"Why are you so angry?" Rafe asked, his voice laced with confusion. "I was only helping to adorn her hair with the flowers. I didn’t do anything wrong."
"Didn’t do anything, you say?" the derian Prince’s voice thundered once more, his gaze shifting to Callis, who appeared visibly frightened by her brother’s outburst. "Why did you allow him to put the flowers in your hair? Answer !" he demanded with a harsh tone.
The derian Princess remained silent. Her eyes were downcast, and her fear was palpable in the tense atmosphere.
Rafe, determined to defend his actions, stepped forward. "Why are you treating her this way and scolding her? They are just flowers. She is unable to do it herself due to her injury. That’s why I offered to help," he explained.
Kiev’s confusion deepened as he exchanged glances between Rafe’s impassioned defence and Callis’s hesitant response. Though still present, his anger was now mingled with a growing bewildernt.
"You didn’t tell him about it? Why are you keeping silent, Callis?" Kiev’s voice resonated fiercely. "Why would you allow an unknown man to touch you in such a way? Without our father’s consent? Without my knowledge as your guardian? You don’t even know if he already has soone in his life!"
Callis took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before responding.
"Brother... we are not on the island," she finally spoke, her voice tinged with a hint of defiance.
"We are still the royal derians! Whether we are on the island or not should not be an excuse! As the derian Princess, you should be aware of this more than anyone else!" Kiev’s voice rose, filled with frustration and disappointnt.
Witnessing the escalating tension, Elis couldn’t comprehend why Kiev was reacting with such anger to the innocent act. However, she wisely chose not to intervene.
Rafe, unable to keep quiet any longer, implored Kiev to stop scolding Callis. His voice, too, began to rise with impatience.
"Please, Your Highness! You don’t have to be so harsh on her! Her Highness Princess Callis was rely captivated by the myth surrounding the mid-autumn festival. She didn’t do anything wrong!"
"Myth?" the derian Prince questioned.
"Yes! It was said that if a maiden sincerely wished for her love while holding flowers on the first day of the mid-autumn festival and wore them in her hair, her true love would co. So, please, stop directing your anger at her!" Rafe interjected.
"What a nonsense myth! Don’t order around, Mr Amares! You have no right to!" Kiev retorted, his frustration unabated.
"Stop it, brother! It’s my fault, yes! You can be angry at , but not at him! He knows nothing about it, so please... don’t scold him!" the derian Princess pleaded with her brother.
Just as tensions threatened to escalate further, a voice sounded from behind, breaking the charged atmosphere.
"What is going on here?"
All eyes turned toward the source, revealing the grand duke standing before them. To their surprise, he wasn’t alone and was accompanied by the Knights of Gerhard—Garin, Damon, Drystan, Alex, and Eli. The grand duke’s entourage observed the scene with curious expressions.
Rafe seized the opportunity to voice his frustration about Kiev’s reprimand.
"Your Highness, please take a look at His Highness Prince Kiev! He beca enraged and scolded over a trivial matter! I don’t know what has gotten into him!" he explained, seeking the support and intervention of the grand duke.
The tension in the air reached a boiling point as Kiev’s anger escalated. He shouted aloud, his face turning crimson with rage.
"Trivial? Trivial, you say?"
He drew a long dagger from the sheath at his waist in one swift motion, brandishing it nacingly.
"I’m going to kill you!"
Rafe’s scream pierced the air, the sound of fear and panic. Callis stepped forward without hesitation, interposing herself between her brother and the terrified healer, who sought refuge behind the grand duke.
"Your Highness, save ! He’s gone mad!" the healer pleaded desperately to Kyren.
The rest of the knights instinctively placed their hands on their weapons, prepared to intervene. However, the grand duke raised his hand, signalling them to hold their ground.
He knew there had to be a significant reason behind the derian Prince’s explosive anger towards the healer, and rushing into action without understanding would only exacerbate the danger.
"Stop it, brother!" Callis exclaid. "You’re being utterly ridiculous!"
Kiev’s rage consud him, his voice dripping with venom as he retorted, "It is you who are being ridiculous! You engaged in an act that a royal maiden should never undertake without a proper marriage! You played with sothing so important! He is undoubtedly going to die today!"
