Heart Over Sword - Chapter 158

That evening a grand celebration began after dinner when King Osian announced the engagement between Prince Conrad Hart and Princess Evanna Goodrich. Conrad instantly felt the glares from Queen Eleanor, Princess Isabel and even his brother Prince Arvid, to which he could not understand why he was displeased. From what he had observed, his brother barely kept up with his ‘angelic’ appearance in front of Princess Isabel; it seemed that Princess really didn’t do well with his family.

Not well indeed, he snickered to himself. His family of golden locks and eyes, though, looked the part of Royalty, dealt with their affairs using more violent methods than the ordinary courts’ tricks. Tricks to which he assumed the Queen and the first Princess were accustomed to were nothing more than child games compared to life back at Hatherland.

Conrad’s gaze moved towards his ‘betrothed’, who was no more than a young child yet had the air of someone his own age or older. He also noted how they glared at Princess Evanna, but she was indifferent to them, most likely because their behaviour hadn’t changed towards her.

Once the celebration began to sizzle down into the late hours of the evening, both families began to disperse to their bed chambers. Conrad left the hall, feeling the long night take its toll on him. He strolled out into the hallway; his brother, Arvid, rushed past him, barging into his shoulder as he did so, and chased down their father, asking for him to change his mind. Change his mind? He thought Arvid despised Princess Isobel unless that was something he was willing to look over?

Conrad wanted to listen more to his brother’s reasonings, but then he heard a sudden slap of skin hitting skin on the other side of the hall. He swivelled his head to the side, but nobody was there. However, shadows on the floor revealed two figures standing around the corner, away from the parting crowds. He rounded the corner and stopped when he saw Princess Evanna facing his direction, her cheek red and her hands fisted by her sides as her sister trembled in rage and stepped into her personal space.

“How dare you take away what is mine!” Princess Isobel screeched in Evanna’s face. “I was meant to be Queen of Hatherland!” She slapped Evanna again. Conrad stepped forwards then halted after feeling Evanna’s cold gaze fall on him. She did not want him to intervene.

“And now.. Not only have you taken my crown, but you will be nothing but the second prince’s bride! Still, that is an upgrade to a dirty freak like you. Ugh!” Princess Isobel stomped her foot. “You and your whore of a mother should die!” The Princess raised her hand again, but this time Evanna grabbed her hand mid-swing and bent it in an awkward position.

Nobody was around to see how this Princess really acted, and he was surprised at how restrained Evanna was until now, considering he was punched instantly after he slapped her.

“You should be careful with your words, dear sister. One might think you plan to assassinate my mother and me,” Evanna grinned and twisted Princess Isobel’s wrist even more.

“Ow, ow, Evaaaanna, you’re hurting me!” Princess Isobel started to cry.

Evanna released her hand, throwing her hand away from her face. Princess Isobel fell backwards and trembled even more. “Evanna! How dare you..”

The raven-haired Princess slowly stepped towards her fallen sister and looked down at her expressionless. “Our teacher would be furious at your lack of manners. Have you forgotten what she has already taught us? The smile on your face is a shield, and your sharp tongue a sword. It seems you still have much to learn. If you are annoyed, you should use your words, not your fists.” She leaned further forwards and smirked, causing Princess Isobel to shuffle backwards. “You should leave the rough stuff to a dirty freak like me. It seems King Horik prefers someone with a little kick behind them anyway.”

Conrad snickered and hid behind the wall as Evanna looked in his direction again. Princess Isabel screamed in frustration and stomped her feet, racing past where Conrad hid as she shouted over her shoulder, “You’ll regret this!”

“I’ll be waiting, dear sister,” Evanna’s words echoed down the hallway to Conrad. She barely spoke the words, but the Prince could hear the sadness and longing in her voice. He stepped back out from his hiding spot, but Evanna was already walking away from him. Her small frame grew smaller as she dragged her feet back towards her quarters.

Conrad released his breath after watching Evanna and pushed past his discomfort of seeing the girl acting how an average child would after dealing with an older sister like that. He marched up to her at the other end of the hallway, catching up to her steps. Evanna looked up at him in surprise, and the Prince looked away, scratching the back of his head. “I will escort you back to your chambers,” He muttered, his voice barely audible.

Somehow, Evanna heard him. “There is no need. My handmaidens are nearby and-”

“As my..” Conrad cleared his throat and felt the growing blush on his cheeks. He grit his teeth at the embarrassment he felt. “betrothed..  It is courteous to escort you back.”

Evanna did not respond, and he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. She did not refuse him, and they strolled back, side by side quietly. Now he was close enough to see her red cheeks and how she seemed lost in thought and unwilling to keep up the appearance of a dutiful host in making conversation. The awkwardness started to grow between them, especially after the engagement announcement.

“Do you make a habit out of making royals hit you?” He joked, trying to break the tension and rid the Princess of the sadness on her usually stoic features. But his lips fell when she did not react.

Or was it a delayed reaction?

Evanna giggled and looked at him with a small smile. “No, but it does appear so,” Evanna murmured, then shook her head and looked up at him as they stopped before her double doors. “I am sorry you had to witness that. My sister..”

“Is a bitch,” Conrad finished and watched her shocked reaction. He slandered her sister, but he felt disappointed still by her response-

“A bitch. Haha! Ha!” Evanna couldn’t stop giggling and covered her face, looking shyly away.

Shy? He could think of many words that would define this Princess, but ‘shy’ was not one of them. Conrad looked at her quizzically, then relaxed his facial expression as she turned back to him again.

“I have never heard anyone call her a bitch before. It was quite refreshing,” She admitted, beaming at him like he’d given her a precious gift. Maybe he had? There were no ill rumours of Princess Isobel, and it seemed they all believed she was a gracious Princess worthy of praise.

Conrad wondered if his reaction would be the same as Evanna’s if their roles were reversed and she saw how his family really treated them. Ha, that would never happen. He was only there for a few more days. They couldn’t stay away from the kingdom for too long; their engagement was announced, revealing the kingdom’s future unity for a solid alliance.

“I will always be truthful about that so-called princess-”

The double doors swung back, and the Princess’s favourable handmaiden, Maggie, crossed her arms and looked at Evanna sternly. That was until she realised the Prince was standing there, and she instantly curtsied. “Good evening, your highness,” Maggie greeted him, then looked at Evanna again. “Your highness! Your face!” She glanced at Conrad murderously before looking back at Evanna. “What happened?!”

“I am fine. The usual, Isobel..” Evanna trailed off after removing Maggie’s hands from her face. The handmaiden glanced at Conrad apologetically, which was a strange moment for him. Typically people never admit to their faults or false accusations, whether they said it aloud or not. He was the ‘Demon Child’ after all.

“Maggie, please warm the room,” Evanna ordered, dismissing the maid who looked between the royal pair before curtsying again and turning away and back into the room.

“Thank you for escorting me. Goodnight, your highness.” Evanna bowed her head. She was acting the Princess again.

“Goodnight, Princess,” He responded, then reached out to her arm as she turned away.

Evanna looked back at him with widened eyes. She looked at where his hand was and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “You should put something cold on your face. It will reduce any swelling and quicken the healing,” Conrad rushed his words out and dropped his hand, jolting back and looked at her, shocked by his own actions. Evanna parted her lips, her suspicious gaze dropped, and her brows drew upwards in surprise.

“Or do what you want. I don’t care.” Conrad spun on the spot and abruptly left, marching down the hallway clenching and unclenching his fist.

Since when did he help anyone but himself?