I dismissed the memory of Evergreen suggesting his.
“You are a young woman, in a foreign land, and he is handsome and silver-tongued, and Oreian, and he has already proven that he will take advantage of you if given the chance.”
“It sounds more likeyouhave feelings for him,” I said.
“Mature.”
I knit my arms. “And he did have an opportunity to take advantage of me. He didn’t.”
“Taking you out to an abandoned house for a picnic, where he is your only chariot back to safety, is advantage,” he said.
“He-”
“Perhaps you should reassess thisblemishand appreciate how very vigilant I am in protecting your reputation. Howloyaland understanding I have always been in spite of your attempts to defy me with what you think you should get away with.”
“Again with my reputation? Why are you soobsessedwith preserving something that’s never actuallybeenin jeopardy?”
“Oh, it’s in jeopardy, young lady!”
“Is it?” I cried. “How? I ask! How? Between my father locking me away in the castle, keeping me from every season, and assigning the world’s most noble knight, and the knight himself, and how he deploys his underlings, how could it be in jeopardy? You never let me do anything! I’m shocked that I can go to the bathroom alone! You’ll remember on the way here, I couldn’t!”
“It doesn’t matter! Because of who you are, who your father is, it isalwaysin jeopardy. There are so many eyes upon you, Princess. If you were evenbarelyaware of that, you would see it!”
I growled, unladylike and enraged; he softened his face.
“Svana, you are lucky it wasIwho discovered youholding handswith the boy, and not thePrince.Or God forbid his father.”
“I wasn'tholding his hand!He was leading me to the door.And what would the King be doing out so late?”I huffed.
“Looking for the missing Princess?” he asked. His jaw tightened. “Your naïvety knows no bounds, does it?Look around you. All of these people are waiting for an excuse to get rid of you.”
“You think I haven’t noticed?” I begged. “Every corner holds another snide remark about my hair or my mother’s untimely death.” The mention of it incited his expression to adjust. “How dare youlectureme, Knight! How dare you think you have the right!”
“Somebody must!”
I paused. “...Do you think that isyourplace?” I asked. “To rein in thewildPrincess?”
“Myplaceis by your side, as it has always been.” Elías cooled his composure. He lowered his voice. “I wish only to protect you, Your Highness, as is my vow to God and to Eliza. I have never, and Iwillnever falter from that oath. I would die a thousand deaths, a thousand ways, a thousand years before I failed her.”
“You think you’re protecting me?” I commented. “From anostler?”
Elías crooked his head, allowing me to catch the mistake. I shuffled awkwardly.
“Swordsman,”I said. “You know what I meant.”
“...There is no happy ending here for you and yourswordsman,”he said.
“This, from an optimist,”I said, gesturing. “From the man who told me I might find love again.”
“In the Prince,” he said.
“Oh, what do you know?” I whined. “Where is your wife? Where is your struggle with it?” I asked.
“I have seen the true face of what life offers us under the Crown. Do you want my optimism, Svana? Alright. As you command it. Atbest,your Blade loves you back-”
“No one said anything aboutlove!”I hissed.
“And youdestroyhim when you marry the Prince.”
