THE FEAR OF FALLING IN LOVE

The sun's rays peeked through the large windows of the castle, casting patterns on the marbled floor. Priscilla could be seen walking briskly down the hallway, her shoes clicking hurriedly as she went towards the medicine room to get the medicine for the princess. 

Priscilla could feel anger brew within her as she couldn't get over how they hurt Gabriella so much.

She heard the sound of footsteps clicking from a far distance. When she turned to see who it was, Vanessa's maid, was walking hastily also coming towards her direction.

Her fist clenched at the sight of her as she hurried into the medicine room.

Inside the medicine room, shelves and cabinets lined the walls holding an array of containers made from materials such as glass, clay, or wood. These vessels stored dried herbs, roots, and other plants materials, along with minerals and animal-derived ingredients. 

On the body of the vessels were labels of the ingredient's names and the work of the medicine. 

Priscilla quickly searched through the shelves until she found two vessels that contained the labeling of medicine used for healing bruises. 

Taking one of the vessels, hurriedly she also took the ice and was about to leave when an idea struck her mind. A smile crept up to her cheeks as she hurried back to the shelves.

~~~

Back in Gabriella's room, Gabriella sat on the bathtub and pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she curled into a ball of tears unable to wrap her head around all that had happened to her recently.

Gently, she raised her hand to her cheeks. Vanessa succeeded in giving her bruise at the side of her cheeks. Though it was not as big as she had given Vanessa, but the anger that she had fought this morning was more painful than the bruise on her face. 

Her eyes went shot as she let her hair fall to her face. The silky texture of her strands felt as if it was going to calm her a little but it suddenly made her remember something. Darkon. His long black hair, the fall and his hold when he caught her. 

She would have still being in the party if she hadn't fallen. And this fight with Vanessa, she wouldn't have gotten the chance to come close to her if she was still in that party dancing with Darkon. But she had fallen. After she had stared deeply into those cold sad deep blue eyes, she had fallen.

Gabriella couldn't help it, but she knew there was something different about him now, something that made shivers run down her spine. 

She clasped her hand to her chest, feeling cold all of a sudden. Not that the water was cold to make her feel this shivers run down her spine, it was as if she suddenly needed warmth. And she didn't know why. 

She quickly stepped out of the bathtub. Wrapping the big robe around her body, yet it didn't solve her problem, it felt as if it increased her coldness. 

'What is happening to me?' Whispered Gabriella as she hurried to her bed. Her head hurt. A lot. Like someone was using a big stone and pounding it on her head. This felt strange. She knew it was not because of the fight with Vanessa. This petty fight was not to be compared to the battles she faced at wars. 

Again, it was not of the same feeling she had when something or someone triggered her memory of the things that made her feel guilty. The guilt of shedding blood that now haunted her. Then what was this happening to her?

She strengthened the robe, wrapping it strongly on her chest. Her body shook. She just wanted to rest. To rest her mind a bit. But his blue eyes flashing came to her memory again.This shivers this time even after she had tried to calm herself now, it still lingered deep into her core. It was not the one that came when she remembered war. She knew it.

It was not like this when they were younger. Is it because they were older that it became different? No. It couldn't be. But... somehow she knew this was happening only because she was asked to find a man who will be her own. 

Maybe, the fall, this shivers and the sudden fear could only mean one thing. She was afraid. Afraid of falling in love.

She tried to shake the feeling off, just then, she heard approaching footsteps. Priscilla gently walked in. Placing the medicine on the table, she moved over and added more chamomile oil into the bathtub before she muttered,

"My Princess,"

"What took you so long in bringing the medicine?"

"My... Princess, when I got to the store room, I noticed the medicine had finished. I had... To wait for the servant to get it from the from the... Farm house." Priscilla stuttered as she saw her nod and heaving a heavy sigh. She hated herself for lying to her to cover up. But she had to, to help protect her where she couldn't. She must not find out that she had anything to do with the queen.

"You can leave me now, Priscilla. I just want to be alone. Thank you for the medicine you brought. I will apply it by myself."

"But my Princess, you still need help to clean your wounds. It is my job to make sure your are safe. Please my princess, allow me to..."

"Don't worry, I told you I can handle it." Gabriella said with an air of finality.

"I will do as you wish, my Princess." Taking a last look at her loving princess, she bowed in obedience of the princess order before she hesitantly went out of the room.

As Priscilla stepped out of Gabriella's room into the hallway, the silence of the castle's hallway was broken by the sound of urgent footsteps echoing against the stone floor.

At the front was a medicine man who clutched a heavy wooden chest filled with various herbs and remedies. His eyes darted around anxiously as he tried to keep pace with the two royal guards escorting him as they headed towards Princess Vanessa's chamber.

Crouching closer to have a clear view of what was happening, Priscilla could see a guard rushing towards the medicine man.

"What is wrong with the princess?" Asked the medicine man as he approached the door.

"The... Prin–cess. Her face! It's her face!" Stuttered the guard as he held open the door to let the medicine man into Vanessa's room.

Seeing this, a smile crept up Priscilla's face again. "Serve you right." She muttered to herself as she hurried to her room.