CASSANDRA: The Unfavored Princess-Chapter 88: Protect Me

Duke Salvador was sitting in the dining hall eating at his regular speed.

But his mind was elsewhere. No matter how hard he tried, Aiden could not concentrate. He took a spoonful into his mouth as he looked at the Vivere Kingdom’s Crown Prince, Prince Carl.

’This man knows Princess Cassandra’s secret.’

’But how?’

’And he even wants to have a talk with every Duke.’

’Something is not adding up.’

Duke Salvador’s eyes darkened. The Prince smiled at the Duke, making him smile.

’Now things are taking different turns.’

Duke Salvador smiled as he returned his gaze to his plate. Soon the dinner was done and everyone shifted to have a chat and drink.

Duke Salvador moved towards the balcony with a wine glass in his glass. He smiled as Prince Cedric came in for a chat.

"What is the Duke doing here?" Prince Cedric smiled as he looked out at the darkness.

"What is there to talk about?" Aiden ignored the Crown Prince as he smiled. His gaze sharpened from time to time.

"The Emperor is enthusiastic about their Crown Prince. As an important pillar of the Empire I thought Duke Salvador would be near them."

Aiden laughed as he turned around. "And as our Empire’s Crown Prince, I thought you might be inside too."

Prince Cedric did not smile. His eyes sharpened. Duke Salvador was never a man easy to deal with.

"Maybe the Duke is right. I will be inside." Prince Cedric smiled as he took a step forward. "Who knows, maybe the Vivere Kingdom and us will be in-laws soon."

Aiden looked at the Crown Prince but did not reply. It was something between the royals and nothing to do with him anyway.

Soon Duke Salvador was alone on the balcony. He looked at the darkness as he turned a little. Aiden could see the forest’s starting that might lead to the one behind the fifth Princess’s room.

’She might be practicing things now.’

’I hope Princess Cassandra finds something soon.’

Aiden was about to move his gaze away when he saw a shadow standing at the entrance of the forest.

Aiden raised his eyebrows but his heart was unsettled. If Blazh was here it meant that something was wrong with the fifth Princess.

He kept the glass there as he jumped down the balcony without any care. Duke Salvador moved towards Blazh in a hurry. An uncomfortable feeling was spreading in his body.

"Why are you here?" Aiden said in a hurry as his eyes looked past Blazh. "Is everything alright?"

Blazh swallowed, unable to bring words to his mouth. The thing he had seen was something unimaginable and telling this to Duke Salvador was a task in itself.

What if Duke Salvador thinks I am lying. What if the Duke becomes angry. Many questions revolved in his mind that he could not say. But Blazh also knew that the Duke was getting impatient by the minute.

"The Princess fainted .." Before Blazh’s words could come to an end, his master left his side.

Aiden did not know what to think of anymore. As per what he had known, Princess Cassandra was going to make Amy concentrate her power. But then why would the Princess faint?

The question was killing the Duke from within, and before he knew it, Aiden entered the fifth Princess’s room.

"Princess?" Aiden said in a low tone as he saw Princess Cassandra sitting on the bed, drinking water. Although there was nothing unusual to it, Aden would see the pale face of the Princess.

It was as if the Princess had lost her soul. But Cassandra still managed to smile at the Duke. She tried getting up but Duke Salvador stopped her from doing so.

Amy, who was standing at the side, brought a chair as she placed it near the bed for the Duke.

Aiden nodded at this as he sat, observing Princess Cassandra’s every move.

Although Cassandra was struggling she still managed to get back to normal soon. Soon there were four people in the room. Princess Cassandra, Duke Salvador, Amy, and Blazh.

Aiden looked at the remaining three as he asked in a dangerous tone. "Will anyone tell me what happened?"

All the three looked at one another. No one knew where to start, but Blazh decided to tell his side.

