Royal Renegade

Chapter 15: Good Night

"Yes?"

Locking my hands together, I begin twiddling my fingers. "Um-- I'm looking for Prince Leonidas. I'm not sure where he went and was wondering--"

"He left a while ago," she interrupts, and I can't resist expressing my disappointment with the release of a deep sigh as my shoulders slump. "Words are capable of cutting deeper than a knife, Princess."

She gives a small curtsy and swiftly makes her exit.

My father comes to find me just minutes later to tell me we are leaving. The carriage ride home all I can think about is how kind Leonidas had been only for me to end our evening together basically calling his father a monster and reminding him of the tragic history between our families.

Perhaps tonight, I am the monster.

******

Miss Elysse has my bath water going before my return, so as soon as she helps me from my gown I rush to the bathroom and shut the door. Candles light the room with an overwhelming brightness, so I briskly blow out all but one before slipping into the steaming water.

I close my eyes but quite vividly see the pain of his expression again.

I never thought seeing him hurt like that would bring me pain, too. It's how I imagine it would be if I had offended a close friend.

At the same time, Leonidas knows we are enemies. Nothing I shared was news to him. It couldn't have been.

"Axelia?" Miss Elysse asks as she peeks her head into the room. Opening the door brings a cool breeze into the room, so I sink down into the water until it reaches my chin.

"Why weren't you afraid of him? Prince Leonidas?"

I'm not sure where the question comes from, but for some reason I need to know her answer. Most Cadomians hate Rerimans and they are especially hostile in their words about the Prince.

The other night Miss Elysse wasn't only speaking with him alone but was defensive and almost protective of him when I threatened to fight him.

"I've always been a pretty good judge of character," she shrugs. "He made his presence known as soon as I saw him and was very kind."

"He's dangerous. I've told you the stories of our fights; about what he is capable of."

Sighing, she comes into the room and leaves the door slightly ajar.

"He didn't seem so dangerous when he calmed you down and let you hold a dagger to his chest knowing full well you could have seriously hurt him."

Fair.

"Elysse, he's still our enemy," I continue to push as though her surrender will ease my guilt.

She shakes her head.

"No, Princess, he is your father's enemy."

I sit up causing the water to splash over the edges of the tub.

"Enemy to the throne, ruler of Cadomia; our King," I snap.

"And yet here you are," she says, "unscathed despite your many encounters, only bearing the marks on your back from--"

"Do not dishonor my father with the rest of that sentence."

"My apologies," she offers a bow of her head. "I'll be off. Good night."

After I'm dry and slip into a long, thick nightgown, it only takes minutes after I blow out the last candle before I doze off until I hear a light tapping on the windows of my double-doors that stirs me into consciousness. Goosebumps tickle the skin of my arms as I begin to imagine a variety of nightmarish scenarios.