Archer was waiting how this would play out and where Adalia’s boldness would lead them. But the look in her eyes told him that she expected him to back her up but what exactly was he supposed to say. He had never before challenged his father’s authority. Lionell was King and Archer did everything that was asked for him. But Adalia had now presented him with the opportunity to speak his mind and he decided not to waste it.
“We talked about it,” he began the tone in his voice not supporting the rebellion. He cleared his throat and started over. “Adalia and I have talked about this. We accept the marriage but we felt that it would be better if we took the oaths once we got to know each other better.”“Yes,” she jumped in. “We don’t want to regurgitate everyone else’s vows. This is too important not to enter into it seriously. We want to make our vows our own and the best way of doing that would be getting to know each other better,” she took Archer’s hand in emphasis and let out a sigh of relief when neither king refused.***The rest of the night was spent in laughter. But Archer could see Adalia was still thinking. She excused herself from the table and headed out.Archer saw Xander begin to stand up to follow, so he decided he would beat him to it. He breathed in the cold night air, a welcomed relief from the smell of ale and roasted pig. He first caught sight of her raven hair, as it danced in the night breeze. Then her snow white face and red lips, a vision. He took a step forward but stopped. He didn’t want to spoil the perfect picture by putting himself in it.***Adalia was a warrior, and the first thing she learnt was to rely on her senses and not just her eyes. She was like a predator and she knew when someone was lurking around her. Standing still, she didn’t move although the feeling of Archer’s eyes on her made her uncomfortable. But when the pause between his steps stretched out, she had to say something.“I can feel your eyes on me,” she laughed. “What are you so afraid of?”“Nothing,” he laughed and his deep timbered voice startled her. She had never heard anyone laugh like that. Plus, she had never had such a reaction. It was like the waves of his voice vibrated through her body.“I came out here to think,” she said when she finally got her composure.“What about?” Adalia could feel the warmth of his body as he stood behind her. The close proximity was too much for her naïve body to bear. She wanted to move away but her body wouldn’t let her. She had the urge to lean back into his arms. But she caught her body before it betrayed her.“What had you so deep in thought, before I interrupted?” His hot breath tickled his eardrum.She took several breaths to calm her rapidly unraveling nerves. “You, me and our families,”The word our hung heavy in the midnight air. Lurking around them, like a prison sentence waiting for them to take their vows of marriage. She exhaled wishing that she could let go of her insecurities just as easily.“Our families,” he repeated an exasperated sigh escaping from his lips. “Do you want to marry?”Adalia spun around to stare at him, sending her thick hair flying, brushing against his face. She watched as Archer caught a strand and slipped it through his fingers like soft silk. Her heart swelled with a tender ache, which terrified her. She had to get back to the subject.“Will you force me to lay down my sword?” She said it as if it were a condition to their marriage and hoped that Archer would take it as so. Adalia had seen how her mother watched as she trained. It was like dangling a bottle of water in front of a man who had spent a decade roaming around in a desert. She wasn’t going to be that man in the desert.“I wouldn’t think of it,”“I would defy you if you would,” she challenged.She watched as Archer’s lips spread into a smile, making the corners of his eyes crinkle. His silver eyes pinned her in place as he said. “I know that. I don’t put it past you to defy me. From the second I saw you battling the rebels on the castle walls, I knew you were born to have a sword in your hand. Besides, how could I ever deny you or myself her glory on the battlefield?”Archer’s palm stroked her cheek and Adalia couldn’t resist but to lean into it. “But,” her eyes flew open at the sound of the halt in that word. “It must be within reason. My duty would be to protect you and our children,” Our children, her heart shot into her throat. “You are my priority, and so are our kingdoms. It is my duty to be the best King, husband and father I can be.”Adalia noticed the order in which his titles came. “How do you do it?” She couldn’t imagine her free will being taken away from her. “How do you just obey your father’s every command? Or submit to within the borders of your title?”“I was bred for duty and responsibility. My Kingdom and my crown are more important than that I desire or personally need,” a frown perched between his brows. “Those words have been drummed into my head ever since I was a baby. I was bred for duty.”“That is sad,” her father never made her feel like she was just a crown. But she knew she would get along with Archer. It would only be a matter of time, but only if he didn’t deny her, her favorite pass time. Her sword.“You will be happy,” he swore.Adalia was relieved, but she wasn’t sure that the promise was enough to make her marry. She wanted to ask hundreds of follow up questions, like if he would still feel the same way when they would have children but she didn’t. She wished she had her diary with her, although it wouldn’t give her an answer it would give her relief.“What are you thinking about now?” Archer stroked her cheek once more.She noticed how his face looked perfect in the light of the moon, especially when he was concerned. Like a painting.“My diary,” she regretted the words as soon as they left her lips. Adalia waited for the teasing that she was sure would soon follow. “I guess you think it’s silly that with the same hand I wield my blade, I use to write down my thought and emotions,” what a sap.Archer laughed. She seemed to surprise him at each and every corner they took.Adalia felt insulted by his bellowing laughter. But worse off she felt embarrassed. “I don’t think it’s funny.”“I do,” he gasped out. But Adalia’s hostile gaze slammed into his and he went silent. “I remember the blade you keep hidden under your skirt. I think it is best for me to explain myself before you get any angrier.”“I wouldn’t hurt you, intentionally,” she gave him a sly smile. “You are my future husband after all.”“I think it’s funny that out of all the women my father would have chosen for me he picked one who kept a diary.”Her eyebrow rose questioningly.“I keep a journal,” Archer said in once breathe.“You mean a diary?” She answered amused, finally finding the funny part.“No, a journal, diaries are for girls.”“Do you date every entry?”“Yes.”“It’s a diary.”“It’s a journal.”“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 w
“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