The Warrior and the Princess (on hold)

Chapter 14

"You didn't tell me that the dinner wouldn't be just the three of us!" Alina pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. She had just discovered that the event would be a formal palace dinner, where she would be introduced to no fewer than two hundred people. She had thought it would be just the two of them and Caleth's mother.

"I'm telling you now, Alina," Caleth replied, his voice tired and mumbled, his eyes closed as he sprawled across the bed with only a blanket draped over his waist.

Alina stomped her foot and marched toward him. "Caleth, you can't do this to me. I have no idea what to wear, what to do! You need to give me time to prepare for something like this!" She playfully hit his rock-hard chest with her fist, and when she went to hit him again, he caught her wrist and pulled her down onto him. She landed flat against his chest.

"It hurts," he muttered, wincing slightly.

Alina scoffed. "I'm sure it doesn't. Your chest is harder than a brick."

But then she noticed a scar peeking out from his left side, swollen and bruised.

"Oh my God, Caleth. You're hurt!"

He nodded slightly, still keeping his eyes closed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she bellowed. "I think we should skip dinner. You need rest!"

Caleth opened his eyes, chuckling. "Nice try, but no, we shouldn't skip it. Call the maid. She's waiting outside. She'll know what to do with this." He pointed to the scar on his side.

Alina raised her brows, uncertain if the maid was the right person to handle this, but she did as he asked. Opening the door, she found Siella waiting outside. Alina wondered how long the maid had been standing there and if she had heard what was going on inside the room.

It was clear from Siella's swollen eyes and red face that she had been crying. Alina's intuition told her she knew exactly what had caused the maid's distress.

"Caleth is asking for you," Alina said. "He's injured."

Siella nodded and bowed before entering the room. She took a box from the cupboard, then went to the back of the room and returned with a warm washcloth. Her head was bowed, avoiding eye contact with Alina, as she approached Caleth.

As if this were a routine task, Siella began to clean the wound gently. Caleth lay still, his eyes closed, allowing her to work. Siella lowered the blanket very low, revealing a V-shaped area below his waist and exposing his left side from stomach to thigh. Alina tensed, ready to intervene if the maid lowered it any further, but thankfully, Siella did not. Instead, she applied an ointment to the wound and carefully began stitching the gaping injury closed.

Alina watched Siella intently. She could tell the maid was in love with Caleth, and she felt a pang of sympathy for her. She couldn't imagine how painful it must be for Siella to have to tend to her love while he was with someone else. Even without Caleth mentioning it, Alina knew this wouldn't be the first time he had brought someone to his chamber. She wondered if the maid cried every time it happened or if this was the first.

After all, this time Caleth was with his wife, and that was a done deal—the ship had sailed.

When Siella finished her task, she cleaned up, adjusted the towel back around Caleth's waist, and put the box back in the cupboard. Before she left, she mentioned that the Queen Mother had prepared a selection of dresses for Alina in the wardrobe, should she wish to choose one. Alina was puzzled why Siella had waited until the last minute to mention this, rather than informing her earlier.

As Siella closed the door behind her, Caleth tugged his wife's hand, pulling her playfully on top of him. They laughed together, and then he kissed her once more.