Veiled Love

4

Rosetta

- -

I draped my dark blue coat over my shoulders as the sun began setting, its golden rays casting a warm glow into my emerald eyes.  Since breakfast, I had secluded myself in my room, away from everyone, my eyes now puffy with redness marking the corners. Humming softly, I unpinned my tousled chestnut hair, letting the locks cascade down over my shoulders in a gentle wave. Changing into my training uniform, I pulled the hood over my head and stepped out of my room, offering a brief smile to the guards as I made my way down the quiet halls.

I felt a wave of unease wash over me. Perhaps I could learn to love Xavier, but the thought of it made my heart ache with uncertainty. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to suppress the returning thoughts that I had fought so hard to push away. I had barely begun to live my life, and the idea of being bound to a man so soon... It felt suffocating, imagining myself trapped in a life similar to my mother's, drained and belittled. The mere thought squeezed my heart painfully. I didn't want that for myself. I didn't want to become someone's pawn, subjected to shouting and life draining control. Whatever secrets my father harbored, they had ultimately taken my mother's life. If every man held such secrets, then I wanted no part of it.

I froze mid-step, my heart pounding in my chest as I heard a familiar voice around the corner engaged in conversation with a woman. Instinctively, I pressed myself against the wall, straining to listen. It was the king. Peeking cautiously around the corner, my eyes widened in shock. There was my father, gently buttoning up Evelyn's collar, his fingers brushing through her hair with a tenderness that made my stomach turn. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

What the hell?

Disgust and disbelief surged through me, and I covered my mouth to stifle a gasp, even though my stomach was already churning violently.

I hurried on, stumbling slightly as I navigated through the maze of the corridors leading to the castle's secluded exit. Putting on my mask covering only the bottom half of my face, I opted for the unguarded path towards the slums. So, that's the kind of man he is. A bitter laugh escaped me, quickly turning into a strained sob as I fought back the wave of nausea rising in my throat.

Was Evelyn taken advantage of, or was she in on it? The thought twisted my insides, and tears threatened to spill over once more.

Damn it.

The betrayal was sickening. How could I ever respect him, let alone face him again? This... this must be why my mother's eyes had lost their sparkle. How many other maids had he treated this way? Was every man like this?

As I grew older, I started noticing things more, feeling emotions I never knew existed. You'd think a princess would only feel happiness, be taught to be strong and independent, but that wasn't me. I found myself constantly observing the people around me, learning firsthand just how deceitful and untrustworthy they could be.

I finally reached the familiar wall I'd jumped over many times over the years. With a sob escaping my lips, I pulled myself up, my arms trembling with exhaustion from all the crying today. As I jumped down and landed in a crouch, my boots sinking into the deep snow, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. The sun was setting slowly, casting a peaceful glow over the surroundings. Here, in this moment, I found peace.

Sometimes I wish I could cast aside my life in the castle just to stay by Livia's side forever. But today felt different. As I walked through the main streets of the slums where bustling stalls usually filled the air with life, an eerie quiet settled in. It was as if everyone had vanished, leaving behind a ghost town. No children playing, no vendors calling out their wares. Had everyone already gone to sleep, or..?

My eyes widened slightly as I froze in place. Before me, two guards loomed over a woman on the ground, her husband's body cradled in her arms. Blood stained her clothes and pooled beneath them. She wept uncontrollably, her grief echoing through the quiet street.

"It was not him you idiot!" One of the guards shouted at the other. "You killed the wrong fucking guy!" He sighed heavily, removing his helmet and pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Get rid of her now. This will bring problems to the king if we leave a witness."

The other guard trembled slightly, his eyes fixed on the tragic scene he had caused. He cursed under his breath, his hands shaking as he tried to process the weight of his mistake.

I took one heavy step, but before my foot could hit the ground, my body was pulled behind a wall.

A strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me close. My back pressed against a firm, toned body, and a hand clasped tightly over my mouth, muffling any sound I might have made. The mask I wore only covered the lower half of my face, leaving my eyes wide with shock.

He leaned in close, his voice a harsh whisper "Quiet," he commanded, his breath brushing against my ear.. I could feel his breath against my neck, sending shivers down my spine. He held me firmly, his grip unyielding. I looked up to see the man's cold  deep blue eyes boring into mine, searching, calculating.. His dark brown hair, tied in a messy half ponytail, framed his face. I tried to struggle, but his grip was ironclad. "If you want to live, stay still."

I stilled, my breath coming in shallow gasps. The grip on me loosened slightly, but I could feel the tension in the man's body, the readiness to act if I made any sudden movements.

The woman's cries suddenly stopped with a final, a blood-curdling yelp escaped her lips before she was silenced forever. I flinched , a strangled gasp escaped my lips, muffled by the hand over my mouth. I tense against the man's hold.

The guards' voices faded away, swallowed by the silence that followed the woman's death.

"Why are you here?" he asked, his voice low and cold. His words were like ice, cutting through the fear that gripped me. "What business does someone like you have in a place like this?"

I shook my head slightly, unable to speak with his hand still covering my mouth. Panic surged through me as I struggled to find the right words. His grip on my waist tightened momentarily as if to remind me of his control.

When he finally released me, I stumbled slightly, unbalanced from the sudden freedom. Instinctively, he reached out and steadied me, his touch both firm and surprisingly gentle. His fingers lingered for a moment longer than necessary before he withdrew.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "I...I'm nobody," I stammered, trying to find my footing both physically and in the conversation. "Just someone who got lost."

"In these parts," he remarked, his tone still sharp , "nobody just gets lost."

I swallowed hard, feeling exposed under his piercing gaze. "I...I just wanted to see..." My words faltered as I struggled to articulate the truth without revealing too much.

He took a step closer, his presence looming over me. "See what?" he pressed, his voice quieter now but no less demanding.

Before I could respond, he reached up swiftly and pulled down the mask that covered the lower half of my face. My hood slipped back, revealing my features, soft chestnut hair cascading down my shoulders, framing my face delicately. For a moment, there was silence between us, heavy with unspoken realization.

"You..." he breathed, his voice barely a whisper as his dark blue eyes searched my eyes for confirmation. "You're..."

He took a step back, his expression unreadable. "Princess Rosetta," he breathed, the name falling from his lips as if he was savouring it.