Royal Renegade

Chapter 7: First Embrace

Princess Axelia

I enjoy the feeling of the brisk wind as it fans my face while I skate across the Iremia Lake tucked away behind Cadomia's castle. It's a mile long and under the moonlight the ice glistens and reflects an azure blue.

My mother, Queen Hedvika, brought me here to ice skate every winter. She would teach me self-discipline and how to always get back up no matter how many times I might fall. As a toddler, clumsy could have been my middle name.

I narrow my eyes as I begin to move to the center of the lake. There is more than enough space for me to practice a few jumps. Tonight, I hope to achieve a perfect Lutz. It requires me to jump from the back outside edge of one foot and land on the same spot of the opposite. I have been at it for two hours already and have the bruises to show.

This is nearly my hundredth attempt.

"Here we go," I murmur to myself as I begin a few backward crossovers and allow my arms to fall to my sides. I glide for a good few meters before I pick into the ice with my left foot and jump into the air with a twirl. This time, as gravity returns me to the ice, I bend my right knee to brace the landing and extend my left leg out for balance.

When I open my eyes, I am still on my feet gliding along the ice.

I did it.

My heart races, and I quickly glance up to share my excitement with Miss Elysse, only to see her speaking with a man on a tall, black horse. Concern replaces my joy as I quickly make my way over to them. Maynard is the only person who knows we are out here this late and my father has him busy training knights.

The stranger and Miss Elysse stop speaking the moment I step off of the ice.

As soon as I meet his eyes, panic sets in and I pull off one of my skates before launching it at his head. Though, unfortunately, a skate is not a dagger and fails to meet its mark.

"Elysse, get away from him!" I shout as I hobble over and yank her towards me while his horse neighs and rears back.

"Princess, don't be rude," Miss Elysse scolds me as she brushes my hands off of her arms.

Meanwhile, Leonidas dismounts his horse who is now stomping and digging its hooves so deep into the snow that mud is flying in heaps.

"Whoa," he says turning his back to us as he firmly grips the reins and places a hand on its muzzle.

Aries has triple the amount of muscle as this one, but when its eyes glare my way I get goosebumps.

What's he doing riding a horse anyway? It's news to me that he owns one.

Miss Elysse and I watch silently as the Prince stands closer to his towering and fuming steed. With each stroke of his hand to its muzzle, the horse calms its movements until only gusts of air steaming from its nostrils express its frustration.

"Apologize," she whispers into my ear.

For what? Missing his head?

"Why are you here?" I question.

He glances over his shoulder at me, but doesn't answer. Instead, he reaches into a pocket of his black ataman canvas trousers. Small, round pellets fill his hand as he lifts the food to the horses' mouth to further calm its nerves. Its black hairs shimmer under the moonlight and make his navy blue tunic stand out.

His casual attire worries me since it's what he wears during our fights.

What if Cadomia's under attack?

Somehow he got to the lake without anyone noticing.

"I have something for you." His voice flows smoothly like a stream of water, and he brushes his hands against one another to rid them of crumbs as he turns to face us.