"Were you the one who saved me earlier?" Leon asked.
"I am." Rebecca replied.
Hearing her answer, a smile beaned at Leon's face, as he bowed to her and said "Thank you for your help. If it weren't for you, I don't know what those guys would do to me?"
"No need for that." Rebecca said, watching him thanking her for saving him, a smile came to her face too. As she pushed all her doubts aside, being sure in herself that what she did was indeed right and not stupid.
But then the words of Rio came to her mind where he asked her who was at fault? Who started that fight and if she really was right to save him?
So she decided to ask those questions "Tell me, did you start the fight with them?"
Her question brought back Leon from the fantasyland he traveled to watching her smile, but looking at her glaring angry eyes he replied "Huh.obviously not. It was those guys who started making fun of me and insulting me. I even ran from them and apologized too but they found me and started beating me."
"Hmm. But you were still in the side hall. Why didn't you just leave that place, so they couldn't find you. Isn't that simple?" Rebecca asked, curious and a little annoyed as her brain registered his words, were similar to what Rio told her.
"I could've. But _ but I couldn't." Leon stammered as he answered her question. Now that he thought back, why didn't he just leave that place, he just punched some big noble kid and he was still there. But then he remembered why he came there in the first place and justified his actions to himself.
'I was looking for the princess. Right. I couldn't talk to her in the main hall, in front of my father and hers, so I came there. Yes. That's it.'
Unaware of his self thoughts Rebecca misunderstood her words, as thinking that maybe some guard stopped him or someone else halted him, so she asked "What do you mean you couldn't. Did someone stop you?"
If she found some guards who stopped some low ranking guests, just to curry favors with high ranking ones. After all, there were similar incidents like this in the past, it wouldn't be surprising if someone did it. But then she'd really be mad.
But Leon's words calmed her as he said.
"No, nothing like that. No one stopped me. I _I was actually waiting for the princess there."
His words surprised Rebecca, as a frown came to her face "Princess. But she was in the main hall with the rest of the guests."
"Yeah, but she should come there right. In the side hall, that's where everyone her age would've been. So I was waiting for her. I didn't want to leave before meeting her." Leon said, trying to clarify his words.
"Why'd you want to meet the princess. Everyone would eventually see her in the cake ceremony. Couldn't you just wait there?" Rebecca asked, as her mood started going back down, listening to constant excuses.
"I_ I actually , I actually wanted to."
"What?"
"I wanted to meet her alone?"
Leon was stammering in his words, when she asked again, so he closed his eyes and finished his words. Hoping it won't sound creepy or bad.
"Why?" Rebecca asked, her voice now cold, as she felt angry.
"Huh., that's not . I can't tell you that. I'm sorry." Leon noticed her change in tone and behavior too, but he didn't want to say his reasons. He didn't know who she was, or if he should really tell her something that personal.
Rebecca, confused about why this guy was refusing now. He just said, he wanted to meet her alone and now when they're here alone, he's not saying anything. But then she thought maybe, he didn't realise who she was. So she asked "Do you not know who I am?"
"Ah no. I actually never attended any social events as I was mostly sick since I was a baby. So this is the first time I even came out somewhere like this." Leon replied, rubbing his head.
"My name's Rebecca Von Schott. The one and only princess of this empire. The one you were searching, so now would you tell me why you were looking for me." Rebecca said, as she straightened her posture.
"Th that really."
"Do I have any reason to lie?"
Instead of answering, Rebecca asked the question, which shut him off and make him believe her words.
"My apologies, your highness. I didn't realize."
Leon said, while trying to give her a proper royal greeting which he was failing miserably at.
"Just tell me, why you were looking for me. And don't try to lie. Or Cassie will know about it." Rebecca asked him again, as she signaled Cassie, who nodded her head, acknowledging her request.
"I wanted to wish you birthday and give you this gift." Leon said in a hurry, pulling out the small box of gift he prepared for her.
"What's in it?"
