The Blade Princess

---Reason---

I should have never trusted Bretrarum. I should have never thought for a minute that he would have a soft corner for the enemy's daughter. This has always been a play, a facade I was stupid enough to fall for.

So when the attack happened in the palace hall, I did nothing. I did not create any distractions while I was stupidly regretting believing the look in eyes, the concern in his words and little gestures. 

He knew, obviously, he knew, he knew the relationship between Henley and me. He knew everything about me, there is no way he did not know about this, even palace maids talked about us.

And this was the reason he chose not to kill me or buy me from the brothel.

I should not have felt this much pain but my heart ached sharply enough to make me clutch my chest in pain. The palace hall was filled with chaos while I tried to recover from the shock and think about running. And I saw someone from across my window drop a dagger. And I realized he even had a contingency plan in case I failed to do what he asked me to.

That meant he could have easily lied about not being the one who killed my father. I felt disgusted at myself for falling prey to his charms and tricks. I felt devasted just like I did when my Kingdom fell. With trembling legs, I got up and looked at the gate through which we came since I can't just walk of his rooms and attract that much attention. 

Tracing the steps back in the absolute dark tunnel, I kept moving my sobs echoing through the path.

I felt stupid and miserable right now as I tried to wipe the tears flowing free now.

I just kept going and realized that the path didn't end even though my feet were hurting now due to too much walking.

He trapped me here and I willing walked in this. More tears flowed down my eyes as I sat down, my leg muscles burning, my head and heart hurting.

I felt a sudden gush of wind, a familiar presence even in the darkness. He was here.

"Liahna," Bretrarum called out my name.

He never called me by my name and I have never told him either. For some reason when he called out more tears filled my eyes.

"Don't you dare use my name," I said feeling anger and pain simultaneously.

I looked up and saw the little fire flickering from his finger as he stood tall over me. I got back up not afraid of him, just pure abhorrence. He was unmasked surprisingly.

"Was it fun Prince? Buying a toy and playing with its emotion?" I said bitterly.

"Trust me, Princess, it was not fun." I saw his jaw tick.

And I scoffed, "Was it not? Tell me, Prince, why did you buy me. The least you could do is answer my question."

Actually, he owed me nothing, it was my fault to believe the enemy,

"Why Princess? Have you shifted your feelings from Prince Henley to me?" His tone was stiff.

He confirmed it, he knew and I felt the suffocating the knot in my chest grew tighter.

"Do you know that so far we have taken over every Kingdom except Prince Henley's? Every time our people try to attack they are defeated. Their Kingdom is holding some power that I need to know," He said like it didn't even matter to him to see tears welling in my eyes.

How could he do this? Act so naturally?

He was actually as heartless as people said. 

"So you kept me alive," I said in a voice unfortunately thick with emotions.