Queen

XVI.

"He's blind?" Prince Kiken asked, rising from his seat. The dark prince stalked to me, blue eyes wide, staring at Arne. "This whole time, the greatest warrior to ever live has been blind?"

Arne ducked his head down and inched closer to my side. I looked Prince Kiken in the eye. "You never asked if he could see or not," I explained, "It never came up in conversation, so we simply didn't tell you." I gave a small shrug. "It doesn't matter Prince Kiken."

A wicked smile grew on Prince Kiken's face. "I believe it does," he growled. Prince Kiken kicked Arne's exposed shin, making him stumble away from me. Anger flooded my body, who kicks a blind mad? But Prince Kiken wasn't done.

Prince Kiken swung his fist and it hit Arne's face with a loud smack. Arne stumbled to the ground, pressing his free hand to his reddening cheek. I grabbed Prince Kiken's arm and yanked him back away from where Arne lay. Prince Kiken growled at me. "Just what do you think you're doing?" he snapped.

"What do you think you're doing?" I snapped back.

Veleno ran up to us and got between us. "Please," she said, "Just stop. Kiken I," but she was shoved aside and fury lit her face. Prince Kiken took a step towards Arne.

Two hands grabbed my waist and I threw an elbow at my attacker. Queen Regina let out a cry of pain. "Why are you even getting involved?" I shouted, right before another cry of pain sounded.

I whipped around and filled with pride. Arne had swung Meurtriere and a stroke of luck had him cutting into Prince Kiken's thumb. Prince Kiken was on his knees, hand wrapped around the stump while the thumb lay on the ground. Arne lay on the floor, eyes wide and his hand tight on the hilt of Meurtriere.

"Kiken!" Veleno cried, kneeling down next to him, "Why'd you start that fight? Let me see your thumb. Don't be silly. Let me see Kiken!" She clawed at Prince Kiken's thumb to see.

"Vile!" King Balamdung-i cried, "Mathilda, reprimand your lover."

I bent down to help Arne up, ducking as the blade swung at me. "Baby," I said, "It's me, calm down."

"I'm sorry," Arne sobbed, tears bursting, "I'm sorry, I'm, I'm sorry."

I looked up and locked eyes with Prince Kiken. "You have nothing to be sorry for Baby," I said.

"He injured an man in his own house," Prince Je Vous Aime said.

"Who struck first?" I asked.

Some of the royals glared, some turned their heads away to look elsewhere. Arne did have the right to defend himself when attacked, no one would take that away because they also wanted that right. "To attack without cause," I said to Prince Kiken, "For what was the cause you felt you needed to fight for? Well, I don't need to tell you about that."

"And attacking a blind man," Veleno added, "Disgrace Kiken."

I helped Arne to his feet and left the room before things could get worse.

Arne sniffled and whipped away his tears with his palm. "Mistress," he whimpered, "I swear, I, I didn't meant to hurt, to hurt him."

"I know you didn't Baby," I told him, leading to the stairs, "Now, no offense Baby, but there's no way you could mean to hurt someone. You're blind, how could you mean to hurt anyone? It's okay. He attacked first and it was an accident Baby. Stairs," Arne smashed his foot against the first step, "Are you okay?" I asked.

Arne nodded. "Sorry Mistress," he mumbled.

I arched up on my toes and pressed a kiss to his nose. "You have nothing to apologize for Baby," I told him, "Nothing at all. Are you sure you're alright?"