Duchess Of Sebria

Before you dive into the story, I would like to clear the leads' age to avoid confusion.

Renai was twelve years old in the beginning, four years later she was sixteen and now eight years later she is twenty-four.

Zebian was eighteen in the first meeting. Twenty-two four years later and now, thirty as a king.

******

"Lo and behold, kneel before your glorious Majesty," A voice bellowed out all over the hall. Everyone, from toddlers to grey-haired, fell on their knees with their heads facing the concrete ground.

The Majesty's powerful tread echoed all over the hall, his cape billowed out on the floor, marking the flooring of his enormous castle's hall as his victorious territory. He reached to his retained throne and gracefully took the royal seat, arms resting on the armrest of the impeccable throne.

"Rise," The King commanded and within a second, the heads of his people were upped as they stood on their feet, but eyes still downcast.

The hearing began. The imperial chief shared several news with the people and suggested some strategies to empower the states under their rule. Lord Bancroft listened to his ingenious schemes and nodded while contemplating the best decision to render for his people.

Citizens of different villages were presented before them, they shared the frets of their tribes. Their lord attentively listened to them and passed commands in their relieving favour. The people of Sebria were loving their current Lord as he was merciful and compassionate. They couldn't be more thankful to their former King for choosing Bancroft over the original king who died on the battlefield because of his incompetence.

The hearing ended two hours later. Everyone was ordered to empty the courtroom. It was now only The King and his personal advisor in the hall. The lord stood to his feet and gazed at the setting sun through the window on his right.

"Where's his Highness? I was expecting the prince to be present during the hearing," Lord Bancroft menacingly asked the imperial advisor who stood behind him now.

He lowered his head in remorse as he knew his words would not please the King. "My Lord, his Highness has taken a ride towards the West. My Queen has overruled the evening walk's restriction on the future King, I seek forgiveness of my merciful Lord," The advisor bowed deeply in proper etiquettes.

The King's jaw clenched hearing his son's defiance again. The boy had never been this stubborn. He was sure now that something wasn't right. "Send men to bring him back. I want him present in my room in an hour," The King pressed an order and stomped toward the exit.

He needed a good earful.

****

Chords of giggles flooded in the open sky as he chased her in the deserted jungle. He didn't expect her legs to run this fast, maybe he underestimated her. The girl's laughter escaped her throat as she glanced at her best friend, still many feet away from her.

"Just wait, Rose, I'm going to catch you in a blink," Zebian warned her, her laughs burst into the air again as she shook her head while pushing her legs to consume their maximum velocity.

"You wish, goblin," She shouted, dodging trees and bushes with thorns.

He tried to reach an inch closer to her but she wasn't giving him any chance. After sprinting for what felt like a century, they reached closer to their secret spot, he begged her to stop. She first shook her head to tease him but watching him coughing hard got her steps jammed. The pitter-patter of the river blended with his choking coughs.

She dashed back to him and clapped his back. "Are you okay, my Lord?" She asked in utter concern and sincerity. Zebian's blue eyes flitted at her once he stopped coughing.

"What did you call me?" He threw a rhetorical question, rasping in tribulations. Renai's eyes flickered fatuously but then she realised where the problem laid.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot not to address you with that," She apologised.

"Do not ever call me that, Rose. For your friend takes it in his offence," Zebian commanded her in his majestic tone. Renai's cheeks reddened in embarrassment. How to tell him she always felt intimidated whenever he spoke this way. She would get reminded of who he was and how matchless their friendship was.

Whereas Zebian always came here to avoid his reality. He preferred to be treated like a normal person by her. He liked living an ordinary life. But in his reality, the word 'Normality' had a different definition. The more powerful and exalted you were, the more normal and fancied you would be perceived.

Zebian flickered his eyes from her to the stream that was cascading down like rhythmic pearls of sapphires smoothly merging into the river. His lips stretched into a humble smile, he liked this, not because he was a die-hard fan of nature but because the girl beside him made every moment special of his life.

Having her by his side filled his life with the peace that he always craved.

"You know how precious is this moment for me?" He murmured generally, the sunset behind the stream was an ethereal sight. He couldn't be thankful enough for the day he discovered this spot with a girl as innocent as a newborn baby.

Renai followed the line of his gaze and hummed pleasantly. She was a devoted nature enthusiast. "I am aware, this sight is worth dying for," she blurted out admiringly, absorbed by the beauty.

