Villainess Becomes The Knight

Chapter 77 - The One To Be Blamed

Abigail pov

Instead of walking to the door, I walked towards the window from where I could see everything. The messenger entered the room and bowed looking at my father. He passed a letter with the royal seal to my father. 

My father nodded and the man asked something but my father just shook his head and wrote something and passed it to the messenger who bowed his head and left.

My father opened the drawer where there were so many other letters too and kept it in her without even opening it.

I pursued my lips as I had a gist of what was in the letter. So he really was stopping me from joining the royal palace.

I slowly crawled back and jumped down from the wall when Noah reached there.

"I thought your ankle was sprained" he commented but I did not reply. He looked at me with confusion.

"What happened, why are you looking like someone had stolen your favourite candy?" he asked again and I tried to look at him.

"Nothing. Let's go and train." 

"But you have just finished your training. It is already sunset. You should go and rest."

"No,  I want to train more. I am not yet prepared." I said as I walked towards the ground I needed to take out the steam but he held my hand before I could walk further.

"More training inad you will injure yourself. Will you tell me what happened?" 

"Why? Do you even care? Did you not hate me just like others.'' I said as I tried to walk away. I was really angry at my father. He did not understand that his steps could take not only us but the whole empire towards its doom.

If anything happened to the crown prince. Gerarrd would be the one to ascend the throne. And then, he would not leave any family that was loyal to the present emperor.

"Abigail" he called me as he held my hand tightly and dragged me towards the back garden of my chamber.

"What are you doing?'' I asked but he ignored my question as he pushed me on the chair then kneeled on leg and tried to take off my shoes.

"Noah.."

"Carl"

"Huh"

He finally looked at me and then continued removing my socks.

"You know my name. It is carl. Call me carl" he said as if he was angry.

"I thought you did not want to know by that name." didn't he hide that name from everyone!

He nodded his head as he looked at my ankles. It was a bit red, but it did not hurt me at all till then.

He pressed it hard and only then did I feel the pain.

"You ankle was sprained in reality when you jumped from the ceiling., but you did not notice it in your anger. Why are you so angry Abigail?"

"I didn't know. Everyone thinks I am just a child. They want to keep me hidden and protect me, as if i will be lost.'' I told him truthfully as he continued to look at me with intensity.

It was not the normal ferocious gaze he gives me when I tease him. Or the intensity he looked at me when I performed well in the fencing.. There was something different in the way he was looking at me.

"I didn't think you were a kid, Abigail. You fought like a warrior in the competition. Even I am not sure if I would be able to fight like that if given a chance. That was something not any 16 year girl could do." he said and i looked at him confused.

"How do you know that?'' Then my eyes widened, "noah.. I mean Carl.. you were there? You came to the palace to see the match?'' I could not believe that the man who even hated the name of the place was there to see my match.

"How can I miss my best student's first competition?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Awww, did you just call me your best student?" I asked as my expressions softened and all the anger I was feeling left my body.

"Do not think much. I didn't have many students for now. So you have less competition." he said, being strict again.

"Now tell me what happened?" he asked again as he continued working on my ankle.

"Father is not letting me join the royal knights, the post I have won in competition." 

"Hmm, you are just 16 abigail, even if you fight well and protect yourself from physical harm. The royal palace is full of deception and betrayal. There is so much politics going on. Now to forget that the emperor had wanted a war against the Forchestire empire for a long time. 

He is just not able to start it because the Forchestire empire and Wunsunstan empire have a marriage alliance and together they are stronger than our empire. 

That man is too greedy and blind with hatred. You have hurt his precious daughter. And not to forget the crown prince, he had a weak character when it comes to women. And Josepine, she would also try to take revenge from you, you have not only hurt her physically but also spoiled her image as the strongest warrior of the empire. Your father is just worried about all these things." he said as he finally stood up and sat beside me.

I just nodded my head. It was not like I did not understand his worries, it was just the worries I had were much bigger than that. It was a matter of life and death.

"Why are you behaving so gentle to me, carl?'' I asked changing the topic as he was still looking at me to know if I was still feeling upset over things.

"You are just overestimating, girl. I am here so that I can be assured that you did not hurt yourself further and then I will be one who would be blamed by your brother for hurting you."