Leah, the bold and determined princess of Sylvanar, has always known her duty: protect her kingdom at any cost. When her father arranges her marriage to the dreaded King Ignatius of Juvelia, the fire king feared by all, Leah accepts her fate, believ...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The sun was relentless, blazing down on the meadow as we raced across it, the wind whipping through my hair. The heat didn't bother me as much when I was riding, and today, the thrill of the race had taken my mind off the stifling air. Ajax, my younger brother, and Lyra, my handmaiden, trailed just behind me, their laughter mixing with the rhythmic pounding of hooves against the earth. I was barely holding back the urge to let out a triumphant yell. Ajax might have been swift, but I had the lead today.
"Come on, Leah!" Ajax called out.
I smirked but didn't slow down. I could already see the shimmering surface of the lake peeking through the trees ahead, and my heart quickened.
Almost there.
The meadow opened up, and I pulled the reins, slowing my horse as we approached the water. With one fluid motion, I dismounted, my feet hitting the soft grass. The lake sparkled like an emerald in the afternoon sun, calling to me, and without hesitation, I began tugging at my clothes, eager to plunge into the cool water.
"You're not even going to wait for us, are you?" Lyra huffed as she clambered down from her horse, her eyes narrowed in mock annoyance. Ajax was already at her side, pulling off his boots with equal haste.
"Father won't let anyone, especially me, near the shores! Can you blame me for making haste?" I said, kicking off my shoes. The rules didn't seem to apply here—far enough from the castle to not be seen, yet not far enough to risk being missed for too long.
Besides, I had a secret: those rules never really applied when I was alone. How could Father know about the times I swam in the ocean's salty waters, with no one but the waves to witness my freedom? I was always careful, always sure not to get caught.
Lyra shook her head with a laugh, but her protest was half-hearted as she too started shedding her layers. Within moments, the three of us were running toward the lake in nothing but our underclothes, the heat making the water seem like a dream.
I was the first to dive in. The water was a blissful escape, cool and refreshing as it wrapped around me. For a moment, everything was quiet, and the world above faded into nothing. I surfaced with a splash, only to be met by Ajax's arm flinging water in my face.
"Is that the best you've got?" I taunted, splashing him back before diving underwater again, my limbs cutting through the lake with ease.
The three of us played like children, all the pressures and expectations melting away in the water. Here, I wasn't second in line to the throne or the princess who had to keep up appearances. Here, I was just Leah.
"Hide and seek!" Ajax announced suddenly, his voice filled with excitement. "But you're not allowed to cheat, Leah!"
I raised an eyebrow. "I never cheat," I replied, though my lips twitched into a smile.