"No talks concerning death, rose. For such words do not suit my beloved," Zebian's forehead had a faint crease of offence.

Renai turned her gaze toward him and blinked, there was a dire intensity of some emotion glistening in his bluish orbs that she couldn't understand. But she had a little idea of what that fervency meant. Though she could not dare to fall for it. This would never happen.

Despite being friends with the member of the most powerful family alive, she couldn't dodge the truth that she was a plebeian and yet daring to fall for a prince who would be a King in upcoming years was a sin. Deadly sin for an indigent commoner like her.

"Here I feel the need to correct you, my friend. I can not afford to be your beloved, I'm just your secret friend who daily comes to meet you for a few hours and when she goes back, she forgets she ever met you," Renai beamed teasingly. Zebian's eyes morphed from soft to hard.

"Then one day I shall take her with me so she never ever thinks about forgetting me," He retaliated back, earning a chuckle from her.

"It's never going to happen, we are bound to forget each other one day," She replied between her soft chuckles.

"Never," Zebian gritted, his forehead grew in a grave grimace and jaw clenched upon her piercing words.

Renai's eyes flitted on him, her grin morphed into a melancholic smile that tyrannise her features. "We can't forget our realities, my Lord. You're someone I am not even allowed to think of, yet I'm here to share my lunch with you, you see how daring I'm," she tried to joke again.

No matter how many times Zebian had used his eloquent words on her, that couldn't make her forget how her people had perceived her. For them, she would always be a curse. For many years her heart had recited endless fantasies that she knew were bound to hurt her one day, so she never believed in any of them.

He jerked away his face and strode in the other direction. Renai watched him walking away from her. Her innocent face bore a cute strained pout. "Hey, where are you going?" She shouted to have him stop but he continued trudging away.

After shouting two to three times and not getting a response, she shot to her feet and scuttled after him and held his arm with her dainty fingers. "You promised me you will never avoid me," she spoke with a crack in her voice. He halted and turned around to fix her with a cold stare.

"First learn to talk high of yourself and then I shall grant you my words," He grumbled huskily. He never liked how she disparaged herself and talked highly of him. Only if she had known what she meant to him, she would have never felt low about herself.

Renai inhaled longingly, "You are overreacting for no reason. No one can deny the truth. It's better if I admit it, it would hurt less," She murmured with a soft smile. Zebian's heart contorted in a congested jolt. He dashed toward her in two urgent steps and cupped her cheeks in his palms.

"You rose...you know you are the only reason that excites me to start my day. You make me happy. Only I know how I passed those ten days without having a sight of you. Being with you makes me think I'm turning into a better man, I don't know what I would do without you and when you speak of forgetting and leaving me one day, trust me, I feel the need to set the whole world on fire just to keep you close to myself." He confessed with a heavy heart that shone in his bluish orbs. He bent his face closer to hers. Her eyes flashed to his lips which made her gulp.

"I'd do anything to make you happy. You have me, love," He grazed his thumb on her cheek.

Renai also dragged a ragged breath, staring vehemently into his eyes. She raised her hands to grab his wrists and shook her head, tears welled up in her eyes but she willed them to stay back.

"No, my lord. I shouldn't be the one to accept your affection, for they belong to a woman of your status, not someone like me. I'm no princess, I'm just a daughter of a commoner who sells meat," She retorted nervously, a tear slipping down to her cheek.

Zebian was quick to follow and wipe it away.

"Don't you fret, my sweet. One day you will say what I want to hear. Just that day," He had been telling her that for almost a year. She playfully huffed in retreat and stepped back to collect her fabric bag that had their lunch.

Their friendship had elevated to a hazardous turn when they disguised as a couple and snuck into another state where they had to stay motel room and share a single bed.

Both of them detested the idea and Renai even offered to sleep on the floor as he wasn't used to it, but he didn't let her and forcefully, they both slept on that bed.

Renai was quick to sleep out of shyness and exhaustion but Zebian stayed awake all night like a hawk, staring at the snow-white beauty in his arms. There, he admitted he was feeling the emotion his heart had been indicating at. He madly fell for the sixteen-year-old. Her body was emitting waves of serenity that he craved. He loved being closer to her.

After their four years of friendship, he finally realised he wanted this girl beside his throne. He met many princesses but no one ever caught his interest the way she did. There was something unique about her.

