Princess Alice is realizing who she wants to become. After her castle is attacked by the neighboring evil kingdom, she decides she wants to become a knight, but the King Queen won't allow it. Princess Alice decides to train in secret with the Royal...
The Princess woke with a twisted feeling in her stomach, knowing that training today would be most uncomfortable after the events of last night. Captain Riley was too busy training with the others to come train with the Princess. Instead, Thomas, Lydia, and the Princess trained together, all of them sparring with one another. Alice caught the Captain's eye a few times and knew how desperately he wanted to speak with her. Alice however, could not find it in her to go out of her way to speak with him. After a time, Sam asked Alice to train with him after her seeing her stress. "What's with you and the Captain today?" he asked softly.
"I asked him to come along for dinner and he sort of got in an argument with Prince Menace. It would have gotten ugly if I had not stepped in," the Princess filled him in.
"Oh, is that what we're calling him now?"
"Yes because that is what he is, a menace to society," Alice said coldly. Sam laughed and the two sparred for some time with others joining in when they could. Eventually, they stopped for water and Sam went to train with someone else. Alice was wiping her mouth on her sleeve when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She used her shield to try to hit whoever was behind her as she spun around, but no one was there. She heard rustling inside of the courtyard walls and knowing that Thomas was more than occupied at the moment, raised her sword as she quietly walked through. She kept her shield in front and her sword raised, just like she had been taught. Alice didn't see anyone in either armories and turned her back to the way she came as she checked the back entrance. Before she could completely turn around, someone had an arm around her waist, pulling her into the armory. She yelped in surprise and accidently dropped her shield. Her sword was slickly taken from her and thrown across the room as she was spun around and gently thrown against the wall.
"I thought I taught you to be prepared for the unexpected?" Captain Riley teased.
"Derek?" Alice breathed. He grinned and the Princess laughed, realizing he had pulled a joke on her. "Don't be spooking me like that!" she said laughed as she held onto his shirt.
"I would never let anyone scare or harm you," he said.
"I know, I trust you Derek," Alice told him, staring into his eyes.
"I wanted to talk to you without having the others notice," Derek said.
"About what?" Alice asked.
"I know I've already said this, but I'm really sorry about last night. I didn't mean to get mad, it's just that the way he was talking about you and everything else, I wasn't going to hear another word of it," Derek explained himself. Alice planted a small kiss on his cheek and hugged him.
"You did the right thing, even if it ended badly," she said. Derek was shocked by her actions, but hugged her back.
"You are ok though right?" he asked concerned.
"Of course, I was just disheartened and upset that he thought he could treat you like that when I know that you are a good man." The Princess's words touched Derek's heart in a way that he didn't think was possible. Derek's hold on her tightened when he heard footsteps in the hallway, but he relaxed as soon as they passed. "We should get back to training," Alice suggested, not wanting someone to catch her in the arms of the Captain of the Royal Guard.
"Lead the way," he gestured. Alice picked her sword back up and swung her shield over her shoulder. An hour or two later, Alice was ready to go for dancing lessons.
"Will you be my partner again today?" Alice asked casually.
"Don't you have a Prince for that?" Derek remarked.
"Sure, but that doesn't mean I want to dance with him," Alice said as she returned her weapons for the day.
"Where should I meet you?"
"In front of the Dining Hall," she said. Alice had a bright purpley pink dress waiting for her this time. "How is this going to work?" the Princess thought aloud as Maid Lydia helped her into her dress. "Prince Menace and Derek will be there and I did not think this through very well."
"I am sure you will figure something out," Lydia said with an encouraging smile.
"What?" Alice asked plainly as she met with Captain Riley.
"You clean up nice," he answered in a trance. The Princess and shook her head as she lead him to the Banquet Hall.
"Why have you brought him along? Again?" Queen Rosalind asked irritated.
"Because Der-I mean Captain Riley, has been my dancing partner since I started these lessons?" Alice said, not understanding the issue.
"Not today he isn't," Prince Rorick said, coming to stand beside the Queen, who smiled smugly.
"Prince Rorick is to be your dancing partner from now on," Queen Rosalind decided.
"Why can't I dance with both?" Alice shrugged. The Queen sighed knowing her daughter would still insist on dancing with both.
"Perhaps you could interchange which man you are dancing with?" her teacher suggested.
"Yes, that will work well," the Princess agreed. Prince Rorick held his hand out and Alice begrudgingly took it as he lead her to the dance floor.
"What is so special about the Captain?" the Prince asked unhappily.
"When your kingdom decided to attack us the last time, I was almost killed and he was the one who saved my life. He has had my gratitude and friendship ever since," Alice explained.
"I did not order my men to kill you, rather capture you and hold you for ransom until I got the money I wanted," Prince Rorick informed her. Alice guffawed in disgust.
"You!"
"I told them not to hurt you in anyway so I am sorry if they scared you," the Prince said.
"Well that's reassuring," Princess Alice said sarcastically. Prince Rorick chuckled. Alice looked at him confused.
"I do not get the way you speak. You are a Princess and yet you speak as if you were a commoner and you have the stubbornness of a man," he said. Alice shrugged.
"I guess I'm just different," she said modestly. The Prince raised his arm and Alice spun and Captain Riley took the opportunity to take over.
"Finally," Princess Alice breathed relieved as her hand fell to his shoulder. Derek laughed and Alice smiled.
"Why is he hanging around here anyways?" he asked.
"I don't know," Alice realized, looking past him, "but I don't like it."
"That makes two of us," Derek admitted.
"How come you didn't train with me until later today?" she asked. Derek looked down at his feet.
"I don't know," he mumbled. There was a small pause in their conversation. "I guess I felt I had hurt you in some way," he said.
"It's Prince Menace we're talking about here. The only thing you hurt was his pride," the Princess answered. The two started laughing, earning a disapproving look from both the Queen and the Prince. Derek twirled Alice, Prince Rorick quickly coming back for his turn.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
