A Rose and A Thron

Chapter 2

Alessandra lies in bed dreaming sweet dreams of the days when she was at the tower with her mother. 

She misses her dearly and wishes that she was still with her. 

Uncle Niall suddenly comes bargaining into the room opening up the curtains followed by Eliza who looks flustered about entering the room without being called for. 

"Good morning, princess!" he beams. 

Alessandra eyes flutter open, once she comes to she lets out a large groan.

 "For fucks sake." she mumbles. 

"Language young one." Niall playfully scolds. 

"Get up will you, I have a fun morning planned for us!" he informs her excitedly.

 "Don't you have to advise my father?" she questions. 

"Technically yes, but I have told him I've taken the morning off. I'm a little " he pretends to cough "Under the weather." he lets out another pretend cough. 

Alessandra surprisingly finds this funny and lets out a small chuckle. 

"Fine. Give me thirty minutes to get dressed. I shall meet you outside." she tells him.

 "Excellent! See you soon!" he cheers coming over to give her a soft kiss on her cheek.

 Alessandra is a little taken aback by his actions but nonetheless she relaxes in his touch. "Eliza, will you please draw me a bath?" she calls out politely to the girl.

After a refreshing bath Alessandra is ready for her morning out with Uncle Niall. 

She meets him outside in the hallway and he escorts her out the palace with a few guards following along.

 He helps her onto a horse as they ride a little ways off from the palace. 

They end up in a forest.

 "Have you come to kill me?" Alessandra jokes looking around at her environment.

 "Well, of course I have!" Niall smirks. 

They both chuckle. 

"No, I have come to teach you how to hunt. I heard you came a couple of inches away from sending an arrow through your father's head. Quite impressive. So I thought I'd take you hunting to see if you really are as good as advertised." he informs her.

 "I don't know..killing animals seems so..barbaric." she voices. 

"It is not my dear. It's a great pass time, that all royals must simply know how to play." Niall tries to encourage her. 

Alessandra still isn't sure about this but after the pleading look Uncle Niall gives her she is slowly reaching forward to grab the bow and arrow. 

"Alright so, just position yourself like you were yesterday but remain silent. You have to let the animals come to you, not the other way around." he instructs. 

She quietly obeys. 

After holding her stance for a couple of minutes and no sign of an animal she begins to grow impatient. 

"This is dumb." she whispers. 

"Alessandra." Niall states simply. 

Just as she is about to drop the bow and arrow and make her way back to the horses to leave, a small rabbit comes into their path.

 "Oh, perfect. Now's your chance." Niall whispers. 

She sighs, calming her nerves and focuses on the rabbit.