The Devil's Kingdom

The Prince of Asterin

997.. 998... 999.... -

1000.

My body slides down to the ground automatically. My whole body is feeling like a whole mountain right now. My hands are feeling like they will rip off from my body any moment. My lungs are starving for more air than I could take in from both my mouth & nostrils.

This happens every night when I have to do 1000 sword swings. But I'm still so unused to this after doing this continuously for more than half a month.

In morning I've to practice for martial arts & close combats till afternoon. During night, I practice the main thing, swording till morning. And in the afternoon, I've to complete piles of books that I had collected from archives.

Blackness under my eyes is increasing with each passing day. From weeks, I had hardly gotten any sleep and hardly eaten properly. The maid in my service brings my food to my room time to time.

This room is more like a prison they had have put me in. I sneak out from here everyday telling the guards at this room's door that I'm going to meet the Prince.

It's almost regularly now that I'm telling them the same lie & sneaking out from this room. I'd thought Jungkook will know that I'm lying after two three days but to my surprise the guards don't even ask me where I'm going, nowadays.

I leaned backwards, letting my body fall flatly on the cold floor. But my body is on fire. My chest was rising up & down heavily. My lips are dried and parted gasping for air desperately.

The room is well lit but I don't know why, the room got darker and darker while I was staring at the ceiling. And before I knew it my eye lids are closing. I tried to force them open. I still have got a lot to do but of no use. My body won against my will.

And the darkness consumed me.

***

My sleep breaks slowly as I get my consciousness back. As soon as my eyes open completely, I hurriedly sat up. My whole body felt sore & weak.

I realized I am sitting on bed. But as much as I remember, I had passed out lying on the floor after my practice. I look around the room. It's only then I saw the maid in my service standing beside the bed with a bow.

I was trying to get out from the bed when the maid's panicking voice stops me " Um- Crown Princess! The Physician had recommended a lot of sleep & food for you. Please - Please be seated. You may again loose your consciousness, if you moved around like that! "

I frown " Physician?! "

Now that I think, who carried me here from the floor?! It can't be this girl. She doesn't even looks like she can lift a half a sack of rice forget about a human.

I face her " Who called the physician? You? "

" It wasn't me, your highness. It's the Prince who found you unconscious last night & called for the Physician! " she says & the very first question that comes to my head is that, why was he even here, last night?

" He was here with you till this morning before he left for the state meeting, assigning me to look over you. " the maid says surprising me with her each word while narrating the whole situation to me.

And wait, did she say till morning just now? Then, what time of the day it is now?

" What time it is? " I ask her.