She was born Princess Gwenwyn Helena Anannet Egger, first-born child of the Great King Heralf, ruler of the Militant Kingdom of Rramnon. Shortly after her sixteenth birthday, Gwenwyn's father sent her to the Trade Kingdom, Terrafeuw, with a very spe...
"And it doesn't matter how you try to order me about. Flint Jenkins, Guard of the Royal First, Freddrick James Lyonal, heir apparent, soon to be King of Terrafeuw. Use whatever title you want, I won't go back to the olive room."
Freddrick gritted his teeth, and forced himself to relax his hands. "And why is that?"
"I already told you, you stupid commoner," they both grinned slightly at Creatin's use of his nickname, "you should be the one to tell her."
"I suppose you have some plan to sneak me out?"
"You out? No. That would be just as stupid, and you'd make way too much noise."
"Ok, so?"
"We bring her here."
Freddrick's eyes widened as he came to grasp Creatin's words. The guard of Three wanted to sneak the Princess of Rramnon to him. "Don't be so reckless."
"You know," Creatin stated easily, walking towards the secret side exit, that the 6 foot 3 Freddrick had no hope of escaping through, "she's quite skilled, I mean she was able to avoid practically the entire watch, Nine included, on multiple nights during the Trade Negotiations. With Russell out on sea patrol, it stands to reason that she could easily get in here, undetected."
"But you're not going back to her room."
"Of course not, you stupid commoner. She followed me in. You've got half an hour."
With that Creatin was gone, the slight click of the side door sounding upon his exit.
The click!
Freddrick spun around, startled by the small figure sitting calmly a chair by the dying fire.
He moved to the chair across from her and waited for her to look back at him.
"I wasn't prepared." She stated softly, twirling the bobble he had sent around on its cord. "When Creatin, was that the man's name? When he woke me up in my room, I didn't have time to think about what I should say, or how I should act. I didn't know where the night might lead, or what would happen."
She stopped playing with the bobble and looked up at him.
"It was this," she informed, pulling the cord taunt and letting the small sleeping fox dangle in front of her, "with just two letters carved onto the bottom of a trinket, I followed a stranger halfway across the palace without a second thought. What does that say about me?"
"Gwen," Freddrick started kneeling forward and clasping her hands together with his. Their eyes held each other's for a moment, "I love you." She sighed and placed her head atop their joined hands.
"I thought my people loved me." Her voice morphing into her uncaring façade. "Everything I did, was to be a perfect Rramnon Princess, and now I'm a target."
He nodded and let her work through all she had overheard. Damn him for not noticing her sooner.
"Was I always a target?"
He grimaced, but wasn't surprised that she was putting things together so quickly. She may be a a bit rash form time to time, but she was clever.
"If you were to fall, to die," he corrected, "while on Rramnon soil, in the pursuit of peace,"
"War would be inevitable." She finished for him, sounding concerned. "I was so naïve to believe that," she paused struggling with the betrayal, "that my father would entrust me with obtaining peace. I see that now. Still, I would never have imagined that he would deceive me in such a way."
He squeezed her hands offering her some small reassurance.
"Flint." She said softly looking back at him. "What I overheard earlier, about a coronation, about your coronation? That wasn't a hallucination was it? I'm not dreaming anymore."
Freddrick gave her a small, sad smile. "The official report, is that Guard Jenkins of the First, passed away due health complications, after being caught in a hurricane. He died just before King Griggory passed." Confusion glazed across her eyes and he continued. "Freddrick James Lyonal," he said gesturing to himself, "is King Griggory Lyonal's bastard son. He was sent for after the King's death and will arrive tomorrow morning in time for his coronation."
"And that is why you can't leave this room." She deduced. "You can't been seen by any informants until then.
He looked towards the door, then nodded.
Gwen's eyes shifted and her hands moved towards a loose strands of hair that had fall free of the quick braid that she had done herself.
"What's the plan?" She asked looking back towards him once her mind had time to comprehend the situation. "Obviously, just telling me these things won't solve anything. Surely you have some sort of plan."
He grinned when one of her hands move from her hair to his hand and the other securely held onto the small carved fox hanging from her neck.
"You trust me."
"Of course I trust you." Gwen responded almost instantly, "I'm a bit mortified that I told you I was here to court your father, but yes I trust you."
"Good," he released on a sigh, a small grin pulling at the side of his mouth, "because in order to keep you innocent in the eyes of the Councilmen, and keep the prospects of a peaceful union, you're going to have to leave tomorrow as planned."
"And the attack?"
Freddrick looked up as he heard the side door click open, Creatin had returned, their time was up.
Not caring if he was now being watch, Freddrick quickly kissed her forehead and whispered, "You know nothing."
She nodded understanding and rose to exit the room. Before she disappeared through the side door, she glanced back at him and responded with pride, "I love you as well."
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