The princess Elaris dropped down to her knees with a defeated look, all her energy was sapped in an instant. Her heart throbbed with great intensity, almost drowning out all outside sounds - Breathing in and out stung her throat and her hands shook uncontrollably.
Lex felt the pressure too and despite his best efforts to appear like a valiant protector, not afraid of anything - the rustling noise of his armour gave him out - he couldn't keep steady, his arms and legs were restless.
"Okay.. what the HELL do we do about that?!" He hissed at the princess.
"I.. don't know.."
"Throw him out? Kill him?" Lex questioned with his brows furrowed "I'm killing him!" He decided, turned back around and swiftly pulled out his sword.
"NO! Stop this you fool!" The princess stumbled as she stood up and leaned on Lex, using him as a crutch. " We are NOT killing him!" She intimidated.
"Wha-?!" His voice cracked "And why the hell not?!?" Lex's hands trembled as he let more and more of his emotions come to the surface.
" He's not evil.. I spoke to him" Elaris was breathing heavily, A long strand of her blonde hair had fallen right in between her blue eyes.
"Oh yes princess, LETS FUCKING TRUST THE DEVIL HIMSELF" He attacked. "I'm sure he's telling the truth!" He got all up in her face.
"He will not harm us I'm sure!"
"Are you?!.. Or are you just a hurt little kid who wants to escape her sad pathetic life?!" He was mad. "Oh look at me, I'm a spoiled little princess and I have everything in the world but oh no!" He mocked aggressively " My dad doesn't pay attention to me- what a FUCKING tragedy" He hissed at her yet again. " Alright - Endanger everyone in this GOD FORSAKEN castle just so that you can escape the reality of your meaningless existence for a few minutes before you GET ME KILLED TOO!" he shouted with drops of spit hitting the princess' cheeks who were already occupied with tears.
Silence took over. Lex realised what he had just done but it was too late. He couldn't catch his breath - this was way too intense, especially for him.
She sniveled as she stared directly into his eyes with an intense look of frustration and anger.
"Get out of my room." She ordered.
".." Lex stared at her intimidatingly.
"I SAID GET OUT!" She shouted.
"At once, princess." He responded coldly and left the room.
"Fuck this.. FUCK.. ALL OF THIS!" She half-whispered to herself. The princess tore bits of her dress as she tried to take the damned thing off but she just didn't have the strength to. As frustrated as she was, she couldn't take it off that way so she begrudgingly undressed the normal way.
The dress hit the floor revealing her alluring figure, her white undergarments, her silky smooth skin and all that made her such a desired woman.
She rushed to her dark oak wardrobe and picked out something more practical..
Just a regular long-sleeved dark brown shirt and pants- made for adventurers and hunters - an outfit and colour that was not fit for a princess.
She had ordered they be custom made and tailored to her without her father's knowledge.
She pulled the pants up and she was ready- Elaris boldly walked up to the boy.
"How heavy can you be.." She said as she leaned in and put her arms underneath his armpits- she pulled as much as she could and struggled to lift him off of the bed. She tried everything but she just couldn't carry him..
"Damn it!" She said, out of breath again as she wiped the tears on her face.
"Princess!" Lex stormed in with a worried look on his face and then he noticed her new attire "The fuck?!"
"I believe I gave you an order!" She snapped.
"And I believe the KING is on his way!"
"Shit!" She looked around the room desperately, not knowing what to do.
"Shit indeed!" Lex grabbed his head with his hands. "I'm so dead!"
"What do we do! " the princess started nervously pacing around in circles.
Lex's heart and mind raced to find a solution, he could feel the blood rushing up towards his head, it got heavier and heavier as he could hear the noises the king and his guard made in the hallway as they approached.
"Help me hide him!" She ran towards Lex and grabbed him by the hand.
"What under the bed? I can see everything from the doorstep you idiot!"
"Don't call me an idiot, idiot!" She furrowed her brows.
"I'll call u whatever I want, I'm a dead man anyway!" He did the same.
"Shit!" She gripped her forehead with her left hand, her head felt like exploding.
"Okay... Okay!" Lex opened his eyes, an Idea had presented itself. "If he's so tough, he should be fine.." He walked up to the boy and in one swift motion lifted him up and carried him like a princess, to the window.
"The hell are you doing?!" She hissed as quietly as she could for her father and his men were way too close.
"He's the mother fucking devil, he should be fine!" He looked at her and turned towards the window.
"WHAT?!"
