Kitanna
Chapter 93: CARELESS PRINCESS

Chapter 93: CARELESS PRINCESS

[MUSIC RECOMMENDATION: I DON’T LOVE YOU ~ URBAN ZAKAPA]

Four days passed in the kingdom of Morado; the news of Khelan’s position being in danger did not die down. Despite Almaria and Deonisia’s effort to quench the rumor and catch whoever it was that fueled it. It was as if they were chasing a moving shadow; at the end of the day, nobody was really behind it. Even when they tried to trace it to Kitanna, nothing was found.

Almaria was so stressed that she began to grow streaks of gray hair, below her eyes looking dark and puffed. It was evident that the queen dowager was losing sleep because of the whole issue. The regular royal family breakfast was forgotten, starting with Almaria, who stopped coming out for breakfast.

In her thinking, her position was at stake; she didn’t have such luxury to eat breakfast. Deonisia didn’t bother herself to step out of her room, staying there all day looking for a weak point to bring the princess down. The girl was soaring too high.

The breakfast was left for Bareea, Khelan, and their son. After some time, Khelan stopped joining the concubine for breakfast. Bareea had to eat alone; she did not find it easy in the palace. The rumor affected her the most; she saw how the maids in the palace judged her with their eyes. All Bareea could pray for was for Khelan to be a true Morgair. If not for anything, so her son could have an identity.

Kitanna did not let her small victory swallow her up; she made sure she had her guards up every time. She knew she had pricked the beehive and that Almaria and Deonisia would only rest when they eliminate her. Even if they say it was a mistake. She spent the rest of her days within the palace either talking with Larel or enjoying her own company so the women won’t find any fault. She held the ace card, which was the original seal, but if she made that move immediately, many would assume it was just crafted by her to steal the throne. So she had to soften the ground for her landing.

Speaking of landing, as she passed the open space that was used for training for the guards in the palace, she saw a guard landing on his bottom.

As this happened, the other guards cheered for this winner; Kitanna looked up to find the young man who had followed them from the Odel village. It was the swordsmith’s grandson; it seemed like he was popular among the guards.

"Are you seeing that?" Kitanna turned to look at the person who had just arrived. It was Larel.

Larel turned her face with a smile, looking at the young princess. Kitanna smiled back too and said, "When did you arrive?"

"Not quite long, but long enough to see that guard throw the other one away like he was just a bag of feathers," Larel said, pointing at Chantal then at the guard who was brushing off the sand from his back in shame.

"I didn’t know he was this good," Larel continued, and Kitanna nodded her head in agreement. The boy had the build of a fighter, but she had thought it was because he helped his grandfather in making a sword. But that didn’t seem to be the case. Kitanna prided herself because not just Nix, she had another person of strength close to her.

Chantal raised his sword, and the other guards cheered him on; he hit his chest roughly, baring it for other guards to see the marks on his chest. It was no brainer that the young guard was far more experienced than any of them.

"Who else wants to spar? Let’s cook!" Chantal shouted, moving to the guards and intimidating them with his body. Some of the guards who had engaged in a duel with him before turned their faces to the other side. The young man was a monster in the field.

Back to where the princess and the queen stood. Kitanna’s hands itched; it had been a long time since she had an actual fight.

"Should I show you something cool?" Kitanna turned to ask Larel.

"Mm...it depends on your idea of co-" the queen didn’t complete her sentence as the next moment, Kitanna jumped from the balcony and landed on her feet. A feline indeed. Larel widened her eyes in shock.

"Princess stop." She walked round to step down from the balcony trying to stop the princess.

But Kitanna was far ahead, running with her full strength to where the training was taking place. Larel turned around to see if any of Almaria’s underlings was around, not like she even knew them. And the silver-haired guard who Kitanna was always meek in his presence was not around. It was hard to control Princess Kitanna. Larel gave up and just followed her. Unbeknownst to Larel, Kitanna was born with a sword. The queen didn’t know that Kitanna used to be an assassin, the Black Rose for that matter.

Reaching the duel ground, which white chalk was used to mark the area meant for fighting making it a fighting ring. Kitanna stepped into the ring, with a grin plastered on her face.

The guards immediately bowed deeply with respect, including Chantal the difference was that his cheeks blushed.

Kitanna acknowledged their greetings with a nod, "I’m not here as a princess, I’m here to train with you. So treat me like one of you." She clapped her hands, and encouraged the guards to do the same. So they did.

Chantal scratched his head nervously, the annoying blue-eyed man had warned him sternly to report if the princess was acting out of character or even stop her if he was not around.

"You! I want a duel with you. You seem like the hot bun around here, let’s see what you have." Kitanna pointed at Chantal; this caused a low murmuring among the guards.

