“I believe her… the princess… I believe her,” a quiet shaking voice cut through the crowd. As the onlookers parted, the young boy I’d revived stood shivering beside his sister. Giselle had bundled him up in a thick cloak, and was desperately trying to rub some warmth back into him. “I’ve felt magic before, but this was nothing like that,” he said.
“Ignore him, he’s delirious,” Lady Vivian spat. “The boy was dead five minutes ago.”
“Do not speak of my brother in that way,” Giselle retorted. Her eyes were glossy with tears as they found mine. “Princess Naria saved his life, and I will never be able to thank her enough.” She then shot a furious look at the duchess. “So, if sheinsists it was this… sci-ence, or whatever the word was, then it was that! No dark magic here.”
Confused murmurs weaved through the crowd, until Lukas’s commanding voice broke through the noise.
“I’ve heard enough arguing for one day.” Everyone’s heads pivoted to where the prince was standing. “Magic or not, a boy’s life was saved, and we should be very grateful to Princess Naria.” I shuddered as the countless stares of at least a dozen people fixated on my trembling body. I could almost feel their suspicions gnawing at my gown.
As if sensing my discomfort, Lukas stepped forward and extended a hand to me. “Come now, Naria, let me escort you back to your room.”
I nodded, barely hesitating for a second before accepting his waiting hand.
Before we left the gathering, I glanced at the shivering boy, then addressed Giselle, “Take him back to his room, get him into a warm bath and then some dry clothes.”
“Of course, Your Highness.” She dipped her head in gratitude. “And please understand I wasn’t lying when I said I will never be able to thank you enough. Anything you need, please come to me. I will always serve you.” She bowed deeply, the last of the evening sun rays dancing off her copper hair.
I thanked her with a light smile, before Lukas began guiding me back towards the palace archway.
Walking back through the palace beside Lukas was an entirely different experience to wandering the palace halls alone. Aside from having to occasionally jog to keep up with his long strides, there were no hushed whispers or scowling looks. Instead,crowds of people dipped their heads like little bobbing ducks as we strolled through the endless stone corridors. The prince seemed to pay them no mind, barely even acknowledging their bows as we passed by – though I suppose after so many years, you would get used to it.
I wondered if I ever could.
“You certainly put on quite a show out there,” Lukas finally said while steering me through an archway. His voice was calm, but there was something on his mind – I could almost see it as it tugged on his brow.
The arch led to another familiar window-lined hallway, but we must’ve been drawing close to the tower as this one was empty of any chattering nobles. Now that the sun had dipped below the mountains, small candles held by iron lamps illuminated the path. They cast a warm glow across the tiled floors.
“I did what I had to do to save a boy’s life,” I answered plainly. “It’s not my fault that most of your people misread the situation.”
We continued for a few more steps until Lukas paused and turned suddenly to face me. After a few quiet breaths, he spoke with a tightened jaw. “Is it true that you kissed that boy?”
I wanted to burst with laughter. “Kissed him?”
“Yes, is it true?” the prince demanded.
My mouth fell open. I couldn’t believe it. Was he, a crown prince of all people, really jealous of a teenager? Or was there something else behind his bizarre reaction? Either way, to even ask that was simply ridiculous. He was being ridiculous.
“I thought you were supposed to be sensible,” I scoffed dismissively.
“Tell me,” he spoke again, his tone dark and low. “Did you kiss him?”
“Why would you even ask that?” I threw up my hands. “Thisis absurd. I saved his life, didn’t I? And if you were there, you would’ve seen that it wasn’t a kiss. Far from it! I was simply forcing the water from his chest—”
“By placing your lips onto his?” he cut in. His features were stormed by such an unnecessary fury, I wanted to scream.
“It does not matter how I did it, because I saved his life!” My raised voice echoed down the empty hallway. “And I don’t understand why you even care about any of this. You don’t own me. Even if I wasn’t trying to just save the poor boy’s life, I can kiss whoever I like.”
“You cannot.” He stepped towards me, and instinctively I backed away. But my voice didn’t quieten. If anything, I was more determined to shout.
“I am a princess,” I fired back. “I don’t serve you, or your father. I serve only my people. And since you have no intention of helping them, I have no intention of ever marrying you. That means, if I wanted to run around the palace grounds and kiss every single man who’d have me then I would.”
“I would forbid it,” Lukas snarled. Fists clenched, he marched towards me, forcing my body back until the cold stone wall pressed against my spine. “You may be a princess, but my father is the King of Drothmore. And while he is ill, this is my court. Everything in it belongs to me, including my own fiancée. Don’t you dare underestimate my power, Naria. I would exile anyone who dared to touch you. I would lock you in your tower if I had to.”
“But why?” My voice trembled as he loomed over me. His jaw was still clenched, and he was so close I could feel the warmth of his skin. The heat rushed through me, igniting my bones and pooling in my lower belly as he laid his hand flat against the wall, only inches from my face.
Before I could shove him away, my breath caught as his gaze lowered to my parted lips. Then, it appeared as if somethinginside of him had broken. A sudden sadness washed away the rage that poured across his face.
“Because, for some unfathomable reason, I cannot stand the thought of anyone else doing what I am about to do,” he finally said.
