Ladies, Lords, & Liars

Chapter Nineteen: Confusion

   Aeric blinked, all thoughts momentarily gone from his mind, flushed away as though swallowed for eternity in a dark whirlpool at the bottom of a swirling waterfall of shimmering golden hair. Ryall...?

   Her name seemed to be an echo, repeating over and over. How could this be? Whenever he met her in the garden, she seemed the least princess-like person that could ever be. She walked around barefoot and didn't even wear gloves when she was digging around in the dirt. She was a gardener, not a princess!

   "Kellen." She said in a hushed tone. The expression on her face was unreadable, as was the glint in her eyes.

   He opened his mouth to say something... anything. He had to ask her at least one question about this; he had to get an explanation. He'd felt so guilty so many times when his lies were brought into the conversation, but now he saw that she was no better.

   But he hadn't even got a single word out before her hand flashed out quicker than lightning and grabbed his own. The two of them were ducking through the crowd in seconds—him involuntarily—until they reached the edge of the room. Eyes were turned towards them, but by the time anyone could react, Ryall had pulled him through a previously unseen door and into the cool night air.

   He was finally able to gain his balance as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Ryall was standing stock still, once again staring at him. He stared back, opening his mouth again to ask a question.

   She held up a hand, stopping his mouth from moving. A pained, twisted expression took hold of her features for the shortest moment, shadows pooling in the dips and crevices of her face like dark water.

    "I was going to tell you." She spoke softly. He could just see that her eyes were downcast in the hazy glow from the ballroom.

    He might have spoken, but he decided it might be stupid to try. He stayed silent and waited for her to continue, though her mouth remained closed and her eyes remained fixed on the ground.

   "Ryall...?"

   "That— that isn't my name..." she sighed and her gaze finally lifted. "I thought you'd figured that out by now."

   "Right. Kyra. You're the princess." he took a deep breath, the coiling confusion in his mind winding tighter with each passing moment.

   "I'm sorry... I almost told you a- a couple of times, but it just wasn't the right moment... it never was..." she frowned. Her eyes glittered in the faintest glow that came from the ballroom. She tugged uncomfortably on a well-groomed lock of hair.

   "Why... would you even lie about something like that? You don't like being a princess?" he didn't like being a prince, but she was completely different. She'd been raised in a palace and pampered all her life, now all she wanted to do was deny someone who really needed it a job gardening for the royals?

   "I hate being a princess." She replied, her voice carrying an almost savage tone that he wasn't in any way prepared for. "I hate this palace and I hate my parents and everything about my life! You actually made me feel like I wasn't going insane anymore!"

   He could only blink in the onslaught of her words. He could hardly process any information, his brain stubbornly focusing only on the ever-growing knot of confusion. Why wouldn't she like it and why would she be going insane?

   "You wouldn't understand. You're from Rindeglade... how could I think you would be different?" she muttered, her eyes dropping again.

   "Slow down... What—exactly—are you talking about?" he shook his head in confusion.