6

"Princess!" A maid shrieked and ran forwards in horror. Annabelle, who was caught by surprise, looked down at the person who had taken the hit for her. A delicate-looking girl with a slender figure and pale skin was on the cold marble floor. She had her hand on her cheek that had been slapped. The color of her skin had suddenly turned an unpleasant shade of pink.

"Myrtle?" The queen was finally able to speak. Myrtle's maid helped her up,

"Greetings to Queen Mother, My apologies for not greeting you beforehand." Myrtle bowed, And completely covered up the fact that she just got slapped.

"Emily! Call the Imperial physician!" The Queen called out to her maid, she then held Myrtle's hand and sat her up on the couch. "DOes it hurt?" SHe asked.

Annabelle stared dumbfoundedly at the beauty who had just saved her while Syrus was standing beside her in a confused state. He wasn't able to read the situation and was still trying to wrap his head around it.

Myrtle looked up at the queen and replied softly. "It doesn't hurt, Queen Mother shouldn't worry about minor things like these." Her voice was calm and composed,

"Why did you do this?" asked the Queen, "Are you not aware of the fact that she is a mistress that your husband brought in?" The queen asked in a displeased manner,

Myrtle looked down at her hands that rested in her lap. There was slight redness around her wrist, she had hit it hard against the floor and it stinged. She shook the feeling off and spoke. "Queen Mother, You have taught me that the duty of a good wife is to always support her husband's decision and to protect him...I merely followed your teachings."

Syrus's eyebrow lifted and he glanced at her, though she had her back towards him, he could see the expressionless face of Myrtle in his head.

The queen was speechless, she looked at Myrtle with madness in her eyes. "I told you to protect your husband but not the filth that he has brought! YOu had your cheek slipped because of that slut?" She got up off the seat angrily. Myrtle too stood up because it was not polite to sit while the mother of the nation was standing. QUeen understood her so she slightly frowned.

"Emily! Send My meals to my room, I will not be eating along with the Prince from now on." She glared at Syrus and stormed out of the room,

Myrtle held her wrist tightly and the corner of her eye creased slightly that almost went unnoticed. WHen the doors of the room were finally closed Myrtle turned around and bowed before Syrus.

"Greetings, YOur HIghness."

"You may rise," He replied in a dry tone, his eyes fixed on her red cheek.

"Greetings to you as well, Miss…" SHe referred to Annabelle.

"..." Anna's eye twitched, she was not sure what she had gotten herself into. But she felt bad for the pale girl who had gotten hit in her stead. "I am sor…"

"I will ask the servants to prepare a room for you two, You must be tired after the long journey." Myrtle cut Anna in her sentence and didn't let her apologize.

"Then…" She glanced at Anna and then bowed before Syrus before leaving.

Syrus's face crumpled, it seemed as if he had taken a bitter pill. He loosened up his grip around Anna's hand and called a servant.

"Send her to the Crown Princess's room,"

"But your highness it for…"

Syrus gave him a deadly look causing her servant to quiet down. Anna was confused and she followed the servant at Syrus's orders.

The room of the crown Princess was supposed to be Myrtle's but she didn't get it because Syrus left without completing the last ceremony that would announce Myrtle's official position as the crown princess. Though she was the first wife, it was in the hands of Syrus to give the position to whichever concubine he desired. But his leaving the palace made the queen furious and she officially gave Syrus's personal room to Myrtle showing how much the queen favoured her.

Syrus walked through the hallway and looked around to look for a certain someone. A group of maids walked towards him from the other direction. They were holding sheets and pillows and were heading into the direction where the room for the Crown Princess was located. They stopped and bowed to the Prince before crossing him. Something felt odd to him, He stopped the maids.

"Where are you taking these?"

"We are preparing the rooms for you and the…" Nobody knew how to address Annabell so they would pause when her name was going to be mentioned. "Princess told us to prepare the Crown Princess's room for you two." THe maid behind the head was added.

"WHere is she?" Aked Syrus.

"The Princess is in her room,"

"hmm...Okay you can leave." Said Syrus and walked towards the eastern wing.

The eastern wing was the part where Syrus grew up, but he felt like the place would have become alien to him after an year because someone had started living their instead of him, THe grand door to the eastern wing were opened by the guards for him, and just when he expected to see something different, he was taken aback by the fact that nothing had changed, it was the same as he left it. Not a single case was moved from its place neuter a chair. HE made his way up the flights where his previous room was located. The hallway above the flights was wide. Followed by many rooms. But his eyes were glued to the last room at the end of the hallway beside the terrace. It used to be his room. The door was closed.

He gave it a knock.

"Come in!" A soft voice gave permission.

HE pushed open the door, just like the whole wing, the room hadn't changed as well. And in the far side of the room beside the mirror stood Myrtle staring at herself with a blank gaze. HEr hand was resting on her cheek while she was in deep thoughts. Syrus walked towards her slowly and stood a few steps behind her. His reflection fell on the mirror making Myrtle jump in horror. She returned around as if she had seen a dead come to life.

"Your Highness? WHat brings you here?"

"This is my room...And I can be here whenever I want." HE replied.

Myrtle blinked blankly for a few times before looking down. "Yes...My apologies for asking such a question. She stepped away from the mirror and made a distance between them.

HIs eyes twitched at her actions. He stepped forwards, his eyes couldn't let go of the red mark on her face. Unknowingly his fingers flinched and his hand lifted slowly. Myrtle's eyes followed his hand, she looked confused.

"Why?" He uttered a single word. Myrtle, who was staring at his moving hand, turned her head towards Syrus's face when she heard him utter a single word.

"PArdon me, yOur HIghness but…" SHe shuddered when she felt his cold fingers on her cheek. "But I don't understand what you mean?" She completed her sentence in haste.

"Why did you do this?" His eyes fixed on her cheek. "What are you planning?" His voice slowly grew cautious and his fingers froze.

Myrtle's stiff face didn't crumple nor did he see any expression, she looked up at him in the eyes without saying anything. It had been the first time she had lifted her head to look at him,

"It doesn't matter what I am planning…you did what you thought was right and I am doing what I think is right."