placed her on the bed, laid down next to her and wrapped an arm around her and soon I was asleep too
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"Morning princess," I greeted as she turned to look at me.
"Good morning," she returned.
"What do you want to do today?"I asked her, as I played with her hair.
"You,"I don't think I heard her right. Did I?!
"Come again, princess."
"What?" She tried to deny it.
"Don't play coy with me,your highness."
"I have no prior recollection of speaking any words," she shook her head.
"Would you like me to remind you?"I asked her,as I hovered over her.
"It would be much appreciated," she giggled and it was music to my ears.
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Ophelia's POV
We walked through the halls to the courtyard where the soldiers were being trained.
As I stepped onto the courtyard all the guards turned and bowed, after they were done with that they went back to training.
I walked around with Sage trailing behind me and saw Luca sparring another guard at practice.
"Your highness," he turned to me and bowed, even though I was sure that he bowed the first time, but no matter.
"Sir Luca," I had no idea what his last name was.
"I see you're working hard at training," I acknowledged.
"Of course, your highness."
"I will leave you to it then," I told him and he bowed and I walked away.
I walked further and saw another guard working on his sword play, but his form was a tad off.
"Your stance is too narrow. Your wrists are slightly bent but your elbows are a bit too straight," I corrected. I was honestly wondering how he managed to hold his sword like that because it would be seriously uncomfortable.
"Well, your highness," he did not even bother to turn to me. Why did I feel like he was going to start lecturing me.
"I believe my form is just fine and I certainly do not require a woman's corrections, with all due respect," I was flabbergasted. Did he forget who he was talking to?
I glanced at Sage, and he looked ready to murder him and everyone else around was too stunned to speak.
"Oh is that so?"
"Since you believe you are so good, why don't we have a friendly spar?" So help me so that I do not kill him. He just shrugged…no I will kill him.
"Someone hand me a sword," and as usual everyone holds their sword out in front of me. I wanted to take one of their swords and not Sage's so that when I beat him he wouldn't attribute it to the sword. That and if I had used my newly altered sword it would not have gone down well …for him.
We stood in the middle of the courtyard and I held the sword gauging the weight.
He lunged at me first and I could feel the aggression and misogyny radiating from him. I blocked his sword with mine. It was my turn to strike and when I did he wobbled. This is why you widen your stance. Did he learn and widen it? No,he's stupid too.
I struck at him time after time and he was beginning to succumb to fatigue, because of his poor elbow and wrist position.
I knocked the sword out of his hand, which I was only able to do because of his sub-par control. I kicked him in the chest and he fell to the ground on his back.
Placing the tip of the sword under his chin, I lifted his head with it, "Be grateful I do not kill you here. I'll let you off with a warning, next time you talk to me like that my sword, not this one will be dipped in venenum and stuck through your heart," I smiled at the end but he knew I was serious.
I handed the sword back to the owner and we continued supervising the guards.