A smile crawled on his lips as he played with her stranded strands. Her lips were parted innocently, he leaned closer and pecked her on them, that was his favourite thing to steal whenever she fell asleep in his arms against the tree.

"Can you help me with the mat?" Renai's soft voice broke his train of thoughts. He blinked twice and found her struggling with setting the mat because of the flared-up wind. He jogged toward her and helped her while she set the lunch for them.

Renai had made Zebian's favourite meal today since tomorrow he would be leaving for the state of Kabila for a week. It was her language of letting him know she would miss him. Zebian savoured the food like always.

"I hope Mr. Aldrich was okay with it," Zebian mentioned her father, who was not only a butcher by profession but also as a man for his family. Zebian learnt he had a hard hand toward his daughter the day she sustained bruises on her cheek and forehead.

She nodded sillily while stuffing her mouth with grapes. He glanced at her, a smile broke on his lips.

"Thank you for making this evening special for me," He pressed her delicate hand. Zebian had grown physical with her from that day and she noticed it. She wasn't complaining till he would touch her inappropriately, which would not happen as she knew he was aware of the boundary line.

"You're exaggerating it," She flushed.

"No seriously. You do make me wish to bring you some jewels or goods." He mumbled.

Renai's eyes snapped at him, she instantly shook her head frantically. "No, I would not be able to secrete such expensive goods, my mattress is upheaved with so many of them already," Renai told him, cracking a hearty laugh out of him.

"And here I'm desiring to bestow you with the finest goods of the world so only you can conceal it under your blessed mattress, what an unfeasible wish I'm making," Zebian teased her, she nudged her arm in his elbow.

"The Duke shall not belittle a commoner, it's a rule embraced by your father," She backfired him. He chuckled again.

"Oh, so now the future duchess would teach her duke how to behave," Zebian sneered, and both of them spun their head toward each other. Renai glared at him with a reasonable amount of audacity whereas he grinned with his heart in his eyes.

"I repeat, I'm a commoner," she gritted. Why had he always pretended to forget this fact? There was no way where she would hold high hopes. It would only get her a brutal downfall.

"I can make you an uncommoner if you shall permit me," Zebian smirked.

"You're being unreasonable, stop it," She averted her eyes at the ground. He was teasing her but there was also a ray of commitment gleaming in his eyes but she knew that would not matter.

He wasn't the king yet. The current king promised the world to bring wonders to his realm and it was only possible if he ensured the safety of the future was in safe hands. He would never let his son marry a commoner, rather he would kill her in front of him if he'd ever told him about her. He needed a daughter-in-law who would have an insightful, astute and kind-hearted aptitude. A real Queen beside the future King. Which Renai could never be since she didn't belong to royalty, her fate was poverty.

"It is not possible, my lord," She told him steadfastly, her heart was ripped up by the unasked pain.

"It is," Zebian was not going to back down. Renai was clearly testing his stubbornness. She wanted to believe him but just couldn't, her mind wouldn't allow to be off-guard. Her head fell over his shoulder as she tried to her best to suppress the pain.

She looked up, her face inch away from his. She tried to scurry back but his hand on her back ceased her movements. "It is possible, rose,"

"How?" She gulped.

"Like this," The next she knew was his wet lips attacking her soft flesh in a blink. She tried to push him at his chest but he held her hand only to push his tongue to pass through the seam of her lips.

Her eyes rounded in surprise as he invaded her mouth and worked his hot tongue against her rooted one. He explored every corner of her insides while she endured the shock. He gently bit her tongue and pressed her head more into him as if he would smash their bodies into one.

He pulled away when he felt her erratic heartbeat against his normal one. He slowly pulled his tongue out and bit on her lower lip with his eyes closed. His body was dampened in heat. Every inch desired her. He gave her light pecks on her mouth and traced to her flustered cheeks.

"My..Lord, we can't..." she tried to speak but words jammed in her mouth as he again pulled her into a fierce kiss. He got full access and deprived her of speaking further when she resisted. He yanked her on his lap and slipped his hands under her dress. He lapped on her mouth as he gripped her sleek waist.

She let him do whatever he wanted. This was the first time they gotten a taste of each other's carnal warmth. She tasted delicious, divine. He grew devoted and impatient. His body trembled due to sudden explosion of lust.

His hands slipped on her tiny butt. He groped it and kneaded it while passionately working on her mouth. She let out a stuck moan and tangled her tongue against his. His throat escaped a groan as he pinned her back against the tree and pushed his mouth more into her entrance.

