Hurt.

When he had seen Kia and she had come to dance with him he had been happy that she seemed happy. She was his fiance but they had broke up abruptly after he told her that he needed to marry Mara for the Kingdom. Well it was for his mother but he didn't bother to explain it to Kia. He thought she would be mad at him and he really wanted to apologize as he felt like a jerk.

When he talked to her, she told him she understood and that she forgave him. She also wished him a happy life with his wife and that was why he kept smiling at her and since she had been his friend since they were young, he didn't feel awkward around her and they talked all night.

How should he have known that she was not okay with it and that she had bullied and hurt his wife in the powder room. How should he have known that his wife was hurt when he saw them together and that only added slat to injure. He felt like a jerk and he truly was one no argument there.

It was also not false that he had married her not for love but for other reasons. Though not political as Kia had said, but he had. His reason to marry her was so that he could see if she would be the solution to his mother's condition. So yes whatever the reason, he was using her.

He picked her from the tub and carried her to their bed. Her nose was red and he knew that she was probably going to catch a cold so he healed her. He wiped off the water and helped her to her night gown. Normally he would take time to lust over her body but today he was too chewed up by guilt to do that to his wife. Her swollen eyes hurt him the most. Having never been in such a situation before, he wondered how it would between them when she woke up.

He pulled the quilt to cover her and he took a shower. He came back to her side after wearing some slacks and pulled her to his chest. He however didn't miss the wet patch on her pillow near her eyes and his heart squeezed. He buried his face in her hair and took a deep breath of her delicious vanilla breath and hugged her tighter.

Mara woke up with a throbbing headache. Her eyes were swollen and she had to use her fingers to open them. She tried to get up but suddenly felt light headed and almost fell head first to the floor. Luckily for her, a pair of strong hands that she knew very well saved her and Kiel pulled her back to the bed. She almost wanted to be happy but suddenly the hurt she felt came rushing in and the smile fell.

"Thank you your highness," she said in a horse voice, " I just feel a little light headed but I'm fine now. Please excuse me," Kiel didn't even get the chance to stop her or say anything as she had already rushed in to the bathroom. He sighed in disbelief and anger to himself. He wished just a little bit that she would have been angry with him or cursed him or hit him but she didn't. He could see her going back to her former robotic self that was nice as she rushed away to hide her tears.

Mara slid down the bathroom door after it was closed and hit on her arm so hard that it bled to stifle her crying. No! She still had self respect and she couldn't possibly show it that she was hurt and give him that kind of satisfaction. This was a political marriage, she felt so stupid for thinking of a fairy tale to it. It was her fault anyway. She forgot that she was an exchange for her kingdom's safety. That was just it. It was time to grow a thick skin.

Mara cleaned her bleeding arm and wrapped it with a handkerchief. She then powdered her face and put dark paste on her lips. She tied her hair in to a ponytail and plaited it down. She then wore a dark cotton outfit and got out of the divider. Kiel looked at the new woman who had come out and his heart squeezed the more. She looked so unfamiliar to him and he knew the walls that had now been built around her heart were impossible to break.

"Your highness, I would like to go spar with my guard. If it's not too much trouble, can I have a sword as I didn't carry one of my own," she said in a very cold but polite way. Kiel nodded in defeat and ushered her to the training grounds with Kara. Maybe if she vented out this way, she would come down and speak to him.

He took her to the armoury and she picked a sword out of the many. It was light and sharp just like she wanted. He wanted to stop her as he was worried she would hurt herself with it but as of the moment, he didn't have any ground to do so.

All the soldiers cleared from the middle and moved to the side to watch the princess and her guard. " Please Kara, don't go easy on me. Hit me and hurt me as I clearly need a reality check," She whispered to Kara who bowed. She wouldn't hold back as she knew the princess's skill. The princess was the one who had taught her sword fighting anyway so she bowed.

They took to their grounds and commenced their fight. Kara moved to attack the princess who took to defend at first. Then all of a suddenly, as if something snapped in her she began attacking with a ferociousness that was very evident. Everyone was shocked except Kara and Kiel. They both knew what was causing this.

Mara attacked Kara from all angles however Kara was not overwhelmed. When their swords met sparks were created. They hit each other and got all bloody but they didn't seem to mind. When Mara attacked Kara, she blocked it with both her sword and her bow. Mara had not expected such a move and got distracted for a moment only for her sword to be kicked off her hand.