Time for the Truth: a story of a sleeping beauty

Part 13

"How will we explain this to my father?" I lean back into Rior's chest, as he keeps his horse at a walk until his men catch up.

"I was supposed to be a surprise, um, your mother knew that I would be nearby. I wrote to her, and she sugggested the King not know about it, since my father does not know."

"Where does he think you are? He has to suspect."

"He is still in mourning, he probably thinks I am off brooding."

"Does he not know you very well?" I think of the fidgety way he always had to be doing something, and wonder how the King saw someone so different than the Rior I saw.

"He knows how I was when I was teuftran.... um. Fourteen. I was..."

"A brat? most fourteen year olds are!" He laughed, and his chuckle sends warmth and vibrations through me.

"Yes. He gave up for a time, and I don't think he knows how to handle me now that I am my own person. My mother knew what to say to stop us from fighting, but now we just avoid one another, except for our duties."

"Oh." I struggled to look at him. "Rior, how are you doing with mourning, and missing your mother? I know I didn't know to ask... but..." I felt the stern set of his jaw.

"It is like an ache. But she would have liked you, she would like the way you are making me different, putting effort into things to do with the throne has never been my strongsuit. But you made me realize good humanity is needed in a ruler. I think we could be a good team, like they were. But that does make me feel as though I can bear it." He swept a kiss on the back of my hair (did I smell nice enough on my scalp for him?)

"I..." I almost just said 'I love you'. That was something I knew I was kind of feeling, but to have it so easily almost roll off of my tongue felt dangerous, like even though I was committing to him for the rest of my life, I shouldn't use the words unless I was so sure that I meant them.

They weren't empty like the 'I love you to the stars and back...' words I had said ages ago to a prince I hadn't known that I did know.

"I am glad that you think she would like me, it means so much." I swallowed as Rior tightened his arms around me. I heard the snap of a leaf and Rior clicked to his horse and made it canter off.

I had never really trusted horses until recently, but it made me feel so much stronger, so independent to know I could handle one on my own.

We made much faster time than on my cold feet, and hopping down into the frosty grass outside the castle, we all dismounted, and I saw the silent men were all wearing dark colors, nearly blending in with the night.

Rushing into the courtyard, my brother met me, almost angrily.

"Where did you go? mother is worried sick!"

"I told father I went for a walk! Basil, meet Prince Rior Kaven." I interrupted before he could ask why my walk had taken nearly three hours, and the moon had traveled across half of the sky.

"It is a pleasure, Prince Basil." Rior gave a deep nod, which Basil returned.

"I thought you were unable to come visit, Prince Rior?"

"There was some rearranging, I hoped to surprise Sie. I spoke with Her Majesty the Queen about possibly being able to visit, but I did not want to get hopes up unneccessarily."

"I am afraid it may be dangerous here for you, I won't turn you away, but I cannot encourage you to stay here. We have a poisoner in our midst."

"Yes, Sian told me of the gravity of the situation. I would like to help in any way I can."