Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
ARCHER
The tunnel used to access the royal box isn’t completely private, but it is mostly deserted this time of the day. With almost all the sporting events done, and only the medal ceremony left, the spectators whose favorite athletes didn’t make the podium are usually happy to trickle out sooner.
Lucky for me, it’s the medal ceremony that I’m trying to catch.
Unlucky for me, my feet pull to a stop at the edge of the tunnel just when the final strains of the Andovan national anthem start floating through the air.
I stop and stand with my hand over my heart like the good citizen I am.
And all that scrambling, all that rushing, even that last-minute change of travel plans—were all for nothing.
If they’re already playing the anthem, then the awarding is done.
“Your Highness.” Sven catches up to me just after the orchestration fades, a little out of breath for once.
That’s probably the first time ever I’ve managed to outrun him.
I am a generally fit young man, but I’ve never called myself an athlete.
And I am definitely not the type to survive the kind of training regime royal bodyguards go through. “Should I have the chopper head back?”
I don’t look at him, because my eyes are too busy scanning the center of the stadium for a glance at Ella.
My feet wander forward while my eyes roam.
What did they make her wear today? Would she be dressed like a junior version of my mother, or did they let her pick her own clothes?
My eyes catch sight of something bright pink.
I blink. Who knew a power suit could look so sweet and winsome?
Applause follows the anthem, and the medalists wave enthusiastically at the camera.
I see Ella turn to head back for the royal box before being stopped and asked to take a picture with the athletes.
She hesitates, and my throat catches. Because if there’s ever a time for anyone to realize the cost of being a public figure, it’s when being inconvenienced on the spot.
Better princes have been dumped for less.
But Ella isn’t just any girl. She doesn’t bask in the attention. But she doesn’t turn away from it either.
Instead she smiles, nods, and joins the three winners with a natural elegance that even Janet Qi could never train into anyone.
Ella is a natural. And, judging from the cheers when her face shows up on the screen, she’s wormed her way into the hearts of Northandria as quickly as she’s wormed her way into mine.
“So should I, Your Highness?” Sven prods.
I blink. “What was that again?”
Sven has the good grace not to show his frustration, or amusement. I’m never this distracted. Ever. “Should I have the chopper head back?”
I clear my throat. “Yes, please do. The car should suffice.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sven slips away to give instructions, leaving me free to go back to watching Ella. In my life, I’ve had opportunities to be proud of my country, of my family, of my heritage. They literally write songs lauding all of those things. But I have never, ever felt proud of someone as much as I have Ella.
I don’t know how long it takes for everyone to greet her, to take more selfies along with the official photos, and to finally let her head back to her seat. But she smiles and she waves and she looks every bit the modern princess Northandria needs.
The crowds cheer, and I don’t even notice them as I walk down towards Ella just as she’s stepping up the bleachers.
Her eyes meet mine, and her face lights up like a child’s at his first sight of snow.
“So elegant,” I whisper as I close the space between us.
She smiles even brighter just before I pull her into a hug.
She relaxes against me, as if we’ve done this a hundred times over.
I wrap her close, channeling every bit of my pride and admiration.
As gestures go, it’s an extremely out-of-character behavior from me.
But if all hugs feel this good (which I suspect they don’t), then I would gladly rethink my usual stand on public displays of affection.
“You came,” she says when she finally pulls back, still smiling.
“I only saw the last part,” I admit.
“How was the hospital?”
Because of course she remembers where I was.
“It went well, I think.” I answer just softly enough not to draw attention. “But there was a landslide on the way back.”
“Oh no.”
“Thankfully, we were able to call for a helicopter lift. Otherwise, we would have taken hours.”
“But was anyone harmed?”
“By the helicopter?”
“By the landslide.”
Is it possible to find someone even more attractive because they are not paying attention to you? Lesser women would already be fawning. I once had a hospital nurse pretend to check me for injuries when I was twenty. I was there for a flu shot.
“It was an uninhabited area, thankfully,” I answer. “And the only two cars affected were able to drive away in time to avoid harm.”
“Oh, thank God.”
“But an entire segment of the road was deemed unsafe for the time being, forcing everyone to take a detour.”
“I’m glad it didn’t happen on the way there.” Concerned eyes flash at me. “The children would have been so disappointed.”
And just like that, I know—she isn’t just a perfect candidate for a pretty trophy princess, but someone with what it takes to be a queen.
I swallow. “I am sorry to have missed your awarding.”
“It went well, I think,” she says, sounding shy. “Your tips last night were very helpful.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“I hope I didn’t appear too nervous.”
Entrancing, beguiling, beautiful—there are a lot of other words I would have chosen when it comes to describing how she appeared.
“Not one bit,” I say.
“You didn’t even see it.” She laughs.
My heart laughs too, even if my mouth doesn’t.
“Can I make it up to you?” I ask. “Barring any other emergencies, I have nothing on my schedule tomorrow morning. There are a couple of places I want to show you in the castle. Would you let me play your tour guide?”
She smiles. “I would love that.”
“Great.” I steel myself. “It’s a date.”