Chapter 151: Punishment: Part One
The next thirty minutes were a blur as the princess dressed as a servant boy was rushed off inside the palace, and the guards dragged the other boy away. Princess Evanna called out to him and commanded them not to hurt him. Prince Conrad stared in shock, then recovered himself and looked back at the approaching King, instantly bowing next to his brother and feeling the full weight of what he did to the King’s daughter as the large man stood in front of him, glaring down at him. Conrad was used to such treatment but not because he hit a damned princess.
King Osian never spoke a word to him or Arvid and merely swapped greetings with his father, ignoring Horik’s claim at his family being mocked. More words were exchanged, and then they too were ushered inside. Conrad barely paid attention to the rest of the palace’s décor as he felt his legs becoming heavier the more he walked, and his father’s serious gaze was on him anytime he wasn’t talking to King Osian.
After their disastrous meeting, Conrad found himself standing by Arvid’s side, staring at the throne in the Great Hall where King Osian now stood, his back to them as he tapped his fingers on top of the chair. Conrad glanced to the side and saw a smirk crawling up Princess Isabel’s face. "Dressed as a servant boy," She whispered and snickered. "She should stay playing in the dirt where she belongs.
Except for Conrad, nobody could hear her; such was part of his curse. If a curse was why he had such heightened senses, he still did not know. Now, he stared at the blonde-haired girl whose face was scrunched up from what she spoke. So, this was the so-called ’flower’ of Dunhurst; the rumours were just that, rumours.
He found nothing about this snobbish girl to his liking, she was not sweet or someone he would see himself conversing with. Though there would never be such an opportunity anyway, he was only the second prince and the ’Demon Child’ at that. The princess looked like she’d probably cry if he so much as glanced in her direction.
His eyes then followed Princess Isabel’s gaze to Queen Eleanor, catching the amusement flashing behind her eyes before she hid behind her Queenly mask. Very interesting, even Princess Evanna’s mother seemed to think of her in such distaste. Were his and the second princess’ familial issues somewhat similar?
The double doors behind them opened, gaining his and everyone’s attention from the silent tension brewing in the large hall. In stepped Princess Evanna, her hair pulled back into a knot, the remaining locks flowing down her back in ringlets. She walked with grace, the flow of her navy and gold dress making her look more a princess than she did earlier.
Conrad gulped and looked away when she met his eyes fiercely. He wondered how he ever thought she was a boy, and for the first time in a while, he genuinely felt bad about what he did. The red mark on her otherwise pale cheek really stood out.
The second princess greeted his mother and siblings. They lingered near the side pillars before standing in front of the two most powerful men in the room, curtsying low, before raising her chin high and meeting his father’s ferocious gaze, then to King Osian’s.