Servant to the King. 16+

A not so Playful Prank

Humming the songs you had heard in the hall, you promptly return to the young prince's room.
After he had taken off with Sïf, you hadn't exactly known where he went, but, once in his quarters, you knew precisely.

His robes were flung all over his bed with a few items on the floor.
A light shone from below the bathing room's door.
You seemingly recalled the candles and wine bottles you cleaned from in there.
You sighed, approaching the door and knocking softly.

"Your highness?
Are you well?" You ask, concerned more than anything.

When he was in there for that long, it usually meant something was wrong.
Your curious mind relayed his interactions with Sïf before he spoke.

"I..I am fine.
Although, I could use another bottle of wine.
Would you mind fetching one?" He asked.

You smiled, agreeing to his request.

"Yes.
Would you prefer red, callus, or white?"

"Red, love.
Thank you."

Your heart seemingly skipped a beat when he called you that..love.
You knew it was only manners though and left to fetch his drink.

Not long before you had rummaged down the corridor, you notice the silhouette of a woman down the way.
She was walking rather quickly but you paid no mind.
Perhaps it's just a maid late to work.
Or..maybe it's a guard called for an emergency?
You retired to looking back down at the ground.
If they were to pass, the last thing you wanted was to seem rude about it.
Drawing attention to yourself..

"MANI!!" Exclaimed a very familiar voice.

You hardly had any time to react before

"This is ALL YOUR FAULT!!" She says, slamming you to the ground in an instant.

Lady Sïf towers above you now.
Her eyes are filled with rage and her hands are clasped into fists.
One of them, oddly, holds a lock of hair.

"YOU and your IDIOTIC MASTER!!
THIS is a joke beyond ANYTHING YOU COULD EVER DO TO ME!!!" She screams, stomping on your stomach.

You groan in pain and try not to vomit onto the floor.
You look up at her, tears beginning to form.

"M-my lady..I know not what he did...or why!
Please...I am only-" she lifts you up by your throat, making it to where you cannot touch the floor.

You squirm violently in her grasp but nothing seems to phase her.

"Lies, Lies, LIES!!
You ungodly LIAR!!
DO YOU NOT SEE WHO I AM??
DO NOT TRY AND DECEIVE ME!"

Her screams filled your ears as you struggle to breathe.
You couldn't let her do this..you could never let anyone do this again!
He needed you.
Your sister needs you!

In one swift movement, you raise your hand and you slam her into a column causing a few cracks to show.
You fall to the floor gasping for any air your body can get its hands on.
She slides down, grabbing on for dear life.
The blind rage had suddenly been brought back to reality.
She looks around..looking at the column...at her hair...at you.
She was both surprised and fearful of what had happened.
Could you always do that, she wondered.

A few drops of blood escape your lips as you cough and try desperately to gain the strength to move.
She steadily approaches you, almost regretful of what had happened.

"Mani..I-" you shove her back again only this time down the corridor and out of sight.

You..needed to rest a bit.
It was so painful to move..
You could tell something was shattered or at least broken.
You just...needed some time to rest.
What could he have possibly done to her that would warrant such a reaction?
Especially as she inflicted it upon you.
You were scared what would happen now that you've struck a goddess, but the pain steadily kept your mind off things.

You slowly close your eyes, letting out a wavered sigh as it hurt to do.

"L..L-o" you cannot even bare to say his name.

You decided it best to just lay there for a bit..perhaps the pain would subside?
Heh...you could only hope.

Meanwhile, the young prince laid back in his tub, soaking.
His fingers delicately traced the lips of his glass, causing a soft hum from the liquid still inside it.
The room was dark with only candle light to illuminate it.
The candles caused golden reflections in the water as if they were part of his body.
His mind, however, was elsewhere.
Anywhere else, for that matter.
He couldn't stop thinking about it..about you.
Had he really..no, surely not.
You were kind to him but that meant nothing.
For all he knew, you could secretly hate him and your just being paid to keep your mouth shut.
Yet your words from earlier that evening..they rung in his head.
He'd sigh, his face flushed by the memories.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he yawned and looked down onto the floor.

He had polished off five bottles of wine and nearly finished a sixth.
It wasn't enough to get him completely drunk, but enough for the rest to set in.
He laid back again, closing his eyes.
He swung his cup against the tub over and over causing a small tink each time.
It was boring now.

Eventually, he bent down to fill in the last bit of the sixth bottle into his glass.
It was in that moment he recalled sending you to fetch him more Wine.
You hadn't returned yet.
..why?
It was only right down the wing.
Curiosity got the better of him and he got up to check.
Well, 'get up' as in realizing how drunk he actually was and slipped a bit in the bathtub.
Once his head had gotten used to standing again, he quickly took heed in blowing out all the candles.
Once dressed in a neatly pressed robe, he opened the door unannounced.

The room was empty.