"Take your hand off my arm." My voice was low and threatening, enough for the armed officers to raise their staff weapons in preparation for what might well be an approaching battle.
The man smirked with another eye roll. "You have some nerve trying to tell me, a prince, what to do. I'll forgive you for your lack of knowledge of who I am, seeing as you're nothing but a pathetic human. I will not let go. You're coming with me."
"She's not going anywhere with you!" Camilla shouted. "Not on my watch."
"Sit down, fae witch. You will not stand a chance against my army, and I'm not here for you. For a guardian, you sure fail at protecting who you serve. Or is it the other way around?" the man mocked.
Fae witch? Chamomile is a...witch? No, fae? What? Is there even such a combo? What does he mean by a guardian?
"Shut up!" Camilla snapped. "Ugh!"
I looked over my shoulder to see Camilla as she attempted to rise up, but her body slammed back down like gravity had taken its toll and upped its resistance by ten.
"Sit and accept your defeat. A guardian who’d rather play dress up and befriend the person you're supposed to protect. Nonsense. Go and tell your people that you've failed, and this piece of scum is now in King Rose's possession."
"Never! She's not yours!"
"Sadly enough, she is. Her rose is in our family chambers, and I'm going to claim what is mine, even if she isn't the fittest to rule. That's not a problem, though. A silent queen is good enough for me."
Silent queen?
Camilla laughed. "If you think for a second you can silence my best friend, you’ve got another thing coming to you. Now let go of her before I summon my parents here to teach you what our kind can do."
Camilla's eyes began to burn a bright red as her brown strands floated upward. I gawked in shock and looked to the new man who held me captive.
He raised his hand up, a smug smile gracing his lips.
"Your kind never learns when you're outmatched. Maybe if I knock you out for a few days you will learn. A peaceful coma for a week? A month? Maybe a year? That will give me enough time to teach this scum what her role is and fulfill her destiny."
Scum. All this guy can say is negative things about me, and he's such a controlling ass! Now he's going to put Camilla in a coma for a year?! Not on my watch. Hell no!
I tugged my arm, trying to get out of this guy's grasp, but he tightened his hold and pulled me right against him.
"Stay still and obey me, peasant. The next time you act foolishly, I'll knock you right out like I'm about to do to your pathetic friend."
The deep inhale I took surged a force inside me, my glare so intense, it was enough to leave this man in confusion.
He let go of me, a foolish move on his part because I pulled my left arm back. My hand clenched into a tight fist that grew hot in nanoseconds, and before I knew what I'd just done, my fist made an impact with his jaw and sent him soaring back and into the air.
The world was silent, everyone watching in suspense as the man flew back and crashed into the ground on his back. He slid for a few seconds until his body was completely still.
No one dared say a word, and I lowered my gaze to my fist to see it glowing brightly. The quick shuffle of footsteps caught my attention, and I looked back to see one of the guards kneel down next to the man who was out cold.
"Prince Xavier? Prince Xavier, can you hear me? T-The human knocked out the fae prince!"
Prince? Did...I just punch and knock out a PRINCE? A...FAE PRINCE!
My jaw dropped, and I slowly looked back at Camilla, who was on her feet and brushing the dirt off her clothes.
"Hmph. Serves him right. My Rosadette was always destined to kick some ass!" She pointed around the circle of guards before she punched her fist together. Bright red flames ignited out of thin air and wrapped around her hands.
"You want to take my bestie from me? Let's see you try!"
Was I destined to kick ass? If so, it better kick in right now because I'd just knocked out a prince, and I wasn't sure if I'd live long enough to find out about my past, present, or future.
Infirmary Of Lost Pride
~XAVIER~
* * *
"If you keep scowling like that, Prince Xavier, it'll be permanent."
"Let him!" Mother was on a laughing tangent; her chorus of gleeful amusement was lathering the whole room in flowers and vines.
"My dear. You're going to make the whole castle turn into the kingdom of roses," Father noted, but he seemed pleased that my mother was having the time of her long-lived life.
"I've never been so amused in my entire existence! Did you see that?! It'll be on replay forever now. No one saw it coming. Her fist punched right into his jaw and he went flying! You have to see it in slow motion. It's priceless! Just like that, the human scum that isn't my destined princess knocked my son right out!" Mother burst into hysterical laughter, her arms clenching her stomach before she fell right to the floor.
The very vines that grew wrapped around her and picked her right up as she giggled, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"It was so good! The shock on your face when the guards called to say a human girl knocked out your son! HAH!"
“He's never going to live this down," Nurse Esme commented and looked at me with sympathetic eyes. "You just have to put the pieces of your lost pride back together again, Prince Xavier."
My scowl deepened, and she immediately stood straighter and let out a nervous giggle. "The prince seems to be in high spirits. My work here is done. Do you need anything else from me, my king and queen?"
"No, Esme. You may return to your sleeping corridors. Thank you for responding to my urgent call."
"Always, Your Majesty," Esme responded and bowed to Father before bowing to Mother. "Please, my queen. Continue this lovely laughter. It brings happiness to my heart."
