The Beginning

Chapter Four

"What was that?" Prince Ignatius demanded, his amber eyes wide. His hands which hovered over the hilt of his sword was shaking slightly. I think that this is the first time I have seen his  composure shaken.

"Nothing," Princess Meredith says bluntly, tucking strands of her hair back in place.

"Tell me," he says but this time it is a command. He shifts his gaze to me. I return his glare steadily as I inhaled, thinking of what to say, of how much to say and how not to violate my orders

"I cannot," I say, after deciding my reply.

"This is an order," he says in a clipped voice, scrunching his brow. He is slowly becoming agitated.

"My orders come from much higher," I say and his amber eyes flicker dangerously.

"On whose order?" He spits at me, his eyes blazing. I maintain my ground under the heat of his stare. He was known for his short temper which, I've been told, never ended well. I pause, considering my words once more. Should I tell him? That the Lady Eysllt was the one who issued the order. Someone would tell him eventually, it shouldn't necessary be me.

"King Alexander and King Maldon," I say before pausing to push the sleeve of my dress up to reveal a blue rose vine tattoo that was snaked around my upper right arm. His eyes widened at the sight as well as the other Princesses. I decided I would tell him after all, "And the Lady Eysllt."

There was a dead silence that followed afterwards, no one dare to utter a single word. The color from his face drained considerably as he pondered my words. I was seeing more sides of the Prince than I had seen in the time I spent here at the place.

"We were selected amongst our bloodlines to protect you by our kings," Princess Meredith says, breaking the silence. I wince as she does, remembering the ordeals and past events that had occurred. Kill or be killed, Lady Eysllt had said to me. I was the only reluctant participant. One child of each line must do it.

"Selected ?" He scoffs, an arrogant expression filling his features. He shifts his gaze from Meredith to me, glaring at us both. He pursued his lips for an insult.

"Yes selected," I say in a clipped voice, matching his tone and shutting him up in one blow.

A pause.

"Why?" He asks, refusing to be subdued. I narrow my eyes at him. Didn't I already told him that I couldn't give him that information ? He was getting on my nerves now .

"Because apparently your life is worth something," I snap.