The Forgotten Princess

I open my eyes slowly. I look around and it was still a little dark outside. It seens like it was still early in the morning.

My eyes were adjusting to the dim light when I saw someone seating by my bedside. I sit up and the one who was on my bedside woke up.

"Princess, you are awake!" Tricia said worriedly.

"How long was I sleeping?" I asked. My head was hurting.

"Princess since you lost consciousness after the horseback riding incident you have been sleeping. And last night you were running a fever." Tricia replied.

"Fever?" I asked. ’So that’s why I wasn’t feeling good.’ I thought.

Tricia held my forehead with her hands.

"You are still hot princess." Tricia exclaimed. "Just lie down and rest for now."

Tricia pushed me back to bed and covered me with blankets.

"I will be here to look after you princess, so do not worry." Tricia said. "The doctor said you need plenty of rest to regain your strength."

I nodded and do what Tricia said. I close my eyes and I drifted to uneasy sleep.

***

I feel hot and sweaty all of a sudden. When I open my eyes, the sun was shining brightly thru the windows.

’Knock knock’

"Come in." I said softly.

The door opened and I see Leon come inside.

"Good morning princess. How are you feeling?" Leon asked.

"I feel a lot better than a while ago. Thank you for asking." I replied.

Leon gave me a bright smile. It made my day complete looking at it.

"The doctor said you have a frail body. The shock of the incident was too much for your body to bear so you ran a fever overnight." Leon explained. "At least the fever has gone down."

Leon held my forehead to check my temperature.

"That’s weird. Your temperature is normal but your face is still red." Leon looked at me curiously.

"M-maybe because my fever went down just now so my face is still red." I tried to make an excuse. But the truth is I blushed while he suddenly touched me.

"Okay." Leon looked at me and gave me a knowing smile.

’Knock knock’

"Come in." Leon said.

Tricia entered the room. She was holding a tray with a bowl with steam going up from it.

"Oh sir Leon, good morning." Tricia slightly bowed.

"Good morning Tricia." Leon greeted. "Is that the princess’ breakfast?"

"Yes. I made her something light." Tricia said. She placed the tray in front of me.

I see congee inside the bowl which was still steaming hot.

"I think I still don’t have an appetite." I looked at Tricia awkwardly.

"But princess you need to regain your energy. How can you regain it if you don’t eat?" Tricia said worriedly. "The general also specifically told me to look after you. What will I say if you still don’t regain your health?" She was making a sad and pleading face.

"But..." I was about to say I am not yet angry when Leon interjected.

"Leave the congee here. I will make sure the princess will eat." Leon said.

Tricia looked at me and Leon alternately and then smiled.

"Ohhh. Okay sir Leon I will take my leave then. Please make sure the princess eats, even just a little." Tricia said with a smile. She bowed down and left the room.

Leon looked at me seriously. He took the spoon beside the bowl and dug in the congee. He blew the steam away from the spoon and served it to me.

"Open your mouth." Leon commanded.

I was shocked. "No need to feed me, I can do it by myself." I said embarrassed.

"Open your mouth princess." Leon said with a commanding voice. I flinched with his tone and he sighed.

"Just let me feed you okay?" Leon changed his tone into a much sweeter one. He smiled to me and I instantly felt mesmerized so I nodded in agreement.

"Good girl." Leon said with his bright beautiful smile. I open my mouth and let him feed me.

After a number of spoons full of congee I raise my hand in defeat.

"I’m already full Leon." I said.

Leon looked at the bowl and sighed. "Okay, I won’t force you to finish this. But promise me when you recover you would eat a little more."

I nodded.

"Good girl." Leon rubbed my head. "The doctor said you have a frail body because no one looked after your diet when you were young. But it’s not too late, I will surely tell the kitchen to prepare you a healthy meal plan. And I am thinking of giving you a good exercise plan. What exercise are you doing so far?"

"I do stretching on morning as grandpa instructed." I said.

Leon nodded. "That’s a good start. Then we will add some jogging as well." He looked at me intently. "How do you feel about learning the ways of the sword?"

My eyes became bright. I was always looking at grandpa and Richard practicing swords for a while and it amazed me. I also wanted to learn but grandpa said that a princess doesn’t need to learn the ways of the sword.

"I would love to learn the ways of the sword. Will you teach me?" I asked.

"Of course, if the princess’ wishes to." Leon smiled.

"Yes I wish to learn." I was smiling brightly.

"Then I will teach you my princess. But first you need to get better and make your body much stronger." Leon said.

"I will. I promise to be much more stronger than before." I promised.

"That’s a good girl." Leon was patting my head. There was a gentle smile on his face.