THE CONMAN AND THE MAID // Harry Styles

Fire in a Silver Storm

"Oh, so it's fine when you fool around but when it's me..."

"You're supposed to be the quiet and grumpy character and I'm the charismatic and funny one. Have you not read those stories about two people going on an adventure?"

Reyna rolled her eyes at his nonsense and turned away to get Thunder out of his stall. "You take the brown one in the corner," she told Harry.

He excitedly punched the air and rushed toward his new friend to release her. "Hello, my name is Harry. What's your name, beautiful?"

"Lightning."

Reyna's answer made Harry chuckle, but then he saw the look on her face and realised she was serious. "Wow, you Northern people really hate normal names, huh?"

"We just don't want to share the same name with thousands of others. I mean, Harry?"

Harry narrowed his eyes at her, nodding slowly. "Good point."

They proceeded to put saddles on Thunder and Lightning before leading them out of the stable, trying to be as discreet as they could. These royal horses were very cooperative, probably because they somehow understood that they were on a mission to get two people out of the castle safely; or maybe they were so close to Reyna that they were willing to do anything for her.

Harry didn't know much about the servants in the castle, but it made no sense to him that they would let a maid spend that much time with the royal horses, let alone teach them how to put a saddle on one.

"Do you even know how to ride a horse?" he asked and received a smirk from the girl.

"Do you?"

Right when he opened his mouth to answer, Reyna hopped onto Thunder's back and rode in circles around him and Lightning. He was amazed for a second, but then he saw the sword strapped to her waist and was reminded of those guards she'd injured.

Of course she can also ride a horse. Who is this girl?

"Don't be so surprised." She scoffed at the look on his face. "Every servant in the castle knows how to ride a horse, use a sword, and do archery."

"Why?"

"Why not?" Reyna mocked as Thunder stopped in front of Harry, rearing his front legs as if he wanted to kick the man in the face. "Is the brave Southern man intimidated by a fragile Northern maid?"

Harry breathed out a laugh, letting her remark slide as he mounted his horse. The snow had begun to fall. The flakes were dancing in the moonlight, a beautiful dance choreographed by the wind, and Harry suddenly caught himself staring at the girl for a little too long.

For his entire life, he had never been shaken by a beauty other than his Kenny. But at that very moment, when the snow landed on her fur coat and long black hair, and her cheeks turned almost as pink as the colour of her lips, Harry felt something he had never felt before.

This girl was truly beautiful. If a maid could look like this, then how much more stunning was the princess of Isolde?

"Oh no!" Reyna's voice pulled Harry back to reality. He heard the distinct sound of horses running toward the stable and caught the alarmed look on her face.

"Ride!" she yelled, digging her heels into the sides of her horse and the gelding leapt forward, galloping toward the gatehouse.

Harry was racing along by her side. They didn't know who was after them, but they didn't look back nor slow down because those people were all capable of killing.