𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬♛ 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧⚚

38⚚ Hating

Author POV:

Her chest tightened, breath coming in shaky gasps as her lips trembled to form a single word—Papa... The said person was just sleeping with no care in the world.

She, with shaky steps, went to him and shook him a bit. The elder woke up with a panic and crawled into a corner.

Amaira gasped called "Papa," in a low voice, because all the crying had made her throat ache. She just wanted to be in Viraj's arms and let him pamper her, but she couldn't do that now.

The ex-king widened his eyes, seeing Amaira in front of him. "Princess...?" he asked in an equally low shocked voice.

Amaira sobbed. "Papa, what are you doing here?" She hugged him, making the ex-king hug his daughter back and cry.

"Princess, it is you, right? I am not hallucinating?"

Amaira nodded, hiccupping. "Yes, Papa. Yes, it's me."

After they both calmed down, Amaira sat in front of him and asked, "What is all this, Papa? My brain cannot take any of this anymore. Why are you here? Why did you hide here?"

Her father's eyes widened. "Hide?" he asked.

Amaira nodded. "Achi told me this library is only accessible to me and you. So there is no way anyone else could have locked you here."

The king's eyes widened in realization. "I am in the queen's library?"

Amaira frowned. "Papa, you are scaring me. Tell me what the hell happened?"

The ex-king sighed. "I was kidnapped."

Amaira took a step back, staring at her father with wide, disbelieving eyes. Kidnapped?

Her heart pounded violently against her ribs. The word alone made her head spin. Her father—the king—was kidnapped?

How is that even possible?

Her chest heaved, and her breath came out in shaky gasps. She clenched her hands into fists, trying to steady herself. "Papa, who dared to do this? You are the king! How could someone—" She stopped mid-sentence, noticing the hesitation in his eyes.

Then, his next words shattered her completely.

"How did you find me, Princess?"

She blinked, taken aback. "What?"

Her father sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "You know that only you and I have access to this library," he said slowly. "Then how come you didn't know I was here?"

The words struck her like a blade to the chest.

Her lips parted, her breath hitching. He's accusing me?

Tears welled up in her eyes again, the ache in her throat worsening. She already felt like she was drowning in endless questions

"Are you accusing me, Papa?"

The king hesitated. "No, Princess..."

Amaira wanted to bang her head against the wall with everything happening around her. Nothing made sense anymore. It was as if the universe had decided to throw every possible twist at her, one after another, leaving her drowning in a sea of confusion.

Her mind was spinning, her chest tightening with unspoken emotions. All she wanted—no, all she needed—was to run into Viraj's arms, to have him wrap her up in his warmth and shield her from this storm.

He was the only constant in her life, the only person who made her feel safe, made her feel like no matter what happened, she would be okay.

But she couldn't do that. Not yet.