CHAPTER 25
Sakura
The rush of the waterfall gradually dimmed as Keenan led her away, but Sakura could still feel the water creeping up the sides of her face, threatening to fill her mouth and nose while Keenan fought to keep them afloat.
The phantom sensation of his strong arm around her waist while he pulled her to the surface.
The terror that he might give up on her and save himself.
But he hadn’t. Despite her treatment of him, he had risked his own life to save hers, and it wasn’t because of her title. It was because of who he was.
She snuck a peek at him. He was rough around the edges, but the heart at his center was bright, like a diamond or a lump of gold that only wanted refining to let the whole world see just how beautiful it was.
But that was a dangerous line of thought when he was only a weapon-smith. The memory of the crack in her image still haunted her as well.
“Are you all right, Princess? Am I walking too fast?”
Lifting her chin, she returned her focus to the trees ahead. “Not at all. I merely had something in my eye for a moment, but it’s gone now. You may continue as you were.”
His lips twitched. “If you say so, ma’am.”
“I’m not a ma’am,” she replied loftily.
His mouth stretched into a grin. “I’m aware of that, ma’am.”
To fight the irresponsible tug at her own lips, she closed her eyes to check their course. Thankfully, her waistband had stayed folded around the pea; she would have been in trouble if she’d lost it in the water.
Her eyes almost flew back open when the magic tugged her to the right instead of straight ahead. But it wasn’t pulling her to the horses.
It was guiding her to Keenan.
Her hand convulsed around his arm. No, I already have—I’m already with—Kasumi and Kagemori. My heart’s greatest desire is to find Kasumi and Kagemori, you fool thing!
The magic resisted for a moment, but then it obediently shifted to a distant point in front of them.
Much better. I’ll thank you not to suffer such confusion again.
She forced her hand to relax. No more pretending to be in love with Keenan. She didn’t care if it was necessary to ensure his compliance or not; he didn’t need to endure her pathetic attempts to lead him on. Not after today.
And if the perfect image she needed was to survive, she could no longer blur the line between make-believe and reality.
~
Sakura stifled a yawn as Keenan dug in his pack for a set of dry clothes.
She had already changed – behind a changing screen formed of Oliver’s cloak, because Keenan wouldn’t hear of her slipping into the trees alone.
Kasumi was currently lamenting the tattered edges of Sakura’s old dress, but both her mournful cries and Kagemori’s excited questions about their misadventure bounced off Sakura’s ears.
What she wouldn’t give for a rest after her dip in the water. But the sooner they reached their destination, the sooner she could sleep in a real bed again.
“Oliver! Welcome back.”
Turning, she saw the older guard striding out of the trees. His clothes were dry, but he had both cloaks and her discarded skirt in his arms.
Curious. She would have expected the fabric to still be dripping.
“Where’s Keenan?” he asked, scanning their little group.
“Changing.” Kagemori pointed in the direction he’d gone. “He should be back soon.”
Oliver nodded and began draping a cloak over his horse’s back. “Good. We’ll leave as soon as he returns. Unless you need a break, Your Highness?”
Sakura lifted her chin. “No more than you do. I am prepared to resume our journey as soon as is feasible.”
He blinked slowly. She kept her back straight, willing herself to look strong and healthy. After a moment, he returned to laying out their wet things.
Sakura eyed his task. It was more than just the cloaks and her skirt. Her petticoats and the bodice of her dress were spread out over a rock, and Keenan would be bringing more.
“You may use Aya as well,” she said suddenly.
“If I do, you will have to walk.”
She shrugged as if it were unimportant, even though her legs ached a little to think of it. “The exercise will keep me warm after my dip.”
“Are you sure, Princess? You’re not tired after everything?”
Her shoulders bounced; she’d missed Keenan returning from the trees.
Turning to him, she coolly replied, “You are the one who did all of the work. If anyone is tired, I would expect it to be you.”
He gave her an assessing look similar to Oliver’s, but he didn’t challenge her statement. As soon as they had all of their belongings arranged, they set off.
Unfortunately, Kagemori was scared of her and always walked next to Kasumi, and Oliver preferred to bring up the rear with his own horse, so…that meant she was next to Keenan again. Walking instead of riding was much closer to friendly camaraderie.
