An Unlikely Pair

Chapter XIV

Prince Andrew

"You sure are cocky, aren't you, Captain?" Maximovich muttered under his breath. Colette didn't respond to Maximovich. He turned to look at Margaret. "So I want to know, Princess Margaret," He continued a bit louder.

"Yes?" Margaret asked.

"What exactly happened in the carriage? Why did you go insane for the entire ride?" Maximovich asked.

"I saw something, that's all," Margaret said. She looked uncomfortable by the question and her answer seemed to just avoid it.

"You definitely saw something terrible. My insane mother sees things too," He continued to make her feel uncomfortable.

"'Insane mother'? Are you implying that I'm insane?" Margaret asked.

"You seem like you are. But, I can tell that you are not insane like my mother," Maximovich said. Margaret looked at me. The expression on her face clearly said, Uh, Andrew? Aren't you going to say something? Maximovich is never this outspoken. Why is he being so mean to a princess who hasn't done anything to provoke such a response from him? I thought.

"Andrew, you're not going to tell Maximovich off?! Say something! Defend Princess Margaret!" Prince Grégoire V whispered across the table in French.

"Maximovich." I spoke with a commanding voice. Maximovich looked at me and I continued, "Do not speak to Princess Margaret in that way."

"Come on. You're not married yet. Why should you care what I say to her?" Maximovich asked.

"I care because I love her and I don't want to hear or see her being so disrespected," I said.

"You've only known each other for like two days. How could you know what love is?" Maximovich asked.

"Why are you being so forthright all of a sudden? What is your problem? You literally just met Princess Margaret," I said.

"This is about getting back at you guys for laughing and mocking Princess Genevieve and I about our marriage in three weeks," Maximovich said.

"But why are you picking Princess Margaret to be mean to? I never judged you or Princess Genevieve for marrying each other. In fact, I thought she was quite nice. I liked her a lot," I said.

"You did nothing to stop them from teasing us," Maximovich said.

"You're being very petty about something that happened a week ago. It was only a little playful teasing," Grégoire said.

"The ground beaters and their hounds are ready for the hunt whenever your Majesties are ready,"

"Shall we begin?" I asked and my friends all nodded in agreement and muttered yes under their breath. All of us arose except for Margaret and Cole, then we went to the four servants holding our guns. I looked back at Margaret and she looked so beautiful in the sunlight. Grégoire playfully punched my left arm's bicep. When I looked at him, he joked, "I'll get twice as many as you, Lover Boy,"

"I'd like to see you try, Snot Face!" I hollered back at him. The ground beaters whacked at the tall grass and the hounds ran through the grass, barking like crazy. Three birds shot out of the tall grass. I aimed and fired at one. It paused for a second and fell back first into the grass. After a few more birds, shot and killed, Margaret shouts from the tent, "Hey! I wanna try!" I lowered my musket, released my finger from the trigger, and looked at Margaret. She was running towards me.

"Are you really going to allow her to try?" Grégoire asked.

"Well, that is why she's here," I said.

"What?!" Grégoire asked, surprised, "Girls can't shoot,"