Kairan stormed into his room, yanking off his shirt and tossing it aside, revealing his muscular back and chest. In a fit of frustration, he slammed a vase on the table, sending shards clattering across the floor.
"Why the hell did I do tonight?" Kairan muttered, glaring at the broken vase as if it were personally responsible for his turmoil.
Just then, Ancillin appeared on his bed, sprawled casually with his elbow propped up and his palm resting against his cheek. He watched Kairan with a mischievous grin.
"I saw the whole spectacle tonight, brother," Ancillin said, his voice dripping with amusement. "You really outdid yourself."
Kairan's eyes narrowed into slits as he shot a warning glare at Ancillin. "Get out," he growled, clearly irritated.
Ancillin ignored the silent threat and continued, his tone mockingly sweet, "Oh, don't be so hard on yourself! It's not every day you get to have a heart-to-heart with a crying lady."
Kairan clenched his fists, his irritation mounting. "I don't need your commentary, Ancillin."
Undeterred, Ancillin leaned forward, still grinning, "Come on, admit it. Watching you try to comfort her while she's bawling like a toddler was pure gold. I haven't seen you so flustered in ages!"
Kairan slammed his hand on the table, making Ancillin jump slightly. "Seriously, Ancillin, get out of my room! I'm not in the mood for your teasing."
Ancillin chuckled and leaned back, unbothered. "Alright, alright. But just remember, even the devil himself has a soft spot. Tonight, it was the crying girl."
With one last chuckle, Ancillin vanished, leaving Kairan to glare at the broken vase, his frustration as palpable as the shards scattered on the floor.
Kairan sank onto his bed, closing his eyes as the image of Meredia's tear-streaked face played in his mind.
Kairan's POV:
I shut my eyes and saw her again-crying like a child, her eyes squeezed shut, lips trembling, and her whole body shaking.
I've always relished seeing people beg for their lives. It's been a game for me, a twisted pleasure. But her tears, her desperation-it stirred something in me.
I couldn't quite place it. but it was there, gnawing at me. I felt a pang of guilt, and unfamiliar sensation. I've always prided myself on being a devil with no remorse, but seeing her in that state, her sobs slicing through my defenses-it was different.
Her pleas, her bargaining, her childlike desperation to be spared... it struck a chord in me. Everyone has begged me before, but why did her cries cut so deeply? Why did it feel like my heart was cracking open under the weight of her pain?
Maybe even devils have limits. And tonight, I've crossed mine.
I wanted to control her, but not like this. This wasn't the way I envisioned it. From tomorrow, I don't know how I'II approach her, but one thing is clear-I have to give her respect and make her feel safe. If I'm to achieve my goals, I need her cooperation, and I can't afford to break her spirit any further. She needs to trust me, even if it's just a little. And if that means showing a bit of humanity, then so be it.
The next morning, after preparing and boarding the carriage, I made my way to Oberon keep.
Upon arriving at the training field, I spotted Kirill as usual, diligently instructing his juniors. Nearby, under the shade, sat Meredia, with Evelisse Carter beside her.
Evelisse, Ancillin's lover and daughter of a fallen aristocrat, had recently been appointed as Meredia's personal maid. This choice struck me as peculiar. Why would Meredia-who was ostensibly of noble blood-select a commoner, uneducated and somewhat clumsy, as her closet confidante?
I paused, observing Meredia's easy conversation with Evelisse, her laughter and demeanor oddly familiar. There was something about her that stirred a distant memory, a sense of deja vu that I couldn't quite place. The way she spoke, the way she interacted-it all seemed to echo something from my past, something unsettling yet strangely poignant.
She didn't notice me approaching, but Evelisse did. She immediately stood up and bowed deeply. "Long live the Crown Prince."
I nodded, my eyes shifting to Meredia. She had stiffened, her smile vanishing as her back straightened. Her gaze locked onto mine, a silent defiance flickering in her eyes. What was going on inside the maid of this mysterious girl?
Suddenly, she stretched her hand out toward me. I hesitated, unsure of her intention, but finally, I took her hand, pressing my lips to the back of it, my kiss landing softly on her knuckles.
She smiled, a poised and proud smile befitting a noble lady, before gently withdrawing her hand.
Meredia glanced at Evelisse, her golden eyes sparkling with an unspoken command. Without a word, Evelisse understood and quietly slipped away, leaving us alone.
I couldn't help but smirk as I turned my attention back to Meredia. "Aren't you a little misbehaved? You didn't even greet the Crown Prince."
She met my gaze with a calm, almost daring look, as if my title meant little to her. "I thought a handshake was enough," she replied smoothly, her voice carrying a hint of mischief. "After all, isn't respect earned, Your Highness?"
Her audacity both amused and intrigued me, but I kept my expression neutral, hiding the curiosity she had sparked.
I raised an eyebrow at her response, a flicker of irritation mixed with an undeniable pull that I couldn't quite place. Her defiance was unexpected, a stark contrast to the docile and obedient natural of the original Meredia. "Respect may be earned, Lady Meredia, but proper decorum is expected," I replied, keeping my tone sharp and cold.
She merely shrugged, her calmness a stark contrast to the tension in the air. "Decorum is often dictated by those in power, but I prefer actions over titles. If actions are what matter, then maybe you should show me why I should follow your lead," she said, a small, almost playful smile curling her lips.
I took a deliberate step closer letting my presence loom over her. "Your seem to forget who you're speaking to."
Her gaze didn't waver, her golden eyes meeting mine with a steady resolve. That same smile-bold, confident-remained. "Oh, I haven't forgotten, Your Highness. But I think you'II find I'm not so easily intimidated."
I felt a strange, unwelcome stirring within me-something I was determined to ignore. Her defiance should have annoyed me, should have made me want to put her in her place, but instead, it drew me in, making me both irritated and intrigued by this new Meredia.
We stood in silence, the tension thickening around us. Her audacity was infuriating, yet something about her rebellious spirit-so unlike the original Meredia-kept me from turning away.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Meredia," I said, my voice low and threatening, even as I fought to suppress the pull I felt towards her.
"And yet, you haven't walked away," she challenged, her eyes gleaming with a mix of daring and confidence.
I clenched my jaw, smirking despite myself, acknowledging the truth in her words. "No, I haven't."
It was a simple truth I didn't want to admit, but couldn't deny-the very defiance that should have repelled me only made her more captivating. And I despised that I found myself unwilling to walk away.