“Very well,” she replied.
“Lie down. I’d like to see how your wound is doing.”
Abril obeyed Alessandro. After he checked the wound and re-bandaged it, she quickly lowered her nightgown. Sometimes Alessandro looked at her as if he wanted to devour her, which scared her a little.
“Your wound is much better. It’s barely visible now.
“Yes, I think I’ll be able to stop wearing the bandages soon.”
“I don’t think it will scar,” the king said.
“The doctor said the same thing. That the medicine the mage made is very effective.”
“I’ll ask him to do more in case you hurt yourself or something.”
“Although it may not seem like it, I don’t get hurt often. In fact, for a while now, I haven’t even had a slight fever. I’m in very good health now.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Alessandro laid down next to Abril and said, “In a few weeks, I’ll be inspecting the kingdom. I’ll be gone for a few days.”
“I’ll be good while Your Majesty is away.”
“Your wound has healed quite well. I think you could come with me if you wish.”
Since Abril had arrived at the palace, she had never left. She felt like it would be a fantasy to be able to go outside.
“Can I really come?” She asked.
“Of course. I was also thinking of asking Cassian to accompany us. He hardly ever leaves the palace. I think it would do him good.”
Abril’s eyes lit up with excitement, and she asked again, “Can I really go out?”
“Yes, although you won’t be able to leave my side while we’re gone.”
“I won’t. I’ll stay close to you the whole time.”
“How close?” He asked.
“Very, very close,” she replied.
Alessandro moved over Abril and asked, “This close?”
“If that is what Your Majesty wishes, then it shall be so.”
Alessandro kissed her and said, “But I think it would be a little difficult to walk like this.”
Alessandro kissed her again.
Kisses had become commonplace between them, and with each passing day, they grew closer. Abril stared at him, and he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s just that this feels strange.”
“Why?”
“When we met, you told me that you would never treat me like your wife, that you would never touch my body, that you didn’t know how many men I had been with before.”
“You still remember that?”
“I have a good memory, and some things are hard to forget. But I can assure you that I have never been with another man. The only one who has touched my body has been Your Majesty.”
Alessandro knew it without her telling him. With every kiss, with every touch, with every caress he gave her, she showed her innocence, her purity, she showed him that he was the first to defile her. He stroked her hair and replied, “I was angry that day, and I said a lot of foolish things. Forget everything I said that day. It wasn’t true.”
Abril nodded. Alessandro moved aside, put his arms around her, and said, “We had better leave it here for today.”
Alessandro used his magic to turn off the lights, and in the darkness, Abril said, “Goodnight, Alessandro.”
“Goodnight,” he replied.
The next day, when Abril woke up, she found herself alone. The king had already left.
She got up and opened the curtains. The sun was shining brightly and it dazzled her. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she stared at the sky. It was clear, there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. She didn’t want to be trapped on such a beautiful day. She called for the maids by pulling a cord next to the bed.
Two maids arrived shortly after. One helped her get dressed, and Abril told the other maid that she wanted to have breakfast in the garden, that she should prepare everything needed.
Some time ago, those maids would have ignored her. However, all the maids in the palace knew what had happened to the maid who had attacked the princess and were afraid of suffering the same fate if they offended her. So they all obeyed without questioning whatever the princess ordered.
Cassian had gone to the training ground that day. He’d taken a sword and sparred with one of the soldiers. He had been a swordsman in the past, but after receiving that leg injury, that was over. But thanks to Abril’s magic, he had recovered a lot. The pain was no longer a problem, and his leg had stopped failing him. That day, he wanted to vent with his sword as he had countless times in the past, and after a long time, he was holding a sword again.
The pressure he felt every time his sword clashed with his opponent’s, the slight pain in his hands that had become too delicate to be those of a warrior, all of that brought back many memories from when he had first touched a sword.
After finishing his little training session, Cassian’s arms were sore, and his hands were burning. Alessandro, who had been watching him from a distance, approached him and said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you hold a sword.”
Cassian was surprised to see his brother. Alessandro sat down next to Cassian and asked, “How are you feeling?”
“My hands hurt. It reminds me of the first time I touched a sword.”
“You trained until your hands were blistered. I remember mother getting very upset with you,”
Alessandro said.
“That’s true,” Cassian replied.
Alessandro sighed deeply and said, “Sometimes I wish I could go back to those days and just be a kid running around without a care in the world. Being an adult is a drag.”
“I miss those days too. I miss being the man I was before…”
Cassian clutched his leg. Although Cassian hadn’t finished saying what he was saying, Alessandro knew very well what he was referring to before that fateful day when he had received that injury and said,
“When Abril can control her magic, we’ll ask her to heal your injury. I’m sure she won’t refuse to do it, and you’ll be able to go back to doing what you loved, what you’re passionate about. You’ll be the sword maniac you used to be.”
“The sword maniac… Mom always used to call me that.” Cassian said.
“It’s just that you wouldn’t even let go of your sword to sleep. She hated that.”
“Back then, I wanted to be the best, but it was no use. King Venobich defeated me easily.”
“That guy’s a monster.”
“I know, but I would have liked to have been able to beat him.”
“Someday we will, brother. We’ll kill that damn bastard. We’ll finish him off, I promise.”
“What do you think the princess will say when that happens?”
“I don’t think she’ll take his side. He has hurt her a lot.”
“Still, he’s her father,” Cassian replied.
“One who never acted like it. She’s just another one of King Venobich’s victims. But let’s not talk about that man anymore. It makes my stomach churn. Let’s talk about something else.”
“About what?”
“I have to go on an inspection of the kingdom soon. I promised the princess I would take her with me.”
“What?” Cassian asked.
“I know that if you’re away from her for more than a day, the pain in your leg will come back, so I wanted to ask you to come with us.”
“You know I don’t like to leave the palace.”
“I know, but I think you need to get out too. And by the way, if you don’t come, neither will the princess. I can’t let you suffer.”
Cassian hated leaving the palace. He didn’t like others seeing him limping as he walked. Although Abril’s magic helped him feel better, the way he walked still showed the aftereffects of his injury. He said, “I’ll think about it.”
“Alright, let me know when you’ve decided. There’s still time before that day comes.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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