“What’s so funny?” Xander had been listening to the back and forth banter Archer and Adalia had been having. He especially like the part when Adalia was angry but when they started laughing he knew he had to do something.
Xander’s father had once been the pride and glory of the South Kingdom. He had fought alongside Gabrielle’s father for many years. His father had a wife and a couple of mistresses and he was a product of the mistresses. He wasn’t acknowledged by his father’s family but his prowess and industrious nature had made him his father’s favorite. The first time he was brought to the palace was when Gabrielle’s father had fallen ill and was slowly dying. He met a little girl in the garden, dressed in amour with a sword that belonged to the king in her hand, she was crying. Xander picked up a stick and began a sword game with the little girl and ever since they were best of friends.When his father died Adalia was the one who comforted him. Gabrielle made sure that he was brought up as one of his knights, he had been turned into somebody from the bastard child he once was. Ever since Gabrielle had been like a father to him and Adalia had graduated from being his best friend to his girlfriend. It was because of this romance that Gabrielle had sent him away for over twelve months.He had looked forward to seeing Adalia. All he thought about when he was away were her lips, her hair and her smile. And now he risked losing her to a man who had only known her for an average of five minutes. Xander had watched in pain as they were presented and accepted by the families. His mind went back to the day Gabrielle had sent him away.Xander had asked for her hand in marriage but Gabrielle quickly declined. “We need the alliance,” he had said. The rebels by then had become a huge pain for both kingdoms and they were slowly growing in number. They would need both armies to fight them but he didn’t understand why his love for Adalia had to suffer. Why it had to be the sacrificial lamb but he couldn’t go against the king. For twelve months he had fought in the forests, trying his best to decrease the number, to convince the militia to join the royal army with promises of gold, silver and land. He had made progress but it seemed with every hundred he managed to scout, five hundred would be recruited.Now he risked losing her to a little boy who hadn’t seen the sight of blood except for his own. Xander didn’t know how to loose and what made it worse was that he was beginning to feel like nothing compared to the Crown prince of the Northern kingdom.He now stood in between them. Xander could feel the tiny daggers Archer’s eyes shot out drive into his skin. They were in private and there was nothing he could do to him then.“It doesn’t concern you,” Archer shouted.***Adalia felt chocked by the thick tension in the air. She had the option of filling Xander in on the joke or taking the side of her future husband. She chose the latter. “It’s nothing,” she stepped around Xander and stood beside Archer. “Are you enjoying the feast?”“Yes I am,” he wished he could drive a continent in between the two.“We should go inside, I’m sure our parents are wondering where we are,” respectfully Archer took her hand. Although he felt angry, she was sure he wasn’t about to act like a brute in front of her.“We’ll talk later,” Adalia promised Xander.As she walked away with Archer she felt part of her being torn away. She was going to wait, she decided. She was going to wait until the whole castle was still then she would meet up with Xander. Adalia convinced herself that she wouldn’t be betraying Archer. Yes, they had a moment. And in that moment Adalia felt like she could be happy at Archer’s side. However, she feeling for Xander and they made her all the more confused.When they got back to the dining room they were met with good news. Everyone was on their feet cheering at their siblings who stood in the middle of the room. Archer and Adalia made their wall through the wall of bodies to the center where their family stood.“Mother,” Adalia walked to her mother’s side. “What’s going on?”“Your brother wants to marry,” Liora pointed out with a smile.Adalia finally noticed the loving way in which Novia hooked her arm into Randi’s. It was like she was floating. And if it wasn’t for the fact Adalia knew otherwise she would have been convinced that under the grand ball gown Novia’s feet weren’t touching the ground.“Brother?”“Novia, what is this?” Archer went to his little sister’s side, and for the first time that night feeling a sense of animosity for a man other than Xander. Novia was his little sister. It wasn’t as if he thought she would never marry. But that didn’t mean that she wasn’t his little jewel. He had vowed to protect her, ever since he had seen her tiny button nose and Rose bud lips, for the first time.“I want to marry him Archer,” she chirped.He gently took her arm and dragged her to the side. He lifted his head and saw Gabrielle and his father in a corner whispering to each other. A chill ran through his veins, the two premiers were actually considering it.“You are only seventeen Novia,” he stroked her rosy cheeks and tucked a stray strand of platinum blonde hair behind her ear. “You are still a baby.”“I am not,” she blew air into her cheeks and pouted her lip confirming her brot
Adalia crept out of the room assigned to her and her sisters. She was looking for Xander and had no doubt she would find him on one of the balconies. He loved to train in the cold night air. It kept him aware, he usually said. Just as she had expected the guards were roaming around the castle doing their rounds. They seemed to have doubled in number after the attack. She didn’t think that anyone of them would stop her, but in the event that they did, she needed a cover story.“It’s hot and I needed to cool down,” she mumbled to herself, holding her gown tight to her waist so that it wouldn’t make that annoying swishing sound. “I can’t sleep and it’s a beautiful night. It’s the perfect time to go star gazing?” She wasn’t too sure about her options but she decided that if she had to she would pull rank. With a condescending arrogant tone she said. “Because I said so,”***“What do you sa
