No Fairytale

Chapter One

Liana stood in front of Ezekiel, trying to figure out what had made him decide to do such a thing without telling the people of the group he was leading.

"Did you even think about them," she asked, "about what would happen if this went sour on us?" She watched him, sitting upon his throne as he stared back at her without saying a single word. "You plan to keep this from them, don't you? You don't plan to let anyone else know about this deal."

"Just a select few know, Liana," he said finally, standing to his feet and walking down off of the stage he'd been seated. Watching Liana, waiting for her to lash out for what he'd chosen to do. "I'm doing this for the people of the Kingdom, Liana. I'm doing this for them."

"Don't expect my approval," she said with a shake of her head before walking out of the room.

"Good morning, Princess Liana," one woman said as she passed her.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Liana?" Liana said with a smile, "Not Princess Liana."

"I'll try and remember that next time," she said with a laugh and a wave as she walked away from Liana who'd stopped to stand in the middle of the pathway the people of the Kingdom had made upon settling there in that community.

She just stood there, thinking about her place in the Kingdom. If it wasn't for Ezekiel, she wouldn't be there, wouldn't be the people's so call princess like he was their king.

Ezekiel had married her mother back when she was just a child, treated her as if she was his biological daughter. And he was the father she never got to have. But then cancer took her mother from her when she was just 15 years old. Ezekiel went to the family court when they tried to take her away from him, and he won custody of her. And she's been with him ever since. She's 25 now. And he's the only family she has left in the hell of a world they live in now.

"Liana," his voice came towards her over the wind, snapping her from her thoughts. Looking over her shoulder, she watched as Ezekiel walked towards her. "I know you don't approve. And I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about the deal I made, but you have to understand I'm doing this to keep my people safe, our people."

She looked up at him and nodded silently her understanding. He gave her a pleased smile as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side.

Liana stayed in his arms for a moment longer before finally pulling away and turning to face him. "I'm going to go and get some practice in at the shooting range," she said with a small smile.

"You don't really need it, Liana," Ezekiel said as he laughed, "you're one of the best shooters here."

"Well I don't want to get rusty then do I," she asked with a laugh, the argument from before instantly being put to the back of her mind. She'd use the anger from it to help her shooting.

When she walked away from him, Liana made her way towards the area used specifically for bowmen. And women.

She grabbed her weapon of choice, a compound bow, and made her way to stand in front of one of the targets often used.

She looked down at the quiver of arrows placed at the end of the makeshift lane for the targets. Picking up an arrow, she knocked it and pulled it back against the string to the bow. Holding the stance and lining up her sight, she waited for just a hair of a second longer before releasing the bowstring and watching the arrow soar through the air before embedding itself into the target several feet away.

Continuing the pattern, she didn't stop until someone came and got her, informing her that it was time for dinner.

Returning the bow to where it'd been, she headed to her apartment to get changed for dinner before meeting with Ezekiel just outside of the dining hall.

"Did you get enough practice in," Ezekiel asked her as she greeted him where he stood.

"Yeah," she said with a nod, "and I feel a lot better since our argument." She looked down at her feet at that moment, thinking about what all had been said, before looking back up to him to see that he was staring down at her. "I'm sorry about what I said, I was angry. I know now that you're just trying to protect the people. And I'd like to request your approval to go with you, and whoever else you tell, when you make the drops for those people you agreed to trade with."

"You know it'll be dangerous," Ezekiel said in a whisper as they both entered the room where the others were all waiting to eat. They paused in their conversation just long enough for him to give approval to eat before he turned back to Liana. "A lot could go wrong with this stuff."

"I am aware," Liana said as she looked down at her plate of food, "but I want to be a part of this. I'm one of the best with a bow, you told me that. Let me do what I know how to do."

"Very well, Liana," Ezekiel said with a nod of his head, "the first delivery is due in just a few weeks. I've already got people out there looking for what has been requested for it." Ezekiel watched as Liana looked up at him with a nod before the two began to eat the food in front of them. A lot left on their minds about what was to come in the future for them. And for the Kingdom as well.