The Lost Princess

XXIIII

Ashlyn
I'm biting my nails in anticipation. There were rumors spreading around that the UPRK castle burned down and that many men died. I was sure that neither Peter or Aaron got hurt, but the thought of loosing my brother and the man I love drove me insane.

"Ashlyn, your pacing is scaring me," Amelia notes. She runs her finger over her diamond ring, "I'm scared as well. But worrying about it will not bring them back any faster."

"Of course," I respond, taking in deep and shaky breaths. "How is Rose holding up?"

Amelia shrugs, "I do not know. I have not seen her since she went to the medical wing yesterday."

Rose then walks into the room, her hair in a messy bun, "Morning." Her eyes are red and she had deep dark circles under her eyes.

"Rose! You look awful!" I reply, letting her sit on the comfy bed.

She sighs, "I cried all night. Hearing the news of the burning castle scared me. I could not sleep knowing that Aaron was there." Rose looks out the window, rubbing her arms. Goosebumps formed on her arms from thinking about the situation. She's clearly scared.

"The news has shaken me up. I had nightmares and I got so scared that," she sighs and looks down, "I wet the bed. I have not done that since I was four years old." Tear drops run down her red cheeks and Lily walks to comfort her sister.

I hold Amelia's hand in mine, "Stressing will not help us. We need to get our mind off of this. How about a trip to the lake?"

The girls nod and we go to Mother and Father to ask for permission. Once it is granted, we each go to our rooms. My maid packed a swimsuit, a simple blue dress, some flats, slippers, a towel, and sunscreen in a small bag. My lady in waiting, Marie, comes into my room and holds my bag.

We walk to the palace entrance and we're accompanied by the other girls and their ladies in waiting. Also, there were about fifteen guards. All the royals sit in one carriage, with our ladies in waiting in a different one. Finally, we make it to Lake Victoria.

The water was a beautiful blue, with the beautiful forest behind it. We changed behind the carriages and run into the lake. The guards march around us. Amelia and Lily immediately start splashing each other, while Rose wades around. She splashed the cool water on her bump and smiles to herself.

I dive under the water and touch the rocks at the bottom. I surface and see that Lily is close to my distance. I smile and swim towards her, almost silently. Then I go behind and scream. She yells as the rest of us burst into laughter. Her face goes red, "You think that's funny, do you? Well, be prepared."

She starts splashing us and we run away, laughing loudly. Soon, we dry off and change into our dry clothes. As we are walking back to the carriages, the sound of horses draw near. Our guards hold out their swords and march forward. Our ladies in waiting rush us to the back of the carriages, as I tremble in fear.

The hooves grow louder and I hear a familiar chuckle, "Ashlyn, are you really scared of me?"

I turn to see Peter, riding his horse with a bright smile. I squeal and hug him, "Oh! How I have missed you!"

He laughs, "The same of you, my fair beauty." One by one, the other princesses meet their men riding on horseback. Each sharing an embrace and Aaron kisses the bump on Rose's stomach.

"So, what news do you bring? What happened?" Lily asks John. He looks at Peter, who nods in return.

"Lord Derek is under custody on his way to the jail right now," John answers.

"And what of Deliah?" I look at Peter with hopeful eyes.

He sighs, "Unfortunately during the chaos of the fire, she disappeared before our troops could catch her. We have several men in the Pearl River Woods searching for her. She will not get away."

I nod, "Let us go home." Peter smiles at me. The men ride their horses while we take our carriages back home. Mother had called a feast to celebrate the defeat of King Derek and the return of the soldiers. None of our soldiers had been killed or gravely injured during this fight.

When we return, the entire palace was clapping at the arrival of the princes. The feast was exquisite and we all had fun as a family. At the end of the night, Peter walked me to my room. I looked at him, "I guess we depart from here."

He nods, "Yes, but.." He leans down s kisses me. His hands cupping my cheeks. My body filled with warmth and a surge of happiness. Peter released leaving my mouth slightly open from the shock of it all.

He nods, "Goodnight, my princess." He walks down to the end of the hall. My cheeks burn and I internally celebrate.

"Goodnight, my prince.." I whisper.