Adamus VI

60 - Have Mercy

Adamus

I was just leaving the infirmary after speaking to the King about the strange comment Lady Beth made when I thought to myself, maybe I should seek out the Princess, and get her to have a chat with me. Now that Beth and I are finished our outing maybe she'll be more open to talking.
So I turned around and headed towards the stairs. She doesn't like to sleep in her bedroom anymore, but I think she still uses it during the day.
Sure enough when I reached the top floor her door was cracked open, and so I approached and greeted the guards. I gave the door a light knock, waiting for her response.
"Who is it?" She asked.
"It's just me, Princess."
She paused for a moment but decided to allow me entrance.
"Fine."
I stepped into the room and pushed the door closed behind me. She was sitting at her desk, painting.
"You paint?" I asked curiously. I looked at the image over her shoulder, it was the view outside her window, very gorgeously done.
"I dabble."
"Well it's paid off," I spoke. "It looks amazing."
She turned in her seat and looked up at me, barely smiling. "Why have you come, crusader?"
I stepped back and leaned against her wardrobe. "I figured instead of going home I'd come and spend some time with you, should I leave?"
She squinted in suspicion, but shook her head. "I suppose it's alright." She spun fully around to face me, leaning her arms on the back of the chair.
"You know, with you taking a leave off fighting, my group has been eerily well behaved and it's getting boring." I joked.
She tried to suppress her smile and laugh but it slipped out, bringing a grin to my face.
"Have you only come here to be a clown?" She giggled.
"I've come because I consider you a close friend and I miss you." I smiled back.
She twisted her lips, looking around the room. "My brother sent you, didn't he?"
"Why would he do that?" I asked.
"Because, for a week you've not sought me out, now today when I spoke with him about you, you show up?"
"You spoke of me? Hopefully all said was good."
She scoffed. "He was telling me you were worried for my health, I criticized you by saying you had not sought me out to check on me yourself."
I looked into my lap with guilt. "My apologies, Princess. I feel badly about when I.. I grabbed your wrists out in the field."
She narrowed her brow with worry and confusion.
"I mean to say that you looked so angry and afraid, I just feel guilty about it."
She sighed and looked to the floor, before changing the subject. "Nevertheless, you're here now."
I smiled. "I am. A- and I brought you a gift too."
She watched bewildered as I stepped towards her and reached for her hand.
"May I?"
She cautiously placed her hand in mine and watched me with a piercing gaze. I slipped my other hand into my pocket and pulled out the black bracelet I bought, and clasped it around her wrist.
"What is this?" She smiled.
"I saw it when I was out and I thought of you- it has thorns in the stem, which is what made me think of you." I teased. She laughed and smacked my arm, but admired the bracelet.
"I- I don't know what to say-"
"Usually thank you is what normal people say when they're given gifts."
"Shut up," she grinned. "Thank you, Adamus. Truthfully; ...you've caught me off guard."
"That's the point." I smiled back. I stepped to the chair behind me and sat down, watching her eye up the thing. It wasn't that pricey even, I'm surprised she liked it so much.
"It's nothing compared to what the uh, King Charles is it? The one he gave you." I added humbly.
She scoffed. "That diamond thing? This has much more meaning than that, and it was probably made by loving hands. Don't sweat it."
I pressed my lips together in a tight smile. I'm glad she was happy with it, I didn't expect such a docile reaction. In fact, she's been much more pleasant this time around. Perhaps it's because I've not brought up anything serious yet. Maybe we should keep it this way from now on.
So I continued to chat with her for a while, about things of little importance- adult life, animals, childhood, her favourite food which happened to be swan pie, and her favourite pastime, which was fighting unsurprisingly.
"Don't you have any normal hobbies." I laughed.
She laughed too. "Well I'm painting, aren't I? What do you want me to say? That I like baking? Or that a stroll in the garden is just the thing I need?"
"Is it?" I smiled.
She shook her head and brushed me off. "Whatever."
I chuckled and let the silence slowly return, before she spoke on a more serious note.
"You came after me so readily the other day, why?"
I raised my brows and leaned forwards, resting my elbows on my knees and clasping my hands together.
"Because I was worried about you? Why else?"
Her cheeks turned a tad rosy. "Well perhaps my brother ordered it."
