Chapter Twenty Two: His Highness Is Returning Today

It's being five days now.

My wounds were healing and I was regaining my lost strength. Evelyn had made sure of that.

She overfeed me with lots of alimentative fruits and food that at some point, I felt I was going to explode off it.

I had lean down and lost so much weight. I didn't do any work. Evelyn proscribed that.

Even if she allowed me work, I couldn't as I couldn't yet bend my back and get rid of my debility.

Luther hadn't returned back and Princess Charlotte thankfully didn't call for me.

I hadn't seen her since that day but maybe it's because I had been in bed all through.

To be honest, I missed the kitchen and the cozy bright sunlight inside the palace walls.

I couldn't walk too much because of my back but fortunately enough, one of my eyes which was affected by the whip had healed and left no scars.

The only place I'd walk on was Evelyn's chamber and though, I could walk outside but Evelyn was worried I'd get in trouble with anyone, especially a nobility.

She didn't want me to get hurt anymore and though I understood her concerns but I still yet craved to see the vivid, warm sunlight on my shoulders.

 "Here it is." She said, handling me some books.

A wide beam graced my lips as I stared at her in both astonishment and gratitude.

I had requested her to get me some books so I could read, to atleast wipe off my boredom.

But she had told me females, especially the ones with lower ranks were not allowed into bookshops, even the cheap ones.

It was condemned by the society for females to study. It was seen as a distraction to womanly and wifely duties.

I had been down since she told me that but now, seeing her with the books made me lighten up and feel much better and excited.

 "You brought them?" I gasped with alacrity, my eyes twinkling delightfully.

 "Yes. I'm a woman of high rank so it's okay. I paid the librarian so you can keep the books until you get tired of them."

 "Thank you, Evelyn." I was so ecstatic, I could even feel it in my voice.

I checked out the books and was even more elated to see it was all of romance genres.

I didn't tell her the kind of books I wanted, so I feared she would get me educational books instead but she surprisingly made the right choice.

 "I told the librarian it was for a young lady so he advised me to take this three that you would like them. Do you?"

She rose her brow, hoping I would be glad.

 "Yes, thank you."

I held one and opened the pages, my curious eyes surveying through its contents.

 "Well..." She stood from the bed she recently sat on, her body straightening as she did so.

 "I would be leaving now. I will return back at noon with your lunch."

 "Hmm...." I mumbled, my eyes not leaving the book.

If it was earlier, I'd be begging her to stay, even for a bit longer but now seeing these few books already got my interest.

I wouldn't be bored today after all and I was glad I wouldn't stress her for atleast a while.

For the past five days, her thoughts had been centered on me.

I felt like a burden and I couldn't wait for the day I would get all well and roam around the palace on my own.

But the thought of that was scary.

Roaming around the palace without Evelyn's watchful eyes felt too dangerous and traumatizing.

It gave me this fear that someone could just yank me and do whatever they want with me.

It gave me this bad feel in my stomach.

She walked to the door and just when she was about going out of the room, she turned back to me, worry suddenly obvious on her countenance.

 "Almira." She called and I stared keenly at her.

 "Huh?" I muttered.

I wondered what she was worried about but I didn't fear cause I was kinda used to it. She had been worried throughout this week for me.

But I wondered about what she was about saying... I felt it did be something important.

 "His highness is returning today."

What?

My breath ceased for a second.

I did know what to think or how to feel about the information.

Sure, I felt surprise, but shouldn't I feel fear?

I had since long expected his arrival but as weeks passed, I lost some expectancy.

Not that I was concerned about him returning but he was in my father's kingdom and I wanted him to leave.

My wish was finally coming true today but I didn't feel a slight excitement.

I didn't understand why, I should be glad he left but he would come here to resume torturing me also. Why then should I be glad?

 "So?" I wanted to shrug but my shoulders felt too heavy.

 "Almira!" She again walked towards me.

She placed her palms on my shoulders as her eyes formed big circles, reflecting how floored she was with my nonchalant response.

 "You should be afraid!"

 "Of who? The king?" I scoffed.

Wasn't I already afraid of him? It was quite apparent.

 "No."

 "Then who? Charlotte?"

I rolled my eyes, disliking the current topic.

I was much sick of being afraid. Since I got here, the most I had ever felt was fear.

Either fear of Luther or fear of what his spiteful subjects could do to me.

I hadn't taken a breath out of pure relief since my stay here.

I was afraid, I was frightened and Evelyn encouraged me to feel more if it, cause according to her, it was a good feel.

Fear commands even the most unwilling act of respect — She had said and I listened to it.

I knew she was right. Because of this fear I didn't retaliate when Charlotte slapped and whipped me or when Luther or anyone of higher authority vexed me.

But now I was sick, badly sick of fear, badly sick of being afraid.

I wanted to take a long fresh breath away from Luther, Charlotte and all his horrible subjects.

But it was an impossible dream as I might forever remain stuck in this hell of a palace.

 "No, Almira." Evelyn had sighed, trying to lessen the worry on her expression. "You should be afraid of what is about to come."

The last words left me puzzled.

I stared at her, confused.

 "What is about to come?" I asked with a risen brow.

 "You might be in danger, Almira."

 "How?" Somehow, I felt it must pertain to Charlotte.

She was still in the palace, so I knew I was still in danger with her being around.

 "Princess Charlotte hates you badly and wants you dead."

 "Why?" I asked.

I wondered if my father had hurt her family or maybe if she was just transferring aggression from what happened to Luther and his subjects to me.

 "Your father had caused a war years ago with the Kingdom of Mpariah. The war took the lives of some of her people and even nearly that of her mother."

I was stunned.

I expected to hear something like this but I couldn't help being surprised.

 "That's why she hates me?" I gulped.

 "Yes. She desires every of Rupert's lineage dead, and what happened with Luther and the Sihasians multiplied that desire."

I didn't know exactly what to think. I only stared.

I knew I was supposed to feel terribly nervous but my brain was probably wearied out from processing different emotions at once.

 "Almira." She again called. "She could had killed you that day, in that dungeon without any hesitation but she wanted his highness's approval first. He had obviously kept you alive for a reason, it would be disrespectful for her to slay you without his permission. If she had heard a go ahead from him then, you would have been slayed there."

I could feel my hands slightly shiver.

I knew she was right but it baffled me on how I could just go non-existent with just one order.

It made me feel so terrible at how little my life was situated on one person's hands — Luther.

 "So you are worried that if King Luther comes, he would give her the permission to kill me?"

 "Yes Almira."

 "But what if he doesn't? I mean, it's been a month since my captivity here and he hadn't killed me yet, why then would he give a princess the order to when he could had just killed me himself long ago?"

 "Almira, you don't seem to understand." She quivered, holding my hands. "His highness and Princess Charlotte has been best of friends since their childhood days. He always does what she tells him to. Look Almira, it's a miracle he hadn't harmed you yet but if Princess Charlotte declares her wishes to, then trust me Almira, he wouldn't hesitate to give her the go ahead to render you dead."