And just moments before the king set foot inside Elaris' private chambers, Lex had thrown the boy out of the window. A distant thud was heard as the body hit the ground, having fallen from one of the highest rooms inside the castle.
Elaris' heart dropped and her eyes widened.
"Daughter.." A deep voice declared.
The princess was stunned. What the hell had just happened. Lex struggled to react initially but then composed himself and bowed in the king's presence.
"My king." His face was void of all emotion, he was good at seeming calm under pressure.
Elaris on the other hand just couldn't turn around to face her father- her face would tell him there was something wrong, if not her clothing. Her time was running out, she had to greet her own father and so she pushed down all of the emotions she was feeling, closed her eyes in one last attempt to compose herself and turned around.
"Father." She smiled awkwardly.
"Elaris-.. You know what.. I won't even ask- take this off Immediately!" The king commanded.
"Y..yes father.."
Lex walked across the room, trying to leave for the princess was about to strip.
"Where are you going? I need you to explain yourselves before I'm forced to chop more heads off!"
"My king.. It's just that- It would be indecent for me to be in the presence of the princess' bare skin!" He looked down obediently.
"Elaris, before you get out of this vile outfit and burn it in the nearest fireplace - care to explain what's happening here?" Her father was an intimidating man - dressed in a dark red gown with inserts of golden yellow with carvings on it that exuded elegance. His eyes were dark brown and came with deep dark circles under his eyes, his hair was long and white with hints of dark brown same as his stubble which was predominantly white. He was of age and under a lot of stress- anyone could tell.
"I just wanted Lex to take me out of the castle! I wanted to go out for a walk in the forest, that's all"
"In this outfit?" The king raised an eyebrow.
"I like it! You just don't get fashion, father." She daringly replied.
"Foolish child.." the king mumbled. " I don't care just."He sighed.. "Get rid of this.." He pointed up and down at her clothes with a look of disappointment.
"Oh and." He clicked with his tongue. "You're finally gonna get to fulfil your duty- you're gonna marry" He turned around, his gown waving in the air before it gracefully landed on the ground as the king stopped on the doorstep. "The Prince of Borban is a good candidate and we.. Really do need an alliance with another powerful kingdom right now.."
"Father-!" She desperately tried to fight back.
"My word is final, we will begin preparations for the marriage soon .. and " He turned just his head, giving her a side eye that could shake anyone to their core.. "Don't let me see my precious daughter in such vile outfits ever again." He and his men walked away, their footsteps echoing in the long stone-paved hallway.
"Uuu.." Lex's face scrunched up - this was not good. "I'm so sorry.."
"It's alright.." she looked at the red carpet on the floor with a strange determination, her eyes fluttering, the cogs in her brain turning.
"Is it.. Really okay?" Lex was confused
"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU THROW HIM OUT THE WINDOW!" She exploded.
"Oh let me think- MAYBE CUZ YOUR RUTHLESS FATHER WAS 5 STEPS AWAY FROM CHOPPING MY HEAD OFF!" He snapped back, taking a step towards her.
"GODS!.. UGH!" She made her way to the window and looked down.. "SHIT! He's still there!"
"Yeah I'd imagine so.." Lex walked up to her and looked out the window - the boy was just laying there on the grass in what looked like a very uncomfortable position. "Hm.. head's still intact.. Impressive" He nodded with an eyebrow raised.
"Lex.. Come with me." She started towards the door.
"What? The outfit, princess! " Lex waved at her.
"It's alright, we're leaving this stupid castle for good!"
"We are what?!"
"The princess quickly turned and walked up to him and stopped right in his face. "Are you my friend or are you not?!" She demanded an answer.
"I.. You know I am.." Lex sighed as he replied.
"Then you will come with me, I'll pay you twice as much as what my father pays you!"
"You have no money.." Lex looked unimpressed.
"Yeah? I.. will make some! I know how to!" She had raised her eyebrows perhaps as a result of trying to convince herself that she could.
"You don't.."
"You don't know that!"
Lex just looked up to the ceiling and let out another, very long sigh. "I hate you princess.."
"I know." Elaris smiled contently as she grabbed him by the hand and dragged him out the room.
The birds chirped, the leaves danced in the morning breeze, and grass swayed, irritatingly tickling the poor boy's body.
"There!" Elaris whispered and then muffled footsteps, crushing the grass beneath, followed.
"No one saw us.' Lex said as she picked the boy's seemingly lifeless body up from the ground. "Where to now, princess?"
"To the forest. I know a place." Elaris declared, her eyes burning with determination, glistening in the light of the sun, like two beautiful pools of water.