The Princess and The Captain

Cousins

Aspen sighed as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her silky gold dress pooled at her feet. Her sapphire tiara sat on top of her thick, curly mane. The long sleeves of her dress drooped down at the wrists in a way that made her movements seem more elegant, but she knew they would be painful to navigate while eating dinner.

The princess tried to muster a facial expression that read as interested and engaged for a few moments. She was well aware of how dull most members of higher society were, and she doubted the Kanian royalty would be any different. All smiles and pleasantries on the surface and political strategies paired with vicious gossip underneath. Aspen was utterly uninterested in both sides of that coin and wished to be excused from such activities.

A knock at the door pulled Aspen away from her thoughts, and she watched as Mirabel scuttled from whatever she was dusting to the door and back.

"Your Highness. Lord Teveil, and Lady Josette request an audience."

Aspen sighed. She assumed she wouldn't be burdened with the presence of her cousins until dinner. The siblings had been children when their parents were assassinated by a rebel group trying to raise defiance against the king. Aspen's father had the group snuffed out quickly, but the damage to the House of Hale had already left a scar on the heirs. They were sent to live with their Aunt Rehema in the main castle and became wards of the king, making them a thorn in Aspen's side for the remainder of her life. Aspen avoided them whenever possible. The task was usually easy but became much more difficult when they were at her door.

"My lady...? Should I let them in?" Mirabel questioned, unsure of what the heavy sigh from the princess meant she should do.

Aspen steeled herself before nodding, "Yes, let them in, please."

A few moments later, the siblings strolled in, donning their dinner apparel and coy grins.

"Cousin." The word passed through Teveil's lips in a low octave. His black boots clacked against the smooth stone of Aspen's bedroom floor. The gold accents in his dark slacks and tunic shimmered as he crossed the room, plunking down in the seat at Aspen's dresser and kicking his feet up on top of the furniture. As black as his boots, his eyes darted between Aspen and his sister, "Our ensembles seem to complement each other."

Josette took it upon herself to glide further into the Princess' chambers as well. Her dress was a dark blue, but she wore her weight in gold. The bangles, necklaces, and earrings all glittered under the torchlight surrounding them. Josette's eyes were much lighter than her brother's. The light brown matched the shade of her skin as it scanned Aspen's outfit meticulously. She didn't comment on her cousin's outfit but sat on the princess' bed, which Aspen found equally annoying.

"Oh, goody." Aspen muttered as she sized them up, "Should I assume you came all this way to share fashion observations?"

A coy grin slid on their faces as they gave each other knowing looks.

"We've been hearing...rumors." Josette started as she toyed with her long, curly strands of hair.

Aspen walked towards her dresser and promptly removed her cousin's feet from it, "I'm sure you have. However, I would rather you keep them to yourself." The princess truly abhorred gossip, but the pungent odor of exchanged secrets and judgemental glances wafted through every crevice of the castle.

A chuckle escaped Teveil's lips, and he ran a hand through his soft curls, "You may want to hear what we have to say." His stare was knowing and amused.

Aspen scoffed, "Frankly, I'd be perfectly content not hearing what either of you have to say ever again."

She felt Josette's presence glide from her left to her right, and the proximity startled her a bit.

Josette ignored her snide remark, "There have been whispers of the Lilith Masquerade," she placed an arm on the chair her brother sat in, "They say a beautiful couple claimed the dance floor."

Both siblings were in Aspen's view, scrutinizing her every move. The princess raised a brow but said nothing.

Teveil tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at his cousin, "They didn't speak to anyone. Most were fascinated with the duo, but alas, they fled the moment sunlight broke."

"Pity I couldn't have seen it. We all know how I love a good mystery." Aspen shrugged lazily, "Are you two drawing closer to some semblance of a point?"

Josette started making her way to the door, seemingly bored with this game already, "The rumor around the castle is that the pair looked incredibly like the heir and the captain...but seeing that you were ordered to remain in the castle that night... and it was a masquerade, the whispers could be mistaken."

Ice shot through Aspen's veins, but she willed herself not to react as Josette walked out of the room and Teveil stood up.

"Whispers often are." Was all the princess said in response.

The playful grin on Teveil's face transformed into a scowl. He stepped closer to Aspen, meeting her gaze with a glare, "Just remember, cousin. A kingdom with no King is just land waiting to be conquered." Teveil moved toward the door before pausing, "Whatever fantasies you have of a certain guard should remain a fantasy."

Aspen spoke before he had a chance to leave her line of sight.

"Allow me to share my own words of wisdom, Cousin." Her eyes were narrowed and held a coldness Teveil didn't know she could muster, "A nobleman without a title is just a man playing pretend." Teveil's jaw tightened as he held the princess' gaze, "As someone who will soon have the power to strip you of any and every title, I'd take better care not to upset me."

Teveil gripped Aspen's arm tightly, "Are you threatening me?" He fumed, his grip constricting with every second that passed.

Aspen grit her teeth to prevent herself from wincing, "Get. Your hand. Off of me."

They both stood there for a moment, neither one willing to relent. Then suddenly, Teveil released the pressure from the princess' arm. Immediately she placed a soothing hand on the throbbing area.

"I look forward to your presence at dinner tonight, your highness." Teveil ground out before storming out of the room.

Aspen let out a breath once the doors closed, and Mirabel entered again. The handmaiden glared at the man as he passed but soon fixated on the flustered woman before her.

Mirabel looked at the princess with concern, "Are you alright?" Her gaze narrowed in on the arm Aspen held.

The princess inhaled and exhaled slowly before dropping her arm and putting a smile on her face, "I'm fine. Thank you, Mirabel."