She tightly shut her eyes and let tears stream down. She knew it was just temporary. He was not intended to be hers. He would never be no matter how many times he would say.

But his kiss was melting her heart. Pleading with her mind to grant him a chance that she just could not. This was a facade. It was meant to be forgotten one day.

He pulled away the moment he felt she was out of breath. She inhaled a gulp of oxygen with her hand on her chest. Zebian noticed her tears and leaned in to kiss each of them. "Do not cry," He kissed her cheek with his eyes closed.

"For your Lord is after you,"

And that's when they both heard. "Prince Zebian!"

1

It was smouldering hot outside. The sun erupted unsparing heat across the outskirts of the twelve states. Humidity had taken over almost all around the world due to drastic heat waves. Prince Zebian stepped toward the immense window and studied the ambience. His lips leaked a smirk. Perfect weather for hunting.

"Prepare my dearest horses and men, I shall be leaving for the woods in no time," He commanded profusely, his chief servant bowed and back-pedalled to convey his orders among the assigned guards. Zebian turned around pensively and left for his dressing room with hands tied behind his back.

There, his staff waited patiently, their hands crossed against their thighs, eyes stoned at ground. He shed his royal nightgown, pulling his silk shirt over his head while stepping on the concrete soapbox.

The royal staff walked ahead and cleaned his body with a slightly drenched-in-milk loofah and spritzed his favourite fragrance over his body, which was made up of a mix of citrus and rose. It had a sweet fragrance. The one that more suited a princess than a prince but he still preferred it over manly scents.

His arms were widely apart when they glided the magnificent gown over his shoulders. He stared at himself through the mirror as servants groomed him to perfection. It was a daily ritual. For him it meant obligation, but for someone ordinary, it would mean a luxury. A rare, royal luxury.

Once the whole procedure was done and he donned enough layers of safety, he was good to head toward the main chamber where his mother and the beloved Queen would be present with her King at the breakfast table.

"His Highness has arrived," The chamber-head announced at the top of his lungs. Zebian marched in and halted closer to the dining table, holding his mother's chair. The queen glanced behind and brushed his cheek after blessing him with a motherly look.

"My lion," Queen Meriall expressed when Zebian flitted his arms around her and pecked on her hair.

"Good morning, mother," He murmured, before pulling away to occupy his allocated chair opposite Meriall. His eyes darted at the King who was already staring at him, Zebian slightly bowed with a stern look. "My King, I pay you my heartiest greetings,"

The King acknowledged with a deep bow and tightened lips. "Your King has accepted with pleasure," Bancroft stated, deadpan as ever.

"Have the prince of Sebria enjoyed his stay in the state of Kabila?" Meriall asked as servants began serving him breakfast, Zebian intermingled his fingers while listening to her.

Zebian nodded once, gracefully. "Yes, my Queen. It was worth my time. They are blessed with diverse enrichments of jewels and exotic fruits. I must not feel remorseful of my decision of heading to Kabila," He stated pridefully, like a prince would.

Both of his parents looked at him with pride-filled eyes. His mother was proud of who he was becoming. A proficient ruler, who was being mentored as a future king. His masters praised him for his manners, wisdom, foresight, courage, courteousness and much more. It was a moment of reassurance for his parents. For their heir was becoming capable of bringing miracles home once handed the throne.

They returned to their meals and began eating. The breakfast went as usual, quiet.

Zebian smudged a napkin on his lips while glancing at his mother. "My Queen and my King, I shall be imparting to you of my departure to the woods for hunting as my rewarding bonus, for I worked hard and seek my reward in return," He stood to his feet and rounded the table to place a kiss on his mother's knuckle.

Meriall delicately glanced at her husband, seeking his permission. Bancroft pursed his lip tightly as he found granting his consent right away a little complicated. He preferred going with him, but couldn't due to his packed schedule. He could trust Zebian with many things but not with a violent sport such as hunting.

Prince Zebian lacked one thing that he should be having the most; self-control. A loose temper did not suit a future king.

"My King, your son is eligible for this exotic pastime. Please bless him with your trust. He shall not fall short of your expectation," Zebian puffed out his chest in dire confidence. Bancroft inhaled deeply, hearing his son this intrepid.

"I invested my trust on his highness but he shall not exploit the liberty. For I am sending my imperial sword of honour as my disguise," The King stated. Zebian's forehead creased a frown. Offence sat across his features.

