Ash

Chapter 11

Kamya's breath caught in her throat. "Prince Tritos, what on the seven seas are you doing here?"

Tritos offered a bitter smile as his eyes met hers. His military helmet tucked under one arm. Two Seelie soldiers flanked him on either side. "Your father called upon my father and sent me to be his errand boy. Your friend, Captain Hook over here, whose blatant insubordination and disrespect I will pardon, just this once, because he's under the deluded belief he's somehow protecting you." Tritos handed his helmet to the man on his left and clasped his hands behind his back as he stared Ash down. "He also mentioned that you married a peasant." Tritos stalked closer and studied Ash. "I thought the goal was to avoid war, Princess."

"It was." Kamya answered carefully.

Tritos's eyes traveled to Ash and Kamya's clasped hands. "So you married a peasant, is that right, Captain?"

"That's her peasant." Captain chirped.

"A Seelie peasant at that. Interesting." Tritos recognized the military uniform that Ash wore and recognized in his eyes he'd never seen battle.

Kamya swallowed hard, the heavy silence too much for her to bear. "It's not like that. This wasn't planned. It wasn't how this was supposed to go!" Kamya started. Tritos pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes and waited for her to go on. "Those ships, the assassins, they were going to kidnap or kill me or force me into marriage!" Kamya quickly defended.

"So you married him?" Tritos clarified.

Kamya hated the accusation in his tone. "It wasn't planned, Tritos."

Tritos nodded, his disapproval radiating off of him in waves. "You married a Seelie peasant."

"I didn't know he was Seelie or even one of your kind until just before the ceremony." Kamya protested.

"I didn't know I was Seelie before last night." Ash offered with a shrug.

Tritos blinked several times as the last comment rendered him speechless for a long moment. "What?"

Ash shrugged. "I said it, you know it's true."

"How is that even possible?" Tritos demanded, his confusion bordering anger and outrage.

"I thought I was as mortal as my father before me. There was a woman, Aisling, I believe she said she was my aunt. I guess, considering, it must be true."

"Did you -" Tritos blurted before he caught himself and leaned in so only Ash and Kamya could hear. "Did you say Aisling?"

"Yes."

Tritos let out a dry laugh. "Oh Princess, I do not envy you. You have no idea what you've just done." Tritos let out a long cynical laugh. "Oh I know who you are, I've heard stories of you, Ash. You are in for a world of suffering. Princess, I have orders to bring you back to the palace. I have no such orders for your husband." Tritos spared the princess a sadistic smile. She'd turned him down to avoid a war and now she'd brought war right to her doorstep through her own foolishness.

"You can't leave him!"

"I most certainly can." Tritos let a smirk rest on his perfect lips and images of his night with the princess flashed through her mind.

"Stop that!" Kamya hissed.

Tritos's look of contentment increased. He took a few steps closer and whispered to Ash, "Why don't you ask your wife how well she knows me."

"What my wife did before she was my wife is not something I would hold against her." Ash offered as he glanced at Kamya.

"Your highness," Kamya cut in, desperate for a distraction. "How exactly did you find us?"