Desperation etched across her face as Callis pleaded with her brother, her voice teetering on the verge of tears.
"No, brother! Please! I’m begging you! There has to be another way!"
Kiev’s grip on the dagger tightened, his expression hardening as he challenged her to provide a compelling reason to spare the healer.
"Give a good reason why not! Or..."
Everyone observed the intense struggle between the two siblings, witnessing a rare mont of discord. And then, with a voice trembling with emotion, the derian Princess uttered the words that would forever alter the course of events.
"Because I love him!"
The declaration hung in the air, a profound revelation that shattered the tension and left everyone stunned and speechless.
Kiev’s eyes widened in disbelief, a mixture of shock and confusion crossing his face.
"What?"
The derian Prince froze in the wake of the unexpected confession.
A new voice broke the silence as the tense atmosphere hung in the air.
"Who are you referring to?"
Anna, accompanied by redith and Sylvia and escorted by Noah and Luke, had arrived at the scene. Confusion and surprise were evident on her face as she surveyed the unfolding confrontation.
Having just arrived, the princess had missed the earlier context of the argunt and was unsure about the identity of the man ntioned in the conversation.
Her initial assumption was that the conflict had arisen between the derian Prince and the grand duke, as they had previously been on opposing sides due to her.
Kyren returned earlier than expected from his task, much to Anna’s delight. Restless and unable to sleep, she had eagerly awaited his arrival. Having the allocated ti, the grand duke took his wife to the festival, accompanied by the knights on duty.
Thrilled by the idea, the rest of the Knights from Gerhard expressed their desire to join the festivities as well. All were present except for Eric, who returned to his family.
Attending a festival was a completely new experience for Anna, and she was enchanted by the vibrant atmosphere and the palpable sense of celebration that surrounded her.
The colourful decorations, the lively music, and the enticing aromas swept her into a world of wonder and excitent. Every step she took was filled with childlike joy and curiosity as she discovered new sights and sounds that delighted her senses.
As the group strolled through the festival grounds, they unexpectedly encountered Drystan, Alex, redith, and Sylvia. The four of them decided to join the grand duke’s group.
redith, concerned about sothing that had happened to Sylvia and Drystan, suggested finding a quieter place to discuss matters away from the bustling crowd. They decided to settle on a nearby café as the ideal place for their conversation.
While Anna and her friends were about to make their way to the café, Kyren expressed his desire to observe the preparations for the evening’s prayer event briefly.
The group split, with the grand duke and his n proceeding first towards the stage area while the princess, with her companions behind, walking to the café.
However, Kyren’s attention was abruptly diverted when he noticed the heated argunt between Kiev and Rafe. Reacting swiftly, the grand duke and his n hastened towards the commotion.
Nearing the café, Anna, redith, and Sylvia discovered Kiev seething angrily while Callis bravely declared her love for soone. Noah and Luke, dutifully fulfilling their roles as escorts, followed from behind.
"What are you doing here?" Kiev asked the princess, his tone laced with hostility.
Anna’s mind raced, searching for a plausible explanation. If she ntioned that she ca with Kyren, the derian Prince would be more enraged.
"I ca to enjoy the festival with my friends, Lady redith Grey and Lady Sylvia Rogers. I happened to be going to the café when I saw all of you here," she said.
Upon hearing Anna’s explanation, Kyren quickly grasped the underlying reason behind her excuse. Due to the situation, he chose not to intervene or challenge her statent.
anwhile, Kiev scoffed, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "What a ’nice’ coincidence! Now we have the whole crowd here!"
Undeterred by the derian Prince’s remarks, Anna’s curiosity drove her to keep asking Callis the question.
"Who is the person you were referring to earlier?" she repeated, her gaze fixed on the derian Princess. "The man you love?"
A heavy sigh escaped the derian Princess’s lips. She turned her head, her eyes seeking Kyren’s direction amidst the gathering.
The weight of unspoken feelings hovered over her voice as she uttered a single word.
"Him."
User Comments
0 comments from readers