The birds chirped in the early morning. It was yet another day at the mansion.
It was their fourth day already. Tatiana was busy preparing and buying the things needed for the children as well books and other materials.
What Bjorn said bothers Tatiana, now she feels like the king was only toying with her. Maybe the king thought that this was a mere game or a play that the princess wants to try while she is still young. It loses all the value of the words that the king said to her.
She tied her hair up in a ponytail to get ready for the day. She can't let the words bother her, no matter what anyone says, she will push through with the plan.
"Princess, are you alright?" Emma asked her, "you look pale."
Tatiana was feeling sluggish and a little dizzy but there were important things to be done rather than laying in bed doing nothing. She started to feel more motivated now than ever because of what Bjorn said the other day.
"I'm fine," Tatiana answered softly, "have you found anyone?"
Emma sadly shook her head, "no one wants to do it no matter how good the offer is. They think it's ridiculous to take care and teach orphans. They don't want to be a laughing stock in social circles."
The princess sighed and massaged her temples. How are they going to run the orphanage if no one is willing to teach and take care of the children?
Her head is starting to ache even more because of the problem.
"Your highness, is it alright if I ask something?"
"Why? What is it?" Tatiana responded.
"Were you not bothered, at all, by what Sir Bjorn said the other day? You two seem to avoid each other since that incident."
"Well, it is awkward, knowing that your fiancé doesn't want to marry you," Tatiana answered, "but who am I to stop him? It's not like I can force him into a marriage he doesn't want. Also, we're both too young to marry and be engaged with each other."
Actually, Bjorn was still the same after that. But Tatiana didn't feel like it was right to continue acting all friendly around him. She knew, at a certain point that the engagement would be called off. He was going to end up with Agatha, anyway.
She just didn't want to be attached to him at the very least. She needs to remember that he's the reason why she ended up in a mess that eventually killed her in the original story. She knows that Bjorn will never love her.
"Are you not hurt?" Emma asked again. This time, Tatiana could not answer immediately.
Does it hurt?
Maybe it's her pride, or maybe some of the original Tatiana's feelings stayed with her. She feels disappointed, and sad because she thought that Bjorn and her could work out, even just as friends. But Bjorn clearly didn't want to marry or be connected to her in any way and there is nothing she could do about that.
"I'm fine," Tatiana answered and smiled softly, "after all, it was just a childhood crush. Things change, and feelings never stay the same. And I doubt he will ever love me."
There was sadness in her voice that only Emma noticed. She heard from everyone, how the princess adored the captain of the knights so much and now, the princess looks like she's changed.
Everyone thought that the princess's love for Bjorn was everlasting but it turns out that even feelings as strong as that, change, especially if it's not being nurtured.
Someone aggressively knocked at the door and when Emma opened it, Morgan was standing outside the door, panting.
"Outside, angry men."
Tatiana immediately ran outside with Morgan. Men wearing suits and expensive clothing were outside their gates yelling and complaining.
"What's happening?" Tatiana asked, "who are these people?"
"Looks like the drunkard spread the word that the princess was going to open an orphanage and school for children, especially orphans," Morgan explained, "and they are not happy."
"And Bjorn?"
"He went outside for a moment to have a meeting with the other knights in the capital."
Tatiana sighed and walked over to the gates.
"Settle down!" she yelled, "what are you doing? This is private property!"
"Are you the one that the princess sent?!" an angry man shouted. "go back to the palace! Where you belong!"
"Why? What did I ever do to you?"
"Education for commoners, let alone children and orphans are ridiculous! Are you trying to insult us nobles?!"
"He's right! Commoners do not deserve to have the same education as us, nobles! It is our right and privilege! Did the king not educate you about that?!"
"The princess must be sick in the head! This is not a playground for her to do whatever she wants!"
Morgan protectively stood in front of Tatiana and blocked her with his arm.
"I think you should go inside, for now, your highness. It's dangerous for you to be out here."
"Stop acting like dogs!" Tatiana yelled at them. Her temperature was rising and her head was starting to feel dizzy.
"What?! What did you just call us?!"
"She called us dogs!"
"How preposterous!"
"Bxtch!"
"This is why women are not granted the freedom of education! They feel like they own the world when it is us men who provide for them!"
Tatiana's blood continued to boil and her sight was starting to dim. She picked up a bucket of dirty water that was lying on the ground and threw it at the men outside the gate.
Emma gasped behind her.
"For your information, education is free and everyone has the right to study if they want to!" she shouted back, "and go back to your home if you don't want the king to punish you!"
A stone was thrown in her direction, hitting her in the forehead. The mean continued to shout and protest in anger. Morgan immediately pointed his sword at the neck of the man who threw the stone.
Tatiana stumbled back, her sight turning dark and everything around her doubled. Emma gasped and immediately ran towards the princess and caught her before she fell down. She used her body to shield the princess from getting hit if ever something was thrown again.
The men stopped when they heard the unsheathing of a sword. Blood dripped down the neck where the edge of Morgan's sword was slightly buried. The man raised both of his hands up and surrendered.
"Morgan, no." A low but rumbling voice called. Bjorn was behind the group of men, riding on his horse. The tip of his sword intersected with Morgan's. If he was a second late, the man's neck would have been cut off by my Morgan already.
Everything happened so fast that everyone was in shock, two swords clashing right in front of their faces. Morgan's face remained indifferent, dark, and ready to cut.
The man fell backward, falling on his bottom. His shaky hands flew to his neck and saw blood. His face immediately turned pale and fainted when the other man caught him. The other retreated and distanced themselves from the two.
"They harmed her, they need to be executed," Morgan plainly said, his face, emotionless.
"Don't be hasty," Bjorn warned him and retreated his sword. He climbed down from his horse and looked around.
"What happened here?" he asked.
One of the men stepped forward to complain, "Sir knight! You should take them before the king! That woman is a disgrace to the kingdom! She promotes education for commoners! Let alone orphans!"
"Yes! Yes!" the others agreed.
"Us nobles feel humiliated and disrespected by their actions! This is a long-time rule and tradition of Aragon!"
Bjorn looked inside the mansion. Emma covered the view but Bjorn caught a glimpse of the princess laying on Emma's arms and drips of blood on the ground. Beside them was a blood-stained stone.
"Who did that?" Bjorn asked.
"What? Sir knight, are you listening?"
"I asked!" Bjorn's voice boomed like thunder, "Who did that?!"
The men fell silent and became afraid. The man in front of them was scarier than the one who was inside the gate. The man who was complaining gulped and silently stepped back.
"He-he did that!" the man pointed at the one cowering in fear behind them.
Bjorn strode towards them, sheathing his sword. He pulled the man towards him, twisted his arm, and kicked him behind the knees, making him kneel and scream in pain. He did that in one swift motion that it was too late to even notice.
"What are you doing?!" one of the men shouted, "you should be defending us nobles, instead of those servants!â"
Bjorn slowly turned to him, his eyes dark and his expression glowering. The man did not attempt to continue his complaint. Chills ran down his spine and he shuddered in fear, for a moment, he was sure that the knight looked at him with the intent to kill.
"Go," Bjorn warned. Without any complaints, the men ran away in fear. Bjorn immediately went inside the gate with his horse.
"The princess," Emma cried, "the princess isn't waking up!"
--
END