After a week Ella knew nothing more about her new future lord husband. Laem spent a lot of time with the kings, so they barely had any time together. Any dates he did with Ella were short and he wouldn't ask her anything. He would talk a lot, but mostly about himself and the hunt. Ella didn't feel like calling him by his name, but she had to. He was arrogant and full of himself.
Ella knew she wouldn't love him, because her heart was already full. Whenever she spotted Kava her mood would get much better, her worries would go away. They would drink tea and eat meals together, and when she was Rose they would ride around or hunt.
At one point Ella would have been glad to fulfil her duty as the king's daughter and marry to keep peace, but it all changed because of Kava.
She told nobody, but she was anxious about the engagement party.
Now as it was happening, she was feeling even worse, feeling like she was going to throw up behind a tree that was her haven.
"I can't do this." She spat into the leaves of a fig tree. "I can't."
It was Kava who found her, once again. She crouched by Ella with worried eyes, a rough hand being placed gently on her back. The touch grounded her. She could breathe a little easier.
"Ella." Kava breathed out. "What's going on? Should I call a medic?"
"No! Please don't." Ella said, trying to get a grip. "I'm just... I'm just scared."
"Don't be. Laem is full of himself, but he won't abuse you. My guess is that as soon as you two get married and have a child he'll just leave for a Great Tundra and leave you alone." Kava attempted to console her. "He'll be a nice husband."
"But I don't want to marry him."
" You weren't so anxious during our engagement party." The huntress attempted to joke. "You got to practice with me, now just do the same. Without the part where your father finds out your future husband is actually a woman and calls the whole thing off."
Ella laughed weakly.
It should have been you, Kava, she couldn't say. It still should be you.
"I think this time they talked about everything beforehand. My father probably made Laem show him his dick."
Kava gasped in pretend indignation, then laughed.
"You can do it. It's just a few more hours and you'll have your fiancé. This time really."
"I... I don't want to."
Kava furrowed her brow.
"Why not?"
"I'm scared." Because he's not you, she couldn't choke out. "Could you... Could you hold me? Just for a moment."
She wanted to know how it felt.
Kava didn't hesitate, pulling her close. Ella sunk into her, grabbing the black fur and breathing in deeply. She was close, their body warmth tangling together. Kava's heart was strong. Ella's own calmed down to match it.
"I feel like I'm hugging a wolf. A very fluffy wolf."
Kava chuckled gently to not move too much.
"Oh really?" She teased.
"Now your turn. Compliment how good it is to hug me."
"So that was a compliment?!"
Ella laughed into the fur. The bells sounded around the courtyard.
"Hugging you feels like a guilty pleasure." Kava whispered. " I know I really should let you go, but I can't bring myself to."
Ella's heart started hammering. The bells rang again.
"I don't want to leave your arms either."
Kava's heart sped up suddenly. Ella could hear it only because she had her ear against the powerful chest.
The bells rang once more.
"Those were the final bells." Kava said gently. "You have to go."
"I know." Ella whispered, not moving a muscle. Kava didn't let go either. "I need to go to the feast. You too."
"Yes."
Silence fell. Right behind the hedge the nobles were moving to the dining hall, laughing and chatting excitedly.
"Kava?"
"Yes?"
"I sometimes think how it would be... if it didn't come up. If we got married before my father realized you're a woman. Do you?"
"Yes. Sometimes."
"If we had another chance, do you think you could... love me? Not as a duty, but... Just for me?"
Kava was very quiet for a moment.
"You speak of treason." She finally said, breaking the hug. Ella missed the warmth already. "I don't want to give you the wrong idea. You're set to marry my brother and I am not to stand in the way."
"But you want to, don't you? You want to stand in the way?"
Kava leaned forward, their lips connecting. The kiss was hungry and hot, desperate from both sides.
"I can't. I can't." Kava whispered. "I can't stand in the way no matter how I want to. Once you marry him, I— I can come visit. From Great Tundra. He won't be there, so..."
"I want you forever. I want everyone to know that. I don't want us to hide."
"We can't. We both have duties."
"You don't want to be King Hunter." Ella whispered, desperate. "And I want you to be with me."
