Behind The Walls

Chapter 15 : Mood Swings

Authors POV
There she sat, patting away at the impaired areas of the skin on his back with antiseptic liquid on a cotton pad. The prince's lips were pressed tightly into a thin line, holding back the urge to let out his audible affliction.

"If you want, I could be gentler. You look like your in pain." Adelaide asked, half teasingly, knowing the prince would deny her statement immediately.

"Shut up, I don't even feel anything." He scoffed, very obviously lying.

The Prince's mind was in a state of nostalgia; he remembered how his mother took care of him before her dismissal; just like Adelaide was doing at the moment.

'Why was is she being so nice?' Drifting off into his thoughts, for the first time he felt a sense of culpability. He had neglected her since the day they met and throughout the two days into their marriage.

He knew she didn't deserve any of this but he failed to ever become vulnerable to his feelings after being continuously deceived. The amount of suffering he had caused her all came back to him as physically painful guilt.

Turning his head, the prince admired the purity and warm heart of Adelaide as she applied yet another bandage to his torso.

She was so focused; she didn't even notice his gaze was glued to her, staring in awe. The unjustness of her treatment fazed him completely. Though, a sense of insecurity filled him and he still did not have the courage to show his appreciation towards her.

"I'm leaving now." he stated with a scowl before he got carried away with his admiration.

She responded in irritation, "I wasn't even fini-"

He cut her off, "afternoon."

The scowl didn't leave his face as he hopped over the two suitcases dispersed over the floor. "It's not even afternoon yet!"Adelaide shouted across the room as he walked through the door frame.

Just before leaving he turned his head back to facing Adelaide, "oh, and t-thank you." He recited as if it were the most difficult thing to say before leaving.

Adelaide sat their reflecting on the situation that had just gone by; a weird feeling spiralling around her stomach. However it was not one of fear or annoyance but one that Adelaide hadn't ever felt before.

Her heart felt like it was waltzing under her chest as she got up to close the door. She pursued her preoccupation of unpacking whilst her mind was drawn elsewhere. 'No' she thought rubbing her temples 'I still hate him the same.' She carried on repeating the last sentence to herself as if it was hard for her to believe.

Hugo sat staring at the white, empty walls of his room, unsure of why he felt it was important for him to leave. He knew, he couldn't get caught up in something that wasn't so important right now.

Yesterday being the commemoration day of his mother's death, it was the only thing that was on his mind for the past few days. He knew what he wanted: revenge. From one person and only one person: his father.

He could not let princess Adelaide involve herself in the sins he would commit, hence he pushed her away, making sure that there was no bond would be between them; making sure she hated him.

Before Adelaides 18th birthday had even commenced, the prince began reading about whom he was to marry. The books on the Dwarvania's younger princess consisted of no images of her and he had hardly noticed her appearance at their very first encounter.

However, not knowing what she looked like wasn't an issue to him, he fell in love anyhow. The stories about her he had read had only highlighted the good in the princess, well because... there was no bad.

Her contribution in helping others, charity work and being humble, even through her prosperous life was enough to fully captivate the prince.

That was until he found out what he wished he wouldn't, and all changed. He knew that seeking justice through vengeance wasn't exactly the right path but for his mother whom he loved, he was willing to give it all up.

It had torn him from those he had trusted and loved and so ever since the veil on his eyes was removed, he believed love was just a word. Thus the horrid treatment for his wife.

From that day, the day that had revealed to him the truth, he had packed up all his feelings and shipped them far away, knowing they'd only get in his way. Although, now they were finally returning.

A knock hammered on the prince's closed before a guard entered his room. "King Phoebe sent a reminder," he began reading through his scroll, "the royal meeting planned is this afternoon with the royals of the Kingdom up north."

Hugo's tensed at the mention of this kingdom, "be sure to inform the princess, you'll find her room in the servants quarters." He turned his head to avoid seeing the reaction of the guard who had been left in shock by the prince's rather absurd confession but knew better than to further interrogate this matter.

He then left, now on his way to princess Adelaides room.