Chapter 8: I Was Not Checking You Out
I woke up to a room unfamiliar to me. The room was small and its walls were wooden. Trying not to panic, I let my eyes travel around and noticed that the room was almost empty.
There were only a bed, which I am currently on, a night stand on the right side of the bed, a cabinet on one side, two wooden doors, a vanity on the other side and a wooden table in the middle of the room, along with two chairs.
I slowly moved to a sitting position, trying to figure out why I was in such an unfamiliar place.
Then it hit me.
My coronation, the explosions, the masked men, Uncle Wade and Aunt Clara.
Yna.
Panicked, I stood up abruptly, making me dizzy and drop on my knees loudly. I was waiting for the dizziness to subside when the door to the left next to the vanity burst open.
"My princess! Is everything alright?" a loud voice asked, making me dizzy even more.
I felt someone sit beside me and that person took hold of my shoulders. Alarmed, I pushed him away making him fall on his butt with a thud.
"Get away from me!" I screamed and grabbed the first thing my hands could grab, which was a pillow, and beat the person repeatedly with it.
"Ugh!" he grunted and used his arms as a shield. I stood up and continued beating him up. "Princess! Princess! Stop!" he shouted, standing up, and grabbed the pillow from me.
"It's me!" he exclaimed and I finally saw who he was. The guard who took me away.
I took a step back, the back of my knees hitting the bed. I looked back, climbed on the bed and went to the other side, picking up the vase on the nightstand.
"Don't come any closer!" I shouted and lifted the vase, ready to chuck it to him.
Raising both his hands in surrender, he said, "Whoa, whoa. My princess, no need for such violence. I do not wish you any harm."
Narrowing my eyes on him, I lifted the vase higher when he took a step forward.
"Stop right there! I demand you to tell me who you are," I demanded, anger in my tone.
I saw him sighed and put his hands down. He looked straight into my eyes, put his fist on his chest, bowed his head and kneeled before me. I unconsciously lowered the vase in shock and confusion.
"I am Callahan of the house Fabbienne," he stated. He looked up and once again met my eyes. "A knight at your mercy," he finished, bowing again.
/A knight?
And it clicked.
Uncle Wade told me that this guard wasn't really a guard but a knight.
"A knight? Saquiro doesn't have knights!" I exclaimed, accusations obvious in my tone. "The whole continent of Theros doesn't have knights!" I screamed, lifting the vase again.
"Whoever told you that I am from Theros, my princess?" he asked, now standing, crossing his arms and smirking at me.
I blinked a few times, no one has ever acted that way towards me before.
My eyes scanned his whole appearance. His eyes were green as an emerald, nose sharp and his cheekbones high. His lips were red and plump making his smirk seem... sexy. His hair, as black as the night, was dishevelled and I could see a slight stubble. His ruggedness only added to his attractiveness.
Yes, he was attractive, handsome, even. His skin was tanned, his built fine and probably is pass 6 foot tall.
"Are you done checking me out, your highness?" he asked, making me snap out of it.
His smirk widened, making my cheeks red. I lifted the vase and saw his smirk disappeared into an alarmed look.
"I was not checking you out!" I shouted, to which he responded with a booming laugh.
"Alright, alright. Let's just say you weren't. Now, will you please put the vase down, my princess?" he asked, taking another step forward, his hands reaching out for the vase.
"I just want to know who you are," I started, my voice cracking.
I saw his eyes soften and his laugh faded. "Where I am and what happened to Saquiro. What happened to my Yna," I added, tears now streaming down my face. "Because the last time I saw her, she was bleeding to death!" I finished screaming, my hold on the vase loosened, making me drop it.
The loud crash of the vase was heard along with my scream and Callahan calling for me.
He quickly jumped over the bed and pulled me from the shattered vase. He carried me and laid me on the bed, sitting.
"Are you alright?" he asked, worry laced in his voice. "Are you wounded? Where?" he continued asking, looking for any sign of a wound.
I sniffed, making him raise his head and look at me. I hugged my knees and said, "I'm not."
He sighed and sat on the bed. We were quiet for a few seconds before he finally spoke.
"I will answer your every question. But," he looked at me with an eyebrow raised. "You need to eat first."
Narrowing my eyes, I scooted further from him. "I do not trust you," I said, making him sigh again.
"If I wanted to harm you, you would've been dead by now, my princess," he told me and gave me a small smile.
"You haven't eaten anything yet, for more than a day," he informed me.
"Have I been out for more than a day?" I asked, shocked.
He just chuckled and shook his head. "Just almost half a day," he answered, making me confused.
"Then why do you say I haven't eaten for more than a day?" I further poked.
He stood up and looked at the floor, grimacing when he saw the shattered pieces all over the floor. "That's because I didn't see you eat anything at the celebration," he answered making me climb down the bed on the opposite side and stood as far as I could from him.
