This love is like a curse (37)
- Let go!
Thalia tried to kick him in the shin, but Gareth wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice. He deftly dodged the blow and immediately twisted her hand, squeezing it roughly. He laughed right in front of her nose - low and mocking.
- Really... Who would have thought! The shame of the empire dreams of an eastern duke!
Talia looked up at him in horror. It seemed as if the blood in my veins had frozen. Thalia quickly pulled herself together.
- Don’t talk nonsense... Who would...
- That's right, nonsense. An illegitimate scum who doesn’t know her place dares to dream of an heir to the house of Siekan!
He seemed to enjoy the fact that he had finally found the weak point of his annoying sister. Gareth was literally shaking with suppressed laughter.
He grabbed her chin, and heavy breath with the smell of alcohol washed over her face:
- Blood is not water. What to take from a slut who can’t take her eyes off other people’s men?
Thalia glared at him. Gareth, who was looking down with a contemptuous grin, suddenly let go of her. But he couldn’t resist another barb:
- Don't even dream. Longboat is not the one who could be attacked by someone like you...
- You're forgetting one thing, brother. Not only the blood of a “slut” flows within me... but also the blood of a man who left his pregnant wife for a young mistress.
The smile instantly disappeared from the crown prince's face.
Looking straight into his face, distorted with anger, Talia slowly continued:
- By the way... the same blood flows in your veins, doesn’t it, brother?
A tense trembling ran through his body, the muscles on his large figure filled with strength.
Thalia knew she had to stop. I knew I had crossed the line. But she couldn’t end it all like that, allowing only her weakness to be revealed. Therefore, like him earlier, Talia curled her lips mockingly.
“Since you’ve revealed my secret... maybe I should also reveal one of yours, brother?”
A hint of worry flashed across Gareth's face.
Thalia leaned forward and whispered in his ear:
“There are rumors among the maids... that His Highness the Crown Prince at night prefers women with hair the color of ripe wheat and eyes as blue as the night sea.”
Gareth's face turned pale, like a dead man's.
Thalia smiled predatorily in response:
“I think I can guess who the woman in the dream was that you saw that night... when you first became a man and desecrated the bed.” Would you like me to try to guess?
He shuddered as if he had been electrocuted. Thalia realized that if she didn't stop, he could really kill her. But an inner voice, like the whisper of the devil, persistently whispered: continue.
- Don't shake like that. I'm a good little sister, so I'll keep my brother's secret a secret until the very end. I won’t tell anyone how thick the emperor’s blood flows in your Highness’s veins.
Before Talia could finish speaking, she felt a powerful blow - her head was thrown to the side.
Thalia collapsed to the ground and clutched her face, which was burning with pain. My vision darkened. Staggering, Thalia tried to get up, but then Gareth fell on top and grabbed her throat with both hands. The eyes were ready to pop out of their sockets.
Thalia resisted with all her might. She scratched his arms, kicked him as best she could, but her exhausted body was too weak.
The girl wriggled like a fish thrown ashore, but her strength was already leaving her. And then, when the hands squeezing her throat almost broke her neck, they were suddenly released.
Thalia coughed, gasping for air and writhing desperately.
Through a veil of tears she saw Longboat. He held Gareth's hand, stopping him.
As if wearing a mask, he looked at her and then at Gareth. He still looked at his half-sister like an animal at a victim. He was beside himself with anger and humiliation. It was as if he had been humiliated, even though it was he who almost killed her.
Talia felt funny, she even laughed through her cough.
Gareth's face flushed with rage and he raised his fist.
- Oh, you bitch...!
But there was no blow.
Longboat easily grabbed his hand, as if taking a toy from a child, and looked at Thalia with disgust. It seemed that he was offended even by the thought that she, having barely escaped death, continued to provoke her brother.
“Take her highness away,” he ordered the pale knight.
He immediately began to help Thalia up. But she abruptly pulled her hand back and, staggering, rose to her feet. Then, as if nothing had happened, she brushed the dirt off her dress with a calm expression on her face. Gareth, who had been watching her with flaming eyes, turned to Barkas and roared:
- Let go immediately!
- Stop it immediately!
Ayla, who had been standing a little further away all this time and watching what was happening, raised her voice. It was clear from her deathly pale face that this was the first time she had witnessed such rage from her brother.
She hurriedly came closer and said sharply:
- Do you understand what you are doing? You are the crown prince of the empire! How can you be so outrageous?!
- Don't interfere!
Gareth growled like an angry animal. Ayla shuddered and instinctively took a step back. She was obviously shocked by the fact that her brother, who had always been as gentle as a puppy with her, was now baring his teeth like a predator. At this moment, Thalia turned to her stepsister with a sneer.
- That's right. Don't interfere in our affairs, sister.
Ayla flashed her emerald eyes, but when she saw Thalia’s beaten face, she fell silent. She covered her swollen cheek with her palm and smiled sweetly:
“Just a little family quarrel.” Really, brother?
She cocked her head to the side as if seeking confirmation. In response, a barely audible but furious grinding sound was heard through clenched teeth.
Talia came close to Gareth. The knight tried to block the way, but she ignored him and raised her eyes, looking straight into the rich green eyes of her stepbrother:
“In fact, we are close enough to share secrets.”
Gareth's face filled with rage, it seemed like he was about to explode. He looked like he was ready to tear her apart on the spot. But the risk of exposure to my sister was greater. He went limp and said in a dull voice:
-...Take your hands off me.
The longboat, carefully peering into his face, finally let go of the prince. Judging by the fingerprints on his dark skin, he held it tightly. Gareth pressed his reddened hand and, throwing a hate-filled look at Longkas and Thalia, turned sharply and headed towards the camp.
Watching his pathetic retreat, Thalia snorted. But then I felt a cold, searing gaze on me. She instantly wiped the smile from her face and raised her chin high. The face, as always, silent, devoid of any emotion, looked at her with cold restraint.
But his icy eyes, usually expressionless, now clearly showed disgust and anger.
He grabbed her gloved hand and nodded to the knight:
— Escort the first princess.
Then, bowing to the petrified Ayla, he dragged Thalia along with him like a criminal.
Her face was distorted by a poisonous grimace.
No matter what happened, she was the princess of the empire. And nothing gave this vassal of the imperial family the right to treat her like a mongrel.
Talia suddenly pulled her hand away.
- Impudent! Do you dare treat the emperor's daughter like that?! Let go immediately...!
But at that same moment her body flew into the air. Thalia squealed. The longboat, throwing her over his shoulder like a sack, walked through the camp, ignoring the shocked looks.
Talia, burning with humiliation, squirmed furiously like a rabid animal. She punched him on the back and shoulders, kicked him - but Longboat did not budge.