Wizard's Price

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It seemed like a lifetime instead of only a few weeks since Lucia had last seen Luceria Ostia. Though she wished with all of her heart that she could hate the sight of the Iifa River cutting through the center of the city and all the sandstone buildings reaching up towards the sky, it would be a lie. When she finally lifted her head from the ground to look at it, what she felt was an immediate pang of homesickness and longing to see her family.

Lucia actually had to fight back tears as what remained of the army escorted her into the shadow of her home city. Those that she and Rune had teleported back here rushed from the streets to rejoin with their brethren. Crying out in victory when they saw that the princess was among their number.

Lucia had been given one of the captains' horses. He had insisted that his princess ride and he would march with the others. Which was where she had been every day since leaving the tower. They would put her up onto the saddle in the morning then take her down only for the midday rest and when they made camp for the night.

Jovanni, ever the duteous general, rode beside her at all times. She didn't know if he was trying to protect her against any rogues that might be out beyond the city borders or if he was making sure that she didn't go back on her word. The only time he ever left her was at night after he escorted her to her personal tent. Even then he would set two guards at the entrance at all times.

"Welcome home, princess," Jovanni smiled at her kindly as they started down the streets. As the people realized who she was, she started seeing them call out in excitement and happiness.

Their stolen princess finally returned home.

So then why did she feel like such an outcast?

Maybe it was because of her hair and eyes. She could see the question on everyone's faces as they looked at her. She was very much a changed person.

As she rode through the city though, she kept her head up. She refused to even once to look at the ground to show either weakness or shame. She would look proud and unconquered as she walked through. If they believed her to be standing strong after her 'ordeal' out in the tower, then they would soon find out that their princess was far more changed than just her hair.

By the time the army was walking through the outer palace walls, word had spread quickly through the city. Her mother was already waiting for her at the top of the palace steps. Emrys's hand was in hers and the young prince was bouncing happily on the balls of his feet as he tried to make himself taller to get a better view.

Neither of them recognized her immediately. She was too different from how they remembered. Her dark hair, her gray eyes, were both gone. She wasn't even dressed in the finery of a princess any longer; she could have passed as a common hedge wizard.

Which, to be perfectly honest, filled her with a strange sense of pride.

Lucia could tell the moment her mother recognized her. Jenifry's eyes moved over her once, twice, before finally settling on her. They narrowed. Then widened in surprise. They filled with tears as something like an odd cross between a smile and frown crossed her face.

Lucia pulled her horse to a stop as she looked at her mother and younger brother.

And she felt her own tears well up. She was more excited to see the two of them than she had been to see her city. She had never been away from of her family for so long. Part of her was rather certain that she'd never get to see them again. While part of her was okay with that, as it was the choice she had made for her own future, she couldn't deny that it made her unreasonably happy to see her family once more.