"I'm mature enough to protect myself, Lord Bancroft. I don't need a babysitter..." Zebian spat out daringly. "And besides, my army is with me. You must not fret," He jerked his head toward his back, pointing at them.

"My word is law, Zebian. You shall not be going without my trustee," King gritted. Zebian felt his body temperature rising. Blame it on the hot blood running in his veins or teenage hormones, he wasn't relishing this debate.

"You shall not be disappointed, my King, I'm old enough to keep my wild to myself," Zebian sneered and bowed deeply with the deepest gratitude.

"Very well you may say, but for the King, you are only eighteen. Barely an adult, kid," Bancroft backfired, conveying the message who had the command over who. Zebian smirked as the responsive reply hit his heart close. "The conversation is dismissed. You shall leave," King slurred.

Zebian gave him a curt look before flashing a smile at Meriall and left with a hot-head.

*****

"Fucking hell," He swore groggily. His body ached pathetically when he tried to move, even an inch. His eyes barely parted, he knew something happened but couldn't decipher until it took everything in him to open his eyes and look around with a hazy vision.

His hand glided toward his forehead as pain shot up there. He hissed and gave himself enough time to regain strength. Once he managed to rest against a tree in a sitting position, he realised his clothes were ripped from different spots, he was drenched in the mud with his body containing sharp, lethal cuts. Blood generously oozed out of them. He scrutinised them and wondered how possibly he got here.

And just then, his mind flashed a memory of him riding his unique white horse while chasing a deer, his eyes were locked on it with a crossbow in his hand, he was about to release the arrow when a branch of a tree hit his face, pushing him to fall off the cliff. The rest he couldn't recall as he lost his consciousness midway.

He gripped a thorn and plucked it out of his flesh with a maddening hiss. Blood was trailing down from his forehead as well as his legs and bicep. He huffed agonisingly and inspected around, recalling how his father was right. He was still a kid and needed guidance. Look where his overconfidence brought him.

No one was around him, which made him believe he had come too far to rescue. But it was a sure thing they would find him out before the moon would overtake the sky.

The sun had an hour to set. So, he just took his time to savour its sight and waited for them. His wounds were throbbing but he paid no heed.

Suddenly, a rustling of bushes made his head turn in that direction. His eyes first picked up on a foot. His back erected in some hope of finding a mere guard of the castle. But in the following second, his hope tarnished as a girl of nearly eleven to twelve came into the picture. He frowned in perplexity. What was she doing here?

He kept his eyes trained on her, meanwhile, the girl dusted off the mud from the middle of her dress and smiled pleasantly. Once she stood straight, she felt heavy disruption occurring over her shoulder. Her head instinctively turned toward the direction, her breath stifled.

She blinked at him after eyeing him from top to bottom. He was wounded. The realisation struck her before any emotion could make sense to her. She dashed toward him and plopped her fabric bag on the muddy ground.

Her grey eyes carefully scrutinised his bleeding bruises and when she extended her hand to hold his leg, he flinched back, making her furrow. "You're bleeding, your wound needs to be tended," She told him softly but urgently.

He furrowed with a stoic face. "And you think you may clean my wound," He spat a sardonic remark.

She couldn't get the sarcasm behind his words, she innocently blinked her eyes as she nodded with a parted mouth, her lips were plump, he noticed. "I can clean your wounds," she replied and tried to hold his leg again. He scoffed and jerked in response. This girl must be doing it to gain a reward from his father.

"I do not need help from a kid," He gritted offendedly when she again tried to touch his leg.

"You're being stubborn for no reason. It's bleeding badly, you might catch an infection if you would leave it unattended," She retorted while fetching something from her shabby fabric bag.

"I said I don't need your help, you may leave," He commanded sternly with narrow eyes. She sighed resentfully, sinking her shoulders in defeat but still tried to test her luck.

"My mother was a herbalist and a healer, she taught me some tricks. I can really help you," She took out two mini half-filled bottles that contained some kind of oils. His face twisted in an ugly expression.

"Tricks?...ha, I certainly don't need tricks and experiments conducted on me neither my parents would find it appreciative so just stay away from me, nymph," His tone was getting thinner and thinner. First, these wounds soured his whole body and now her defiance. She should know irking a prince can bring her great trouble.

"Let me see it," She wasn't going to back down.

"I said stay away!" He growled in frustration. What word she couldn't get in her head? She flinched badly but didn't let him dominate her.

