My Princess

Chapter 36

⚠️Mild Gore⚠️

A sort of awkward tension befell Narcissa and I over the next few days, neither of us wanting to talk about it and trying in vain to remain normal. Conversations had become shorter and usually focused solely on whatever our current need was, both of us mostly choosing to travel in silence.

How things had gone so wrong so quickly I wasn't sure, one simple conversation about past loved ones and we had begun to draw away from each other. This wasn't even the first time such a thing had come up, but for some reason reality had settled more heavily on both of us this time.

"Water?" I offered the other girl, handing the canteen back to her. Narcissa took a swig and handed it back without a word, resuming her hunched walk forwards along the trail.

In the past we had been able to reassure the other that we had made the right choice in being banished together that night. However, now I worried that she was regretting her choice in following me out into the wilderness instead of choosing one of those prince's she had been destined to marry who would give her everything: wealth, a castle, a name in this world.

While I did miss my first home and the people that I had grown up with I myself did not regret my choice in choosing the princess. I had left behind a peasant's life for one of adventure with a girl I cared for dearly. If I hadn't left I would have never even known the man I grew up with was not my biological father, and getting the chance to meet him was something I could never regret, no matter the grievances we had went through to meet him.

Narcissa had left behind far more than I had and I hated thinking that she regretted choosing me. So, I kept quiet, gave her as much space as possible, and didn't push her to talk because quite frankly I wasn't sure I could handle the rejection from her now. So long as it hadn't been spoken aloud I could pretend we were still a happy couple and that everything was ok between us, even if in my heart I knew that it wasn't.

"Can we stop for a bit? My feet are killing me." Narcissa spoke up, a slight whine in her tone.

"Yeah, sure. It's a good time for lunch anyways."

We resumed our usual jobs and had a hearty meal of both beans and meat to get us through the rest of the day. The silence between us was deafening as we ate and I found myself fidgeting in my seat after I no longer had anything to occupy my hands.

"Ready to go?" I asked once I couldn't stand it any longer, already jumping up and brushing the snow from the back of my coat. Narcissa simply nodded as she swallowed the last of her food, following me in cleaning up and getting ready to resume our travel.

I continued to badger the other girl about staying hydrated but other than that we walked in silence again, our little party trekking ahead convincing ourselves we were making some kind of progress.

It was another clear, cold day, the sun nothing more than a slightly brighter blob in the snow white sky that provided virtually no heat this time of year. It was also growing late into the afternoon, the little heat we had dissipating quicker than ever, when the foot passage opened up into a flat stretch between the mountains before continuing on the other side. Stepping out onto the frozen ground a crackling sound could be heard underfoot, indicating this was a frozen lake.

I knew based on the weather it should be frozen pretty much solid by now and we shouldn't have much to worry about. However, it was still fairly early in the year and the cracks indicated it might not be quite as thick as I wanted to believe.

"Careful. I think it'll hold but we should still be wary." I cautioned Narcissa, treading lightly as I listened for any potentially dangerous cracking noises.