The Bald Princess

~Twenty~

I never believed in love before. For me, love was nothing but an emotion unknown. It was you, Sire, who introduced me to a world that now has my whole existence.

Atarah

I was making vegetable curry when father walked out. Unlike every other day, he didn't had any book in his hand. It was honestly astonishing to see my father without a book, it was just so rare. He sat down on the chair before he turned towards me, his lips stretching in a soft smile and I felt relieved. He looked fine. He scared me for a second.

"Good morning, my child. What are you making today?" He asked raising his brows and I smiled back at him, stirring the curry before I covered it with a steel plate.

"Good morning, father. Nothing special, such some vegetable curry with rice. Why aren't you reading anything today?" I asked and he rose his brows at me before he started chuckling, shaking his head.

"I just realised how I'm always engrossed in my books all the time, so I decided I'll atleast spend my mornings with my daughter, asking about her life and telling about mine. What do you think, is it a good idea?" He asked and I smiled, nodding my head as I turned the stove off, taking the rice pot down as the curry was still getting cooked.

"Beautiful thought, father. Do you want some tea?" I asked and he shook his head, standing up from his chair as he walked inside the kitchen.

"I would like to have some warm water instead, it helps me with sore throat. I'm telling you, daughter, kids these days are no incarnations of God but devils. They have caused me headache and throat ache from all their mischiefs. Sometimes I really regret choosing this profession." He said with a sigh and I laughed, shaking my head as I boiled some water for him.

"I understand, father. Teaching is definitely not a very easy job. Kids are difficult to handle." I laughed as I looked at him. "Even in infirmary, it's so hard to treat children. They make it so difficult to even measure their temperature."

He chuckled, taking the glass of warm water from my hand and took a sip of it, humming in pleasure. I smiled as I put the rice in two plate. His lips pulled down in a frown when he saw the quantity of rice I took for myself but didn't say anything. But he looked disappointed.

"I'm trying, father. I'm not missing any meal of the day." I said quietly and his face softened as he let out a sigh, stroking my face gently as he pressed his lips against my forehead, wrapping his old, weak arms around me. Sometimes his old age and weak frame made my eyes to burn with tears. The thought that time was ticking; and with every day, he was only getting weaker than a day before made me shiver with fear.

"And I'm proud of you, daughter. I know, it's not easy but just know that you're not alone in this." He said softly and I just hugged him tightly in response. This was one of those moments, I felt alive. That someone is living for me, that I'm important too.

'You're indeed very important, healer. Do not think otherwise.' A soft voice demanded in my head and I jumped at the sudden echo of Warrior Duncan's voice in my head, closing my eyes to calm my racing heart.

"Are you okay, child? You got scared suddenly." Father said, pulling away from me, his eyes filled with worry and I smiled, shaking my head, mentally cursing Warrior Duncan. He took me by surprise.

"Do not worry, father. I..... I just thought, I saw a bug but I guess it was my imagination. Why don't you sit down while I serve us the breakfast?" I asked, laughing nervously but scowled when I heard Warrior Duncan's alluring chuckle rumbling inside me, making me shiver at the intensity of his laughter.

"Get out of my head!" I mumbled to myself angrily but father heard me, much to my disappointment. He turned around, looking at me in confusion and I just smiled sheepishly.

"You can take a day off, daughter, if you're not feeling well. You have been acting weird. Do you need me to send Bailey home on my way to school to check on you?" He asked in worry and I chuckled forcefully, shaking my head way too enthusiastically.

"No! I.... I mean, the bug won't leave my mind. I am torn between, did I really saw the bug or was it my imagination. Don't want the bug to spoil the food and milk." I made up but he still looked at me, not really convinced but decided to let it go before his eyes fell on the vegetable curry.

"Don't you think you cooked more than enough for the breakfast? These rice and vegetable curry won't even finish until the dinner." He said with a laughter and I smiled nervously at him.

How do I tell him that I won't be home for dinner and hence cooked more for him? How do I tell him that the cause of my absense during our dinner is my date with Warrior Duncan? And even if I told him I'm meeting him for a dinner date, how would I explain him why I'm meeting a royal at such dark hour? How can I even explain him that Warrior Duncan claims to be my soulmate and like a holy book, my heart finds no lie in his claim. I know we're soulmate. How and why, I don't know but I just knew that he wasn't lying.

"Actually, father, I won't be home for the dinner. So, I cooked for you beforehand. I hope you don't mind." I said quietly, lowly.

"Are you working at night too? Then pack some food for yourself too." Father ushered and I quickly shook my head.

