ADELINE

CHAPTER 2: RETURNING TO THE KINGDOM

My eyes fluttered open above me and the first thing I noticed was that I was moving.

The carriage rattle across the rocky road moving at an immense speed my head hurt and there was a numbing feeling in my lower abdomen.

"M…my lady you are awake?" A voice above me called and I saw Mathew one of the servants who had come to nurse our injuries in the war, a scrawny fellow he was.

"M…Mathew?" I called.

"Do not speak my lady, there was nothing much we could do with our left over resources so you might start bleeding again if you move around too much" he warned.

"Where are the others?, sir Henrik?" I asked.

"Most of them are alive and riding in carriages ahead and behind us but we did loose some of them tonight" he said looking down.

"Sir Collins, did thery find his body?" I asked.

"Yes my lady, he and the other fallen men are covered in a separate carriage" he informed.

"That is good" I sighed.

The pain in my stomach was becoming worse by the second not to mention the other numbing pains where I had been shot.

"Mathew" I called and the boy looked up at me.

"Thank you, let me know when we arrive" I said and he stammered as he replied though it was dark I could tell he was smiling.

I looked at the night sky one last time before falling back into unconsciousness.

…..

"My lady" Mathew called tapping me lightly.

My eyed fluttered and I abruptly sat up.

"Careful my lady you'll open the wound" he warned.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"We just arrived at the castle" he informed and the back of our carriage opened and I found Sie Henrik and Sir Benwell infront of me with deep frowns on their face.

"My lady" Sir Henrik called reaching out for me helping to pull me out of the carriage and I tumbled my legs having no life in them and they rushed to support me.

"Thank you" I murmured to them and they but nodded as they helped my limping self into the castle.

"The king has requested the lady in the throne room" the guard at the door informed.

"I shall see father later I can barely move as it is" I replied.

"Forgive me your highness but the king said immediately you returned" The guard said.

"Tell the king to shove it, the princess needs rest" Sie Henrik snarled.

I grabbed his shoulder,

"It's okay Henrik, I'll see what the old man wants" I said pulling myself from their hands but they didn't budge.

"Let us take you" Sir Benwell said and Sir Henrik nodded.

Knowing I couldn't refuse them I let them lead me into the throne room and once we entered I made them leave me and stand by the side.

There was quite the people present and I dragged my broken feet across the tiles till I arrived in front of my mother and father and another man I had never seen.

"My dear Adeline" mother cried taking in my state.

"Why do you choose to do this?" My father asked.

"I am to rule one day I intend to give it my all" I replied.

"Well all that ends today, I have granted you enough freedom to do that which you please" Father said and I frowned in confusion.

"You would die one day if this continues and your sister is still to young and naive to take over" Father said and I clenched my hands.

"I heard Sir Collins is dead, which marks the end of my leniency" Fathee declared.

"We have just come back from war, ending the years of bloodshed between our kingdom and that of our enemies, not that I was expecting much but at least allow us bury our fallen men, congratulate us and welcome us as the warriors we are before you start lashing out" I said bitterly anger rising in me.

"All those formalities are unnecessary for you" Father declared.

"Adeline this has gone on for far too long" mother said with tears in her eyes.

"The man beside me is Lord Lavington, the duke of Venice, he has come to me with a proposal for your hand in marriage and I have accepted" Father declared the words that were like acid.

I felt myself enraged with anger plus the lack of sufficient blood in my system and the grief of the soldiers lost.

"With all due respect father, I shall not tie myself to any nicompoop in the name of marriage, you can marry him for all I care" I spat and father clenched his fist.

"Adeline…" he began.

"Princess Adeline, as fiesty as you are rumoured to be, I expected nothing less and I desire nothing more. I'm told you won't be tied down and you like to have your way" the Duke spoke and I glared at him with hatred.

They all said the same thing.

"Lord Lavington, I assure you there are a lot more Princesses who would love this offer you are wasting here, I kindly beseech you to embarrass yourself no further and leave" I warned.

"Unfortunately fair lady I cannot for it I'd you desire and wish to have" he said and I smiled.

"I apologise for you cannot have me, neither earn me or anything of the sort for I am not a commodity, if you still choose to persist, I would like to warn you I am not in the right state of mind and I have lost a lot of my men so please get out" I warned bitter my half opened eyes glaring at him with one intent.

Kill him.

"Adeline you will speak to the Duke with respect" Father warned.

"If you decide to lick his boots, be my guest but I will not stand and listen to this charade any longer for I am afraid someone's blood shall be spilled and it is not mine" I said my eyes not moving away from Lord Lavington.

"Say whatever you most dear princess, but this marriage was decided months ago while I was awaiting my prize to return, though I did not expected her bandaged up and full of holes" he smiled.

One I knew I should be wary of.

I returned it limping closer to where my father was and turned to Lord Lavington smiling brightly at him before quickly pulling my sword and someone suddenly pulled me back causing my blade to slice across his eye instead of his neck.

I looked up to see Sir Henrik holding me back. He had anticipated what I was going to do.

"Let me go Henrik!" I yelled thrashing and trying to break free from his grip watching Lord Lavington cry in.pain and blood oozing from his head making me want to carve him up more.

"Look what she has become I told you to never have let her become a warrior" mother cried and I looked at her from the side of my eye.

She loomed scared but I couldn't be bothered about it.

"You're highness with all due respect, I believe the lady deserves rest and needs to be treated she can barely stand and when this is done, the discussion can be reopened" Sir Derek said from behind Sir Henrik.

My father looked at both of them and I suddenly groaned looking down at my stomach to see blood oozing into the bandage.

I had reopened my damn wound.

"Very well" the king replied.

"Don't hate me for this " Sir Henrik said before lifting me into his arms but I didn't complain and let him carry me barely feeling my own body and my consciousness slipping away.

I hated this