"I mean- he was in the midst of telling me what happened when you ran- I didn't even have to think twice."
"Because of your mother...?" She pressed quietly.
I sighed. "Maybe partly yes, maybe I view you as the girl I can save, since I could not save her. But twice in my life now has a woman important to me had that happen to her and now that I'm capable I couldn't just let you run away and get more hurt. I'm also wondering why this seems to happen to those around me, perhaps I've become a bad omen... or a curse."
She listened quietly, engulfed it seemed.
"You could've been a random stranger on the sidewalk and I would've tried to help you, it's just second nature," I furrowed my brow at what I was saying. "Not that I mean I'm some hero or the best and nicest guy around I just mean that-"
She cut me off as she laughed, so I shook my head in embarrassment.
"I think I know what you meant." She smiled. "Well, I suppose I should say thank you, for that. I was scared of what you'd think of me once you knew what happened..."
I frowned. "Do I come off as the type to judge you for something like that? I hope not..."
"Well no I don't know- I just... value your opinion is all..."
I smirked, and cocked my brow. "You do?"
She noticed my amusement and scowled. "Well Nevermind now I don't!"
I chuckled but she continued. "You like girls like that Lady Beth, I can't trust a lick of judgement from you."
"See now what's wrong with Lady Beth?" I added. "She seems nice enough to me-"
"You don't find it suspicious that she didn't even wait to get to know you before swooning over you?" Eva crossed her arms.
"Well I... I don't know,"
"And not to mention she's always popped up every time you're around me."
I furrowed my brow. "I assumed that my understanding of women was poor and that her behaviour was normal I don't know."
Eva huffed a laugh. "Well you got one thing right there, but her behaviour is not normal, it's abnormal."
"Now how do I know you're not just jealous?" I smirked.
She looked at me in disbelief, surprised I'd even suggest it.
"Jealous- of what?!"
"My attention? You tell me I've been wondering the same thing!" I retorted.
She laughed at my audacity and huffed again. "That's pretty bold of you, Ser."
"Well explain to me then why you act so crazy every time I'm with her? And why sometimes you open up to me and sometimes you shut me out? Sometimes you say the most confusing things, which I always interpret as you alluding to something more between us, just to be scowled at later on in the day!"
She looked at me wide eyed, her mouth pressed shut.
"I'm a simple man Eva I just want to know what's going on- I'm not capable of reading into it it's too confusing."
"Well first tell me what's going on with you and Beth." She crossed her arms again.
I stared back at her, ready to give up. "Hhh I'm not sure, it's clear she likes me but..."
"But what? What's stopping you? She's a sweet girl I'm sure." Her tone was mocking, almost.
But this very moment I found myself racking my brain for why I was reluctant to take it further with Beth, it's like I had an answer that my heart was hiding from my brain. Eva watched with a death glare, waiting for my response like a vulture to the carcass.
I sighed as I came to a realization, one that I was not particularly excited about. I brought my gaze up to meet her piercing one, my expression somber and deflated. She softened her glare when she saw the look in my eyes, and frowned.
"What?"
"It's not- I cannot say Eva. It's out of line."
She narrowed her eyes. "As your princess, I command you to tell me."
Wow, that's cheap.
"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."
"Really? All I'm asking is why you haven't taken it further with that little sweetie of yours, is that really so much to-"
"You, Eva." I spoke firmly.
She caught her words in her throat and pushed her head back.
"What I-"
"You wanted the answer and there it is. It's you that's stopping me. Don't ask me why or how, because I don't know. But I think about you every day. And I know I'm just a Knight, that I have no place speaking to you in this way. That's why this back and fourth, all this secretive behaviour from you is almost too much to bear."
"You- you actually like me?" She stuttered. I could've sworn I saw tears in her eyes, I found myself staring back at her, lost for words.
"I mean I, I-"
"Captain." I jumped as a guard stepped into the room beside me.
"Yes?" I looked at him, slightly annoyed.
"You are required by the King in the infirmary."
I stood up. "Is everything alright?"
"Lady Sheera, Ser."
I felt my heart sink, and looked to the Princes who had also stood up.
"I have to go," I uttered. She nodded seriously and watched me fly past the guard and down the hall.