She's the Prince

Chapter 18

A Dagger's Decision

Prince Ares felt a surge of adrenaline as he approached Ninazu, sensing the tension crackling in the air. His instincts sharpened, alerting him to the impending danger. Before he could fully process the situation, Ninazu drew a dagger, lunging at him with wild determination.

"Captain, look out!" Samiya shouted, her voice slicing through the chaos.

Captain Callan dashed forward, seizing Ninazu's wrist just in time to deflect the blade away from Ares's neck. The sudden clash of movement froze the air, drawing all eyes to the three of them. Ares felt the sting of blood on his palm as he grasped the dagger's blade.

"This is not how I imagined my evening," he muttered, glancing at the shocked faces of Samiya and Alora.

"Prince Ares..." Samiya and Alora exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide with concern. They noticed the crimson bloom on Ares's palm.

"Prince Ares, remove your hand from the dagger," Captain Callan commanded, urgency coloring his tone.

As Ares loosened his grip, Ninazu withdrew the dagger from the prince's neck. Silence hung heavily in the air as Ares turned slightly, blowing gently on the wound caused by his tight grip on the blade.

"Are you all right, Prince Ares?" Samiya asked, her voice laced with worry.

Ares frowned, a playful glint in his eyes. "If I claim I'm healthy and pain-free, would you believe me?"

"I'm sorry, Prince Ares," Samiya replied, her cheeks flushing.

With a light smile, Ares gently tapped the top of her head. "I'm well, though I am not."

Ninazu and Captain Callan exchanged concerned glances, frowning at the interaction while noting the redness on Samiya's face. Callan stepped closer to Ares, carefully holding his injured hand.

"You shouldn't have touched the dagger's blade," he admonished.

To Ares' surprise, Ninazu grabbed the prince's other hand and pulled him along.

"What will you do?" Ares asked, bewildered.

To their surprise, they found themselves walking into a nearby diner. Ninazu sat close to Ares and Captain Callan next to the prince, tension remained high. A servant approached them.

"What do you want to eat?" the servant inquired.

"Let us have the rabbit stew," Captain Callan said, his tone brisk.

The server departed quickly, leaving Ninazu to place his smaller bag on the table. He then turned his attention to Ares's wound.

"Are you not well, Prince Ares? Why do you look so pale?" Captain Callan asked concern etched on his face.

"Ah," Ares motioned for the captain to lean closer. When he did, Ares whispered, "I have a monthly period; you know, women become ill every month."

Captain Callan frowned, disbelief evident in his expression. "Is that possible? Your body is a man."

"I think my body is still alive, so I'm experiencing it," Ares replied, a hint of pain flickering in his eyes. "Aw, it hurts, Ninazu."

Callan cast a wary glance at Ninazu. "Be careful, Healer Ninazu," he warned, irritation creeping into his voice.

"Stop what you're doing. You know I'm treating his wound," Ninazu retorted, annoyance flashing in his eyes.

Samiya and Alora exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued. "Does Captain Callan have feelings for Prince Ares?" Samiya whispered to Alora.