No one from the royal family was present for her exit. Even so, the princess approached her waiting wagon with imperial bearings. Her chin was up, her gait was smooth, and her hands were clasped in front of her.
There was a harsh clang of a sword blade hitting stone. The soldiers reached for their weapons, but the princess spun around, her icy eyes haunted as she flung her arms in front of her, shielding herself. The air turned so cold, Oskar could see his breath, and ice as thick as a finger crawled across the courtyard, coating the ground in a slick blanket.
The soldiers shouted and sprang away from the princess.
Just as she had all those years ago, she twisted, trying to look everywhere at once. She turned too fast and slipped on the ice, yelping when she fell to her knees.
Guards shouted and drew their swords, the metallic clangs raising a cacophony. As seemed to be their custom, instead of facing out against any possible threat, they were turned in, surrounding the princess in a glittering, deadly circle.
The princess—still on her hands and knees—froze.
No one said a word. It was hard to breathe in the overwhelming cloud of fear.
The princess blinked, and it took Oskar a moment before he realized she was crying. The few tears that escaped her control fell not in drops, but small flakes of ice. It was another reminder of howwrongthe princess was…but Oskar felt his heart shiver in his chest.
She had magic, an abomination of nature, but even so…she was a scared ten-year-old girl who spent most of her young life alone and despised.
It’s not right, he thought.
The first step he took was the most difficult thing he had ever done. His heart pounded as he slipped around the soldier and approached the circle of ice that spanned around the princess. This was different than the last time he approached her. Then she had only a scraped hand. Now she was clearly in control of her magic.
She could skewer me…but she won’t.
He took a deep breath and stepped onto the ice, flinching when it crackled under his feet. His shoulders were heavy with the weight of stares as he approached the princess with the caution he usually reserved for angry women and wild animals.
He hesitated, then knelt a short distance away from her. He swallowed, his throat twisting. “Are you hurt…Princess Rakel?”
The Princess ripped her gaze from the ground and stared at Oskar. Shock glazed her eyes. “No, thank you.” Her voice was throatier than Oskar would have imagined, but it was beautiful—like freshly fallen snow.
The soldiers shifted as the Princess stood. She glanced guiltily at the ground, and the ice melted away. She then took a breath—in the exact same courage-gathering way Oskar had moments before—and continued towards the waiting wagon, her chin high.
Oskar watched her go.
She has changed, a bit. She’s gotten more courage…which is about the last thing I would expect someone in her situation to obtain.
Two weeks later,he filed a request to fill the position of Princess Rakel’s attendant.
“You’ve lost your mind.” The castle seneschal told him. “This isn’t going to further your career. Wait a few months, and I promise you will receive an invitation to join Prince Steinar’s retinue.”
“It’s very kind of you to tell me that, but it does not matter. I wish to serve Princess Rakel,” Oskar said.
“The King and Queen won’t thank you. They intend to forget about her and the staff sent with her.”
“I know.”
“Think of Johanna. Would she want to marry the attendant of the monster-princess?”
She didn’t, and she had told Oskar plainly so before officially breaking their courtship. Oskar put on a smile for the seneschal, using every ounce of charm he had. “It doesn’t matter.”
The seneschal sighed and tossed the paper down on his desk. “At least tell me why.”
Oskar thought for a moment. “Because Princess Rakel may be a magic user, but she’s still human.”
The seneschal stared at him. “You really are mad. This is a grave mistake.”
“Maybe.”
The seneschal sighed. “I won’t hold a position for you, but when you’re ready to abandon your foolish notions, send word. I’ll see what I can do.”
