The Battle Of Hearts A Choice Between Power And Love

Chapter 13 When Visions Turns Into Reality

Annika's POV

Another carriage ride back home was not what I wanted right now. But here I was, since it's the only way back home. My mind wondered. It kept going back to the vision I had most recently. I gripped my lehenga tightly. I didn't know when my knuckles turned white. Then I felt Amaia's hands over mine, giving me a gentle squeeze.

"Are you sure you're alright Annika?" she asked, concerned, "Are you not ok? You seem like you blanked out for a moment there" she asked.

"No, it's ok, I am alright. Must have just zoned out, I guess" I said, with a sheepish smile that did not reach my eyes. Amaia - even though she looked suspicious of my explanation - let it slide and didn't ask about it again. We later decided to stay in an inn again on our way back, but this time, everyone stayed with us, including papa, maa and dadi maa. I decided it was better to stay with someone rather then to stay alone. We went with our earlier agreement, so I shared a room with Philip again, since Lakshmi still needed someone on guard and since Amaia and Philip banter always, we switched. When we got to our room after dinner, Philip closed the door behind him.

"Don't you think it's a bit silly to travel in your engagement outfit when your engagement just got canceled?" he asked. I rolled my eyes as he stood behind me. The both of us faced the mirror.

"Well, for your kind information 'sir', I had only an hour and I needed that time to pack and I had things to deal with and problems of my own to solve!" I said, "Oh, and one more thing - the engagement was merely postponed, not cancelled altogether!" I said with a slightly sarcastic smile.

"Well, have I said this? Maybe it might have slipped my mind, but the outfit is truly splendid. You look beautiful. The color compliments your skin" he said with a smirk, "and since your hand maid isn't with us at the moment, I can only suggest you still need help with that" he said, pointing at my blouse. I chuckled.

"Maybe I can just do it myself?" I tried to reach for the strings. As I did, I tried to tug at it, but that only tightened the knot on my back. Tightening the blouse a bit more showed a bit more of my cleavage than needed. I could see and feel his gaze drop.

"You seem like you might need my help with that" he said. The air in the room shifted and changed, denser than before. I could feel his hot gaze burn my skin. But that didn't stop me from taking the dagger I always had in my skirt. I turned on my heel and placed my dagger on his throat, pressing in on his skin.

"If you dare let your eyes wander over me one more time without my permission the next time, my dagger will not just be on your throat - it will be clawing out your eyes, then slicing through your throat!" I pressed the blade of the dagger just enough to leave a mark but not enough to draw blood.

"That was a beautiful trick you have up your sleeve! This was definitely not what I expected when your brother told me you knew self-defense. As hot as it was to see you yield a dagger," he leaned towards me, his mouth right against my ear. I could feel his lips brush against the shell of my ear, "do not take me for a fool. My lady, if I wanted, I could have pinned you against this mirror or this wall the moment I saw your hands reach for your skirt. Do you get why your blade is against my throat? It is because I simply allowed it to. So the next time you do it, do it faster, cut to the chase princess!" he said. The next thing I knew was that I was pushed back against the wall.

"Stay still" was all I heard.

With my front pressed against the wall, he pulled at the strings, untying them and I felt his hands brush against my skin, which led to goosebumps erupting on my skin. I shuddered.

"There you go!" he said. All of a sudden, I stood still, like I was a statue, simply blinking away the haze that had somehow slipped into my mind, clouding my thinking.