"You were watching me?" I accused, making him realize what he had done.
Groaning, he rubbed his face with his hands and then put them on his waist. He looked at me, defeated.
"It is my job, my princess. It is my duty to look after you," he said, looking exasperated. "Please, princess. I'll tell you everything after you've eaten."
Looking away, I finally said, "Alright." He sighed in relief and smiled at me, almost looking grateful.
He walked towards the door where he came in earlier and waited for me to follow behind. I approached the door and went outside. There was a long corridor with a few doors. At the end of the corridor were stairs leading up.
We went up the stairs and my eyes popped out at what I saw.
We were on a ship and around us was endless water. Nothing but water. My knees buckled at the sight, panic rising.
Callahan was immediately beside me, holding me up.
"Whoa, there," he said leading me to a barrel and sat me there. "Breathe, princess."
I took a deep breath, the saltiness of the sea entering my nose.
"Why.. are we.. out on the sea?" I, with difficulty, asked and glared at him. He scratched his head and look at the sea.
"Ah, well..," he stalled.
"Ah, well, what?!" I demanded making him look back at me, looking apologetic.
"I'll explain everything later. Princess, please," he pleaded and offered a hand to me.
Narrowing my eyes, I sighed, finally calming down, and accepted his hand. He helped me up and I took my hand away as soon as I stood up.
We walked to another set of stairs and climbed them down. On the other side was what seemed like a dining room. There were two doors inside, one on the right and one on the opposite side of the stairs. I'm guessing one of them leads to the kitchen and one is probably a restroom.
In the room was a rectangular table and on it were food. Some of them I am not familiar with.
Callahan lead me to a seat and got me a plate and some utensils.
He pointed at a bowl of what seemed like strings with white sauce. "This is cream pasta," he said and pointed at some breads. "These are garlic breads and that," he pointed at a whole roasted chicken.
"Roasted chicken," I said before he could, looking at him annoyed. "I know what it is, Callahan," I told him which made him laugh.
He filled my plate with them and went inside the door opposite to the stairs.
I took my fork and started poking at the 'cream pasta'. I finally decided to try it. Lifting my fork, the strings dangled making me realize that it's going to be messy.
Callahan caught me in this state of struggle making him laugh and making me glare at him. He was holding a pitcher, in it was yellow liquid.
"That is not how you eat it, my princess," he said, taking the fork.
I watch as he twisted the fork making the strings tangle. He lifted the fork and offered it to me. I took it, and examined it.
"It's not poisoned," he said, out of nowhere, chuckling.
My eyes widened and narrowed at him. "I wasn't thinking that. Now, that you mentioned it," I said and put the fork back on the plate.
"Oh, my goodness!" he exclaimed, sitting next to me and pulling his hair in frustration.
Laughing, I took the fork again and ate the strings. It tasted really good, creamy and savoury. I ate some more and took a bite of garlic bread.
"It's good, isn't it?" he asked and poured the yellow liquid into a glass. "Here, it's lemonade," he said and put the glass of lemonade next to my plate.
I drank from it and continued eating. I realized I was really famished.
When I was done, Callahan led me outside. We were looking at the sea when he finally started. "Your brother asked me to protect you with my life."
Hearing this, I turned to him with a questioning look.
He took something out of his back pocket and gave it to me.
It was a letter.
I ran my fingers through the writing on the envelope. My eyes tearing up when I realized it was my brother's.
Opening the envelope with shaking hands, I took the paper and unfolded it.
-----
Dear Mara,
How have you been?
Ah, I shouldn't ask you that. If this letter, by any chance, got to you, it only means that I am no longer here. I am very sorry for leaving you and breaking my promise but know that it was never my intention. I had every intention to return to you. Forgive me for I failed to do so.
If you are indeed reading this, it only means that they have succeeded. You will know everything soon enough. Be patient and trust me when I say, it's for your own good.
I have asked Callahan to look after you.
Mara, do not trust anyone but him and his crew. And when I say anyone, I mean anyone. Please always keep this in mind, for your sake.
I am guessing that right now, you are on a ship leaving Theros. I wish you a safe journey.
I love you, sister. I love you more than anything in this world.
Until we meet again.
Your punching bag,
Kugo
-----
I let out a small laugh through my tears. I put the paper on my chest, hugging it as more tears stream down my face.
"Kugo," I called out, looking at the vast sea. "You prick!" I shouted, falling on the floor, on my knees as I cried my heart out.
Callahan just let me shed my tears, not saying a single word.
When he noticed me calming down, he kneeled by my side and offered me a handkerchief which I gladly took.
"Are you able to stand?" he asked which I answered with a nod.
He helped me up and led me to some barrels which I sat on.
Sniffing, I demanded, "Spill."
