The girl with the fire in her veins

Rozdział Osmy

The next morning, Lucja woke up under a big tree. Her body was sore from sleeping on the cold, hard ground and she could hear her joints popping as she stood up to get a better look of her surroundings.

She found herself nestled in the woods, a few meters away from a small dirt road, under trees that had to be a million years old. Only a few, brave rays of sunlight made it to the bottom, making the world under the leafy canopy cold and isolated.

Lucja remembers this part of the woods all too well. She last traveled here with her parents and younger brother to find a cure for his curse.

She shakes her head at the irony of it all...

"They should have noticed that I am gone by now." she thought as she rummaged through her little satchel for an apple.

"I will return to them." she thought, comforting herself with the image of her parent's happy faces.

After finishing her apple, she picked up all of her belongings and headed towards the little dirt road. She was determined to get to the next town by sundown. 

When her feet landed on the loose gravel that caused the road to be just a little bumpy, she heard the familiar sound of hooves on earth. She turned to see black, beautiful horses pulling an even more beautiful carriage.

The manes of the horses were braided and they each wore a bright, red horse blanket with a monogram on them. 

The carriage had the same monogram on it's door and it dawned on Lucja that this was a royal carriage.

The knights on the horses beckoned for Lucja to courtesy and she did just that, when the carriage came to a stop right in front of her.

A knight opened the little door and another one shouted the name of its occupant, before helping the person out.

All the while Lucja was still curtsying and keeping her eyes on the ground, her breath hitched when she heard the name: Prince Henryk II, Duke of Wroclaw, just then two boots came into her view and she held her breath, unsure of what to do next.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, miss, but would you mind me asking why such a beautiful young lady, such as yourself, is wandering through these parts of the woods.?" he asked, the kindness in is voice shocking Lucja, stunning her for a moment.

"Uh..." Lucja paused, before slowly regaining her previous stance, "I am on a quest to find someone, your Majesty." she finally said.

When he didn't answer her, she met his eyes and saw that he was staring at her. The compassion she found there surprised her and for a moment she forgot that he was a Prince.

Before she knew what was happening, he reached for her hand and gently kissed the top of it. Lucja froze with fear when she realized that he could see her pulsing, red veins. Thoughts of being accused of being a witch raced through her mind. Images of her execution left her mouth dry...

*ehem* The Prince cleared his throat, making Lucja jump, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"I-I'm sorry your Majesty." she whispered, before dropping her gaze to her feet again.

"You have the curse." he stated. His tone of voice suggesting that it wasn't a question, but a mere observation.

She nodded her head slightly, the confusion that was created by his knowledge caused a frown to appear on her forehead, making her confusion evident.

The Prince gently pushed Lucja's chin up with his finger, forcing her to look at him.

"Who is this person you are looking for?" he asked, making his green eyes glint with curiosity.

"I, uh.., I'm looking for the boy who is said to be my cure, your Majesty." Lucja answered, her mind still racing to make sense of it all.

"Why am I not being accused of being a witch?" she thought hysterically, as her eyes darted towards the knights on their horses.

She felt the Prince's gaze fall on her and she swallowed hard, preparing herself for what she was certain he would say.

"How can I be of your assistance?" he asked, letting go of her chin.

"What?" Lucja almost yelled. The disbelief clear in her voice. "I'm sorry, your Majesty, I didn't mean to be rude, but I am a little confused." 

At this the Prince laughed, the warm, throaty noise washing over Lucja, making her even more confused.

"I have heard many stories of the Curse, and I have always thought that they were only myths, but it still interested me none the less. You are the first person I know to have the Curse, I want to find out more about it, that is why I want to help you."

"I know you are not a witch." he continued, "I am not as close-minded as my father, I have studied the Curse for many years know and I believe that my knowledge can be of great use to you, so please, let me help you."

He waited patiently for Lucja to answer, giving her time to let everything sink in.

"Thank you, your Majesty." she finally answerd. "I appreciate your offer, but I have nothing to give to you in return for your kindness."

"No, please, I don't want anything from you, this experience is a payment in its own right." he said.

Lucja contemplated her options and the Prince could see the doubt forming in her eyes.

"Please, come stay with me in my castle, we can start finding your cure there."  he said as he quickly ushered her towards the carriage door.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as she felt his hands on her waist. "Thank you, your Majesty, that would be lovely." she said as she climbed into the plush interior of the carriage.

"Please." the Prince said as he closed the door, "Call me Henryk."