THORNS OF THE HEART

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: GO HOME AND SLEEP BY JADEN CHEW]

After two moons without any drama in the palace, Kitanna did not feel comfortable anymore, and she wanted to leave as soon as possible. But as the law of Morado states, a princess shall not leave the castle to stay alone except if she is married.

She tried her best to stay in the palace without causing troubles, but she knew better because even if she was staying low, people who wanted her dead increased in number daily.

Feeling cramped up in the room, she decided to take a walk in the palace garden. Her eyes glanced around the palace she had grown up in all her life. The only walls she had ever seen.

Kitanna remembered when her father was still alive. Her memory recalled the times she trained with him in the courtyard.

"Kit, move your sword up, good girl!" her father's calm voice resounded in her memory.

"Father, when can I be as good as you?" Younger Kitanna asked her father, pouting her lips cutely.

"You don't need to be as good as me, don't you know who your father is? I will always be here to protect my little Kat," the former king walked closer to his daughter, rubbing her head gently.

They continued to train everyday, and he taught the girl how to use a bow and simple defense skills. After some time, he fell sick. An illness that the best physician in the kingdom could not cure.

Kitanna remembered how weak and lean her father looked on his sickbed. Every time she came to visit him, she bawled her eyes out. Until she was banned from seeing the king until his funeral date. She felt something sting in her eyes, as her memory went back to when she carried her father's ashes. He promised to protect her forever, but he left her all alone in the palace.

Kitanna came back to the present time when she felt someone grip her waist tightly.

"W-what do you think you are doing?" Her eyes widened in shock and then turned to a hard, stern glare when she realized who it was.

"Your leg," Nix said in a very low voice, his eyes trailing from the girl's eyes, down to her fragile feet.

Kitanna looked down; she did not expect to see her leg in such a mess. When she wanted to take a walk, she just wanted to stroll within the palace, so she felt there was no need for shoes. She did not expect to wander far into the garden where thorns pricked her feet, leaving trails of blood. When she saw her leg, the pain took effect immediately. Kitanna lost her balance but she did not fall to the ground. The guard held her closely.

Nix continued to hold the princess closely. His grip on her waist was firm.

He was initially feeding his horse when he saw the princess pass; he ignored the girl and continued with what he was doing. But his eyes moved to her leg; she was barefooted and she still continued to walk until she got to the garden. He looked away thinking she was going to stop but she did not. He turned, but there was no maid with her.

Nix wanted to ignore the girl, but he found his feet walking behind her. She continued to walk on the grass, her leg stepping on the thorns. He felt she was going to stop when the thorn pierced her, but she did not. She was almost stepping on a larger one when his hands reached out and immediately grabbed her waist.

When the princess turned to face him, Nix noticed she was crying.

Nix carried her up; he noticed the girl did not object. He started walking towards the main palace; her hands gripped his shoulders tightly.

"Not the palace, please... anywhere but there," Her voice sounded breathy and shaky.

Nix stood still for a while, then he scanned the place to see if anyone saw them. He carried the princess to his horse, then he climbed sitting behind her. He took the reins and left the palace through the secret path that nobody knew in the palace except him. When he got to his hideaway, not too far from the palace, Nix came down first, then he still carried the princess into the house.

He gently placed her on the bed, raising her gown up to her knee, he started tending to her feet.

Kitanna felt so tired and frustrated; she did not know when she started crying like a child.

Nix stopped cleaning the wound when he heard her cry, but it was not the wounds that caused the tears; the girl was hurting deep down. He allowed her to cry to her fill. When she was done, Nix cleaned the wound properly.

"What is this place?" Kitanna asked when she felt lighter. She looked around the room. It was decent and clean, as if it was not used often.

"My place," Nix said curtly. He stood up and returned with a pair of female shoes. He handed them to the princess.

"That was too short a reply. Does the queen dowager know about this place? Do you sell female shoes as a part-time job? The queen dowager does not pay you well, right? I knew it!! Is this like a secret hideout? Am I the only person who knows this place?" Kitanna continued to fire questions, but the guard did not answer her.

"We have shared a secret. You have seen me cry. At least, tell me something. Ok, what is your name?" Kitanna finally asked.

Nix turned to look at the girl properly; she was standing but with the tip of her toe because of the wound. Her eyes stared at him unblinkingly. He wanted to send her back to the palace immediately, but looking at her now, she was like a lost child.

"Nix," he finally answered, walking towards the girl.

"Nix..." Kitanna repeated the name innocently, she raised her eyes to look at him. He was making his way to where she was. She wanted to move back but her legs could not, until Nix got closer to her.

"Let us go back to the palace."

Without further explanation, Kitanna found herself in his arms; they walked to where the horse was. He placed her at the back of the horse, and then he joined her.

Kitanna immediately became conscious of the situation. His hands moved round her waist to hold the reins. She forgot it was the same way they came; she did not think about it then because her mind was occupied, but now? Her whole body was alive.

His back pressed against her body, his breath making her shudder. Kitanna tried to get her head straight throughout the ride.

When they reached the palace, Nix carried her to the inside first, then asked one of the maids to assist the princess, then he went back to bring his horse in to avoid prying eyes.

Kitanna turned to look at the man. He still had no expression on his face. She felt very safe the few minutes he was around. When she got to her room, Clephas was not at the door.

She entered the room. The queen dowager was sitting in her room while Clephas served her tea.

Almaria raised her face when she noticed the princess was in the room.

"Where did you go to?" she asked, taking the tea from Clephas.

"I went to pick thorns," Kitanna answered bluntly. She did not want to waste plenty of time talking to the woman, so she asked impatiently. "To what do I owe this visit, Queen Dowager?"

"Kitanna, I have set you up with a good man, one of the minister's sons. Prepare yourself; you will soon leave the palace," Almaria said, taking the tea to her lips. She smiled satisfied.

"You, when the princess leaves, you will be in charge of brewing my tea," she pointed at Clephas before stepping out of the room.

When the queen left, Kitanna slumped on the floor; Clephas rushed to help her up.

She tried to keep her cool in front of her mother; if she ever acted weak, the woman would break her soul.

Kitanna cried her eyes out until she went to sleep, but the words still rang in her head. Morning and night she rolled on her bed, she was not comfortable and she knew she needed to do something about this, but she still kept her cool and told nobody.

Nix got orders from the Queen dowager.

She told him that his duties would soon take place and made a promise to him that might be his final duty. If he did it right, he would be able to leave the palace and live his own life.

"Do it right, make sure she doesn't get to the place, leave the rest to me; I will know how to present it to the kingdom." These were the words of the queen.

The duo Nix and Kitanna anticipated the wedding day for different reasons. Nix wanted to leave the palace finally, and Kitanna did not want to go through with the marriage. She knew very well the fate that awaited her.