The Lion Princess

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"A lion? You tried to help...a lion?"

Reanna gave Andromeda a dull look. "I didn't try anything. I succeeded."

"A...lion."

Reanna sighed. "Yes, Andy. A lion. Mother has already lectured me about my foolishness. Can I not hear from you as well?"

"I wasn't going to lecture you. I was thinking about giving you a medal." Andromeda's breathy voice of awe made her sisters laugh.

The palace courtyard, their private courtyard, that they were breaking their fast in was full of beautiful morning flowers that filled the air with a sweet, delicate sort of fragrance. They had slept a little later because they had stayed up into the wee hours of the morning for Cadmus's welcoming ball. Reanna wished she could say she had learned something about her future-husband. However, the story of her lion encounter had spread like a wildfire and she had been surrounded by people all eagerly seeking the details.

By the end of the night, Reanna had a headache from all the gasps of shock and awe. She never wanted to tell the story again. And few people remembered meeting Prince Cadmus because she had taken center stage with her tale of the lion.

It was morning now though. With the official welcoming ceremony behind them, it was time to begin wedding planning. Reanna was going to be in charge of most of it. She would be working quite closely with Nat, who was accustomed to creating memorable events. Larissa, who had all of her sisters' measurements memorized, was already beginning the dresses. Andromeda had given Reanna the date which, according to the stars, would bring her the most luck.

However, Reanna hadn't yet heard from Cadmus about the planning. As far as she knew, he was eating with her father this morning. She was afraid that they were planning some means of hunting the lion despite her telling them she was afraid it might be a faerie.

"Do you know what people are calling her now?" Larissa asked the others, grinning over her cup of tea.

"Please, don't..." Reanna groaned even as Nat answered.

"The Lion Princess."

Andromeda squealed. "The Lion Princess. I love it."

"It's meant as a joke," Reanna said regally, sipping at her tea. "They're mocking me for turning back to help a lion. They all think I should have been eaten."

"But you weren't," Nat leaned forward with a smile. "Could it really have been a faerie?"

"In our forests?" Andromeda grinned eagerly. "That's amazing."

"I want to go back," Reanna admitted softly, setting down her teacup. "I want to return. I think I've convinced father not to hunt him, but I'm worried he's going to try anyway. If he really was a faerie, he could curse us all for trying to harm him."

"Shouldn't he be blessing you for helping him then?" Andromeda asked. "That's what happens in all the histories. Faeries return debts with blessings."

"Maybe he's a wicked fairy and not killing Rae was his blessing," Nat suggested calmly.

Reanna twirled her teacup in its saucer. Staring at the gently sloshing liquid within. The bright, clear amber of the tea, though a few shades darker, reminded her of the lion's mane. Then again, everything last night and this morning somehow reminded her of him.

"Are you really going back?" Nat asked when Reanna didn't contribute further.

"I want to," she dithered for a moment.