"It's something I prepared myself. My sister said, since the princess will have everything anyone can buy, why don't you give her something no one buy. I didn't understand what she meant, so I just made a gift myself. No one can buy this right."
"Lie"
Leon was giving out his emotional speech, explaining his gift and the idea behind it happily. When Cassie's cold tone stopped his lines.
"What?" He asked, looking at her.
"I think I told you not to lie or Cassie will know?" Rebecca said, shaking her head, looking at the black haired boy. "Did you think I was joking. Now your last chance, tell me why you were looking for me?"
"No, it's the truth. I prepared it myself and I got it for you.."
Leon was saying his lies again, when Rebecca's cold words cut him off.
"Cassie, if he lies again, throw him in the prison cells. Father can decide what to do with him later?"
Hearing her words, Leon was really scared, thinking about the time when his father had said, that princess was kind and gentle like his sister, he just wanted to ask his father now. 'Is this gentle.'
But he didn't have much time to think clearly on that memory, as Cassie's reply stunned him again .
"Yes master."
"Now speak only the truth. Why were you looking for me." Rebecca asked again.
"I'm not lying I did made that gift for you.
"Cassie.."
"But I wanted something in return."
Leon said in a hurry, hearing the princess mentioning her guard's name again.
Rebecca didn't answer or look at him, but glanced at her shadow, who nodded her head and said "He's telling the truth now, master."
"Speak" She said, after confirming it weren't any of his other excuses.
"I wanted to ask your help for something. I heard from my uncle that the Royal Family has something that can help my family. If you can ask your father, the king to help me save my.."
"So he was right." Hearing his words Rebecca muttered under her breath, as she realized, just like Rio said, even he was like everyone else. Even after she saved him, that wasn't enough and he wanted to ask her something else too.
This guy, even wanted her to talk with her father on his behalf, she didn't even bother to hide the disgust and disappointment that crept on her face, as she stopped Leon's explanation further, by giving her order to her shadow.
"Throw him out Cassie."
Her words had just finished, as Cassie started moving towards him.
"Wait, at least listen to me. Please. I didn't mean anything bad please.
I was just asking for your help. If you ask your father to just check once. It can save my family. I'll be in your debt please just once, listen… ."
His words were silenced as a sudden wave of darkness engulfed him and he fell down on the ground.
After giving a chop on his head that knocked the boy out, Cassie turned to look at the princess, who was silently looking down, trying to hide her expressions.
"Do you think he was right?"
Rebecca asked, without looking up. And even though she didn't mention any name or anything else, her shadow understood who she was talking about. But she didn't say anything.
". … ."
"Thought so. I was a fool to believe otherwise."
She said, as some tears started flowing down her pearl eyes.
"You can leave." She said, and Cassie bowed her head and left after picking up the unconscious Leon.
Rebecca glanced at the box of gift that the boy had given her earlier, as she thought 'would he laugh at me, if he knew about it.'
The thought of that white haired boy making fun of her stupidity came to her head, which brought a slight smile to her face.
But that smile was gone the next instant, when she remembered how she fought with him for not defending this guy, who was trying to use her.
She threw the small box in her hand away, as she stood up, after wiping her face clean. She saw a new message from her mother, calling her inside.
'I'll just say sorry to him when I see him inside.' She thought and left the garden.
Unaware that as she left the area, a boy her age came to that place, and picked up the box she threw away.
"Well, that was unexpected, and easy."
He broke the small jade bracelet inside, and threw all the pieces away. Looking at a white stone that wasn't crushed under his strength, he smiled and kept it in his storage ring.
"Guess its one more win for the villain." He said, smiled, and walked away, with his hands in his pocket.
##
A/N - End is near. Almost upon us. The time skip coming soon.
Also, in the academy arcs, I'll need ton of names of new characters, suggestions r always welcome. Also if u give out gifts and good reviews, I might as well be happy, and name some important characters on ur name - then u can have ur fantasy in my fantastic story. [Poor shameless author]
R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at freew𝒆(b)novel.c(o)m Only