Chapter 2

Right then, the butler, Robert Foster, ran out. His face was pale as he rushed forward and spread his arms in front of the horse.

He said, "General Menzie, please show mercy. She is Prince Rolf's favorite. You can't hurt her."

"His favorite?" Jillian's voice came from above, filled with amusement. "Her?"

The next second, a flash of steel cut through the air.

Rolf appeared out of nowhere and sliced the whip in half with one clean strike. "Jillian, you went too far."

Before I could react, I was pulled into a cool, steady embrace.

"Rolf, why did you only just get here? I almost died." I buried my face in his chest, smearing tears and snot all over his clothes.

My whole body hurt. But the worst pain was the one in my chest.

Why had that woman treated me like that? I had done nothing wrong.

"This is my fault. All of it is my fault." Rolf's voice trembled. "Mona, I'm sorry. This is on me."

He looked down at me, his eyes red.

That look made me pause. I suddenly didn't feel like crying anymore. I just felt bad for him.

I reached up and touched his face. The short stubble on his chin brushed against my palm. "It's fine. I forgive you. My wounds will heal soon anyway."

Rolf glanced at my hands. The cuts on my palms were already closing right in front of him.

Relief washed over his face, and his tense shoulders finally loosened.

"Rolf." Jillian's voice came closer as she walked toward us.

My whole body stiffened. Without thinking, I pressed myself deeper into Rolf's arms.

Rolf could feel my fear. He gently patted my back and said, "Mona, don't be afraid. She is Jillian Menzie, the eldest daughter of the Menzie family. She is a general. She fights in wars. She is not a bad person. She is just very bold."

Not bad? She had just tried to kill me.

I wasn't very smart, and there were many things I didn't understand.

But I know how to read people.

When Jillian looked at me, there was no kindness there at all.

I said nothing. I pressed my face into Rolf's chest and held onto his clothes as tightly as I could.

I wanted him to carry me away. I wanted him to stay far away from that woman.

But Rolf seemed to know her well, and they started talking like old friends.

"Rolf, it has been years. I didn't expect you to keep such a fragile woman by your side." Jillian sounded amused. "You even broke my whip for her. But it's fine. I hurt her, and you broke my whip, so we are even."

"I was in a hurry. I'll give you a better whip later," Rolf said. "What about you? When did you get back? Why did you not send word?"

"My father will be here in a few days. I could not wait to see you, so I came ahead." Jillian paused, and her eyes fell on me again. "I just didn't expect..."

The way she looked at me made my skin crawl.

Rolf stood up and lifted me into his arms.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face against him.

"Her name is Mona. She is my..." Rolf stopped halfway.

Then, as if it didn't matter, he said vaguely that I was an orphan he had taken in and kept at his estate.

Yes. What was I to him?

I was the one who got hurt, so why did he promise her a new whip? And when did she ever apologize to me?

Those thoughts drifted through my head as sleep started to pull me under. Most of my wounds had already healed, but they still ached a little.

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Their voices became faint and hard to catch.

"Mona, get some rest." Rolf's gentle voice sounded far away. "Jillian just won the war. I have to host a party for her."

He laid me gently on the bed. The blanket felt soft beneath me, and I could smell the familiar scent.

I tried to open my eyes, but they would not move. It felt like they were stuck shut.

With the last bit of strength I had, I reached out and tried to grab the edge of his clothes.

I wanted to tell him not to go. I wanted to speak, but no sound came out.

My fingertips brushed against smooth silk. But before I could hold onto it, my hand was gently pulled away.

Someone tucked the blanket around me with care, moving softly as if afraid to wake me.

"Rolf, hurry up!" Jillian called from outside, her voice bright with excitement. "We're making the most of tonight!"

The door closed. Then everything went dark.

*****

The next morning, birds woke me up.

I felt excited because I thought Rolf was going to take me to the lake. I quickly washed up and put on some light makeup.

But when my maid, Shana, saw me like that, she froze in shock and ran off to find Rolf right away.