Chapter 13 Endearments and Endangerment
Chapter thirteen
Endearments and Endangerment
Alaceandra
As I reach the red, wrought iron doors leading to the garden, I notice the space is looking suspiciously dark.
The sun is nowhere in sight and shadows are cast along the stony floor sending chills down my spine.
Pushing open the heavy, ornate metal cautiously, I peek my head out.
Nothing immediately jumps out at me, but a shiver runs down my spine.
The gardens did not feel so foreboding when I was with Sam and Sorin, nor with the prince.
The oppressive tension in the air is ringing all kinds of alarm bells in my head .
I could have sworn I saw the sun beaming through the castle windows on my way here.
“I definitely should not go in there,” I mutter to myself.
“This is how people die…” I stare into the dark garden, but something within me will not allow me to walk away.
Taking another longing look behind me, I walk into the dark landscape.
Each step I take causes the dread to build within my gut until it becomes downright unbearable.
Fuck this... I am about to turn tail and run when something slams into me.
Screaming, I fall to the ground. An image gets blasted into my mind of the rocks outside of the castle walls, but instead of them just glowing, they blink between black, white and red.
The image shifts to a rock covered in dirt with strange lettering etched into it I cannot quite make out through the haze of the vision.
I reach for it, but it disappears beneath my fingertips.
As abruptly as the vision came is as abruptly as it disappears, and my mind is basked in darkness.
I flutter my eyes open again, groaning, and squint at the sun now beaming above me.
I am no longer at the entrance of the gardens, but instead in the clearing I was in when I met the prince last. Something moves in the wood line.
I jump up and try to maintain my balance as I brace myself for another attack.
I scan the area for a weapon. A stick lays several paces in front of me, and I lunge for it, holding it up to ward off whatever entity is watching me.
As I take a breath in, I realize the air is much lighter than it was when I first entered.
“How long was I out?” I mutter aloud. Or was I even out at all?
Feeling more and more paranoid of my surroundings, I raise my voice to yell at the figure watching me.
“Who are you?” There is a slight tremble in my voice.
A soft chuckle sounds from the figure, the voice familiar. Is that… the prince? I squint into the darkness and see a flash of his lavender eyes.
“What are you doing here?” I ask. He walks into the clearing, his eyes returning to their normal color.
“I was just checking on you, little dove, you rushed out of the gardens so quickly earlier after your watch dogs came, and I have not seen you in these gardens since. Now I find you in the middle of my clearing. Truly I can ask you the same question.”
Dropping the stick to the ground, I pause, “Little Dove?” I wipe my hands of dirt.
He smirks “Well, aren’t you supposed to be a symbol of peace for our fathers? It only suits.”
“I did not think we were in a pet name phase.”
He shrugs. “If it fits…”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You were the one who invited me here. Or do you not remember the note you left me, your highness?”
He throws me a confused look and then frowns. “See that is not a good pet name...”
I smirk. “Does it not fit?”
“No, it doesn’t. It is extremely uncreative and you would not be the only one who addresses me as such. Therefore, it would lose any uniquity. If you are to try again, give it some thought first.” He waves a hand at me and leans against a tree with a cocky smirk.
I purse my lips. “Okay well I am not sure I will take you up on that, but thanks for the offer…”
“Afraid of challenges I see.”
I quirk a brow at him. “I never said I was afraid.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Well,” He walks over to me and lifts up a finger to trace the side of my face.
My stomach flutters at the contact. “For one, you’ve been avoiding this place like the plague.
” He caresses my neck next. A shiver invades my body, and he smirks.
“For two, you’ve been here two months and have barely left your room, save to eat and run to the library with the guard dogs.
” His hand finishes by tracing down my arm.
“You seem to love hiding away from your future here in your nest of blankets and the safety of your past.” His wondering hand travels back to my chin lifting my eyes to his.
“That does not seem like someone who luxuriates in a challenge to me.” Get away from him, Lace!
I will my body to pull away from him. My nipples are pebbled, and I know my face is flushed. I clear my throat. “You seem to know a lot for someone who has been doing just as much sneaking about.” My voice is embarrassingly breathy, and I curse myself for it.
“Not sneaking, observing, little dove. I need to know the intricacies of my pieces properly before I can play them.”
I scoff, backing away from him further. “You are an ass.” I start to walk off, trying to shake off his effect on me.
“Flying off so soon?” He tilts his head, watching me.
“Well, if there is nothing else, I would prefer not to spend my morning toyed with.”
“Who said there wasn’t?”
I huff. “Look, it is obvious all you are here to do is aggravate me and quite frankly this morning has been far too odd to deal with anymore of your riddles.” Which in all honesty is kind of a lie, I am enjoying the verbal sparring match a little too much, but I do not want to get too comfortable and have it bite me in the ass later.
I know we are about to get married and everything but maybe it can be more like a roommate situation rather than anything romantic, most kings have many lovers, right?
It could be easy for us to forget we are even married, other than I guess any public appearances…
My body tightens, making its disapproval at that thought known.
Yeah, with the way he touches me? That is so not happening.
I am jerked from my thoughts when the prince catches my wrist. I jerk back. How does he move so silently?