He chuckled before making a serious face.
"Your brother asked me to look after you, knowing the possibility of his death. I promised him that I will protect you, no matter what, even if it meant losing my life," he took a step closer to me taking the handkerchief and offering me another one which I gladly accepted.
"Why would you do that?" I asked with a sniff.
"I owe him my life and the life of my crew," he answered. I gave him a questioning look and so he continued, "You'll meet them soon."
I just nodded and waited for him to continue.
"His highness have been investigating a group of men. He found out that they are off to erase the royal bloodline of Saquiro and did everything he could to know the reason behind it. He found out eventually but told no one. It's still a mystery why," he continued, his eyebrows furrowed.
"He found out where they were hiding and set out to go there. Again, I do not know why he would blindly go right into the hands of the enemy. He requested my presence and asked me for a favour and that is to look after you and give you the letter he wrote. He informed me about the men and their plans. If things go down, the plan was to get you out of the continent," he finished, making me more confused.
"Why?" I asked. "Why outside the continent?"
"The men succeeded in attacking the palace. Your brother made sure that the palace was well protected and I'm pretty sure your mother was capable when it comes to security and the protection of the palace but still, they managed to infiltrate the palace,"
"That means..," I mumbled realizing what he was trying to say.
"They got inside help, who? No one knows still. That just means that the palace is no longer a safe place for you," he explained.
"Then why outside the continent?" I asked, more and more questions in my head.
"Those men were hiding in Landis. Both Landis and Zamir paid no attention to them. Either they are oblivious to them, sided with them or just plainly ignored them which is suspicious. Why would you ignore such a group? Clearly, they impose great danger."
"But, Landis and Zamir have been Saquiro's allies for decades! Teronos would most likely be the one plotting against us!" I exclaimed.
"Exactly why no Kingdom in Theros is safe for you," he said, seriousness in his voice.
"I don't understand. Landis and Zamir? King Raffor and Queen Ferida would never do such a thing. Our families have been friends since the treaties and so are King Marcus and Queen Lucinda," I explained, my mind all over the place.
"They might be but we are never too sure. Those men, there's no way they could've done it themselves. They need an awful lot of funds and support. And as long as we do not know who our real allies are, you are not going back to Theros," he said with finality which I understood.
"And my Yna.. is she..," I asked not able to finished my question.
"She's very much alive," he assured me.
"No, she was struck by an arrow. She was bleeding to death!" I screamed standing up and started pacing.
"Princess, she's alive and healing. Trust me," he softly said, following my pacing.
I stopped and turned to him, my eyes shooting daggers. "The last time you asked me to trust you that she was safe, she was struck by an arrow!" I screamed, making him cringe and scratch on his head. An act I now know he does when he's being put on the spot.
"Well, I now know where your stubbornness came from," he said chuckling, his eyes becoming small.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"She was safe but she saw someone ready to shoot you with an arrow and so she ran towards you, shielding you," he told me with a small warm smile.
"What?" I whispered, my heart aching. My mother shielded me from an arrow? She saved me?
I was both happy and sad. Happy that she cared for me that much and sad that she was hurt because of me.
"I tossed you on my shoulder for a reason. I could've easily evaded the arrow. What she did was unnecessary," he said with a shrug.
I glared at him angrily, making him look away and clear his throat.
"Are you sure she is safe?" I asked, tears forming in my eyes.
He took hold of my shoulders and looked right into my eyes. "I promise. She is safe."
"What of Uncle Wade and Aunt Clara?" I asked, my voice full of sadness.
"Princess..," Callahan whispered. "I am very sorry."
"They were really kind people. If only they didn't come to my corona---" Callahan interrupted me by saying, "It wasn't your fault! Those men were to blame!"
I looked up to the sky.
/Uncle Wade, Aunt Clara, I am sorry. I hope you both are together and in a better place. I will never forget you.
Feeling a bit better, I noticed his hands were still on my shoulder. Raising an eyebrow, I glanced at them and gave him a questioning look.
As if burnt, he removed his hands immediately. Scratching his head again, looking away as his cheeks turn slightly red.
I cleared my throat and asked, "What now? What's the plan?"
He looked back at me with a charming smile, as if proud of what he was going to say.
"We are going to travel the sea for two months until we land."
My eyes grew bigger and was about to complain but he started talking again.
"We are heading towards my homeland," he said, smirking.
"And where is that?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed.
"Teralyn."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
TheMarCaSa
TheMarCaSa Hello!
If you are unfamiliar with Teralyn, it is a Kingdom from CailinMatthews' novel, The Rightful Queen. DO CHECK IT OUT. IT'S AMAZING, I TELL YOU!
Also, this chapter is dedicated to Everdream for not being persuaded to riot.
See you next chapter, biscuits! ☺
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