"Non progredi est regredi"

My wrist didn't hurt at all. Only when my hands would come together, I would feel a slight pain in my wrist and for that I put some ice on it.

Smiling at Olivia as I took the bag for a second I let my minds slip away. When a coldness came through the bag, my mind slipped into another day, year; far from here and far from my home.

It was a winter morning. The sky was clear so everybody wanted to play. But not me. I just wanted to draw. I wanted to look out to the window and draw the river with snow around it, but my mother convinced me. Not exactly like that. She threatened me to take my notebook if I don't make some friends.

So I got out of the house and met Amelia. On some higher level we made our bonding. It wasn't some weird thing about myths and legends just two persons clicking on first. She was my better half. If I didn't want to do something she would do that just because she wanted to see what will happen. Not too good.

Just like everything had its dark side that day had too. Something dark and dangerous I dared not to speak about. Something people just gossiped about never knowing it happened to someone close. 

Shaking from the sudden shower of memories a bag from my hands just dropped on the floor without a sound. Hairs from the white rug underneath my feet blocked all the sounds leaving the silence. Silence before a storm. Silence before a torture.

My breath just caught in the back of my throat. Hotness of the same make me unable to breathe. My eyes filed with water I didn't know I'm holding. The wind disappeared in the distance.
I stepped out on the terrace. My eyes met with the last glimpses of sun. Colouring sky in the shades of pink and purple I could pretend like I didn't remember my past. On this beautiful evening why would I wanted to remember that. 

A sword clash turned my mind to another attention. They didn't care about beautiful night. The only thing these two were focused is a fight. One of them was fighting in the dark suit. Why would anyone want to fight in that? It was hard and dirty. 

But if they wanted to fight why they don't go into battles? Wars? Conquers? Whenever someone would attack it was my people militated first. I never heard one of the nobles died in the battle. It was always a long list of people from my town; other people low in the money scale.

With a long exhale, I knew what it meant. The most powerful hide behind their army. And they always will.

My eyes scanned civilians sword. It was one of the most beautiful designs I ever saw. Something only the greatest blacksmiths could make. And one thing could allow them all. Money. Raw gold from the mines, a great sailing deal, minerals. Whatever they owned it brought them money. 

They decorated the hilt with some stones. Sapphires as it looked. That big sapphire was in the middle of the sword on the place were blade and hilt connected. The strong metal shone through the black hilt almost like it was melted. There and then it would catch a glimpse of sun and it would blind me. I just didn't know how they fought with that.

But that couldn't be a real battle sword. The real sword was a thin pointy and sharp. This one was almost like for show off. Atmosphere for a battle, nothing more.

They disgusted me; how could they enjoy in that? That was just wasting of our materials. Why would you have one sword when you can have two? Why to stop in that? It was just a preparation to be closer to the King. Closer to the throne. It was no secret that once when Prince would take his throne he had to get married. They just underwritten a Queen from their family.

Closing my eyes I was in a temptation to leave but this air just calmed me. It wasn't the fact they locked me in the room, or maybe I had tiny panic attack just it brought me closer to the home. In here too they had to make bread; they had to feed horses. And all of that swirled in the wind.

But my eyes searched that empty space were they fought, and they didn't gone. They were just outside the practice circles, outside the building next to it. The civilian gave his sword to a bay and with a bow he carried it in the house. 

I saw a man slowly lighting up the lanterns; he carried a long wood stick lightened and made his way around the garden. The civilian greeted with a worker. They even laughed for a minute before civilian tapped him on the shoulder and the man continued with its way. But then I recognized him. He is that guy I bumped in front of the hospital. The guy Prince fought.

His lips curved into a smile as he noticed me standing outside. Making a bow with his head he waved before turning to the castle.

My smile dropped when I realized I can't have any friend. My one and an only friend stood in my town and I left her in a disagreement. Here I didn't know anyone else except Prince and my three maids.

Yes, and the King.