"Stop being so full of yourself, boy. I'm doing it for you and you are repaying me with a scold," She retaliated with a hurtful look clouding her innocent features. His heart took her feelings into consideration, but his mind resisted wholly.

"Are you mindful of who you are disputing with?" His jaw twitched asking her.

"Who exactly? A royal guard? A royal chief? Because if not then you're rigidly acting like them," She seized hold of his legs after slightly schooling him, he loosened his leg once he noticed she wasn't aware of his identity. She soaked a white cloth with the oil while gazing at the wound. "This has bled so much, you shouldn't have wasted time," her face had a cute sullen look.

"You really don't know who you are talking to," he murmured under his breath with a slightly less harsh tone. His body loosened in response.

"Neither I want to know," she glanced impassively. He smirked, amused. Only if she knew.

"Where do you live, young lady?" He asked.

"I'm from Winsford of southern Sebria," She retorted, cleaning his wound. He could feel the burn but decided against showing her his pain. It wouldn't be a virile sight.

"What are you doing here at such a place and that too, at this hour?" He asked out of the blue, flitting his bluish eyes around their surroundings, they were sitting close to a sharp cliff. Sun was setting and no trace of a human could be seen as far as he could see.

"I should be asking you the same question, what are you doing here?" She enquired before cutting a piece of gauze with her teeth and draping it around the wound.

"You are not authorised to question me, mind your tongue," He gritted with direful eyes.

"And now you're acting as if you are the prince, I think you admire him a lot and If not, then maybe you caught the infection," She joked from her perspective but didn't have the tiniest idea it wasn't. Not even a bit.

Her hand ascended to touch his forehead but he yanked it. "Do not even try to touch me," an angry scowl settled between his glabella.

"Alright, my Lord," it was intended to be a banter. She smiled curtly and attended to the rest of his wounds without saying much. He didn't initiate either.

Five minutes passed by and she completed her task. Just as she was going to say done. A voice barged in before hers could.

"My lord," their heads contorted toward the thick voice.

It was the sword of honour looking at them.

2

"My lord, are you alright?" The sword of honour stepped off his horse and sprinted toward them. Renai just stared at the dangerous-looking man who also addressed him 'Lord' but from no angle it seemed like he was bantering. The man knelt before him and studied his wounds. "Does it hurt much?" He asked with his voice laced with utter concern and apprehension. It sounded too weird to her.

Zebian raised his dirty hand, his face still dressed in a displeasing wince. "I'm better, call of appreciation for this young nymph," He pointed out at her. She, begrudgingly, cocked her head toward the armed man. Her heartbeat shot to a reckless pace.

The man's features softened hearing his words, he nodded deeply and slowly as in a gesture of gratitude to Renai, who just gulped in response. Her face was now deprived of colours. She swivelled her head toward the injured boy, her lips quivering as she frightfully asked, "Are you the prince?" Her voice barely made it to anyone's ear as she lost it inside her.

Zebian smirked evilly, seeing her morphing from assertive to timid. He was entertained by the drastic change. "Will you still run your mouth on me if I say yes?" He enquired sneeringly. The mousy girl flinched in terror and shook her head in a quick no. She instantly threw her eyes down and kneeled properly.

"I beg your pardon, my lord. Please do not bring your wrath upon me, for I'm childish and a fool," She pleaded with her eyes welling tears up. She kept them unshed even when her mind pictured thousands of ways her father would punish if he got to know about it.

"It is your fortunate luck that had earned you your life spared. I feel obliged to you for your kind attempt to heal me," Zebian proclaimed reasonably, giving Renai her breaths back. She sighed in relief once hearing him that he forgave her.

"Indeed, his Highness is kind, the kingdom is in good hands," she profoundly praised him with her eyes still downcast. The sword of honour witnessed the whole conversation and scooted closer to his knees to lift the prince in his arms, but before he could even slide his hand under his knee, the prince jerked away.

"I shall do it on my own," He quietly grumbled in his ear. The sword of honour retreated in acknowledgement. A smirk played on his lips as he figured out the prince wanted to act sturdy in front of the little angelic girl, maybe to impress her.

Zebian stiffly stood on his feet, it was evident how much he was trying to hold back the pain as his face nearly reddened. He hobbled closer to the horse, the guard firmly held his arm when he was about to stumble, they sauntered. He helped him climb up the horse. Renai was still eyeing at the ground when his eyes averted on her, her chest was heaving heavily which told him she was scared.

