Harvi

Chapter-24

Harvi's p.o.v-

Even if Zades himself hadn't ordered me to rest for the day, I, myself, wouldn't be able to muster up the courage to walk anyway. His punishment was much more extreme than any whips and canes that previously had broken my skin apart. Not only did he torture me, he took the blow himself as I did end up badly scratching his chest and shoulders. His neck was bleeding when he put on the cloak. He passed me the disapproving look when servants cleaned his wounds. I couldn't help but feel slightly gloated when he almost hissed out loudly.

He threw me a dirty glare but ended up smiling himself when he found me enjoying his agony. He threw the apple at me from the basket that narrowly missed my head. I widened my eyes at his sudden attack, which made him smirk. If he really wanted to hit me he wouldn't have messed up his aim but it shocked me nonetheless. With the last paper glare he left, and I passed out again. I ate my meals and again dozed off. In the evening, Orvel helped me clean myself. I would never admit it loudly but I was grateful to Zades for sending Orvel to me.

She was kind, gentle and most importantly she never glared or looked at me with disgust. She was braiding my hair when a servant knocked on the doors gently. Orvel went to answer.

"Miss, there has been an invitation for dinner sent for you from the Blossom Palace" Orvel politely informed me.

"Who is it from?" I asked, perplexed.

"Princess Crystal." I almost choked on my saliva. Why would a princess sent an invite for a dinner to a mere slave like me? What does that beautiful fox want?

"Respectfully, inform Princess Crystal that this servant isn't allowed to leave this palace for the day as per the Second Prince's orders." Orvel quickly wrote down the letter and handed it over to the servant who immediately left.

****

Princess Crystal was the daughter of the Emperor's nephew, King Freger of the Zorman Kingdom. Zorman was said to be the third most powerful kingdom of Qagghar. When Princess Crystal was born, she was declared as the most beautiful princess in the whole of the empire of Qagghar. She was the most sought after and loved princess. She was delicate as a flower, fragile as glass, beautiful as moonlight and regal as a monarch.

Not only was she an excellent cook but she also was a scholar and a known artist. With beauty and brain and lots of scheming she finally succeeded to achieve what she always has her eyes set on, to be Zades's betrothed. She was a mere child when she asked her mother dearest to make her marry to equally perfect Zades, who had already earned name and fame in archery, hunting, sword fighting, bull fighting, arts and literature.

Zades didn't deny either, he had met Princess Crystal a couple of times only and it didn't take him long to take notice of Princess Crystal's beauty. However, Zades wasn't the one who romanticized the things between him and Princess Crystal. He only agreed to marry her just because she was a rare beauty in his eyes and she has the backing of the third most powerful kingdom, so it was an absolute win for him.

Princess Crystal was always obedient to Zades. She didn't object when Zades started to take in concubines after his first battle at the age of fifteen. Soon, he had a whole harem in his Arkadian Kingdom. Princess Crystal could only live in misery and hid her broken heart and grief with warmness. She always welcomed him open heartedly even though she never managed to hold a little place in his cold heart.

She always obediently presented herself before Zades who only treated and used her like a mere object. The moment she saw the desire in Zades' eyes for that ugly creature, her heart split in two, her insides crumbled with hot fury. She wanted to claw that wilding's eyes out for making direct eye contact with her beloved.