The Outlaw Princess: Part 1

5 - Escape to the Fields

Once the fires had died down, the council members all bowed and apologized for accusing her of murder shocking Arillia. Never had anyone in the castle ever apologized to her; especially not with the Monster standing behind, glowering with barely controlled rage. By the time they left, it was already sunset and Ari was exhausted, her mind was racing a mile a minute and she collapsed to the ground.

Why did they...How could they...Is this connected to my dream? She tried to shake her head but she had little energy to do so.

Fraser made his way to her, placing one arm around her waist and the other under her legs. He picked her up as if she weighed nothing and carried her out of the room. Her eyes slowly began to close as she mumbled: "The fire didn't burn." She felt his hands tightened before everything went black.

The next time she woke, she found herself in a bright room filled with gold. "Fras." She smiled, burying her face in the pillows.

"Oh, good. You're awake." He leaned over her from the other side of the bed and she shrank further into the covers. "You know, as much as I love a good sleepover, we've been summoned to the throne room once again."

She sighed. "Great." Muttering, she got up and headed to her room to get changed into some fresh clothes.

Being summoned so early in the morning was not something Ari looked forward to but she made her way to the throne room, dragging her feet behind her. She could already feel a cold sweat dripping down her back. She had no idea what awaited her but she was not looking forward to it.

As soon as she entered the room, the Monster turned his dark eyes to her and she immediately tensed at that cold gaze. She had grown accustomed to seeing it in her twenty something years but that day it felt extremely cold almost as if the Other World was frozen over.

"For once, you actually come when you are called. Tomorrow morning you will be on a ship to Moira and you are not coming back." He spat, a smirk forming on his cracked lips. His words took a second to register but once she got them, she couldn't believe her ears.

Normally, she would shrink back but not that day. She didn't feel like playing the part of a cowering princess. She was much more than that though she wasn't entirely sure what she was but she tried to challenge the dragon she was in her dreams. She raised her chin and opened her mouth.

"You're sending me away? To Moira? Have you no heart? My mother just died and all you care about is getting me out of your sight? You should've done that a long time ago but I guess you couldn't because my mother was here to stop you. And now that she's gone, you don't care what happens to me. You're a monster," She spat at his feet, glaring up at him in disgust causing his face to redden with rage.

He leapt from his throne and marched down the marble steps and walked until he was right in her face. His entire body was trembling with uncontrollable rage just waiting to be unleashed. "You. Do. Not. Speak. To. Me. In. That. Way." He gritted his teeth. "You will be going to Moira and you will marry the prince and I don't want to hear another word about it."

Ari's entire body froze. Whatever resort she was about to say, got caught in her throat as all the breath left her body.

"Hold on, time out," Fraser said, getting in between them and hiding Arillia behind his back. "You can't be serious. You know, she didn't kill Ma and yet you're sending her away?"

"I am not sending her away because of that. I am sending her to secure an alliance," The king replied, looking rather annoyed that his son came to her aid once again.

"I don't care about some stupid alliance. I am not marrying someone I do not know. Besides, why would they take me when you so clearly have raved about me 'not being your daughter'?" Arillia hollered just as the doors opened, cutting off the Monster's defense as the rest of her brothers walked in.