He gulped for no such obvious reason. The guard astride the horse and yanked at the bridle to get the horse moving.

Renai took a sigh of peace once they got away from her sight. She willingly let herself fall on the ground as her eyes stared out at the sun. a smile leaked down her lips as her only best friend stared back at her. It brought poise to her trembling heart.

For the first time, someone excused her for her mistake.

*****

It had been two weeks to the incident yet he couldn't toss the girl out of his head. Her face was robbing him off of his sleep, it was bizarre. She revolved in his thoughts like a loop of torment. Her dainty fingers, focused eyes and parted lips were playing havoc on his mind, having him for most of his time. He could sense the lust brewing inside him for her even when he was aware of how ordinary she was and also, a mere kid. Someone who wasn't even deserving of his glance.

But there was one thing that nagged him the most. He forgot to ask her name.

He brought the gauze closer to his nose, which still had the oil on it, and took a long sniff, his eyes shutting as he relished the scent. It smelt of roses, just the scent he preferred. Strange.

Even when he least expected it, his wounds healed within days. His doctors felt no stone unturned in serving him but his heart gave all credit to her ointment.

The moment between them didn't feel special back then, but now he couldn't stop thinking about it. It contained so much more than he had noticed at that time. He turned around once his mother's arrival was announced by the guard. He graced her with a smile as she marched to him and only stopped to kiss his forehead before saying anything.

Zebian shut his eyes, relishing her motherly smooch with a smile. She pulled away and fondly looked at him, "How is my son feeling now?" She asked with a peaceful smile and ran her hand through his hair.

"I'm better, mother. I shall sing praises of my excellent staff who nursed me," He spared a glance at the people who were uniformly standing with their hands across their thighs, maintaining two feet distance between each other.

Meriall frowned playfully. "And what about your mother who spent a whole day in making you the remedial brew?" She feigned resentment. Zebian held her hands and placed kisses on both of her palms.

"Your hospitality can not match the kindness of this whole world, you are ethereal," he beamed, making Meriall kiss his cheek in awe this time, a grin sitting upon her lips.

Her eyes flitted on the piece of cloth he was holding. "What is this?" She tried to take it from him but he hid it behind his back.

"Nothing, I was only looking at those blood stains. It's not for you to see," He covered it up with his masterful tongue. Meriall awkwardly nodded once and turned to stare outside, Zebian followed suit. It was evening, close to sunset.

"I'm planning to make a round outside of the castle," Zebian told her while keeping his eyes on the children playing in the ground opposite the public chamber.

Meriall shot her head his way, "Your Highness, his Majesty is not home and he definitely would not like your uninformed visit to anywhere after everything happened weeks ago," Meriall rebuked him sternly, her bluish orbs glittered in objection.

"I will not dare to take long, mother. Just a round for ten minutes and I will be back," Zebian contorted his head and passed her a genuine smile. Meriall sighed fumingly but nodded her head halfheartedly.

"Do come back before your father gets home, otherwise I would fall under his excoriating wrath," Meriall spoke as she stepped ahead and grabbed his developing biceps. Zebian nodded faintly and walked out of her hold.

He climbed up on his precious horse with legs astride and tugged at the bridle to get the horse in motion. Two of his royal guards accompanied him as he made a dash toward the spot where he saw her the last time. It took him five minutes to reach near it. He pulled at the strap and stilled the mighty animal. Getting off of it, he commanded his servants to not follow him from this point on. He strolled toward the cliff, his guard opened his mouth to speak but never actually spoke. He feared upsetting his highness.

Zebian walked toward the spot, his eyes were wandering around aimlessly, he didn't know why he was there. Something inside him made him come in hope of meeting her again. Little did he know he wasting his time and energy. She wouldn't be here, why would she?

But surprisingly, he stopped once his eyes saw what he wasn't expecting.

Was it her?

He had reached the spot and found a girl huddling against the tree where he rested. Her long brown tresses laid out around her body like a veil, his heart secretly praised the allure those soft tendrils had, he liked it. In fact, he felt the urge to touch it.

But his conscience scolded him for having such thoughts. He shook his head and restrained his intentions.

His eyes again fell on her when he heard her weeping. A crease of frown settled on his face, he stepped closer and unconsciously crouched beside her. His hand lifted up to touch her shoulder. Once he grabbed it, she jerked with all her strength and shot him a panic-stricken gape, as if both of them weren't expecting each other here.

