Beginning

Chapter 7 - The Secret

Titania kept her scornful look for a few paces as she walked among the tall pine trees in the forest. Overhead she couldn't see a thing but the branches of the pines. The forest is thick all year long, unlike the forest of other villages Titania visited during her 100th birthday. That was a special birthday as well, where she finally got to leave the villages for the first time.
As a Romenheart princess she had to meet some of the Aristocrats in charge of the different village locations. That year Titania traveled to the countries of Italy and  France and stayed in the Alps, visiting both capitals. It was the first time Titania visited a major city. After that, they went on a large boat, another first for the princess, and went to a country called Great Britain. Titania had enjoyed the nightlife of London. After London, they went to the country called Germany, and then made their way back to Romania and to their home village. That year, Titania picked up all four languages of each country she visited.
Carved onto the bark of the trees are deep lines, four of them horizontally next to each other, two or three feet off the ground. When Titania and William were younger and were exploring the forest, when they weren't supposed to, William had marked the trees in order to make a trail back home. There's different paths to follow, the trees marked by just one craved line, leads to a lake they found on their first trip into the forest. On the fourth trip into the forest, they found a path to the outskirts village of Trancy, the pathway Titania still uses herself.
    Titania reached an edge of a clearing in the forest and looked up at the clear sky. The moon was starting to dip into the mountain range, and by the time Titania reached the Tracy village and got to Cornelia, the moon would be out of sight, she estimated. Her earlier foul mood with William vanished as she walked through the forest. Being here can't help but bring upon happy memories of the two breaking rules together and having fun. They really were close, he was one of Titania's closest non-royal friends.
    Which is why it hurt William when Titania asked to walk in the forest alone. She claimed it was to have a moment of privacy, some time to herself to destress from the duties of princess. As a Romenheart princess, or really, as a member of the Romenheart family, she is very rarely left unattended. This was for safety purposes of course, being the strongest family does not come without enemies and people wishing to see the fall of the Romenheart's. Not just by other royals, but even within the family, there may be a rat or two lurking about, waiting to strike.
    Using this as her excuse, William couldn't deny her the privacy she wished for. However, William spends the majority of his time with Titania on there adventures in the forest. He usually can't get close to Titania without some sort of situation where he is in need to protect her, seeing that is the duty the king assigned to him. Large social events, taking walks outside the palace, and especially traveling outside of village. With Titania wanting to walk on her own now most of the time, he feels like she is distancing herself from him. And they end up arguing about her frequent trips to the Trancy village more often than not.
Titania was nearing the mountain base, and the Trancy village at this point. Walking through the trees and the underbrush at the death of night, one tends to hear some odd noises. The rustling of branches, the animals all around, and the soft sound of your own foot steps. Titania had once been in the back forest behind the palace to pick berries with her mother and some human servants. It amazed her how loud the humans walked in the woods compared to lamias. Of course, lamias were made to be predators, and humans prey. Their skills in stealth had no match. Even to each other.
That's why Titania half let out a shriek when a pair of arms reached out and pulled her between two close pine trees, with a hand over her mouth. The arms that reached out to he, only pulled her so far, and she now stood between the branches of the pine trees, completely invisible from anyone looking around. With her cloak and hood over her, she didn't get any scratches from the branches all around while she struggled to get out of the strong grip of her assailant.
As she struggled, behind her, she felt her back against a broad chest and soft movement before hearing a familiar chuckle reach her ear. At that, her shoulders relaxed and she started to laugh too, as the hand around her mouth moved down to meet his other arm that's holding her quite closely to him.
He leaned down and rested his chin on top of her head, "Good evening Princess Romenheart, I'm delighted to say i have found you without an escort. And it is my civil duty to accompany you from this point onwards." His words were low, his voice husky as they rang in Titania's ear.
A smile spread across her lips as she had no problem leaning against his chest, in his arms. "Ah, why thank you Prince Trancy. I'm truly grateful to be under your protection." A giggle left Titania as she turned around in his arms and wrapped her own arms around his waist, nuzzling against his chest and muttering softly to him, "It's been an eternity too long my love."
