His Caged Princess

13. Lightning 

“I ask for a wager, if I win, you will grant me my wish,” Layana said now looking at her father seriously, Evaan narrowed his eyes, 

“Very well, continue,” he said 

“For my eighteenth birthday, I wish to train to fight, then to challenge you in a duel, if I win you will allow me to ride into battle in your stead,” Layana said, her soft voice loud and clear in the garden. 

Evaans‘ eyes widened in shock, of all the assumptions he had, this was one he did not even consider. 

“No! Layana this is not a joke, it takes years to train and to reach a calibre to lead and organise an army!” the king snapped at her incredulous request, 

“I do not need to lead. We have generals for that, I only need to be at the head of the battle-}} 

“Never! You are a princess Layana! I will never allow my daughter to ride into. battle whilst I sit at home like a coward” Evaan snapped 

“You gave me your word father,” she said quietly. 

Evaan frowned knowing he couldn’t go back on his words, and it was not like she could defeat him anyway. 

“Very well, but what makes you think you could beat me in the span of a few months?” he said, 

Layana looked at him, thinking that they had a few months at least. 

“That is why I made the wager if I win,” she said simply, 

Evaan placed his hands on her slender shoulders, how could he explain to her, that he did not want to lose anyone. 

The vision Catherina spoke of echoed in his mind ‘death‘ He would lose one of his closest… 

“Layana ask for something else,” he said gently, his eyes pleading. Layana shook her head obstinately. The wind blew around them, giving momentarily coolness from the burning wrath of the sun above. The rustle of the trees a soft soothing whisper to Layana’s ears. 

“No father, I will choose a groom as you wish, I will marry as you wish, but I will also be the son you never had,” she said quietly. 

Evaan closed his eyes, guilt filling him. Had he made it so obvious that he had rather wished he had sons. 

“I do not need a son Layana… do not do this,” he said cupping her face, not remembering the last time he had showed his daughters any love. 

“You don’t actually think that… but I will prove that you do not need a son, in two months from today I will duel you, when the time comes I will be the one to ride into battle,” she said her heart hammering, a storm of emotions engulfing her. Her father’s touch felt so foreign yet comforting, she didn’t remember the last time he had shown any love towards her. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked into those grey eyes that were trying to fight the world. 

“Layana you could die” he pleaded as she placed her hands over his, 

remembering the vision the woman in her father’s office spoke off, her stomach twisted in a knot of nerves. But she pushed the thought away. 

“Father the kingdom needs you, Terania needs you, if I die, it will not matter so much as your death. As royals, we need to make choices, make sacrifices. We both know my death will mean less than yours. Until Terania is secured in her position it is risky for you to leave. Sometimes we need to make choices for the greater -good, even if it means allowing this to happen,” she said quietly, 

The king understood what she meant but he was too selfish to allow his daughter to die in battle. He had kept her pampered, shielded and locked away in the palace. He did not want her powers to surface… if they did… she would be a beacon with her powers and with it the ultimate consequence. If she somehow survived the battle, her death would be imminent. How could he tell her that she would be sentenced to death and he would have no power to stop it. If she had the bloodline of her mother’s family, her death would not be stoppable. He let go of her face, looking into those eyes that held unshed tears. + 

“You will need to beat me first, and find a trainer,” he said coldly, his emotions. once again under control. He would forbid his knights and commanders to train her. With no one to assist her, she would never win. He would never allow her to ride to battle and get herself killed. 

“I will find someone,” Layana said quietly, the king glared at his daughter, 

“We shall see,” he said coldly before turning and walking away without another word. Leaving the princess feeling a little shaky but satisfied with the gamble she had taken… 

Declan had just finished a training session with one of the squads, pouring a 

+15 BONUS 

bottle of water over his head to help cool him down, the blistering heat was brutal to train under. He walked into the changing rooms that stood next to the barracks. Grabbing his clothes and a towel, he stepped into one of the marble- walled cubicles closing the curtain, a bucket of water stood ready alongside a bar of soap. 

He would have a proper bath later in his own quarters he thought, he never showered at the barracks but he didn’t want to cross the palace in the state he was in. He stripped and poured a jug of water over his head. He let the cold water wash over him, after the heat, it was welcoming. 

A few men entered laughing over something or other. 

“….coming of age tomorrow,” a man’s voice Declan recognised as Jason, a knight from a lower–ranked noble house. 

“Then she’s fair game, I’m sure she was only holding out due to her age,” a second voice came, Eldran the third son of a duke house. 

“Hey she’s mine to take first,” a third voice whom Declan wasn’t sure of spoke. 

“The princess is the daughter of a whore I’m sure we can all take turns and she’ll be satisfied enough” Eldrans voice came, Declan felt a burning rage of anger flare through him, realisation hitting him, they were talking about Layana. 

“Then we really should treat her like the whore she is,” the third man snickered. Declan’s eyes flashed in anger, knocking the half–full bucket of water over harshly, as it splashed over his ankles and spread out to the changing rooms, 

“Watch it!” Jason shouted not knowing who was behind the curtain 

“My feet,” Eldran muttered, Declan didn’t reply spreading his hand as lightning crackled around his hand, the bright light of the electricity illuminating the changing rooms. 

“What the….” The third man said but before they could say or do anything, Declan channelled his electricity into the water, that covered the ground and coursed through it, sharp agonising screams were heard for several seconds before the men crumpled to the ground. 

Declan grabbed the towel wrapping it around his waist, pushing the curtain open he looked at the three men, who were twitching in the crackling water beneath them. Although it had been just a small amount of lightning, it was enough to keep them in that state for an hour at least. 

They looked at him their eyes widening in horror realising it was their new 

training commander who had done this and possibly heard their conversation. 

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Although many men talked of the beautiful princess in such a way, they were careful to not say anything in front of their commanders. 

“Next time don’t fucking disrespect a woman,” he said coldly, the alluring eyes. of the third princess entered his mind, only making his anger grow. 

“Y–you… we will report you…” Eldran gasped trying to speak, flinching from the pain, his entire body was burning and in pain, 

“Report me, Let’s see what the king says when he hears what was being said about his daughter,” Declan said coldly not understanding why just the thought of them talking about her made his insides flare with a burning rage. That in itself made him angrier, he was supposed to hate the royals. 

But something about Layana lingered in his mind just the way the ache from the workout lingered in his muscles. For the past week she had consumed his mind, and it irked him, he pushed all the frustration into training the men but it wasn’t enough. Even training with Aren or trying to find answers at night nothing helped. 

His eyes flashed with a spark of lightening as the men looked at him terrified. He wouldn’t tell the king, and these men would not dare report this. He kicked the man whose name he did not know and Eldran hard as he passed them making them grunt in pain. Getting dressed as the men tried to move, the slight smell of burning wafting in the air, he dressed quickly before leaving the quarters. He tried to calm his anger but it only grew when he saw one of the king’s own men approaching, their eyes on him. 

He did not want to see the king, not right now, the man bowed his head. 

“His majesty wishes to see you, immediately,” the man said making Declan frown deeply… 

+15 BONUS 

14. The King’s Lie