"We entered the forest as Princess Cassandra took us to a plain ground." Blazh’s voice was low. They were in Princess Cassandra’s room and getting any voice out would be bad for everyone. "All I know was it was Princess’s lady in waiting who pulled up a wall like a mid-range mage."

Aiden’s eyes moved towards Amy who flicked a little due to fright. She looked at Blazh who indicated to her to continue her side of the story soon.

Amy swallowed. "I did the usual that the Princess had taught me. But then she told me to enter the darkness. It was lonely there."

Amy’s voice shivered as her hand trembled. "But I could not come out. I did not know what was happening and the Princess touched me and I opened my eyes but then .." Amy looked at the fifth Princess in fright.

Cassandra sat there motionless without much of a reaction. Amy did not know what to do anymore. She looked at Blazh who took up from there.

"The Princess was just standing there like a doll. She did not respond." Blazh said as he continued. "It was like she was sleeping but also not at the same time. But then I touched her and ..."

Blazh swallowed hard. His eyes shook when he thought back at the feeling he had gotten then.

"And what Blazh?" Aiden asked with a sharpened gaze.

"And my powers started flowing through my body towards the Princess. It was as if she was consuming my powers."

Aiden’s eyes narrowed at Blazh’s words. He looked at Cassandra who was also staring at Blazh.

"I tried to remove my hand but it was impossible. I pulled with all the strength I had and separated from it but then the Princess attacked me with a water beam before she fainted."

Aiden caught on to the real thing. "She attacked with a water beam?"

Blazh and Amy nodded their heads as Cassandra and Aiden looked at them.

Aiden’s mind had many thoughts. But he suppressed them for now. He looked at the fifth Princess as he asked. "Are you a water mage?"

Cassandra, who was silent for a long time, shook her head. "No, I am not."

Amy and Blazh’s eyes widened. They refused to believe it. Aiden saw the subtle changes in all of their expressions.

"Okay," Aiden said as he moved towards the other two. "No one talks about it. All we know is that the fifth Princess is powerless."

Amy and Blazh nodded before Duke Salvador turned towards Amy. "You wait outside and make sure no one visits the place. And if anyone knows how to protect it right?"

Amy looked at the fifth Princess who blinked her eyes. Amy swallowed as she nodded.

"Good." Aiden turned towards Blazh as he commanded. "And you go to our old library and search for anything related to that."

Blazh nodded. He knew where to look. He took a last look at the fifth Princess before he left.

Soon only Princess Cassandra and Duke Salvador remained in the room.

Aiden looked at the fifth Princess who was covered in a blanket. He could sense that her mood was not right. But Aiden wanted to know what had happened.

’I have to know.’

’What if her health is in danger?’

’Why was she able to use the power?’

’Blazh said his powers were sucked up. Was it done by her?’

Aiden looked at the fifth Princess who was observing him. No one said anything. The silence was getting louder than the words.

Soon Duke Salvador could not take it anymore. "Everyone had said their side of the story. Shouldn’t the Princess share her side as well?"

Cassandra’s sight moved up. She wanted to tell but her heart was afraid of the unknown.

’What would happen if he knew what I had experienced?’

’Will Duke Salvador treat me like an enemy?’

’Will the Duke tell the Emperor and others?’

Princess body stiffened by the thought of it. She swallowed as she closed her eyes to control her racing heart.

’No, the Duke will never do that.’

’He said that he will protect me.’

’He will protect me.’

Princess Cassandra opened her eyes. But her words still refused to come out. Aiden who was observing her could sense it.

Duke Salvador got up from his chair as he sat next to the Princess. Cassandra tensed up a little but soon her body became relaxed.

Aiden observed the Princess as he smiled. "Do not worry about anything. I am here."

Aiden held Cassandra’s hand that was on the bed. "You can tell me everything honestly. I will never judge you."

Cassandra looked into Aiden’s eyes for a few seconds before she nodded. She swallowed before she said.

"I saw them. I saw the crystals."