Radu Trancy moved Titania's hood aside a bit and kissed her forehead. "My princess, it has only been a few days since we've last seen each other. Hardly an eternity."
Titania smiled at the feel of his kiss and retorted, "Any amount of time away from you is an eternity." stood on her tiptoes, in order to reach Radu's tall frame, and was going to press her lips to his, but he pulled her back down before she could. "What are you doin-" Radu held a finger up to her lips to silence her right before she heard what he has heard. The sound of gentle footsteps coming their way.
Titania pressed against Radu, hiding her face in her cloak and his chest. Radu held onto her tightly and held them both very still. They waited and soon the footsteps where in a better hearing range. Seems there was more than one pair of footsteps, and they were quickly approaching. Titania and Radu remanded invisible in the middle of the trees but still, they dare not make a sound. If a Romenheart princess was to be found in a Trancy prince's arms, well... Let's just say the hatred the two families feel toward each other will not be put aside in the name of love.
Soon the footsteps were identified as running, two or three pairs of running feet coming in there direction. Once the procurers where only a few meters away, Radu relaxed his shoulders. Titania dared to shift her head up to look at him, but he kept her still. Titania's patients was starting to run thin, and she desperately wanted to move, but she knew how important it was to make sure they did not get caught. And when they got closer, Titania heard the laughter of children and also let her tense shoulders down drop and relax.
Three little lamis children were running in the forest edge, probably without their parents consent. All three had light brown hair, much like Radu's own hair. Radu kissed Titania's head and muttered, "Wait right here princess and not a sound." And with that, he released her and stepped out of their hiding place. He then took a place next to the pine, out of sight of the approaching children. Once he heard the laughter and footsteps only mere feet away, he stepped out of hiding and right in front of a little boy who was running in front. The child in front was looking back at the other two, and without paying attention, crashed into Radu who stood in front of him.
The little boy looked up and saw him, and backed away slowly, looking scared. His friends, another little boy and a young girl, also stopped behind him, looking up to Radu with a worried expression. Radu offered them a friendly smile and crouched down to eye level with them, "Hello little ones. Having some fun in the woods are you?"
The little boy in front nodded slightly to his question and then realization dawned on the little girl who was hiding behind the boy in front. She stepped forward and around the boy to get closer to Radu as adoration crossed her face, "You're Prince Radu!" the little girl was practically jumping up and down in place.
Radu smiled and gave the girl a small pet as the other two boys looked surprised. "Nice job on Monarchy Recognition. I'm sure your teacher would be pleased you remember what your raining family members look like."
The little girl smiled and blushed "It also helps your my favorite of all the monarchs. We were taught that you're going to be our next Count and my teacher said you might be our kindest Trancy ruler ever! That's why I like you so much."
"Dana you're talking too much again," hissed one of the boys. The girl then turned around and started to get into a play child argument with him and the other little boy joined in it as well. Radu stood there and laughed at what he saw, even managed to hear a few soft chuckles come from Titania who was still in hiding. The children were too engaged in their argument to notice there was a fifth member among them in hiding, but Radu knows too well that Titania was not made for holding still so long so he needed to act.
"Now, now little ones. I appreciate the complaint, It pleases me you support me in my rise to Countish. But that isn't for many more years." Radu picked up the little girl and raised her in the air as she let out a giggle, "Probably when you become a big girl, and maybe become my age." He set her down and then looked at all of them, "But till then, mind telling me what you all are doing playing in the forest? It is off limits, you could easily get lost."
The children looked down, ashamed they got caught, especially by their prince. The second little boy offered his voice and said, "We wouldn't have gotten lost..." To this Radu cocked an eyebrow.
"Oh really now? How can you be so sure?"
All three children pointed at a marked tree, with four carved lines in it. The same one Titania was using to arrive at the Trancy village. The little boy spoke again, "There's a path."
Radu then looked at where Titania was hiding because she made a rustling noise between the tree as she facepalmed.