Cross to Bear

AMARI

I winced as Fae dabbed medicine on my back. The pain was growing, becoming a throbbing ache that was hard to ignore. Clutching the bed sheets, I let a tear slip.

I’d thought the injury wasn’t too serious, but when Jonathan brought me in and Fae saw the blood, I knew I was in for a massive bruise. And that’s exactly what happened.

An old wound had reopened, and a new one had formed over it. Fae’s eyes widened in shock, not just at the sight of the fresh wound, but at the sight of my back in general.

I could tell she wanted to ask about the scars, but she held her tongue.

A knock at the door interrupted us. Fae got up to answer it, and I stayed put, straining to hear the conversation. After a few words were exchanged, Jonathan walked in.

His gaze landed on my back, and he gasped, rushing over to me.

“Y-your highness!” Jonathan stuttered, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“It’s nothing,” I said, forcing a sad smile.

Jonathan frowned, shaking his head. Disapproval was etched on his face.

“How can you say it’s nothing? Who did this to you?” Jonathan demanded. “You shouldn’t have to endure this. And forgive me if I’m speaking out of turn, your highness. You’re just a girl. How can you bear these wounds?”

His words caught me off guard, and I chuckled. Looking back at him, I said, “This is my life. What else can I do?”

“The king needs to know,” Jonathan said, starting to leave the room. I quickly grabbed a robe and tried to cover myself.

“No!” I said, grabbing his arm. “He already knows…that new bruise was his doing.”

Jonathan looked at me as if I’d sprouted a second head. Then, sighing, he took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Alright, but we need to treat those wounds,” Jonathan said, managing a wry smile.

How did I end up like this?

After a while, Jonathan excused himself. When he returned, it was past midnight, and to my surprise, he wasn’t alone. He’d brought ten more servants with him.

Swallowing nervously, I looked around my room. Why were they all here?

“Relax, your highness,” Jonathan said, his smile bright.

“Yes, we’re all here because we want to meet you and help you,” a woman named Nora added, smiling at me.

Nora was the head maid in the palace, and her main duty was to serve the king.

She was older than anyone else here.

“Here, have some tea,” Nora said, handing me a delicate porcelain cup. I took a sip, and the flavors of cinnamon and vanilla filled my senses. I let out a sigh without realizing it. When I opened my eyes, I saw everyone watching me. Embarrassed, I looked away. Had I just sighed in relief?

Laughter filled the room.

“We’re glad you’re here,” Nora said, still chuckling. “Finally, someone other than the king to serve.”

“Yes, finally,” a girl named Miriam agreed. Miriam was about my age and worked in the kitchen. Her brown hair and hazel eyes made her look like a doll.

“We’re sorry about earlier,” Jonathan said suddenly, causing me to frown in confusion.

“For what?” I asked, genuinely puzzled.

Everyone exchanged glances before Jonathan’s gaze met mine again.

“For the king,” Jonathan muttered, and the room fell silent.

I set my teacup down and smiled at everyone.

“Don’t worry,” I said, “I’m used to being hurt.”

I felt a gentle hand on mine, which I hadn’t realized I’d clenched into a fist. I looked up to see Nora, her face filled with conflict. She exchanged a glance with Jonathan.

“No, your highness. The king, he doesn’t understand,” Nora began, but she seemed at a loss for words.

I kept my gaze on her, trying to find the right words, but my lip started to tremble and tears welled up in my eyes.

Why was I so emotional today?

Suddenly, I was crying. I quickly apologized and wiped my tears away.

“Your majesty…,” Nora whispered, looking at Jonathan. “Can we ask you what happened to you?”

I took a deep breath, feeling my hands shake. I looked down at them, fidgeting nervously. How could I tell them? They wouldn’t believe that a princess could be treated this way.

If I told them that my own family had done this to me, they’d think I was crazy, slandering the royal family.

“It’s nothing,” I mumbled, “this is nothing…”

No one asked again. I knew they were judging me, a mere girl who’d been beaten, tortured, and cursed by her own family.

I frowned, remembering my curse for a moment. But with everything that had happened, I’d forgotten about it. How could I?

It was my first day here, and so much had happened that I hadn’t thought about my curse. The one that was supposed to end my life sooner than I’d expected.

After everyone had left, I said my goodbyes and Nora shut the door to my room. I was alone, sitting on my bed, letting out a sigh.

I got up, my back aching, and moved towards the balcony door.

Earlier, I hadn’t noticed it, but Jonathan had pointed out that my room had a balcony. I was itching to check it out.

Jonathan had warned me not to go out because of the cold night air. He was worried I’d catch a cold. But curiosity was gnawing at me.

I opened the glass door and stepped outside.

The night air made me shiver from head to toe. I hugged myself, letting out a sigh. Jonathan was right; it was cold.

I leaned against the railing, looking down. My room overlooked a forest.

I rested my arm on the railing, my hand supporting my head.

“I wonder what’s beyond that forest,” I mumbled to myself.

I sighed again as my back began to ache. I needed to rest, but my mind was restless.

As I pondered what to do, an idea popped into my head. It might not have been the best idea, but there was no harm in trying to write.

I chuckled to myself, heading back inside and shutting the door. I kicked off my slippers and grabbed my robe.

I opened my bedroom door and peered down the eerily silent hallway. Not a soul in sight. I had promised myself I wouldn’t wander around at night, but something was pulling me.

My heart started to race, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I bit my lip, quietly closing the door and began to tiptoe down the hallway.