He crosses his arms and stares at me expectantly.
“Ugh, fine tell me what you want.” He smiles.
“But hands to yourself.” I add in a rush.
His smile only grows wider. We have not known each other long enough to be touching as much as we have as it is…
“Besides,” I continue with a jolt of apprehension.
“I do not even know your name; everyone just refers to you as prince or the king’s son.
Touch is a familiarity reserved for those known and trusted not strangers, even if they are your betrothed… ”
He smiles at me wryly. “Names have power here, Dove. It is not an accident my name is not known to many but,” his grin turns teasing. “Once I have found you have spread your wings, I will give you a hint.”
"I do not have wings to spread," I grit out.
"It is a metaphor, little dove."
I roll my eyes. I cannot help feeling like I am presenting myself as the pawn he continuously accuses me of by playing this game, but curiosity scratches at me. “Only a hint?”
“Only a hint.” He confirms.
“What kind?”
“You’ll see.”
“I do not trust you.”
“Oh, you shouldn’t,” he confirms.
I bite my bottom lip. “Will it at least be a good hint.”
“Of course, there is no fun in the game if the reward is too minimal.”
I think for a moment but ultimately decide to agree. “Fine, you have a deal.”
He claps. “Great!” He sits down taking his signature place leaning against the big tree in the center of the field and then holds out a hand to invite me to sit next to him. I do, reluctantly. “Now what note were you speaking of?”
I jerk my head to look at him. “Umm the one you wrote me… asking me to meet you here early this morning... alone?”
His brows furrow. “I did not write you any such note.”
My spine straightens. “What do you mean?”
“I did not write anything to you, Dove. I was surprised when I felt your presence in the gardens this morning, so I came to investigate, but this was not something I had planned on earlier.”
“Huh.”
“Huh indeed, but don’t worry I will look into this, do you still have the note?”
“I do.” I pull it from the little hidden pocket in my dress and uncrumple the paper.
“Thank you,” he says, taking the note from me. As he does, his hand brushes mine ever so gently and a shiver runs over my body. He smirks.
“What?” I ask.
“Oh nothing, Alaceandra. I will let you play your games for now.”
“I have no games.”
His brows furrow once again. He is going to wrinkle that handsome face of his if he keeps this up. “Sure, you don’t”
“I do not,” I say firmly.
He chuckles softly but then seems to drop it. “It’s actually not a bad thing I found you here exactly. I did need to ask you something.”
For some reason, elvisera choose that moment to flutter inside my abdomen. “Yes?”
“Please join me for lunch tomorrow.”
“Um, sorry what?”
He chuckles. “Lunch? The midday meal? Please join me for it... tomorrow.” He spells it out for me like I am a moron. Asshole.
“Yes, I understand what lunch is. You are just...”
“Just?”
“Confusing!” I say in a burst. “You go from calling me a pawn to giving me pet names and asking me on dates.”
“Ah, I see, you misunderstand, the lunch is a requirement of the king, we will not be alone.”
“Oh...” My shoulders slump.
He tilts his head at me. “Unless you want--”
“No,” I cut him off, my cheeks burning. “Understood, I will see you then.”
He laughs then stands. “Yes. As lovely as this surprise rendezvous has been, I unfortunately have matters to tend to before this afternoon.”
“Right,” I say and scramble to my feet as to not be sitting alone. “I also should check back in.”
“Ah yes, with your guard dogs?”
I roll my eyes. “I wish you would stop calling them that, but yes.”
He laughs a full laugh this time, leaving the echo of its jingle in my ears.
I cannot help but feel a bit... disappointed at his quick departure.
I know I should not get too comfortable, he said it himself and truthfully I do not know what I was expecting.
There is more at play than at least I am aware of, and I really need to remember that.
Wiping my hands on my dress I start walking towards the exit of the gardens.
He follows, pointing out any difficult to see branches along the way.
Once we reach the entrance we start to go our separate ways when he stops me.
“Also, Dove?” I stop, before chiding myself for responding to his silly nickname. “Do remember we have appearances we must keep up. It is not beneficial to go against our father’s plans quite yet.” Yet?
The defiance laced in his words gives me pause. Such defiance hints at some broader plan I am not in the loop of and it aggravates me to know he will leave me in the dark, but I grit my teeth and nod. So much for taking control.
“One more thing.” I once again halt my progress.
“Our fathers aren’t the only ones with plans for you.
You would do well to remember that.” A devilish smirk enters his gaze.
“See you at lunch.” He turns and walks off.
I huff out a breath and watch him leave for a second.
I need more answers. I cannot continue like this.
My mind wanders back to the vision I saw earlier.
I make it to my room quickly and shut my door.
Leaning against it, I take a breath, questions filling my head.
What the hell does he even mean? Is there another enemy I need to be wary of?
Is it him? What plans could he possibly have for me?
“Nothing good,” I whisper aloud, biting my lip with worry.
“Definitely nothing good.” I walk back over to my bed, close my eyes and throw myself into it.
It had been a very long morning; I could stress myself about all this later today…
after a nap. “For now?” I mumble to myself and snuggle under my blankets. “I am going to bed.”