Princess

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters… you know how it goes…

AN: I originally wrote and posted this several years ago. I reread it a short while ago and my middle school grammer and context mistakes bothered me so much that I decided to rewrite it. Bleh. So here goes!

'I shouldn't be here.' She thought bitterly. They would be upset with her. These parts of the wood were full of demons. It was only a matter of time until death did its part.

Death, the word started to fascinate her. It had that certain tingle in its sound. She was anxious to see what it was all about. It had to be better than this. The way people died for her every day, the way some hope to kill her. It was all caused by the human mind's fascination with death.

She mind began to tire. Surely, now was not the time to carry on her depression. She sensed that someone needed her, but she did not know whom.

She lifted herself off of the soil and sulked as her cramped legs began to carry her back to the castle. She was secure there for now. No one would forgive her if she left her life now. She carried on and slowed in tirement when the top of the great towers began to bend over her. She heard a small sound. It was like a child's. no, an infant's small cry. It did not grow larger. It stayed very faint, very still as if something were being anticipated.

The cry grew into a growl. The growl grew into a tremor on the earth's surface. She jumped the minute its shock hit her ears.

Something is here, She thought, Her brain tingled with the desperate sensation of shock. Something was stalking her.

Her body made every natural attempt at escape. She screamed in reflex and ran as fast as possible. If only she could make it! If only she weren't sneaking around fiend territory this time of night. She fell blindly crashing to the ground when the toe of her shoe caught with a branch, which snaked its way around it. She cried out again in a frantic tone of fear.

Death, there is was waiting for her. She pictured the image of it. Dark, cold, abyss terrains surrounded her. No one was there. She would be in a universe of herself. All her damned sins were back for her. She could not bear face god and repent. She was so ashamed.

A sharp interruption of her thoughts wound within her as the creature let out another tremor. A sound of shrill terror. It was in pain. She did not dare to look. Her senses forbade her. Her body let out spasms furiously as the grotesque creature landed on top of her, putting immense pressure on her fragile body. She closed her eyes fearful of what was happening.

"Princess."

That voice. it only could be him. It had to be.

"What are you doing out here?" His voice had a cold shill in it. Colder than the air that chilled her flesh.

Her mouth opened but no sound escaped. He shoved the corpse off her with his boot and grabbed her arm firmly yet gently and lifted her to her feet.

"I knew you were up to something, not being in your room, sneaking out at night, don't you see the danger in that?"

She glared up at him "Yes," she said firmly, "Yes I am perfectly aware. I'm not a child, you know."

He nodded reluctantly and led the way back, never waiting for her or checking for her behind his back for a moment.

Back in the castle, they began to go their separate ways, when he smiled smugly as she attempted to climb the stairs. He only stood and motioned to her foot.

Ovelia obeyed his eyes and glanced down. Her foot, so tattered and bloodied, had she felt any pain? No, she did not recall the time when her very flesh was pierced by the severity of matter.

"How am I going to get past this one?"

Instead of showing any interest in leaving her helpless, he kindly helped her to her small room. Her physical pain began to flood through her. She began to feel it again as her adrenaline senses were dismissed. Delita laid her on the bed and handed her a cloth and bowl of water.

"I cannot help you any further at this hour. I have my own means to attend to." He left, leaving her alone. She curled up and absent mindly soaked her foot in her gentle hands. It was a temporal wound. No one would notice if she walked little in the morning. She did not think he deserved much apology or gratitude. He was open and kind at first, but now his mind is open to her as a stone to a cat. She could fiddle with it, but he wouldn't budge. He was almost emotionless.

The following morning, Ovelia sat reading a book by the window of the study. The section was cut off from all the rest, so she was safe away from the risk of having someone notice her injury. It had grown to be her sanctuary in this time of hiding. She could spend days in here, all alone. Her foot throbbed when she walked, but she hid it well. Delita apparently had never told anyone so far, so no one found out. She read a small passage of the last page of an old book:

"That poor lonely child, left all alone. she went and hanged herself and then, there were none."

She felt suddenly nauseous. Her heart began to beat harder than she ever thought possible. The book. resembled her own life so much. That girl was out of her misery, because she was dead, she killed herself. Ovelia slammed the book shut. Dropping it to the floor, she slumped down herself.

What should she do? Even with all her years of education and schooling it was far too complicated. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Her long, loose, flaxen hair pulled over them, hiding her tear borne complexion.

Footsteps, almost miles away, dragged closer. The bitter sound of heavy boots on oaken wood echoed throughout her mind, her only conscious. The very point of her senses awoke with the roughened, yet soft touch pull her hair from her face. She opened her fair eyes to the sight of Delita, concerned as ever, crouched on the floor in front of her. She felt her eyes become bonded with his, and never once did they stray from one another. She could feel a heave of irritable desire as her name in a soft whisper escaped his lips.

"Who hurt you?"

She locked herself. "I have. I want to."

He inched closer. "Don't. So much depends on you."

Was this all he cared about? Was there ever a moment in history when his mind was off that of the battlefield commanding officers? Never. He was a knight. Her brain shut down. Her mind rid itself of common sense and, her thoughts were blank. All she knew at that moment were those eyes. Those dark eyes. She loved those eyes. No, she loved their owner.

Soft, ever endearing piano music started playing from somewhere in the back. It calmed her speeding heart, dried her moistened sweat glands. The notes of the music linked themselves with his words.

"I know why you snuck outside so late last night. Please Don't hurt yourself anymore, Ovelia."

Her sensations increased by the minute, the second, the every instance, the smallest amount of time. "What's it to you? What do you know of being hurt?"

"Far too much, I'm afraid. You wouldn't just be hurting yourself."

She saw no more. It was almost blank there in the back of the study . All she could do was feel, feel and listen. Her lips felt his. She wasn't sure for how long, for her it seemed like endless eons, decades, centuries, it was a only seconds. She hated admitting to herself that loved it. She would do no more harm to herself, she couldn't.

Her hands, which were just placed on his breastplate, repulsively pushed him back as hard as they could. She stood up and he did also, confused and worried. The only moment in his life she saw them so.

"I will if I must. Please, don't torment me any longer!" She hobbled hurriedly away.