The Lazy Prince

Chapter 22: Just Forget Everything

Valdis Spiridon Aritiri

Tuesday night, Present.

I obviously don't want all my secrets to be involved in the conversation but I rarely get what I want. It's halfway through my explanation of everything that's happened to me since my birth when the pain starts. Major Kairos notices the change in my body language almost instantly.

"Princess?" He questions, his body leaning forward. Ready to jump into action at a moments notice.

I stand abruptly and back towards the door. "Swear to me that the next events will not be spoke about to anyone." I command.

Major Kairos stands and walks towards me. "Princess what's go-"

"SWEAR IT!" I scream at him.

"Okay. I swear that I will speak to no one about the events that take place next." The binding magic snaps in place and a black sword appears on my right wrist pointing towards my elbow.

I dart out the back door commanding them to stay out of my range on the way. My belt is between my teeth just in time for the first wave. I briefly see glowing purple eyes through the haze of my pain and know that the Major is watching my agony and humiliation. The session ends the way it started, abruptly. My strength is slow to find me but Sir Howin is fast. He has my arm thrown around his shoulders and is lifting me to my feet before I can even think about removing my belt from my mouth.

"Can you walk?" He asks. All I can do is nod. "Good let's get you inside." The smell of singed fabric assaults my nose as Sir Howin basically carries me back inside the cabin. We walk right past Major Kairos who just stands there in shock, his eyes still glowing purple. Sir Howin helps me through the door and gently sets me on the couch stomach down. Heavy bootsteps let me know that the Major is back.

"Please tell me that that isn't what I think it is?" Major Kairos shouts. "Did you know?" He yells at Sir Howin. Agony in his eyes.

"No, I didn't know." My poor knight whispers. "Not until she confided in me."

"I never told anyone. The only people that know about the Iron Coffin is the people that put it on my spine, my Quint, and the two of you." I grit out. "No one was supposed to know about it."

Major Kairos kneels beside me and grabs all my hair and pulls it away from my back. "Gods and Goddesses be with us." Parts of my hair are routinely being pulled and it takes me a moment to realize that the Major is braiding my hair. I don't think he is doing it consciously but I won't complain if he's getting it out of my way. "The scarring is so deep." Major Kairos says almost mindlessly before addressing me. "How long have you had the Iron Coffin?" His voice so soft it makes me want to cry and curl into his fatherly embrace.

"Three years." I choke past the lump in my throat." It was a gift for my eighteenth birthday when my powers manifested and the Regent needed another way to control me." I whisper, my throat still raw from screaming. "No one was ever supposed to find out, but that is all that keeps happening. People keep finding out."

Sir Howin wipes a tear from my cheek and Major Kairos finishes braiding my hair before speaking. "Why don't you want people to know? Know about any of your secrets? You could burry the Regent tomorrow with this." It's a fair question but I want it to be my last option.

I hugh out a breath and push off of the couch so I can sit up and face him. "Because I would rather be the Kingdoms Lazy Prince than become their Tortured Princess." I hold strong eye contact with him. "The other four kingdoms never had such archaic tales about first born female twins as our Kingdom. I refuse to be seen as weak. As a victim." And part of me knows that this makes me strong, surviving. Surviving makes me strong but I can't see past how weak it makes me feel. How vulnerable.