Jonathan had mentioned a massive library on the second floor, filled with millions of books. He had given me a brief description of the place and its location.

My curiosity was getting the better of me, and I felt compelled to explore. So, here I was, heading into the unknown.

I peeked around corners, making sure no one was around, until I started recognizing the place from Jonathan’s description. I smiled, quietly sprinting down the hallway. This place was huge!

I found two large, dark wooden doors and gently pushed them open. They creaked, and I cursed under my breath.

I didn’t know if anyone was still awake or if guards were patrolling the palace. I needed to get inside quickly.

Once the doors were shut, I let out a sigh of relief. I leaned against the doors, resting my head. My heart was still racing. I opened one eye and took in my surroundings.

A smile spread across my face as I looked around.

Jonathan hadn’t exaggerated when he said the library was massive. It was like a separate building. Rows upon rows of shelves and tables filled the entire wooden room.

I walked around, my eyes darting from one side to the other until I felt dizzy. How many books were in here?

As I continued to explore, I found myself on the second floor of the library. I gasped as I looked down. I was leaning over the railing, looking up and down.

That’s when I noticed there were at least two more floors filled with books. Excitement surged through me as I skipped down the rows.

As I passed by, I noticed some shelves were dusty. Did no one ever come here?

I dusted off my hands and continued walking until a specific row of books caught my eye. I tilted my head, looking at it. My eyes landed on a book about curses.

Like a moth to a flame, I was drawn to it. I reached up as high as I could, smiling as I pulled the heavy book from its dusty shelf. It was time to read.

I carried the book in both arms, looking for a spot to sit. The fireplace in the corner seemed like a cozy place to read. Oblivious to my surroundings, I sat down on the couch and pulled my legs up.

I opened the old, dusty book. With gentle fingers, I turned the pages. This book was older than me. Some of the letters had faded.

I read carefully, engrossed in the contents. I lost track of time. Slowly, I started to doze off until my hand slipped off the book.

Something warm brushed against my cheek as I turned over. I scrunched up my face, swatting it away. I didn’t know what it was, but I didn’t care. I decided to ignore it as my body ached with every movement.

Suddenly, I felt something soft over my body. What was that?

I groaned, opening my heavy eyes, only to be greeted by darkness. How long had I been asleep?

I sat up carefully, looking down at myself. A red blanket was draped over my now warm body. Who had put it there? I frowned, looking around, wondering who it could have been.

Deciding it was best to head back, I stood up and picked up the book.

I folded the blanket and left it on the couch, heading back to the row where I had found the book about curses.

I stood on my tiptoes, trying to reach the spot where the book belonged. But I was too short, especially with the heavy book in my hands.

“Seriously?” I groaned in frustration. Annoyed, I lifted my arm higher when suddenly someone took the book from me and put it back.

I tensed up, closing my eyes, praying it wasn’t who I thought it was. I groaned internally.

“Shouldn’t you be in your room?” a rough voice I didn’t want to hear echoed in my ears. I could feel the king standing close behind me. I swallowed hard, gathering my courage to turn around.

His hand was above my head, his body leaning dangerously close to mine, hovering over me. I lifted my head to look at him.

His eyes, a deep shade of crimson, held a dangerous allure as he gazed down at me. His shirt was unbuttoned, revealing a muscular torso, and his pants hung low on his hips.

I found my gaze drifting over his toned body, lingering on the V-line that led to a hint of dark hair.

I swallowed hard, my legs trembling slightly under his intense gaze. I lifted my eyes to meet his.

As he moved closer, I backed up until I was pressed against a bookshelf. The hard spines of the books dug into my back, but I barely noticed.

All I could think about was how dangerously attractive this man was, and how much I wanted him. It was a strange feeling.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that the sound of a door slamming somewhere in the library made me jump. Instinctively, I reached out, my hand landing on his chest. I felt like I’d been caught doing something I shouldn’t have been.

My eyes darted toward the stairs, waiting for someone to appear. But no one did. I found myself leaning closer to him, my mind seemingly oblivious to his presence.

Suddenly, I became aware of a warmth spreading through me. I lifted my head and found his face just inches from mine. His breath brushed against my lips as he continued to gaze at me.

His expression was soft, and I couldn’t understand why he was looking at me like that.

He moved his other hand to my side, effectively trapping me against the bookshelf. I just stared at him, surprised at how comfortable I felt.

A comfortable silence fell between us. Maximus reached up, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His large, callused fingers brushed against my skin.

Unconsciously, I licked my lips. Maximus inhaled sharply, his gaze dropping to my mouth. My hands were still resting on his chest.

As he leaned in closer, I dropped my gaze to his chest. My eyes widened as I noticed a long scar running across his pectorals.

Frowning, I traced the scar with my finger.

“What happened?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

When he didn’t respond, I looked up at him again.

“What happened, Maximus?” I repeated. He sighed and reached for my wrist, stopping my hand’s movement.

I bit my lip as he gently squeezed my wrist. Then he looked at me again, his red eyes intense. There was something different about him.

But before I could figure out what it was, he lifted my hand to his lips and kissed each of my knuckles.

I was taken aback. I hadn’t expected that. I quickly pulled my hand away and mumbled an apology before rushing back to my room, leaving him standing alone in the library.

I ran as fast as I could, slamming my bedroom door behind me. I slid down the door, my heart pounding in my chest.

“What was that?” I muttered to myself, holding my head in disbelief.