"No, father— not for work." I confessed lowly and he rose his brows at me.

"Then?" He asked calmly and I wasn't sure if he would be calm after knowing where and with whom I was going. I took some time to respond. Maybe, I should just lie, that is the easiest job to do. But then, I was going out with Warrior Ansel Duncan, the Warrior in Chief. People would see me with him and father would anyway get to know about our meet. And me lying to him again would not just disappoint him but make him sad too. Maybe I should just confess the truth. Yes.

"Child," I blinked, nodding my head as I licked my lips.

"I was going out for dinner, father. And I'll be late for home, so I thought it would be convenient to cook for you beforehand. If you want warm and fresh food, I can always cancel the plan, father." I quickly added the last statement, completely serious about it but father shook his head.

"I'm no King, my daughter. I'm a middle class man who got fortunate enough to have a daughter who provides me fresh and deliciously cooked, warm food every day. And you are going out for dinner, you're finally going out, wearing your confidence; how can I take that from you, my child? Enjoy your dinner with Bailey. Ask her to come home, it's getting cold nowadays, woods aren't much safe for her."

My insides churned as my mind ushered me to lie to him, to tell him I was indeed going out with Bailey but a saner part told me to correct him, to tell him that it isn't Bailey with whom I was going out but Warrior Duncan, the royal member, the vampire. And I had also promised to never lie to him and this is the least I can do, to not break my promise to him.

"I'm not going with Bailey either, father. I'm going out with Warrior Duncan." I confessed with my shaky voice. His eyes widened for a second and his lips parted in surprise. I even saw fear and horror flashing in his old, usually calm eyes.

"Are you in trouble, daughter?" He asked worriedly and I quickly shook my head.

"It's.... it's just a normal dinner, father. I'm in no trouble. We.... we are going to discuss some important changes that should take place in healthcare centres." I said— I lied to him. We weren't meeting for any cause. He wanted to meet me and I couldn't deny to meet him, to see his gorgeous face.

Father, however seemed suspicious, he wasn't trusting me entirely but didn't pry into the matter, he simply nodded his head as he walked out of the kitchen and sat down on the chair, placing his arms on the table. I quickly placed our breakfast on the table before we silently started to eat our breakfast. No-one of us said anything anymore. Father's soft and calm face was morphed into stern and worried one. I knew, he wasn't very of fond of me meeting a royal man at night.

When we were done eating, I quickly washed our dishes and was about to leave for the infirmary when father stopped me. I froze on my steps. Will he ask to cancel my plans with Warrior Duncan? But I really wish to meet him.

"My child, you're twenty two years old. Old enough to take your own decisions and I don't want to take that liberty from you. But I would just say, beware of the royals, my daughter, they're evil, beyond your and my understanding. Just stay on your guard and be safe, hm?" He said and I nodded my head. He won't hurt me, father. Hopefully.

"I'll come back to you, father. I won't die tonight." I joked but I realised it wasn't best of the times to joke so I sighed, holding his hands as I looked into his old, worried and scared eyes.

"I'm your daughter, father. I won't come back, lost. And he— Warrior Duncan is not meeting me to hurt me. I need to leave now, my patient's must be waiting for me." With that I walked out of the house, towards the infirmary. My heart beating fast at the thought of meeting Warrior Duncan at night. It was a childlike excitement. I was having butterflies in my stomach, I didn't feel hungry, I felt weird..... good weird. It was first time I was going out to have dinner with someone. This wasn't me. I never got this excited to meet a man before.

~~~~~~~

My day had been busy and yet my day felt so long. Like the time was also teasing me today. For once, I wanted to know if I looked fine but for that I had to look at myself in the mirror. And if I did that, I would drown in self hatred. I shook my head, I should just forget about how I look, after all, it's all about your heart.

Oh, bullshit! Who am I kidding? Isn't it always love at first sight? Where a person falls for another person by just looking at them? And at the first sight, we can only look for a person's looks, their beauty. The liking always start with how a person looks, if they are beautiful or not; infatuation starts when we start getting used to their habits, we like. And then finally love happens where looks, habits don't matter anymore, then everything is just about heart and soul. In love, a person has long crossed the bridge of lust and what is left is just eternal and sacred love.

I didn't knew at which stage we were. We hadn't been close enough to know about each other's habit to like it. We were far behind the infatuation, I doubt if we were even on the first stage. Liking was also a strong word for now.

And that's when I heard loud footsteps echoing behind me and I knew it was Warrior Duncan in the infirmary. My heart kept thudding inside my chest. Only Lord knows how will this dinner date turn out today.