My mother responded by laughing even harder, the vines that held her up blossoming into various flowers.
"We can make plenty of bouquets for the opening ceremony for the academy. I'll make sure to tend to them in the morning." Esme grinned happily before she bowed once more and skipped towards the doors. "Goodnight."
I crossed my arms and began to angrily sulk, my head replaying what had occurred apparently three hours ago.
I, Xavier Del Rose, got punched and knocked out by a poor excuse of a human! A woman who supposedly has no magic was able to knock me out for three full hours and mark me a laughing stock to my top guards, nurse, and parents.
Unforgivable.
"Now, now, son." Mother was trying to calm down as she said that, using fresh white rose petals to wipe the tears that streamed down her face. "You cannot exact revenge on my student."
"Mother!" I had to keep my voice low, but it was hard when I was so enraged. "That woman completely humiliated me in front of my people! How can you support such a thing?!"
"Oh please." She flicked her hand to the side. The petals that she used to wipe her tears multiplied until they were a part of the new roses that were now floating in the air.
"It wasn't that bad. Stop exaggerating. It's your fault for underestimating your destined one. You had your guard up for the fae witch, though. I'll give you props for catching on. It's hard to sense her witch traits. I must say, her parents trained her well to conceal like that." Mother nodded in approval while Father tapped his chin with his index finger.
"I'm impressed with how much magic that girl packed into that punch. In three seconds, she had enough to dispel your mental shields. Very impressive. Rosadette was her name, right? Poor thing must be panicking."
"Ah, right. We should tell her Xavier's perfectly fine." Mother clapped her hands and tried to compose herself. "Just give me a few more minutes of laughter."
"Mom," I respectfully declared. "I am not fine. Look at my black eye! Why can't this be covered up?"
"The universe is proclaiming Rosadette's justice," Mother sang, followed by a wave of laughter.
Father sig
hed. "It should heal within a few hours. It's exactly what your mother stated. Rosadette's spontaneous burst of magic must have cast a spell to make the healing process far slower and laid the inability to hide the bruise with glamor. I must say, this girl has huge potential for becoming a fighting force at Fae Rose. If we can train her properly without much stress, she'd learn to harness her powers very quickly."
"Why must we not stress her? She's stressing my entire life in a matter of days." I was annoyed by this woman. Whatever charm she was pulling on my parents was clearly working. She had to be stopped.
"Your destined mate is as fragile as a rose, Xavier," Mother said with seriousness, drawing mine and Father's attention.
"I won't deny that this transition is going to put a lot of stress on Rosadette, even if she doesn't initially show it, but to win her heart, you have to acknowledge her struggles and support her in a way no other man has. You're lucky that her circumstances made it almost impossible to meet a man of interest and age, or you'd have competition. For a rose to grow, it needs sunshine, water, attention, and love to blossom into its final form. The rose you see in its cylinder barricade is only at its starting beauty. It will grow and become more and more powerful as you help Rosadette harness her powers. You have to think of this as a friendship, Xavier. You're going to have to pry her open and let her warm up to you."
"Which you aren't doing a good job at currently," Father commented under his breath. I gave him a look, but he shrugged.
"It's the truth. That is not how I won your mother's heart," he said proudly.
Mother laughed. "Certainly not. He thought climbing a tree to get me frozen apples in a blizzard was romantic. He slipped right out and almost broke his back. It was priceless."
Father blushed and glanced away. "It was on purpose. See, it still makes you laugh after one hundred years of marriage."
"Yes, yes." Mother grinned. "It warmed my heart and was the very reason why I gave you a try."
I stared between the two of them, wondering if I could even achieve what they were asking of me. I wasn't good at projecting my emotions.
Yes, I could portray my anger, annoyance, all the negative emotions that came with my "attitude" issues, but could I really show this woman love? Compassion? Affection? She'd already pissed me off and was on my hate list, but that was a strong judgment when I didn't know anything about her.
I have to give her a chance. If she is my destined one and her very soul is what makes that rose sparkle with intensity, maybe I'm doing this wrong.
Father cleared his throat, and my gaze lifted to see that they both were staring at me. I arched an eyebrow questioningly, and Mother smirked.
"See, sweetheart. Our son does have moments of clarity."
I frowned, and Father smiled. "Your mother is teasing you like she always does."
"Do you truly believe this woman has potential?" I questioned. "Our people will test her over and over again. Honestly, I don't see her even passing the preliminaries."
"The preliminary is a test of where a fae is at in their journey. It is not an entrance exam which deems one inadequate to attend," Father reminded, the headmaster side of him kicking in. "We must give her some slack. She's been treated like a human for her entire life on the lower lands, and we truly don't know how much she knows about our kind. She may have been told many legends and rumors, but she is unable to determine what is true and what is a fairy tale. It's our job at Fae Rose Academy to train all fae, regardless of what level they are. It's not an academy for the gifted. It's an academy for the purely divine, and as fae, we are of that very definition. She will grow through the years here, but her first year will center on adapting to the rules and laws, and grasping the knowledge that lies in the roots of our world."
"That will be a part of your responsibility, Xavier," Mother encouraged.
