The Blade Princess

---Price to Pay---

I woke up in the middle of the night screaming with pain. We were in the middle of the forest where we stopped to rest at night. The wood in front of me was almost all burnt and I could see the faint light in the sky that meant dawn was arriving.

"What is wrong?" Bretrarum asked carefully to keep a distance from me.

"Everything- pains," I muttered the words with difficulty.

It felt like someone was peeling the skin of my bones and I had no idea how to stop. Bretrarum seemed as helpless as I felt as my cry for help became louder.

I noticed in the excruciating pain that Bretrarum was pulling something from his bag maybe a bowl or something like that. I saw swirling of black smog in his hand and he was enchanting something. It felt like I would soon lose consciousness if the pain didn't stop.

"Drink this." He said and I didn't even know what the mixture had but I was in so much pain that I picked it up without question and drank it.

The effect was immediate as the pain subsided to a dull ache in my body.

I sighed in relief and looked at him with gratitude.

"What was this and why have you not given me this before?" I asked in a weak tone.

"I had no idea the poison was this strong. It's affecting your body too fast. I have given you medicine to keep it frozen for six hours but I am not sure if that will be helpful." He said hiding the fear in his words.

"I might die soon." I completed the thought for him and he slowly nodded.

The thought surprisingly didn't even upset me or made me worried.

"Finally someone who is helping me end my miserable life," I said with dark humor which was not appreciated by the Prince.

And as if on cue, I coughed out blood from my mouth.

The distress on Bretrarum's maskless was so unnerving that I felt like walking up to him and pull him in for an embrace to console him.

"We need to keep moving now." He said and got up collecting all our things.

I got up still feeling sore all over from the after effect of the poison frozen in my body for a few hours.

"Also be careful and stay as far from me as possible because the poison will trigger and it will cause suspicion." He explained to me and I nodded not telling him that I have developed a constant dull ache in my heart.

---

I have heard much about the beauty and brawns of the Sorceress of the Mountain but she was much more than the rumors. After walking without any rest for four hours we reached the Kingdom I have only heard about. It was stretched far along the mountains, the towns created right beside the flowing rivers and among the greenery and treasure of flora and fauna.

People here looked more at ease and happy, dressed in the simplest of attires they minded their own business. Something about the air of the Kingdom made your nerves calm and relaxed.

Bretrarum was recognized by few as a Healer and people greeted him with a smile and bow. It was not a surprise that the females were paying a lot more attention to him than necessary.

 I carefully walked behind keeping a safe distance as he walked with grace towards the palace he apparently knew the path too well.

The palace was made as if it was carved into mountains. The grey rocks were built into a gate too tall. Two guards dressed in silver armor stood at the gate which seemed indestructible anyway.