Her eyes glittered in recognition and she immediately kneeled before him out of respect. "My prince," her mouth let it out like a whisper. Zebian gulped painfully, watching her behave submissively stirred something inside him. It affected him in a strange way even after being used to such formalities.

"You may lift your eyes," He commanded in a gentle voice. But still, she kept her eyes low for a long minute. Zebian noticed the reluctance, but he wasn't to let go of it. He wanted to see her eyes. He needed to know if she was really crying.

"You may lift your eyes, nymph," He repeated, slightly solemn this time while staring at her round head. She felt his stare boring hole and sighed breathlessly.

"I demand your eyes up, nymph," this time it more sounded like a threat, she flinched visibly before glancing her eyes up and then throwing it down due to intimidation. Her eyes locked on him once she noticed his jaw ticked. He profoundly studied her.

"Were you crying?" He stepped ahead while asking. She curled her fingers into tight fists as she shook her head, lying. Zebian hissed under his breath.

"I behead people who lie to me," He gritted as he crouched before her, making her lower her eyes under his piercing gaze. She gulped meekly.

"I'll ask again, were you crying, rose?" His eyes weren't leaving her face even for a nanosecond. She let out a shaky breath and hesitantly nodded. The seam of his lips pressed together as he contemplated something.

"What are you doing here?" He gave an eye to the surroundings. The sun was again ready to set just like that day.

"It's...it's my secret place, my lord. It's where I come to unload my heart," she spoke in a low voice. Zebian bit his lips and hummed.

"So, you come here every day?" He asked. She nodded, snivelling.

"Since when?" He moved to huddle beside her and witness the glorious sun. her grey orbs followed his action which startled her. He turned his gaze at her and batted his eyebrows for an answer.

"Ah...since when I was a kid," his lips stretched a smile.

"You are still a kid," he replied jokingly. Renai blinked his eyes as she registered her words. A blush crept on her cheeks.

"Yes. You're right, my lord," She mumbled.

"Zebian," He told her.

"Huh?" She looked at him, baffled.

"My name is Zebian, I permit you to call me by my name," He said and softly smiled. Her eyes widened.

"I shall not dare, my lord. It equals high treason," She lowered her gaze. The fact a prince was sitting beside her shuddered her heart, fuelling terror in her veins. She was a commoner and it was a sin to sit with someone as noble as him.

"Not when I permit you myself. Zebian is what I'm going to take for you to address me with," He said. She turned her gaze away from him, at the sun. He snuck a glance at her face from behind.

"What is your name?" He finally asked her.

She gulped and wondered whether she should tell her name but his threat flashed through her mind so she planned on keeping it truthful and straight.

"Renai," she replied.

"Renai," he tested on his lips. It rolled flawlessly over his tongue.

"Similar to rose," he referred. She looked as if she would die if he mistakenly ever touched her. Her whole body weight was on her hands, her toes were curled. He noticed it all. Whereas Renai was close to collapsing due to her rapid heart beating, he was struggling to keep his hands to himself.

"Turn around," he ordered her out of the blue. Renai inwardly flinched at his words. She ever so slowly moved her head over her shoulder and peeked at him. His face betrayed no emotion. She swivelled toward him, her fingers wringing.

"You are scared," He leaned on his hands and nudged his chin.

"I find you intimidating, my lord,"

"Zebian, it is," His tone dramatically heightened, slipping ground under her feet. He clenched his jaw. A voice inside him chided him for scaring her even more. He raised his hand to scratch his eyebrow.

"I want you to call me Zebian," He said calmly, his anger was now long gone. Renai blinked, still unable to lift her eyes.

A grunt left Zebian's throat, he stepped closer and crouched closer to her, hitching her breath and pinning her more against the tree. "You will call me Zebian and it is my full and final order," His jaw was clenching. Why was it too hard for her to understand?

"I am obliged to follow his highness' word like a death warrant, but..."

"I shall take your soul before you express your rejection," That froze her blood faster than frostbites. Her skin turned blanched.

"Why would my lord pass such right to a commoner?" She wrung her fingers as those words slipped. No ounce of amusement could be seen on Zebian's scruffy face.

His hands clasped behind his back as he stared at her before dropping the bomb.

"Because I want us to be friends," Now that's what made her look up. This time not with fear, but in utter disbelief.