Thick skin

The next day Ellen regain her consciousness. It was already late in the afternoon and her maids took turns taking care of her because she went down with fever late night.

The two maid stood beside her bed, they were happy to see that their princess was awake. These are the maids that followed her from Bozoa. Last night they both felt scared when they saw the mark on Ellen's neck.

Ellen looked at the maid and at first she could not understand why they were looking at her like that, but slowly she remembered what happened last night.

She subconsciously touch her neck which felt sore.

"Your highness, are you okay?" One of the maid asked.

Ellen nodded her head, she hated the look on their faces. She hated that pity look. She is a princess made to be admired, not pitied.

"It was the prince that did it to you right?" one of the maids asked in a low voice. Although it was a question but it seems the maid already knew the answer.

Ellen shook her head to mean no, she was not sure why she felt the need to lie. Maybe it was because of that pity look from her maids or because she notices the concern expression on Sebastian face before she lost consciousness. Or because she in a way she felt their situation were similar since back at Bozoa royal palace her siblings and the Queen treated her wrongly.

What ever her reasons are Ellan realized that she was stuck to the crown prince and her chances of survival was dependent on him. If she was going to die she wanted to die with her pride, not pitied by even her maid.

"But my princess, your neck," the first maid reply pointing at her neck. Ellen touched her neck.

"Actually, there was something in my drink and I was choking, so his highness tried to help me," Ellen told another lie without giving it much thought. She knew this story made no sense but she would rather have this gossip in the palace than the fact that he almost kill her. Moreover, who knew what Juila was up to. At least he saved her from him right?

"His highness helped you?" the two maids asked there jaw dropped to the ground. Disbelief evidence in their eyes. Ellen's story did not make much sense. They have never had of such a peculiar way to save someone chocking. But again why would the Princess lie?

Ellen nodded her head, "I want to take my bath," Ellen immediately changed the topic not wanting to continue answering their questions. It was best to end the conversation short and leave the maids to come up with their own assumptions.

The two maids nodded at her request and immediately got busy with arranging her bath. They both had different thought in there mind as they carried out their task. While one maid was genuinely happy that the cursed prince treated the princess well.

The other bite her lips in anger. When she noticed the marks last night she has immediately sent a message to Queen Reigna. The Queen tasked her to always send her a massages anytime Ellen was punch by the prince.

Of course this maid knew the reason, the Queen was always delighted about the agony of Ellen. So the maid was afriad because she had lied to Queen Regina. But she immediately shook the thought from her mind when she realized that the Queen will never discover her lie.

Ellen bite down on her lips in despair once the maids were out of sight. She thought about what happened last night. "would he continue to hurt me like this?" she asked herself mentally.

"No the most important question should be if you will away find a way to cover up?" a voice in her mind asked.

What the people inside the room did not know was that the person they just talked about was standing by the door. He had task Jeffery to inform him once Ellen regain consciousness. He was sure she would be more scared of him after what happened last night.

So when Jeffery informed him that she was conscious, he simple stood, by the door of her chamber to listen in on her conversation. He just wanted to be sure she was fine. He knew deep down that if he appeared before her, he would only terrify and make her uncomfortable.

What he did not expect was for her to lie and change the whole narrative. He was confused. Why would she lie and protect him? not that he needed it. She even made him seemed like some hero.

This did not only confused him, it also made him feel more guilty. So he turned around and left without been noticed.

Later that day a rumor began to go round the prince quarter of how the cursed prince have save his new bride.

Jeffrey heard of this news, so he decided to find out the source. To be honest, he did not know what to believe. He has somehow thought of this possibility, after he saw the message yesterday. It did not take him long to find out that it started from the Princess.

So hearing that it was the princess that told her maid about it made Jeffery to believe it too. Soon the news spread beyond the crown prince quarter into the kings ears.

He frown his brows and called it some baselees gossip, but deep down he believe it. After all he was the one that had her drink poisoned.

Not to forget he did not really have much time to analysis the situation since there was also gossip, about the death of concubine Bri.

Her maids who found out the next morning spread the news that she was strangle. Besides, any one that saw the woman would immediately notice the fingers around her neck.

King Rodrik was thick skin enough, to say that he would investigate the matter and punishment who ever dare commit murder in his palace. Of course that punishment would never come since her death will remain a mystery forever.