"There is no chance for us in this lifetime. The peace is more important than both of us." Kava said, her eyes sad. "You don't know everything about me. Living with me would would be hell."
"It wouldn't. I know about—"
"Princess Ella!" Robert called out right next to their hideout. Kava and Ella took a step away from each other. "Princess Ella! The feast!"
She stole one more kiss before leaving the bushes. It was short and sweet.
Soon enough she was sitting in the banquet hall, her late arrival barely noticed by her future husband. King Savi, on the other hand, was visibly relieved that she came back. Kava sat next to her brother, perfectly neutral.
Food was amazing, but Ella could barely stomach anything. Her eyes kept drifting to Kava, who in turn was completely ignoring her. Ella knew it was for the best. They both had duties they couldn't escape. If Kava became her Lord Husband, she wouldn't need to become the king, but now she had to and she would be miserable. Ella would need to live with her husband who would be ignoring her for most of their time together and would just use her for creating an offspring, all other times he would be gone, and she would be alone in a completely new place.
She hated the idea.
And yet everyone was celebrating it. It was a great event, a peace between two countries. It didn't matter what Ella wanted. She was just a pawn.
That was just it. It didn't matter who she was. Just as easily Kava had been replaced with Laem, discarded when she was no longer useful, Ella could be replace with anybody else with the same position. Her siblings were already married, but she had many cousins that were politically available. Brivania and Great Tundra didn't care. These were just countries. Just concepts.
Not like Ella and Kava.
She sat there, jabbing at the food while talks were going on around her. Laem was telling a story of a hunt, once again. He had many of them.
This time Vasil wasn't doing any drunken speeches. He was as sober as the day he was born, his hands sliding on his cup from sweat. He needed this union to go well.
The celebrations would be moving outside in just a minute, after their engagement would be announced. King Vasil got up onto the top of the stair with King Savi by his side. He called both Ella and Laem to join them. She faced the crowd next to her about to be fiancé. He grabbed her hand for the first time. It was rough and dry. She felt even worse.
Kava was standing just a few steps away, on the front of the crowd that was waiting for the words. Kava smiled encouragingly.
"I wanted to thank you all for coming to my daughter's engagement party." King Vasil started. "Let us hope it goes better than the previous one."
There were a few hearty chuckles. Ella's hands were sweating. She didn't want to be there. It was supposed to be Kava with her, not Laem.
"This peace with Great Tundra will strengthen both of our countries."
He went on a little longer about politics. Ella could only look at Kava, whose eyes were stuck in her. This was the last time she was allowed to look at her like that. In a few seconds she would be officially taken.
"Let us go on with the legalities so that we can dance." King Vasil clapped his hands once. "Leam, state your intent towards my daughter."
"Princess Ella." Laem spoke up, but didn't look at her, addressing the crowd. "I wish to take you as my fiancée to love and cherish, so that our great countries can be at peace. Will you do me this honour and agree to our engagement?"
Finally he looked at her, and their eyes connected.
Ella felt nothing.
This was their duty. She was a good daughter.
She didn't want to be a good daughter anymore.
"No." She spoke up loudly. "I won't marry Laem."
Someone dropped a glass. Another person gasped. Other than that, complete silence followed her statement.
"Ella!" Vasil hissed out. "Stop joking around."
"This is not a joke, father." She said, getting into action. She moved away from Laem, who seemed equally stunned, and Savi, who looked more resigned now. Ella ripped off one of the too long sleeves and yanked the frame from her gigantic dress. "I don't want to marry him. I don't want this engagement, and this marriage—"
"Excuse her." Vasil laughed nervously to the crowd. "The emotions are too much for my little girl. Ella, calm down!"
"No! I've had enough of this!"
"So have I." King Savi sighed. "Clearly, this treaty is not meant to be."
"I don't give a damn about your treaty!" Ella screamed right at him. "I want to marry Kava!"
She pointed at the huntress, who was standing very still, almost frozen in place while regarding the scene.
"I can work with this." King Savi shrugged. "It's still my child."
"No!" Vasil exclaimed, making a grab at her dress and keeping her close by her remaining sleeve. "Ella, you will agree to this marriage whether you like it or not!"
