Pain

I was washing clothes at the laundry room when prince's guard showed up and urged me to follow him.

We went to the prince personal library in his chamber and I gulped when he told me that I was summoned by the prince.

Dude! Is he wanting me to be hated to the fullest by my fellow maids , isn't he?!. To the point that he called me alone looks like it must be a personal matter , or else he wanted to ask me about something.

After what happened in his room last night, my heart raced just to the thought of seeing him again in his chamber. And when his gaze befell on me I stopped breathing. Why is he looking at me like that ?! his eyes so black and yet so frightened it makes me shiver all over my body.

I squatted over when he urged me to step closer.

Calm down Maya!, he is not going to eat you!. I told myself when I stepped towards him.

Under his gaze I felt like a child who wronged her mother and can't wait to be punished.

When his arms wrapped around me and his voice ringed inside my head, I almost felt like fainting since I wasn't mentally prepared for it.

" I...I was.. " I stammered, words failed to come out of my mouth.

Why is he asking that out of the blue, I did what I did expecting that he won't remember anything but now he did and I don't know what is expecting for me.

A punishment?!

Should I really tell him the truth about my sneak out because he seemed to be hinting on that. My heart trembled as there is no way I could tell him unless I wanted to be severely punished.

His hands left me and I rushly stood up before collecting myself in front of him.

My eyes widened when I realized that not a moment ago I was so close to the prince.

When I met his gaze again , I looked away feeling embarrassed since it seems like the air inside the room slightly turned hot or was it me feeling that way after being so close with him.

Why did he have to hug me? he could just ask me without doing that.

It was fairly unnecessary to his own temptation.

As if reading my mind he asked again " Where were you going that day ?. As long as I know servants are not allowed out of the castle without permission " He looked me in the eyes tempting me even more.

I closed my eyes and opened them before I could say. "I did get a permission from her majesty, she wanted me to do her errand out of the castle " I lied , failing to realize that his indication was a trap and he wanted me to fall for it.

" Only that ?" he asked.

"Yes" I replied.

After a moment of silence , he scrutinised my face looking for any traces of truth in my words "Are you not lying to me , are you ?!" he insisted totally failed to believe my statement. "What did she sent you for , a woman assassin sent to kill me before I set my feet at the castle " he chuckled.

I dropped on my knees, afraid of myself getting in trouble caused by accusation from the prince. His voice sounded firm that I even regretted mentioning the queen from the first place If I didn't want to be accused from trying to assassinate him.

Honestly, it wasn't true then failing to defend for myself I will be executed since the queen didn't send me and I lied.

Lying in the name of the queen and sneaking out of the palace are the two grave mistakes, probably I will be hanged or severely punished totally decapitated until I don't feel myself again and then I will be thrown to the dungeon so that I won't be able trying to think on running away ever after in my life.

I couldn't let my life vanished away just like that actually I didn't want that to happen.

I thought he won't linger on the topic if I could bring such kind of an excuse because he seemed not to care since from the beginning.

But why was he asking about it now and why did he think that queen Melissa will send people to kill him ?!.

Is the rumour true about the queen hates the King's son that much ?!.

Looking in his eyes I could tell that he didn't hold any reason for having me punished but what he said he meant it anyways, otherwise if I spouted more lie he couldn't delay anymore he could order for anything to be done and I swear it could be a nightmare.

"Forgive me, .....I lied. I wasn't sent by her majesty instead I...I snea..", failing to finish my own sentence since I was not often used on admitting on myself.

Saying that word felt like I was feeling guilty and I didn't want to feel guilty for what I did because it felt like going against myself when running away was always my dream that I lived up to.

I stuttered when I speak, clearly with my shaky voice since I was crying.

Shedding tears from my eyes didn't go unnoticed when he observed me only with a void expression on his face.

What I was waiting for was his mercy, shameless lying to myself that he would not send for my punishment .

I looked down as I continued sobbing silently since everyone will see me as someone rebellious and deserved to be punished.

I wasn't wrong for what I always felt was right precisely living here was totally a slavery and not as a duty serving to the kingdom as everyone else believed it that way as I had never felt that way and never ever feeling treated like one who was volunteering in her work.

Instead I was a slave under the kingdom. Suddenly I heard his voice " Stop it, It hurts !" unexpectedly his voice sounded croaky and I could sense that he was in pain.

I hurried looking up and found his hands clutching on his chest.

What happened ?!

His eyes were red and he was breathing heavy as if there was no air in the room.

"Your highness !" I hurried on his side, he grabbed my wrist and brought it closer to his embrace. I flinched, I didn't know what to do when I felt his heart pounding faster against my hand, I panicked "Guards" I yelled calling out for help as I listened to my voice it felt strangled when I said it.

"Guards" I called out again and at my response, the prince's guards stormed inside the room looking desperately for any impending danger inside it.

The higher guard who I saw him often beside the prince came to his side and carried him to his chamber hastily ordering the others to look for a doctor as soon as possible.

As they arrived at his bedroom while only what I did was tagging behind them, I watched the prince layed on his bed still clutching on his chest.

I felt pity as more tears rolled down my face while my heart pounded faster against my ribs nervously I rubbed my palms against my dress when I stared at them, sweat layers had already formed between my fingers as anxiety still crept over me.

I did meticulously hope that the situation won't get anywhere worse.