"Take the sword away before you hurt her" the prince yelled at the man that was holding my delicate neck hostage.
Slowly, the sword moved away from my neck and I picked up the folded piece of clothing.
"I must apologize for Sir George" Markle said "it is his duty to protect me from harm and sometimes, he overdoes it, don't you, George?" he asked his knight.
"My apologies, highness. My apologies, my lady" He told me before he turned his attention back to Markle "You are needed, Sir"
"Where?" the first prince asked.
"His majesty's court, sir"
Markle turned and he looked at me.
"Where is your chaperone, milady?" he looked around like he was looking for the invincible older lady that was supposed to accompany me everywhere.
Well, I forgot about that! I didn't exactly have a cultured upbringin.
My parents did as little as possible to adhere to the rules of the society and when I say little, I mean they didn't adhere to any.
I never went anywhere in bluestone manor with a chaperone or have a governess or go to a finishing school. I had nanny Josie to make sure I didn't break my neck climbing a tree or swallow a penny. She kept me alive and that was good enough for my parents.
I tried to come up with a good excuse for traveling alone and I only came up with one. "My chaperone…vanished…into thin air" I murmured before I could stop myself or understand how truly ridiculous my excuse was, thankfully, it made the first prince smile.
As the prince smiled, I felt a sense of relief wash over me.
"I am here to see his majesty, your father."
"Grandfather, actually…come, I will walk with you" He led the way and I followed him.
We walked side by side in a comfortable silence until we started ascending the stairs when he offered me his hand for support and I took it.
As we walked, I couldn't help but steal glances at the prince. He seemed kind and genuinely interested in my well-being unlike the bastard husband that murdered me.
We barely made it to the hallway when we heard grunts. Like someone was groaning in pain. Sir George walked in front of us shielding the first prince until we turned a corner and saw the source of the sound.
A guard's hand had been impaled to one of the curtains and a man stood there staring at him while he wriggled in pain, he had his back to us but judging by his outfit, he was a knight of some sort.
His attire was different from his friend that was casually leaning against a wall unbothered and eating an apple.
Six guards stood by the corner looking as terrified as I was when I was attacked.
It dawned on me that they were terrified of the knight that impaled the hand of their fellow guard. When the knight that was eating an apple saw the first prince, he lowered his head but only briefly unlike the terrified guards by the corner.
As the evil knight turned around, our eyes met, and I felt a chill run down my spine. There was something familiar about him, something that made my blood run cold. His eyes seemed to bore into my soul, and I felt like I was staring into the face of pure evil.
I tried to remember my husband's face, the man who had murdered me in a past life. But my memories were hazy, and I couldn't quite recall his features. I remembered the pain, the fear, and the feeling of betrayal, but his face remained a blur.
But as I looked at him, I felt a sense of déjà vu. It was as if I had seen him before, as if I had looked into those piercing eyes before. And then it hit me - the feeling of recognition, the sense of familiarity.
Could it be? I thought, my mind racing with memories of my past life. Was it possible that this terrifying man was my husband? The man who had killed me?
I felt a surge of fear at the thought, but I pushed it aside. I had to be sure.
"Who is he?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.
"My uncle the Lord Commander, milady" the prince answered with a tiny smile that didn't reach his eyes and he had his eyes glued to the lord Commander.
"Lord commander" I tried out his title "But I thought he died in the war" I blunted out without thinking.
"If wishes were horses, milady…if only wishes were horses" the prince murmured.
I couldn't help but sneak a glance at Lord Commander Abbott, he looked the part of a psycho murderous husband of mine, I was instantly filled with both rage and fear..a part of me desperate to yell at him "You killed me, you bloody wanker!"
"Actually, he did die" His evil friend leaning by the wall said before the lord commander threw him a look. "What? It is true"
"I guess it didn't stick" The first prince sounded disappointed. I am beginning to realize that there was no love lost between them...who could blame him?
"It never does, Markie" the lord commander said with a smile that looked more like a smirk.
As I watched them exchange words, I felt a sense of unease. The tension between them was palpable, and I couldn't help but wonder what had caused it.
"I am the first prince Markle to you, Soldier and you will address me as such! We've had this conversation more times than I care to count, Abbott!" the first prince snapped. "Obey me!"
"And I want to smolder you with a pillow while you sleep just for the pleasure of seeing you struggle for air or my personal favorite, hang you by your legs in a pit filled with venomous snakes and watch you die a painful and excruciating death but…I am not getting that wish, am I Markie? So, I guess we both have to deal with our disappointment, don't we?" the lord commander said.
I watched as sir George drew his sword for a fight and so did the Lord commander's friend that was eating an apple.
"It is treason to threaten the prince of Zurich!" Sir George yelled as he pointed the sword at the lord commander.
Abbott was unfazed, his eyes were glued to me and I fought the urge to jump on him and hit again...and again and again until he stopped moving. Either that or running off and never looking back.
"By that logic, I should slit your throat for drawing a weapon on Lord Commander Raven. Last, I checked he is also his royal highness, Prince Abbott Raven of Zurich too. Lower your sword or join your ancestors" The apple eating Knight had his sword on Sir George's throat.
As I watched the scene unfold, I felt a sense of fear. The lord commander was a powerful man both in past life and now, but at least now I know my enemy.
"Everyone! There is a lady amongst us!" Prince Markle yelled with a little smile.
"Sir George, lower your weapon, I am sure my uncle was just joking" Markle said.
"I really wasn't" The lord commander said with a smile. He was enjoying himself.
Sir George lowered his sword but the other knight didn't.
"Lower your sword, imp!" The prince Markle ordered the apple eating knight but he didn't obey.
"I am sorry, your royal highness. I am in the crescent battalion" the knight answered.
"That is Sir Bastian's way of saying he doesn't give a rat's ass about your authority…because you don't have any over my army. You are just a spoiled little brat, Markle" Abbott said.
"That is not the word I would use, Lord Commander…" Sir Bastian murmured and scratched his beard.
"Lower your sword, Sir Bastian. We must respect the first prince" he said mockingly.
"Oh, spare me the theatrics, you are just boiling that my birth displaced your bastard ass from the throne! I am the first prince and you are the second. I am the heir…you are just the spare!"
"Yes, you are. A very useless one but still the heir"
The lord commander turned to the guards "Does any one of you object to my presence in the king's court? Any one…. I thought so too" he strolled into the court without another word and I wanted to turn back and run but Prince Markle smiled at me.
"I apologize for our behavior, milady. We may go in now"
"I would rather stay out there until…" I started to say but I was overruled.
"You are under my protection; Abbott can't touch you. He is all bark"
I wanted to say I disagree with him, the man whose reputation was widely known, fondly called the prince of darkness…or widowmaker was definitely not all bark, I learnt that the hard way but I didn't. Markle was my knight in shining armor and I was keeping my tongue in cheek.