Chantal stood there awkwardly; he couldn’t possibly duel with the princess. The both of them will be punished by you-know-who. He shook his head and moved back.

"Princess, I will find a good duel partner for you. This one here is ..." An animal, the assistant head guard advised politely. Completing the statement in his head.

Kitanna’s eyes trailed to look at the person who spoke and then at the rest of the guards.

"You all must see me as a joke then. Well, after today, it’ll be corrected. Give him a real sword; any other disagreement will be taken as insubordination." With a note of finality, Kitanna moved to stand in her position.

Ripping her gown side by side she removed the flairs so she would be able to move properly. She touched her Tizona, feeling nostalgic. How long has she waited to use it again?

Larel on the other side noticed the distressed look on the faces of the guards; she prayed that someone will come to their rescue. Including hers, because her heart was beginning to race.

Chantal was given a real sword, and he stepped into the ring. The guards became silent; every minute that passed was like s torture to them.

"Don’t go easy on me." Kitanna grinned, as if reading Chantal’s mind.

The duel began, Kitanna knew already that the young man will try to go easy on her. All she needed to do was to provoke him.

She pulled out her own sword which was unlike others, her sword was flexible and light. Kitanna moved in for the attack immediately, Chantal who was being defensive was shocked to see the speed the princess was coming with. Trying to protect his face, Kitanna swirled and used her sword to flog his back, it didn’t leave a mark because she was careful but she made sure he felt the pain.

"Ah!" Chantal grunted, he almost lost his balance but he stood up again in his defense. And again and again Kitanna lashed him with the sword.

"If you don’t attack, I’ll only whip your ass" the princess cocked her head.

Chantal turned to look at other guards, it’ll only be recorded that he was whooped by the princess who is a woman. He decided to attack her a little maybe that way she will give up.

Kitanna noticed the look that was on his eyes, and she nodded. The real fight just began.

Chantal didn’t wait for the princess to attack; he moved first as he tried to strike her with the sword. Kitanna moved to the left, using her own sword to curl his own she flung it to the side. And brushed his feet making unaware Chantal land on his bottom.

Kitanna raised her hands, and the guards cheered for the princess. Even Larel was shocked, but she found herself cheering her on.

Chantal hit the ground; he retrieved his sword and rushed to where the princess was, taking note that her own sword was very flexible he didn’t attack first with his sword. He rushed like he was about to land a hit, and when the princess moved to attack, he shifted right. And used his sword which got stuck on her dress.

Kitanna who was taken by surprise moved away, and the sword tore her dress, baring her shoulder. She didn’t care because the next minute she used her leg to climb on Chantal’s knees, and curled his neck with her thighs.

The other guards were shocked because the swiftness at which the princess moved was almost invisible.

Kitanna pressed down Chantal’s shoulder, but he didn’t bulge; he raised his hands moved her to the ground. With Chantal now on top of her, feeling the close proximity they were in, Chantal felt his cheeks turn warm.

But that wasn’t the case for Kitanna; the next minute she wrapped him up with her leg and twirled him, making him stay under then she quickly retrieved her sword.

"I’ll leave a mark," with her words, she cut the side of his arm a little and raised the sword showing victory.

The guards and Larel cheered for the princess. It was the best duel they had ever witnessed. Even when the princess was losing, she refused to give up.

Kitanna still on Chantal’s body raised her sword up and shouted. The sweat trailed from her face down to her neckline which was almost loose because of the part of her dress that was torn.

This didn’t seem to bother her because her whole body was already covered with sand and sweat. She continued to shout.

The cheering died down immediately like something drained it away. Kitanna looked up to know the reason why it had stopped. The smile on her face seeped away. The word seeped because of how slow the smile fell from her face.

Standing inside the ring was an angry and furious Nix. His blue eyes raged with annoyance, and his jaw clenched at the sight in front of him.

Kitanna got up from her position immediately, and so did Chantal. The other guards didn’t wait to be told; they began to leave the ground but were stopped by command.

"Where do you all think you’re going?" Nix’s voice was low and deep but everyone heard it clearly because of how silent the place was.

Larel, who had turned to also escape the place, turned midday in her steps.

"All of your heads on the ground, back in the air." Nix ordered, and immediately the guards assumed the worst position. It was the most torturing punishment, where your head was supposed to touch the ground, while your feet held you up with your hands wrapped behind.

No sound of protest was made by the guards, as they observed their punishment. Chantal didn’t need to be told because the next minute he joined in the punishment.

"It wasn’t their fa-" Kitanna shut her mouth; the eyes she saw right now were enough to melt her intestines.

Nix trailed to look at the girl; her dress was ripped, exposing her leg, and her shoulder was left bare. The sweat, which had now soaked her dress, made it stuck on her body. And she was in the midst of men. This careless princess. Nix gritted his teeth in anger.