“Please let me pass!” I called out with all the importance I could muster. “I’m a healer. I need to attend to the duellists.” Confused mumbles echoed around me, but eventually, the crowd surrounding the main table stepped aside. As soon as the path cleared, I raced towards the fighters.
“What is the meaning of this? Who are you?” The taller duellist shifted his attention to me, keeping the tip of his sword pointed at the fallen man.
“You might be mindjarred, so I need to examine you.” I swung my leg onto the table and heard him scoff as I heaved myself up.
“Might be what?” He shook his head. “This is absurd. Get back to the floor,servant, the duel isn’t over.”
Ignoring his complaints, I marched towards him. “I’m not a servant, I’m a healer,” I replied, but he was so tall it was difficult to maintain my serious facade. “Now, please remove your mask. I need to check your vision.”
The duellist watched me suspiciously until eventually he threw his wooden sword to the side, letting it clatter against the table. Then, he slipped off the black mask, sending shocked murmurs ringing through the crowd. My heart fluttered for a second. While I’ll admit his face was certainly very nice to look at, maybe even a little familiar, I didn’t let my focus slip from thetask at hand.
“Follow my finger with your eyes, please,” I instructed, raising my finger up to his face. Slowly, I swished it from side to side. Thankfully, his grey irises followed my hand without any obvious difficulty. “That’s good,” I commented, while the young man raised an eyebrow. “You’re not mindjarred, but I should still check for any swelling.” My fingers reached for his head, and as I felt around gently for where the impact was, I tried to ignore how soft his dark brown hair was, or how it smelled like summer fruits. While I worked, outraged whispers sounded from the crowd, and for a moment, I caught a brief glimpse of Raena.
Horrified would not even begin to describe her expression.
Who was this duellist? Was he perhaps a well-known knight? Was that why he looked so familiar? I searched his face again as I continued feeling for any swelling. His eyes were a smooth, smoky grey – so similar to the King’s own eyes.
My heart sank. I knew this face. Of course, I did. I’d seen it less than an hour ago, standing beside the King in the grand portrait above the stairs.
“Well,healer, am I going to die? Or do you wish to just continue playing with my hair?” The prince’s words were laced with sarcasm as my hands quickly fell away from him.
“No.” I swallowed. “I apologise for interrupting your duel. There’s no swelling, so you’ll be fine. Now please excuse me… Your Highness.” Quickly, I stepped back and went to jump down off the table. But before I could take another step, a cold hand clamped around my wrist.
“Who are you?” He spoke in a low tone, pulling me closer.
There was no point in hiding it. He’d find out soon enough anyway. So, with a shaking voice, I replied, “My name is Naria.”
“Naria?” he repeated, surprise parting his lips. “You’re the Corlixin Princess?”
I nodded, still very aware of his hand gripping my wrist.
“You’re certainly not how I expected.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I let a silence fall between us. Then, when I tried to slip my hand free, his grip around my wrist only tightened.
“You’ll come to the royal dining room for dinner tonight,” he ordered. “There is much we need to discuss. And we must be properly acquainted, especially since my father has decided that you are my new fiancée.”
Gasps echoed throughout the hall.
Fiancée…
The word sounded so foreign, and thanks to the prince, if our engagement wasn’t common knowledge before, it was now.
“I’ll see you tonight then.” I dipped my head, trying my hardest to avoid his gaze as I felt it stalk over my trembling body.
“Nervous little thing, aren’t you?” An almost devious smile tugged at his lips. “But you were so confident before, when you were playing healer.” A few of our onlookers sneered with laughter, sending a rosy blush blooming over my cheeks.
I should’ve held back. I should’ve just bitten my tongue and stared him down until eventually he released my wrist, but with my heart pounding and the cruel tittering seeming to come at me from every direction, I couldn’t stop myself.
“I apologise again for interrupting your duel.” My tone was cold as I tilted my chin up to meet his amused grin. “But might I suggest that perhaps next time you practise your duelling technique a little more before you embarrass yourself in front of all these people. It is much easier for a healer to fix a bruised head than a bruised ego,Your Highness.” I dipped my head with a sarcastic curtsy.
No one dared to pierce the deafening silence that followed. The prince dropped my wrist as though it burned, and the wicked smile that only moments ago covered his face had given way to a darkened anger.
“I’ll see you at dinner, fiancée.” He scowled before whirling away to face his opponent. “You!” He jabbed his finger towards the man still sprawled across the banquet table. “Get up. We’re not finished yet.”
I hadn’t noticed Raena slipping through the surrounding crowd until she tugged on the hem of my skirts, beckoning me down from the table. “Can I at least show you to your chamber before you start any more arguments with members of theroyal family?” she hissed with a disappointed head shake.
Technically, it was his comment that started it, but I didn’t feel like arguing over the small details. Jumping down from the table, I quickly followed her out of the hall, the furious sounds of wooden swords clashing together growing quieter with every step.
