26 — Punished by Queen Dowager

Zahra has been attending classes for two weeks now. Surprisingly, her appearance has begun to improve. Her curves have started to become more pronounced, and the fat loss is noticeable.

Professor Owen and Fiona were stunned when they noticed such a significant improvement.

Yuden has been visiting Zahra frequently enough for her to gradually develop a sense of calmness around him.

Even Zahra found it strange that the person she was most irritated with was also the person with whom she felt most at ease inside the palace.

She began to feel that way ten days ago.

- Ten days ago -

Zahra, in the midst of composing a letter for Isaac, had her phone taken away by Emera, who then uncovered the fact that Layla had covertly provided Zahra with a phone.

Emera, though generally not very strict when it came to electronic devices, was deeply unsettled by this turn of events as it conflicted with her plans.

This led her to adopt a tough demeanour towards the young girls, her anger simmering as she delivered punishment to both of them.

Layla wasn't allowed to go outside and had to help the gardener with cleaning the garden.

Zahra, on the other hand, who seemed to enjoy any punishment given to her, was ordered to stay on the roof with her arms up and stand on one leg.

An entire day had passed, and no one came to tell Zahra that her punishment was over.

Zahra, although stubborn, didn't want to anger her grandmother. She couldn't risk losing her only chance to be with Isaac without too much trouble. So she decided to perform the punishment just as she was asked.

However, the burning sun turned her ivory-pale skin red throughout the day. The sun was almost setting, leaving Zahra a little relieved that the pain would not last long.

"Princess!" A deep manly voice yelled.

Zahra, familiar with that voice, turned her head to make sure it was the person she suspected.

"What are you doing here, Yuden?" She angrily asked.

"Princess! What are you doing?! I've been looking for you everywhere!" Yuden exclaimed as he rushed towards Zahra.

"I was punished," She faintly said. Her voice was low yet Yuden would hear her clearly.

Yuden looked at her, disheartened. Although he didn't feel any sort of emotion for her, he couldn't ever imagine the girl always ready to argue with him to look so weak in front of him.

"Princess, please come downstairs!" Yuden shouted as he grabbed Zahra's wrist.

Zahra groaned in pain as soon as Yuden's skin touched hers.

"You... You got sunburned!" Yuden exclaimed.

"T-Tell that old hag that I... I did the punishment. S-She should... come and... get me..." Zahra faintly said, her eyes slowly closing.

"Princess, you will fall sick!"

"I... gotta fulfill... the punishment... so that... she won't break... her promise."

"I... I will call her!" Yuden hastily pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed the queen dowager's number.

"Crown Prince? Did you find her?!" Emera's voice was heard from the other side of the phone.

"Please tell her that her punishment is over! She is refusing to follow me downstairs!" Yuden exclaimed as soon as he heard Emera speak.

"The punishment..." Emera paused. "Princess Zahra! I didn't expect you to stay there for so long! Princess Layla returned home only two hours later. I thought you would have returned even earlier as you tend to always defy my orders..." Emera sighed. "Your punishment is over."

Zahra's lips curled into a faint smile before her legs gave up and she fell.

Yuden quickly caught her in his arms. He lifted her with both arms and carried her downstairs.

Once Zahra woke up, a few maids were putting ice all over her body.

"Your Highness, pardon me for being rude. But why did you do this? Look at your body! It's all burned!" A maid exclaimed, her face filled with worry.

Zahra smiled softly.

"I don't want the queen dowager to break her promise. I want to go back," she mumbled.

"Go back?" a maid questioned.

"None of your business," Zahra turned her face to the other side and closed her eyes.

She was exhausted. However, she knew she needed to hurry and master everything if she wanted to be able to leave that place as soon as possible.

These people made her sick.

What sickened her more was the expression on the crown prince's face. Why would he get so worked up upon seeing her that way? It's not like he cared for her. She knew she was perhaps just a tool to him.

Yet, that expression wouldn't leave her mind no matter how hard she tried.

***

- Present -

"Princess!" Yuden waved his hand at Zahra, who was jogging early in the morning around the palace yard.

Zahra smiled and waved back at him.

Two maids were standing there. One was arranging a few water bottles while another was pulling a towel out of a bag as she looked at the time on her watch.

Yuden walked towards Zahra's teacher and crossed his arms, standing beside Fiona while looking at Zahra.

"Any improvements?" He asked her.

"A lot of improvements, Your Highness! She will soon be able to reach the normal weight range," Fiona proudly stated.

Owen had entrusted her with Princess Zahra's physical activity class. She was glad that Zahra was trying her best, resulting in Fiona not disappointing her teacher.

"That's good," Yuden smiled.

"I'm done for today!" Zahra ran towards them excitedly while panting.

"Well done, Princess!" Yuden exclaimed as he walked a little closer to Zahra.

"What brings you here today? Another meeting with my grandmother?" Zahra raised an eyebrow, hinting at the incident that happened when he visited Emera while she wiped her face with the towel a maid had handed her over.

Yuden chuckled, remembering the day he had dropped her on the ground.

"Are you still upset with me because of that day?"

"Me? Upset? Hell no! I'm a pure girl who holds no resentment," Zahra sarcastically spoke as she took the water bottle from one of the maid's hands.

"That... sounds very sarcastic," Yuden nervously chuckled, feeling ominous.

"Mhmm," Zahra hummed, quickly turning around as she splashed water on Yuden.

"Princess!" Yuden laughed as he quickly switched sides, resulting in only a few drops of water falling on his clothes.

"Oh, I missed it," Zahra chuckled as she drank the remaining water in the bottle.

Yuden shook his head. "I thought you were getting ethics classes. This is no way to behave around the crown prince," he sighed.

"Your Highness," Fiona looked at Zahra pitifully. "I'm one of your teachers. Please don't do things like this. It is very disrespectful," she walked toward Zahra.

"I am sorry, Your Highness," Zahra said, bowing down to Yuden gracefully.

Yuden was taken aback by her elegance. He wasn't sure if she was the same girl he had forcefully brought to the palace almost a month ago. The girl he brought back then was a savage girl who didn't seem to carry any royal blood. However, in front of him stood a young lady who seemed to possess everything needed to be called a princess.

"Perhaps she was a princess from the start, but I failed to see it," Yuden thought to himself.

The changes in her appearance were evident, yet he didn't feel attracted to that.

What he seemed drawn to her was her smile, her voice when she sang despite singing off-tune, and her beautiful wavy hair that was often blown by the breeze whenever they would go for a walk in the garden when he would visit her.

Yuden was uncertain and unfamiliar with the feeling deep within him; however, he did not dislike it. Rather, it was a sweet and pleasant feeling to him.

Amid the chaos he was dealing with, such as rebels and betrayals from his people, she felt like the only place where he could find peace.

The sound of a snap brought Yuden out of his thoughts.

"I said sorry, happy?" Zahra approached Yuden as she looked up at him.

Yuden took a step back and nodded, his face slightly seeming painted pink.

Zahra, noticing the change in his skin colour, slowly pressed her hand on his forehead.

"Are you okay? Your face seems... a little red," She said, confused as she didn't notice too much heat on his forehead.

"I'm fine," Yuden quickly shifted aside and pushed Zahra's hand gently away from him.

"Alright," Zahra smiled brightly and turned around. "Then come, we can have lunch together," she said, walking towards the palace.

"Sure," Yuden replied, his lips curving into a bright smile as he followed her into the palace.