The Vengeful Princess

Prologue

I had barely taken two steps into the hallway before the sound of muted giggling and whispers reverberated down towards me, soon followed by a pair of maids, gossiping as they scurried past. I immediately turned my head away, allowing a few strands of hair to curtain my face. My uniform mirrored theirs, the same red hued dresses, though mine were more wrinkled from being stuffed at the back of my closet. 

It took all my willpower not to sprint, opting for a breezy walk instead. It was painful to move so slowly now that it was so late that most guards on duty would've been stationed on the palace perimeter. But, I couldn't risk the consequences if I were caught, especially tonight. I held my breath as I strolled past the guards and into the garden, where I was greeted with the crisp night air that sent chills down my arms and thrills down my back. The roar of adrenaline was all I could hear as I looked out at the sprawling greenery. The bush maze made up an enormous portion of the garden, with the shrubbery so thick the hazy darkness blanketed the heart of the maze. I used to get lost in there as a child and had to have the palace guards come looking for me. However, now I was able to navigate the path with ease, each step instilled in my head like muscle memory.

I had always found it odd that the centre was so bare, an empty patch of grass, as if it the landscapers couldn't decide what to place there and then abandoned the thought totally. Today however, a picnic blanket had claimed the space. Candles sat dutifully on all four corners, with cushions spread sporadically across the blanket. 

"I believe it isn't safe for a lady to be out this late alone." A velvety voice cut through serene silence. I was suddenly acutely aware of the warmth radiating from behind me. 

A smile tugged at my lips as I replied, "Well, Officer, why don't you keep me company?"

A hand snaked around my waist, pulling me into his lean body. His breath tickled my ear as he spoke, "You look absolutely breathtaking tonight, Princess."

He spun me around and cupped my face, tilting my chin so that those sea green eyes looked deep into mine. A tiny smirk twitched at the edge of his mouth. That was all it took before his hands were back on my waist, pulling me closer to him as his lips crashed onto mine. I couldn't help it, my breath sped up as he peppered kisses on my jawline, my neck, my collarbone. My hands immediately entangled themselves into his wavy black hair as he moved his kisses back to my lips. It was frenzied, it was passionate, it was chaos. Our bodies were pressed against each other, ridding any distance between us when abruptly, my world was turned upside down as we broke apart. 

We landed on the picnic blanket with a soft thud. It was quiet for a second as we processed what just happened.

"Did we just fall-" Nico began, his face a picture of incredulity, before meeting my eyes, sending us both into fits of laughter. 

He told me about events that had occurred since we had seen each other last. King Francis of Veremund had proposed an alliance with my father. My father had appointed Nico as head officer in charge of the alliance with the possibility of further promotions if the treaty negotiations went smoothly. They were to train our men in combat and sword-fighting and we were to provide them with guns and marksman training.

Excitement oozed from every word. Everything seemed to fade into the background as I listened to him speak. Those green eyes sparkled with hope, his face as animated as ever. His long legs were wrapped securely around me, one behind my back and one across my front, one hand mindlessly caressing my hair. It was as if time had frozen, that we were all that mattered and existed in this moment.

"Celina?"

"Yes?" I whispered.

"Will you marry me?" He looked down at me, green eyes vibrant and hair tousled in the night and I knew my answer before he even finished speaking. "Not now obviously, but if your father promotes me to the General of the Aztalonian Army-"