Chapter 9:

"A little headsup would have been nice father" Larissa quarelled as she folded her arms over her chest to show her unhappiness and this made the king smile slyly as he tries to pacify

"Sorry my dear, but i really had no time to think things through as the kingdom was at stake"

"Oh well" she shrugged her shoulders with a pout on her lips "all's well that ends well I guess"

“What if this doesn’t end well and it instead makes things worse Princess Larissa?” Melissa asked, her voice tinted in worry and anger “our people could be in danger because of your egoistic decision”

“Melissa…”

“Father, why aren’t you saying anything? You know how dangerous that man can be”

“Melissa that’s enough!”

The king’s voice finally cut through and the whole place went quiet

“Is he as dangerous as I am then? Shouldn’t you be more worried for his sake than for our people…” Larissa cuts herself with a gasp and looked at her father in shock realization “Father, you didn’t tell her about me”

“Larissa listen…” the king began but a small snarl escape her and she turned around, facing towards the door

“Tch… What a way to be treated as a princess of a prestigious kingdom”

With that she walked out the room, leaving the other four people in the room to stare after her as she went

“Father…”

“Enough Melissa, don’t worsen things with your childish ways of thinking”

A shocked gasp escapes her and her lips quiver

She got up and ran out of the room with prince in tow as he called after her

“Your majesty, I know it’s not my place to say this, but… if I too had not witnessed what princess Larissa can do, I would be siding with princess Melissa too” George spoke up from the king’s side, making him sigh as he relax back into his chair

“It wasn’t my intention to keep Larissa a secret from her younger sister, but in order to keep my Larissa safe so no one sought after her for the amusement or the power she now wields, I had to keep her existence a secret from everyone. Like I said before, raising her on the mountains and away was so the demons after her wouldn’t get to her and with the priestesses she could not only protect herself but use their energy to wield supernatural powers and that was the only way my only remainder of my Queen Seneca could live”

The king lets out a breath as he looked up at the ceiling in reminiscene

“Even if I was still given a choice, I would still do things the same way, as long as Larissa got to live”

“Melissa!” Prince      finally caught her hand, effectively halting her movements but she ripped her wrist away almost immediately

“You shouldn’t have brought her back, now she ‘s only making things worse!” she shouted, making the young man frown in confusion

“How do you mean?”

“You figure that out!”

And with that she walked away, leaving the still very confused man to stare after her

she stomped on agrily but stopped suddenly when something caught her attention from below the castle

Standing there shirtless in the middle of the training ground is Patrick as he practice with his sword, his hair and earrings dangling with every movement

Melissa had an amused look on her face which turned to one of determination as she turned around and walked another way

“He’s so…” Larissa began as she stared down at the practicing king from the highest floor of the palace castle “dreamy” she sighs as she folds her arms over the railed walls to lie her head on “but why’d he have to be so annoyingly arrogant and say mean things, he has a nice energy but he himself…?” she tsked

“Larissa my darling”

“Father” she turns around to meet the small testing smile of the king, making her sigh at his antics  “you know I’m not mad father, I more than anyone else gets why you had to keep me a secret, it’s just…” she gazed up at the moon, her green eyes reflecting it’s light “I feel cheated that I know so much about her, while she doesn’t know a thing about me”

King Collins walked up to her and leaned against the wall like she was doing

“I know I should be sorry my dear, but even if I go back in time and that was the only way I could protect you, I’d still do it” he said and  spread his arms open for her

“That’s so you father” Larissa lets out a puff of breath and rolled her eyes but goes in for the hug anyway making Collins sigh happily

“You should come in, the kitchen has made a big feast to celebrate your return”

“It’s about time, I’m starving”

They both laugh as the king led the way for them to go back into the castle, but before they exit the floor, Larissa cast a last glance at the King down below with a  smile on her face before she was walking away

“My lord you musn’t do this, one call on our troops this city will be dust, this embarrassment must not be tolerated over a mere maiden”

“I agree” Melissa’s voice emerged from the darkness making the young king’s right hand man hold onto the handle of his sword before she emerged from it herself

“My lord” She curtsied in respect even when Patrick had his back to all of them “you don’t have to waste your strength on people who are not even worthy to stand in your shadows over a duel for her” she said and exhaled a loud breath “Take me instead, I…”

“Make preparation for our departure tomorrow and announce to Evergreen that I shall be returning with my queen” he stretched his hand for a servant to collect his sword and another to put his cloak over him which they did hurriedly and he turned around and walked past them, completely ignoring the princess

And so did his men and servants

Melissa clenched her fist full of her flowery gown and gritted her teeth as she stared down in embarrassment

She had never felt so humiliated in all her life

And to make things worse, just as she turned her head to look back at the direction he went through, her body still shaking in anger, she’s met with David’s eyes, who quietly walked away from there

He had witnessed everything

A stray tears fell from her eyes

Early the next day, Larissa stood on the highest podium that overlooked the palace fighting arena, she looked her most gorgeous with the help from the palace servant girls

Her hair was let fly with little accessories decorating it

Her green eyes seem to shine, her lips pink, light and glossy and she was all smile

Her earrings dangled, and her light peach dress flowed with the wind

“Let the fighting begin!”