Chapter 41 - Injured The Knight

I stood in front to see the male knights participating before it was our turn. I was looking constantly at their moves and techniques. It would be the first time I would participate in this kind of contest.

I still could not believe father asked me to lose intentionally! Should he not encourage me to win and make him proud?

I saw Josephine coming out of the tent allotted to the second order of knights in their uniform. She looked at the crowd as if looking for someone and his eyes met mine. She smirked as she patted her uniform and then walked away.

This girl is completely crazy.. Going up to a level of being a knight even after being a royal princess, just because she wanted to beat me. Did it even make any sense?

I shook my head at her childishness.

She walked around and sat in the area reserved for knights who were participating and behind her was his aide Leo.

Higher on the stage were sitting the emperor with the empress and queen looking down.

But William was nowhere to be seen. I saw the knights that always served him moving sneakily and my eyes narrowed.

"How much more time would it take for the race to end?" I asked the fellow knight who was going to participate with me from 1 order of knights.

"Well half an hour at least. It depends on the spar of the team. They can end it in half an hour or drag the whole day. Can you see the knight standing there, his name is Steve, he is the best among all. He didn't even take 20 minutes before defeating the enemies. And there was that man with long golden hair. He is Alexander, he loves to prolong the spar until the enemy tries out and then attacks violently. You need to study their tactics if you want to win.'' She advised me sincerely without any prejudice.

"Do you know who you are going to spar with. Tell me, maybe I know the tactics of your enemy." she asked me and i shook my head.

"I am going to spar with her royal highness, Princess Josephine.'' She was surprised when she heard my answer.

"But she is not knight, she could not be."

"She can be anything she wants, she is the future ruler after all." I said , looking at the empress on the stage.

"So you also think that the crown prince would not be able to ascend the throne." she whispered, afraid that anyone would hear what she was saying.

"I only know that she had the power to take part in the contest.'' I mumbled as I saw that the night was leaving the premises.

My brows furrowed as i saw him still walking suspiciously, there was something wrong with the person

"Since there is still time. I will go and have some practice in the back area." I told her and she nodded.

"Go ahead, I will call you when the archery round starts." She encouraged me but it was clear that she was sure I did not have any chance.

Every knight participating in the contest is taking training from 2-4 years. They were all best in their team. While I only had a week since I started training, their doubts were rational towards me.

I nodded and walked back and climbed the stairs. When I saw the guard I moved towards the outer area and started climbing the walls with the help of stones and decorative panels.

I reached at the roof and tried to find the man who was trying to hide himself in the crowd and sneaking around.

'Was he the one who had tried to attack the prince.' my eyes narrowed as i continued to follow him through jumping from one roof to the other.

If I tried to follow him on the ground, it would only take him a few seconds to find me.

It took me at least 19 buildings to jump when he finally stopped in a dark corner. But what I saw made me stunned. He was going to meet no one else but the crown prince who was hiding in the dark, yet I could recognise his blue eyes even from a distance.

The knight bowed his head and I was having a hard time listening to what he said so I walked further close.

"As you have instructed, I have fed the medicine to the horse, and the girl has fallen. She had broken her hand and she would not be able to participate in the team.

I have even heard that the duke's daughter is going to replace the injured knight." he replied respectfully and my eyes widened.

It was actually disturbing how a trained knight fell from the horse so easily but now it was clear but the question was why?

"Good, stay around and do not leave the area. Even if the reason was found later. There would be no way that you would be doubted. Now go" he ordered and the man left bowing his head.

The crown prince moved towards the building on his back where I was hiding and I tried to hide myself in the dark. But the man continued to move towards my direction. I hid behind the drape but he hugged the whole curtain taking me in his arms.

"Hiding in the dark, little girl. Do not tell me that you miss me so much, that you have started following me everywhere." he said moving the curtain aside and i glared at him.

"Why did you make the knight injured?" I asked in a sharp voice but he just shrugged.

"I did not like her face. And if i would not injure her how would you be able to participate? You were the one who asked me to make you my knight in a legitimate way. What would be a better way than winning the annual knight competition?"

"......."