And anything friendly was dangerous.
“So, a brother?” Keenan remarked after they’d been walking a while. She watched him carefully, wondering if he would lose his temper again, but he only smiled easily. “Any other siblings, or is it just the two of you?”
Sakura raised an eyebrow. “I’m a princess. Shouldn’t you know the answer to that?”
He grinned. “And I’m a Daric weapon-smith. I’ve never bothered to keep track of foreign royalty.”
“A fair point,” she acknowledged with a nod. “To answer your question, it is just Hari and myself. A fact which my parents may regret now, but it is a little late for them to think of trying for a spare.”
“A spare?” he echoed. “But they have both you and your brother.”
Her back stiffened as she looked away. “In Ryuni, a woman may only inherit if she is married to a nobleman or prince.”
He shrugged, but his forehead wrinkled. “So? Just find some titled man to marry.”
Should she tell him?
There was no reason to hide it. Revealing the prophecy didn’t require telling him why the queen had sent him on this journey.
“Three years ago,” Sakura began slowly, “I was assisting my parents with an audience session for the common people. Everything was normal until she came in.”
“She?”
Sakura scowled. “A magic-user. She brought a prophecy that I would marry a common soldier, wording it as if it were some blessing for our kingdom instead of what it was: a calamity that brought many miseries, including the guarantee that I will never be queen.”
“And you don’t think your brother will make a good king?” Keenan asked.
“He is intelligent,” she allowed, running a hand over the cloak on Aya’s back to test the moisture level. “He is committed to upholding the law and is always truthful.”
Keenan’s blue eyes settled on her. “I don’t understand the problem. Are you that eager to have the position for yourself?”
“No.” She brought her right hand up to grasp her elbow and let her gaze drift off to the northwest. “But a monarch must make hard decisions, be ruthless even, sometimes. And Hari is too nice. He wants everyone to be happy, but it’s not possible to please everyone.
Either he would ruin the kingdom, or the kingdom would destroy him. ”
Keenan was silent for several minutes. When she snuck a peek, she saw him studying the valley below with a furrowed brow. Finally, he said, “Can’t the law be changed?”
“Theoretically, it’s possible.” She sighed, letting her arm drop back to her side. “But no monarch in the thousand years since has managed to alter one of the founding laws of our kingdom.”
“And you’re sure you have to abide by the prophecy?” he pressed. “What happens if you ignore it and marry whomever you wish?”
Whomever she wished?
His blue eyes drew her gaze. They were earnest, kind, and warm. And when she looked into them, something squeezed in her chest that should have remained still.
“It’s a prophecy,” she said simply, ignoring the unruly sensation. It was probably nothing more than her fatigue anyway. “My desires are irrelevant.”
“But there must be a way around it!” he insisted, keeping his intense eyes locked on hers. “Master Elias and Miss Beatrice always told me the heavens arrange things for the best, even if it’s not what we expect. If Prince Hatori isn’t built to be king, then this prophecy can’t be what it seems.”
Given the earnestness in his expression, would telling him that Mother believed his quest was the answer guarantee that he would obtain her leverage for her, no matter the difficulty?
Her eyes dropped to his simple shirt, billowing about his chest in the light breeze. He looked more vulnerable without his jerkin, which hung by an armhole from the pommel of her saddle.
He’d already proven his willingness to help her when she didn’t deserve it. But what would it cost him? This time, it was only the soaking of everything he wore, from his jerkin to his—
Her eyes dropped to his feet. His leather boots were dark with moisture.
“Keenan, don’t you have another pair of boots?” she exclaimed. “That can’t be comfortable.”
He shrugged, looking a bit bemused by the non sequitor. “I’ve never owned more than one pair at a time. They’re a bit stiff, but my socks are dry.”
No matter how casual he was about it, her conscience twinged. The next time, it might be worse.
“I am glad to hear that,” she replied, forcing her customary coolness back into her tone. “It would be a shame if your quest were delayed because of blisters or cold feet.”
His forehead wrinkled, but his fingertips brushed the back of her arm. “Don’t worry, Princess. The prophecy doesn’t have to be the end; we’ll figure something out.”
Sakura kept her eyes straight ahead and tried not to let herself dwell on the light touch or the fact that he’d said “we.”