Dark Prince & the Doe

Chapter 72: The Debt

Chapter 72: The Debt

Content Warning: The next couple chapters touch on some uncomfortable topics including slander, gaslighting, defamatory rumors, and reference to sexual assault in conversation.

Calden

The ladies gathered around Cezanne and Embria. The two women drowned in a tide of colorful dress. The other councilmen had left the hilltop and were hurrying closer. Duke was the first to reach the women, and began checking on the Adderian ambassadors. Huntresses had overheard the commotion and arrived to help. Many were trying to calm the enraged unicorns while others lingered further back, watching the Overlanders with curious eyes, but were too cautious to approach.

"Cezanne!" Calden yelled as he pushed through the crowd of Adderian ladies, they cleared a path for him. Daniel and Marl followed close behind. Calden grabbed Cezanne's hands. Dirt and bloody scrapes marred her porcelain skin. She had been knocked to the ground so many times. Her dress was torn and mottled with grass stains. She shook like a traumatized dove. Her hands were ice cold. Golden eyes, watery and close to tears.

"Stupid unicorns," Calden grumbled, dragging Cezanne into his arms and holding her against his chest. Her quivering stilled as he leaned over her protectively. Her head tucked under his chin as she melted into his embrace. Everyone went quiet.

He was holding her. The princessa. In his arms.

He released her and stepped back, then asked her if she was alright. She nodded firmly, but her hands still quavered with the remnants of her frightful encounter.

"I thought unicorns were supposed to be safe around women. What in the name of the Aria was that!" Marl shouted at Lydia, pointing his index finger in her face.

Lydia shot both Embria and Cezanne a pointed look. "They normally are if the rules are respected and followed. Did I not state only unmarried maidens were allowed past the gate?"

"Neither of us are married?" Cezanne said, a confused lilt to her voice. Calden gestured to Lydia with one hand for her to drop the matter.

"Did you not explain this to them?" Lydia asked, glaring at Calden like it was somehow his fault.

"I thought you told them! It's common knowledge, isn't it? I assumed –"

"You can't just make assumptions like that!" Lydia shouted.

"Well, it's over now. This is why I hate unicorns. Someone always gets hurt. Let's just leave it at that, and move on."

"But I don't understand," Cezanne said, looking from Calden to Lydia. "What did we do wrong?"

"Some unicorns don't like experienced riders," Gale said suggestively, then chuckled. Calden turned with a snarl, smacking Gale's upper arm. "What? It's true!" Gale barked as he plucked splintered wood out of his hair but Cezanne and Embria were only more confused. Calden shot all his brothers through with a glare as sharp as a hundred silvre-tipped arrows and gestured with both hands for them to be silent. Gale wisely shut his fat yap.

"According to legend, unicorns despise men due to Dragereon tricking the First Mare. Whether or not the legends are true, there are some unicorns whose hatred is such that they even act violently towards women who have been bedded by a man," Nocturn stated matter-of-factly, not noticing Calden's clear warnings – as usual.

The princessa's face went bright red. "I...I..." Cezanne stuttered, her face flushing an even brighter shade of crimson, not just with embarrassment, but with fear.

"You dare insinuate our princessa is impure!" Marl screamed in a very unimpressive manner, standing on the tips of his toes to point his angry Atrezin finger right in Nocturn's face. Nocturn, unamused, batted the Atrezin's hand away like a pesky mosquito and stepped back. Marl stalked forward, invading Nocturn's space.