Leo pov.


    "Leo, I want you to find out who sent the secret note to Lady Abigail." I looked at her with sheer anger. Could she not see that Abigail did not treat her as a friend!


    "Your highness, you should not meddle in her life this much. She did not see you the way you see her." I replied honestly to show her some mirror but all she did was chuckle as if I had cracked a joke!.


    "She is a naive girl who is good at nning big things, but she forgot to protect herself in the process!" she replied as we walked towards the ss. Was she serious!? Abigail was like a hawk, keeping an eye on everything around her as if she was trying to find faults. And once she found out, she would devour you right there and then.


    I had seen her suspicious eyes on me when even the emperor did not find any w in me till now.


    "Aren''t you the same, your highness? When was thest time you cared only about yourself?" I asked and finally the steps halted. She turned to look at me with that same cold look which was nothing but a facade to hide the vulnerable little girl inside. My heart feels constricted when I see her active bravery.


    I wanted to hug her and assure her that everything would be fine, that her future would be bright and she did not need to act strong anymore, but the chains on my knees have always stopped me from doing so.


    "In the whole world, only you are fool enough to think like that! Did you forget the whipping you received a few days ago?" she reprimanded me with a sharp voice, i could not help but shake my head.


    "I did not forget anything, your highness. I even remembered how you went to his highness to ask for the protection of the girl. I even remembered how you have always sent someone to keep an eye on your mother and then ry the information to the knights of his highness.


    I even remembered how you always supply your part of the budget to the mother of his highness by using his name instead. Or do you want me to remember more?" I reminded her in an annoyed tone, making her dumbfounded.


    ''What? Did she think I would not know! For the past one year, I was her shadow! I know more about her even from her. Even when she takes a breath or looks at anything I know what her mind was thinkin and what was her heart''s desire!


    "What are you trying to prove?" she asked through gritted teeth when I moved closer to her. She was about to take a step back instinctively, but like always she stopped and stood there taking her ground.


    That''s what I hate! Her will to always stay strong and brave! For once! Just for once i wanted to see her cry while hugging me. She was tearing my sensibility, my missions and my reason to be here!


    "I just want you to think about only for yourself even when it is only for a day or for a few hours. For people, you are doing all this! They would never see the goodness in you anyway!


    This academy could be a new chapter of your life. Be a knight and leave the royal family. Or fall in love and marry someone and leave the royal family. That ce is not for you." it was not that she took that ce as her home, then why was she seething? Why did she care so much!?


    "That ce is my family, my home, Leo. And that ce gave you a ce to live and work so that you can live a respected life. How could you speak against your masters!" she demanded in a rough tone but I just shook my head as i could not believe she still thought like that!


    "I have only one master and that is you. And the benevolence you have shown me in years, I will return it to you, by protecting you when the timees even when you hate me for what I have done!" my eyes were cold yet determined. And she looked at me horrified, she could feel bloodlust leaving my body and having a hard time believing that her loyal and meek aide was speaking against her.


    Could not understand a single word I was talking about!


    "Leo, do not forget your limits!" she reminded me once again but all i felt was amused, and so i chuckled, shaking my head. I could not believe that she was still sticking to that point only!


    "Leo! Do not forget who you are!" she added and I finally looked at her with serene eyes.


    Yes! I could not believe that I was the prince who was there to destroy their empire! But she was the one who had broken my will! She was the one who had deviated me from my path. Now, I do not want war any more. Now I do not want destruction anymore. All I wanted was her! I couldn''t believe my own words, but I could not deny my feelings for her too. But I was afraid that when she knew the truth she would hate me too! She would discard me like an ailment that was making her life hell!


    "Yes, your highness. I will never forget who I am and one day you will know that too. I hope we do not turn into enemies that day!" I said, hinting her but she only frowned. I sometimes feel hurt that she trusted me so much that not even once have she doubted my intentions towards her. Did she even see me as a man or was I just an aide for her!? Even the thought made me crazy!


    "If needed, I will not bat an eyelid before killing you from my own hands, Leo."