“You have to keep the Princess safe?” Lauralie is a social butterfly, always flitting around at the markets. Once when she was little, Thylas was in a grumpier mood than normal and she refused to accept it. She coaxed him to play with her until therewas a smile on his face, it seems any time he is in the market – so is she.
“I do,” he agrees and stands up, dusting the sand off his knees.
“Will you marry the Princess?” She stands, twirling her hands in her silver gown. He looks at his feet, kicking the pebbles across the sand. He glances at me, but I can't stand the look that passes through his eyes, so I look away, pretending to be eyeing literally, anything else.
“The Princess is going to marry a prince, Lauralie. Not somena iwolike me. You beat me four times in a row. Who would want someone so unworthy?”
Lauralie laughs, “Well have a good day, Thylas! Mother will be wanting to have lunch soon anyway.”
He pats her head, ruffling her hair a bit before she takes off running home, dust clouds following in her wake. Thylas quickly turns back to me.
“I see you had a good time in Ilis’ stall, found things you liked?”
“I always do. And I'm not done yet. We have a few more places to stop.”
Thylas follows me all day as I shop. He makes sure I'm okay, and asks if I need food but the topic of Lauralie's question is never broached. We walk through the corridors, finally arriving back home as the sun begins to make its descent, bringing in my shopping haul when I hear my name, taking me aback.
“Princess Carnaxa.” Prince Ereon stands with his shoulder against a doorframe looking at me with his deep, brown eyes. He stands just a few inches taller than Thylas, his presence towering over me. “I see that you had a good day, been shopping in the market have you?”
“Good evening, Prince Ereon. I was, and am now exhausted. How are you?” I curtsy slightly before him, the edges of my dress touching the floor as I do.
“I am doing much better now that I see you are taking your father's warnings to heart. Glad to see the Captain also doing his job.”
There is a popping sound behind me and I glance back to see Thylas, with a very tight scowl across his face, his jaw must have made the sound.
“Thank you so much for your consideration of my safety, you and my father were right. Theshæmifish season does bring many newcomers to our shores and we can never be too careful, can we?” I reply, while smiling at him and internally rolling my eyes. I have never been scared in my own city, however, with the deluc tearing through our kingdom, it makes people think the royals are weak. We can’t control the deluc, or protect the people from something we don’t understand, as much as we may want to, and as much as it’s expected of us. Theshæmifish season has always brought in newcomers, normally harmless fishermen supporting their families but this year, who knows if those who wish to take more from our kingdom have arrived? Lidiens, for many moon cycles, has been trying to send the people who have been banished from their kingdom to Antalis and father continually turns them away.
“That's so good to hear, your safety as my future queen is important to me. Alas, I didn't come here to find you today, although you are a breathtaking sight. I want to have words with your guard, if I may.”
My hands become balmy as I watch the sneer that spreads across Ereon's face. Will he punish Thylas even though my father said not to? I can't let that happen.
“Anything you have to say to Thylas, I assure you I can be privy to. We prefer not to have too many secrets between us.” I hope he doesn't see through the deception. Thylas keeps many secrets from me, as I do him. I don't need to know future battle plans orhow theKe Neyetrain. He doesn't need to know who I visit when he's not around.
“This may not be proper speech for your ears, Princess,” Ereon counters, smirking.
I laugh under my breath, if Siphonie was also his cousin, he would realize I've been hearing ‘not proper speech’since we were young, thanks to her.It's a challenge though, because if I argue with him about this, he'll wonder why I'm so close to aKe Neyecaptain and it will make me appear even less like a future Shastonian queen. I’m supposed to be laying low, arguing with my betrothed in the corridor definitely wouldn’t qualify as minding my tongue.
Thylas finally breaks the silence between us and snaps his fingers to a sentry nearest him, commanding, “Take Princess Carnaxa back to her chambers and wait for me there. I will speak to Prince Ereon and then be on my way to relieve you.” He whispers something to the man who nods in response.
“Very well, I have many things I need to put away from today’s trip anyway.” I smile and try my best to sound carefree about the dealings of men, “I hope to see you again soon, Prince Ereon.”
“Oh, I’m certain you will, Princess.” He bows low as I turn and walk away from him, my neck feeling hot from the eyes I know are watching me retreat. I can only hope Thylas comes out unscathed.
I walk down the hall, fidgeting with the folds of my dress as I glance back. Thylas stands just to the side of Ereon, watching me as I go and I bite my lip. I don’t like leaving them alone, but I know that Ereon won’t speak until I am out of earshot. That is one thing I have learned, as charming as he may be, he doesn’t see women as his equal. The months that Prince Ereon has been here should have been a time of us getting to know each other. Instead he is almost like a rumor, constantly heard of but never seen. My father says they are in meetings discussing thebetrothal or Ereon is procuring men who will help accompany us to Shaston. With the creatures of the north, they lose as many people as their kingdom births in a moon cycle, each time they make the trek across the border, so I hear.
I should try to get to know him. My hope is, if I ignore my impending marriage, then the wedding won’t happen. What a foolish thing to do. Perhaps I should start spending more time. As it is, we have only a few more moon cycles until our wedding.
five
THYLAS
Carnaxa moves swiftly through the corridors, her eyes subtly glancing back as she does. I've known her too long to not read the subtle, anxious cues she displays as she walks. To everyone else, she's calm and collected, but I don't miss the fidgeting fingers in the folds of her dress or the biting of her lip as she leaves.
Ereon has done a great job of making his presence known in the capital without actually getting to know her. It's bothersome,why wouldn't he want to get to know his future queen? The thing is though, if Ereon wanted to hurt me it wouldn't be here, in front of witnesses in the castle.
Ereon watches Carnaxa as she walks, his eyes seemingly glued to the bottom half of her and I know what he's thinking. She has a beautifully shaped ass, heart-shaped and full. Any man, or woman for that matter, would have to be blind not to notice, and prince or not, at the end of the day Ereon is a man. From what I hear, he is a man with an over-inflated ego who likes to have multiple women around. He’s constantly seen with women in the taverns, even allowing his men to enjoy themænahe has paid for.
Ereon says nothing until Carnaxa is out of sight. He turns toward me with a look on his face that should be a smile, but comes off looking more like he's pained, or wants to kill me. I've seen the same face on men in both scenarios. It's probably the latter.
