Innocent

Chapter Eighteen

"GOOD morning ma'am," a cheerful voice stated as the blinds were being pulled open. The sun's rays warmed my back and created a river of light into the room.

Suddenly, I feel someone shaking my body aggressively which caused a groan to escape from my lips. My eyes fluttered open and they blinked multiple times before I clearly saw the little boy looking at me with watery eyes. What tugged at my heart more was the pout on his beautiful face.

"Mom, are you okay? I miss you!" Liam threw himself at me, clutching my waist tightly as if I was going to leave him at any moment. From his sudden action, pain erupted from all over my body. I bit down hard on my bottom lip to prevent any sound of agony to escape from my lips.

Liam continued to cuddle me until a pair of long arms encircled his body to pull him away. I looked up and met the eyes of a familiar teenage boy. "Micah?" I breathed out confused of his presence in the room. In return, Micah flashed me his boyish smile.

I directed my eyes back to Liam who impatiently got out of Micah's hold and began tugging on my arm. Before he uttered a word to me, he stuck his tongue out at Micah. "Momma, are you okay? They wouldn't let me see you yesterday. Uncle played with me but he's boring! He's always leaving me. Even Grey leaves-"

"Uncle?" Looking at Micah with creased eyebrows, I asked him, "The Western King is here?" He only nodded, pointing his thumb behind him towards the door.

"They are all about to have lunch soon at the gazebo, Princess. The one near the marbled fountain."

"They?"

"The Royals of the Northern Kingdom, King Alfred, and your three body guards. My mother used to care for King Alfred when he was a child, so he entrusted me to look after Liam till their lunch is over. He doesn't want to burden us with the subjects they'll discuss." That cleared some of my questions.

Liam began to jump up in an excited manner. "I snuck in here with Mike to see you! Uncle said not to see you but you've been sleeping for too long."

"For how long?" Panick stirred in my whole body.

Micah cleared his voice. "Not too long. A day or so. It's nothing to worry about, Princess."

"Please refrain from calling me that, Micah. I already told you that that title does not define who I am." Micah bowed his head slightly as a sign that he understood.

"Apologies."

I slowly started to get off the mattress, gritting my teeth together to suppress another groan. Micah wanted to stop me, but decided to help me up instead. This time, I was able to get up with minimal difficulties yet I still stumbled over my footsteps heading over to the bathroom.

When the door clicked shut behind me, I stripped from the night gown that was put on me. I hadn't realized I was changed until now and somehow I feel violated at the thought of a maid undressing me. Add in the fact that it must of been a maid from the Northern Kingdom.

I thoroughly examined the bruises on my body, wincing as I touched some of the larger blotches. Most of the ones around my stomach and knees had turned an ugly shade of purple. I moved my face closer to the mirror, tilting my head down to take a look at the noticeable cut on my forehead. Damn, this is gonna scar, I cursed in my head.