A spear with a red ribbon cut trough her sleeve, making her lose balance. Kava stopped her fall, right by her in a flash, taking her weapon away. Ella hugged closer, listening to Kava's heart.
"I also wish to marry Ella." Kava said, grabbing her by her waist and picking her up bridal style. "This is my decision."
"This is unacceptable!" Vasil screamed, but neither of them listened. "Guards!"
"Take me away, Kava." Ella called out, throwing her arms around the huntress' neck. "Let's go."
With her permission Kava broke into a run, still holding her like a bride. People parted in their way, allowing them an easy access out of the ballroom and into the night. Ella laughed in delight.
Kava turned towards the stables, giving a high whistle. Reed ran out of the stables, breaking the door on the way, and ran over to them. Kava put Ella on it, jumping right behind her.
"Where are we going?" Ella asked as the horse started running. She was still hugged into Kava as tightly as possible.
"I don't know!" Kava responded with a laugh. "My people are excellent trackers, so if they are sent after us, we would have to keep moving."
"We just need a place to lay low for a while." She snapped her fingers. "I have an idea, but it's some distance away."
"We are not being followed right now. We can prepare ourselves."
Kava turned the horse, and they ended up by the lake, hidden within the forest. She helped Ella get down.
"You should adjust your dress. Cut off the sleeves properly, adjust the length. It has to be ready for a long journey."
"You'll need to help me loosen it. I can modify it but not without help."
Ella turned around, waiting for Kava to start undressing her. Hesitant fingers reached for the straps, unveiling many bows. A shiver ran down Ella's spine, not only because of the cold evening air. The top of her dress slid off.
Long fingers ran down her spine. She couldn't help herself, turning around and pulling Kava closer by her fur. Their kiss was desperate but so loving.
"We have to go, Ella." Kava let go of her mouth just long enough to breathe it out. "They have to be close. We need to move."
"Just a moment more." Ella was hungry for her mouth. "Just in case we don't make it."
She wished Kava would say that they would. That they would escape together, away from Brivania and Great Tundra, that everything would turn out just right. But that would be a lie. They didn't know what would happen. Kava couldn't ensure they would even survive.
Her kiss turned desperate, and Kava responded with the same.
Just for a few minutes. Suspended by the shallow lake, locked in a forbidden kiss.
***
There they were, two figures together by the lake. Savi spotted them right away. The age has not tempered with his eyesight.
"They must have gone through there, father." Laem said, stopping his horse. He almost missed the trail going down into the small forest area. He had always been too hasty. "Let's go before they escape."
"Laem." The king grabbed his son's reins. "You want to be King Hunter, don't you?"
The man furrowed his brow.
"Of course."
When push came to shove, Kava would kill him and then she'd rule as a hated King Hunter. Savi was not blind. She would come out victorious, but people wouldn't accept her anyway. He wished it wasn't so.
Kave'le'aha escaping with her lover was the second best case scenario, right after her being involved in a union with Brivania, but because of the old ways of Brivs that would be impossible.
"Then you didn't see the tracks." Savi said. "Let's move on as if they've gone further."
Laem furrowed his brow.
"But—"
Always so blind and full of himself.
"No buts." The king addressed the few hunters that were with them. "You heard me? They must have gone forward without stopping!"
The hunters nodded. They wouldn't question him, hastening their horses to go ahead. Savi leaned in to Laem.
"You saw no tracks here. Understood?"
Laem looked at him as if he was crazy. He'd never understand. Not while thinking he could beat Kava in a fight.
"Understood, father."
He went ahead as well, leaving the lake behind. Savi glanced at the embracing couple one last time before galloping to join his son.
***
The dawn came quick with no sign of the escaped lovers. King Vasil was fuming, leading a charge through the city. His youngest daughter, making such a scene! He never should have allowed her or be near the tundrians, especially that woman pretending to be a man. He didn't know who he was most furious at, but if he saw Kava anywhere, he would run her through with his sword immediately.
He cursed, turning his horse around. He wouldn't be participating in this wild goose chase. Let the servants bring Ella and Kava to him, and he'd give them a punishment they've never heard of.