"I won't be a mentor when I'm attending, Mother," I noted.
I'd mentored students for the last two years because I was waiting for my destined mate to show up. Now that this Rosadette girl was present, it only made sense for me to attend this year and go through the four years.
The true test happened once we graduated, and that would determine if Rosadette would be the rightful fit to the throne.
"No, but you will be partnered with Rosadette."
The room was completely silent.
"Maybe you should have told him the day of, my dear," Father suggested.
"What difference would it make?" Mother shrugged. "Let him throw a tantrum now. At least he won't scare the new kids. Now that the news is out, I'm going to go and comfort Rosadette before she passes out in fear. She's sensitive to the vibrations of the universe, especially when she's stressed."
"Really?" Father sounded intrigued.
"It appears that way, or at least that’s what I gathered from the witch. We had a bit of a chat while Rosadette was freaking out and explaining herself to Esme about her accidentally knocking out the prince." Mother giggled and looked my way. "We'll talk later, son. I'm expecting you to come and formally introduce yourself to Rosadette and her friend, Chamomile, I believe. Be nice."
The last part was emphasized on purpose, which was one of those 'do as I say, or I will make your life a living hell' comments.
"Yes, Mother," I replied and bowed my head slightly. She beamed in delight and after giving Father a quick kiss, she headed out of the room; rose petals and vines followed her path as she made her exit.
"Why does Mother love watching me suffer?" I pondered quietly.
"She thinks it's amusing," Father replied. "I knew you should have been a girl. Would have had a better chance of being pampered."
"And whose fault is that?" I glanced over to Father, who sheepishly grinned. "I never thought my intentions of having a son would manifest the way they did, son. You can happily ask the universe that question instead."
"Dad," I whispered and slouched back so my back pressed against the wall of the infirmary bench I was sitting on. "I can't do this."
Father was quiet, but he walked over to pull the chair that was at the end of the bench table. He sat down and crossed his arms while he leaned back to stare at me.
"This task or destined quest is far too much for me and it's only just begun. I'm sure we haven't reached the peak of it all and I'm already questioning all my training. I must change myself to make this woman comfortable. Why is that? I already feel like I'm having to go above and beyond. As much as it upset me, I won't deny that she carries some hidden talent. With the fae witch in the mix, it can only mean that we're not the only ones who know of her true origin and purpose. I understand that I must do this, and it should lead to an abundance of happiness, but why do I already feel like I'm suffocating? Mother...well, she’s Mother, but she already has so much hope in this girl and she barely knows her. Why can't I have that same level of aspiration?"
"Why do you not have faith in yourself, son?" Father questioned. "Your mother has a unique sight. She doesn't see the same things we see, Xavier. She can surpass the common laws of the universe and can predict one's future by the mere sight of their aura. You already know that your mother has always been right with her instincts and advice. She views the world from a different plane of magic, and it rewards her with the awareness of the near future. She's able to do all of this because she has faith in the universe and what it has to offer. Her connection with the spiritual levels of magic surpass the average fae. You have those very instincts in you. All you have to do is have more faith in yourself."
Father took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"It feels overwhelming, doesn't it?"
My head bobbed in agreement, knowing well that Father would feel my response.
"That's exactly how I felt when I met your mother. The universe tests us at times, and the finest things in life are the hardest to obtain. I won't sit here and lie, saying that this isn't going to be a struggle for you, my son. You're going to feel uncomfortable. You'll have to go above and beyond to d
o things you never thought you would do. Yes, you are a prince and of higher status, but when it comes to friendship and love, all that is laid upon the table. They're not important because they are not what makes you a person. Titles, clothing, ranks, and status do not let the world know that you are a good or bad person. It's not what a partner sees in you."
He opened his eyes and peered into my eyes.
"Rosadette has lived a struggling life. Yet, she did not judge you when she was clearly tested. To us, she is a child starting life, but she has wisdom that is far greater than the average fae. She didn't need to exhibit her potential today for many to see that."
His kind expression faded, and he looked away into the space before him. "I suggest you be nicer to her. To you, it may be a great difficulty, and I can't see you becoming the kindest saint in our kingdom, but you understand what will happen when she starts attending Fae Rose, correct?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat, slowly nodding in response.
"The fae are beautiful creatures on the outside, but not all of them are as pure and kind on the inside. Fae Rose Academy was made for the purely divine, but it does not require one to have pure intentions to enter the school walls. They will pick on her. She will be ridiculed for growing up on the lower grounds. She'll need your support as well as her friend and our guidance, or her rose will wilt."
His eyes returned to mine, and they burned with determination.
"If her rose dies, Xavier, you lose your shot at this. Don't let that happen. I will do my best as your father to help you, but I wasn't graced with the same knowledge and advice when I had to win your mother's heart. Your unity with Rosadette will bring change to our people. Look past our type of magic and what we're painted as. We all deserve to be loved, cherished, and flourish as a community to higher avenues. Rosadette can help us with that, but if you push her away before she can bloom into who she's destined to be...well, we all lose."
Fae Rose Academy: Year One (For The Purely Divine Book 1) Page 7