But someone I could talk with I didn't know. Someone like Amelia I didn't meet.

Yes, I had a nice conversation with the Prince earlier this day, but I was suspicious. He just wanted information from me. He didn't want to talk with me. He just wanted to know why and how, and then he will kill me. He said that to me multiple times.

With a knocking on the doors my head turned expecting to see Olivia carrying me dinner, but no one entered. It was just silence. Until the knock repeated again.

It wasn't Prince too. He never knocked. He would just enter the room without asking. Like this morning.

I smiled when I remembered that. That was the first time that I did something like that. I was sure he has seen a naked body multiple times before, but for me, that was a sudden decision and for now, it wasn't a too good decision. I regretted second he said those words.

Shaking my head, I opened doors expecting to see some maid. Maybe Olivia sent someone else.

But no. It was that stranger from the outside. Person Prince fought with. Person which greeted me like a person.

"You know what they say. If we see each other for the three times someone needs to pay a coffee." He smiled, and I looked at him.

I didn't know why he is here. He was standing in front of my room saying something about the coffee, but I thought what trouble he will cause me. Prince would find a way to blame me.

"I didn't know that, and even if that's true I can't leave my room," I said cold and his smile dropped.

Great work, bitch. 

I'm not a bitch.

Yes, you are. The man showed at your door sigh and you are acting like a bitch.

"Okay then. Can I come in?" He asked lowering his head. It was one of those looks you would turn into a good fairy even if you hated human race. Something in his eyes made me twitch.

"I don't know about that," I said and opened doors wider.

"Thank you, lady." He said and entered the room.

"I'm not a lady. I'm just a prisoner." I said pointing at my neck.

"Ah, yes. The one who can resist Prince's power." He said looking around my room, "Nice room." He continued when a few minutes passed.

I didn't answer. My eyes scanned him from head to toe noticing everything. How was someone like that in my room? The dark blue suit fitted him like the second skin. The white shirt was decorated with a tie in the same colour and he had a little chain in his pocket. But he was beautiful; the kind you didn't know it existed until you saw it in person.

"How do you know that?" I said sitting on a chair where Prince sat a few hours earlier.

The maid didn't take his glass. The small level of brown liquid stayed in it. I looked at it and smelled, but it didn't look good. Smelled like poison, too.

"That room is nice?" He said, walking closer to the table.

"No. That I can resist." I said looking at him.

"I'm Prince's best friend." He said.

"Oh great. I hope you don't have a tradition of cutting because I'm not in the mood." I said wanting to come back to my bitchy mood.

"Cutting?" He said lifting an eyebrow.

I showed my neck, and he looked at a few levels of sterile gauzes.

"How much stitches?" He asked.

"Five, I think." Looking somewhere behind his face.

"Oh. Nice cut then, and no. I don't have that tradition." He said sitting on another chair across the table.

He opened the button on his jacket and lifted pants for a few centimetres.

"You sound direct." He continued turning his golden finger. It was sun captured in a prism. Four top sides were longer. On top was some letter. Together it looked like some symbol.

Everyone had their sign. A label of the caste. Meaning for the people around.

"I don't enjoy making presents from my words. Say what you have and go." I looked at him and he still had some smile on face.

"All right. I like you, little unknown person, and I wanted to see why you are watching me."

"First thing first. I am not small. Second, my name is Dianna and third I didn't watch you. You just practiced under my terrace."

I showed him three fingers for my three points.

He tilted across the table folding one of my fingers.

"You are small for every man here," he folded the second finger "nice to meet you, Dianna, I'm Danniel." He folded the third finger, "You got the room with a good view."

"I know. But Prince forbade me to seduce his army. I didn't know he has an army." Actually it didn't bother me. I had none intentions about seducing. The thing that bothered is when he will leave. My hands twitched in lap as he continued with his speak, I didn't know what Prince will tell.