Dear World,I’ve lost her.Actually I haven’t. She wasn’t mine in the first place.When I saw her creep out of her room, I thought it was a good opportunity for us to talk again. Our last conversation was short but filled with laughter.But no, I found her with Xander. They looked happy. She sounded happy.When I heard him make his vows to her, I wished I was in his place. And when she said yes to his marriage proposal, my heart sank. For the first time in my life, I the future king of the North wanted to be a knight. I wanted to be Xander, touching her skin and feeling her lips on mine. I envy him and because of that part of me despises him.I don’t know what I feel for Adalia and I don’t understand it.I just don’t.Archer***Adalia got up at the crack of dawn. Quickly she got dressed and hurried to the balcony she was on the previous night. She was expecting Xander to be there, training a
Xander wondered what Archer’s game was. To be kind to Adalia and get her to fall for him, or to act like her martyr by taking the blame. He had to find out. He spent the rest of the day at Gabrielle’s side. He went into tactical meetings in which Adalia and Archer were also present. He paid attention to the looks she shot him and the cold glances he gave her. To Xander, Archer seemed to have given up the cause but he hadn’t old Gabrielle or his father what had taken place that morning.Once the meeting was over, Archer decided that this was his chance. He wanted to say what he had to say in front of Xander and Adalia, just to show them that he was keeping his word. Once both queens walked in, he called to their attention. “Your highnesses, Princess Adalia and I have something to share with you and I am afraid it isn’t good news.”“What is it?” Ilana instinctively stood beside her son.“I cannot marry Adalia,”
“Why are you still here?” Archer was getting frustrated. Ever since Adalia’s family left, she had been tailing him everywhere he went, filling his ears with unnecessary jibber jabber. “Why did you stay? I know it’s not for the crock pot excuse you served your father.”“I thought it would be a good idea,” she shrugged her shoulders and walked away from him. “Besides I don’t think it’s fair to let your family plan my brother’s vows alone.”“They are my sister’s vows too,” his eyes followed her as she paced around him. Her hands held together behind her back and her shoulders elevated to her ears. She looked like an innocent little girl, and her sweet demeanor could trick you into believing that she wasn’t the same girl that was slaying intruders one by one, while balancing on the castle walls.He laughed. Her long red and black dress swept the floor. Her jet black hair
Adalia felt a pang of guilt surge into her heart. But she wasn’t going to allow herself or Archer to think about the idiotic sacrifice he had made on her behalf. Once she had gotten Archer’s rhythm pegged down, Adalia charged him and in ten seconds she had him flat on his back. But he was back on his feet in a fraction of a second. They fenced into the bushes and into the garden, calling a large audience to gather around them. They didn’t notice until Archer had Adalia flat on her back and him on top. There was a roar of applauds, then Lionel’s voice pierced through. “Very good, I hope that by the time the week ends Archer would have changed his mind about leading the scouts and marriage. You are an asset and would make a perfect daughter in law and queen,” he winked at his son then walked back into the stone palace.Archer got to his feet and pulled Adalia up with him. “Sorry I didn’t mean to-,”“Hurt me?&r
“Archer?” Novia had been watching from her balcony. A part of her was happy when she saw them together. For a second she was sure that Archer wouldn’t go with the scouts, and the romantic in her was thinking of a double wedding. She flew down to her brother’s side when she saw the deep frown on his face. Gently she put his arm on his shoulder and felt bundled up muscles tense up. “It’s just me.”He wasn’t used to people sneaking up on him. But that one single act from Adalia had numbed his senses. Archer turned around to his little sister and tucked and unusually stray hair behind her ear. “Hey little one. I hadn’t seen you there.”“You look at her as if you love her.”Archer took this as his cue to leave. He picked up his swords, bow and arrows and headed towards the palace.“If you love her why are you leaving?” She didn’t need him to answer. She saw him wince as if
Archer had made the decision to move to other side of the palace. It was a secluded place and far enough that he wouldn’t have to run into Adalia in the corridors. He had to remind himself why he was born. He was bred for duty and responsibilities. His position was more important than any feelings, desires and personal needs that he harbored. He would have to find a way to get over his ‘want’ for Adalia. He got cleaned up and went to the assembly to meet the guardian soldiers that would be accompanying him into the rebel forests.He looked into each one of their faces and immediately he knew his duty towards these guardians was more important. He couldn’t lead them with a distracted mind. He needed to be all there or they would all die. Archer was going to study the plans day and night. He had to make sure that only the scouting expedition and maybe the raid was on his mind.When darkness fell Ilana found her son bent over the picnic table in her ga