“Baldair ...” Aldrik didn’t even try to hide the threat in the depths of his voice.
“I think you’re confusing the woman, Aldrik. We both know how a man’s needs must be met, but she’s too young for you and your games.” Prince Baldair crossed his arms over his chest.
Vhalla refrained from pointing out that she wasn’t that much younger than Baldair himself.
“What is this?” Aldrik crossed over to his brother, stopping just short to stare his brother down. “Misplaced jealousy?” Aldrik sneered. “That a woman may prefer me over you?”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” the blue-eyed prince scoffed. Prince Baldair drew his height and still came up a hand shorter than his brother. “This isn’t about me or you, this is about her.” His eyes shifted to Vhalla. “She was kind, shy, and sweet the first time I met her. Less than a year with you and look at what you’ve done to her Aldrik. She’s in black—”
“Baldair—” Aldrik snarled.
“—she’s fighting and liking it,” the younger prince continued.
“Baldair!” Aldrik’s hand balled into a fist.
“She has blood on her hands!” Prince Baldair’s face jerked back to Aldrik’s. “Do you have the audacity not to feel guilty?”
Aldrik’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
The younger prince shook his head. “At least you do.” He turned back to her with a sorrowful expression. “Vhalla, you don’t need him to shine. I tried to tell you that before the gala. Especially now, you don’t have to force yourself to stomach his presence after what he—”
Vhalla had heard enough, she briskly took the three steps between them, raised her hand and brought her open palm hard across the younger prince’s face.
Vhalla had never slapped anyone before. Perhaps Prince Baldair was right that she had changed significantly these past few months. If it was a change, she decided it was for the better as she felt a deep satisfaction course through her.
His hand went up to the red mark on his cheek, and he stared at her wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Even Aldrik was shocked into a gaping silence.
“Enough!” Vhalla fumbled over her words, her emotions running high. “Don’t you ever make him feel, or suggest that he should, feel guilty for me or on my behalf.” She glared at the golden prince. “And don’t pretend like you somehow know, know how ...” Vhalla felt her insides twist, the currents in her mind cloud. “How I, or, how he ... How we ...” She heard her voice crack, she didn’t want to confront this here.
Prince Baldair’s face fell.
Aldrik spared a glare for his brother before turning his back on him to face Vhalla. He placed one hand on her shoulder, the other gingerly atop her wounded cheek. Aldrik tilted her face to his, and she met his eyes shakily.
“Vhalla,” he whispered, stroking her cheek with his thumb. “It’s all right, that’s enough.” She relaxed under the familiar warmth of his gaze, and Aldrik gave her a small smile that was weakly returned.
“It’s true, isn’t it?” Prince Baldair murmured.
Aldrik’s hand dropped from her face, but his left remained on her shoulder as he turned to assess his brother.
The younger prince stared at the scene before him with wide eyes. “You really do care for her.”
She felt Aldrik tense at the statement, but he made no motion to move away; if anything, his hand tightened slightly. Vhalla’s heart beat hard. She desperately wanted to leave, to get away as fast as possible. As much as she wanted to hear the bare truth of the answer to that accusation, she didn’t want it to be like this.
“And you ...” Prince Baldair stared at her.
Vhalla mustered the last of her courage to look at him unfaltering. She succeeded well enough—the prince was the first to look away with a shake of his head. He walked heavily over to a chair and slumped into it. The prince rested his temple on his fingertips, staring in disbelief at Aldrik.
“I’d only meant to help her. I thought you were—Aldrik, you’re too smart for this.”
“I know,” Aldrik replied quietly, the tension seemed to have vanished, and sorrow filled his eyes in its place.
“And here I thought, thought you ...” Prince Baldair chuckled and shook his head again. “Ah, never mind.”
“Prince Baldair.” Vhalla took a step forward, and Aldrik’s hand fell from her person. “I’m sorry for my actions today. More importantly, I am sorry for striking you.” She took a breath. “I would appreciate it if-if it isn’t used as a reason to end my life.”
The prince began to laugh; he placed a palm on his stomach and let the melodic sound break the tension in the air.