"Well, that is hard. But every girl look when boys practise half-naked, so feel free to look that when it's happening." He looked me at my eyes and I looked at his brown, chocolate eyes.

"Thanks for that. I will watch if I can't sleep." I said.

"You can't sleep when that is happening. Everyone is yelling. People make tradition from that."

"I will have that on my mind." I looked at the table already wanting to finish with this conversation. Prince could show up in the second.

"Don't have it. I think they will practice tomorrow morning. I can join them if you want."

I made a mental check to the first sentence. The second I ignored. I didn't know how to act or what to say to that.

So I said something different.

"How is your cut?" I asked trying to find some gauze.

"Oh, good. I used to it. It's not a problem now." He sat against the chair. They way like he didn't have any obligation in the world.

"Where Prince cut you, anyway?" I asked. He really likes cutting people.

"On the shoulder. Nothing big. I don't have stitches like you."

"Great. I thought we could match." I said making a sad face.

"Nice try, but I don't fall for a puppy face."

"Oh then, I need to use something else."

"For what? Seduction? I'm already here." He showed around the room and smiled. Corners of his eyes narrowed as the big smile appeared on his face. I could t resist. I did the same.

"No. It's forbidden. I would like to have a friend here. I'm here like two or three days and I already feel like the loneliest person in the world." I looked outside.

When my eyes met with darkness outside for a second I froze. How is the dark already. But the consequences of Prince's power is here. People lost a good day.

When I looked at him again, he was already looking at me.

"You want a friend. I can do that. I know everything about everyone. When you are with Prince for a long time like me you know every part of this castle and you know everyone. We can gossip." He said.

"You like gossiping?" I asked surprised.

"No." He rolled eyes, "I'm messing with you."

"Well, thanks for that." I rolled eyes too and smiled.

This is nice, but I can't talk to him about Prince.

I wanted to talk to someone about a talk he gave me. About his information. I wanted someone who can hate him at the same time as me, but to think he is hot when he role sleeves, and then hate him again when he is acting like a psycho.

Someone slammed with the door and I knew exactly who it is. The wolf we have been talking about. No. Lion. His symbol.

"What are you doing here, Danniel?" He turned to his friend ignoring me.

"I came to meet my stalker." He said and stood up.

They were almost same high, but Prince was taller. And stronger. He wore his uniform 24/7 and Danniel wore suits. It was no wonder Prince won in their little fight.

"You can leave now." He pointed at the doors and turned to me.

He whispered something to him and get to the doors.

"It was a pleasure, Dianna." He smiled and closed doors when exited.

My smile dropped second he was out because the real beast was in the room.

"I told you not to seduce my army." He said looking at me. He was standing next to my chair while I sat on it.

"I didn't seduce him. He showed himself. I can't get out, remember?" I raised my eyebrow to prove a point.

Not saying anything he moved a step further from me and turned.

"Completely irrelevant. You are starting your classes tomorrow."

"What?" I said now hypnotized with his look.

"Some manners. How to greet Prince, Queen and King."

"Oh see. How to feed your ego." I said and rolled eyes.

He took me for my chin. From sudden movement, my neck hurt and I hissed quietly.

"Listen to me, little one. You will have some respect. Or you want to cut you some stitch. It would be a pity. That would destroy your pretty neck." He said moving his finger to the edge of gauzes.

"It's already destroyed, my Prince," I said and somehow removed my chin from his squeeze.

I didn't succeed to do anything. I realized that when I looked at him. He just let my chin. If he wanted to hold my chin he would do that.

I'm just a puppet here and he will make my moves.

"Someone will come in the morning." He gave me one last look before turning to the doors.

Great. I have some movement, but I will learn how to greet my enemy.

I guess that I can't have both.

"Non progredi est regredi" If you are not going forward you are going backwards.

Hello hello hello. What do you think about this chapter? What do you think about Danniel, what he will do? How is he gonna act?

Read, read, vote and comment.

Love you all.

Kiss kiss kiss.