Nikita
“Oh. Hello there. Who let you in?” I asked as a slim blond woman with fierce blue gray eyes and a little girl trailing behind her came inside.
“I am Elena. This is my girl, Athena. I am here to see my sons, Ryker and Samuel. I was told they were here. May you escort me to them?” She paused and brushed my hair back from where it lay, blocking my face. Then she gasped.
“Oh my. Forgive me, my princess. I did not know.” She shook her head quickly, backing away.
“It is fine. Relax. And I can take you to your sons. You are their mother?” I smiled as the little girl raced up the stairs, jumping into Samuel’s arms.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, walking down the steps while keeping his hold on Athena.
“I got worried. It’s been two weeks since I saw you, Ryker and Samuel, I have not seen since his birthday.” she scolded, glaring at them.
“Sorry. It is so amazing here, mother. It’s so big and open and everybody welcomes you. And the fact that there are two princesses that do not mind when you hold them through the night does not hurt.” Ryker chuckled, rubbing Athena’s back as Elena gasped in horror.
“Um, I should leave you. Samuel, do you happen to know where my sister is? I cannot seem to find her.” I turned to Samuel, eyes softening at the sight of him holding the girl.
“I am not sure she is available right now, princess.” he muttered, sighing as Athena slumped, asleep.
“It has been a long ride for the both of you. I shall arrange for someone to escort you to your quarters for the night. The kitchen is over there, if you are hungry or thirsty.” I pointed to the doorway and then turned to go up the stairs, biting my lip. I gasped as I saw Nathaniel being led to his room.
“Hello, my bride.”
Samuel
“Why are you not with her right now? What if she gets in trouble?” mother hissed as we all sat down at the table.
June came over and set plates in front of us all, then bread and soup. “Knowing Nikita, she probably is, but mother, I do not have to be with her all the time.” I reminded her, shrugging.
“You call her by her first name?” Mother grimaced and shook her head sadly, breaking off a piece of bread for Athena.
“Mother…how did you know father was the right choice for you?” I asked, pausing.
She looked up, sighing. “Samuel, if the woman you truly belonged with was near you, you would know. Love is not something controlled by the mind, but the heart. You have to find the girl who sings to your heart and makes it beat faster and faster until you feel it cannot bear any more love for her. Love, my dear boy, is not something you have to search for. It will find you.” She smiled and gave me a knowing look before returning to her meal.
“But what if you cannot love her? What if she is on an entire different level then you are and it is forbidden to even think about her that way?”
“If you belong together, it shall be. If you don’t, you will have to learn to deal with a broken heart. But what is broken can be fixed. Never forget that. What has you asking these questions? You never have before.” She tilted her head, staring me down.
“Sammy has a crush on Nikita.” Ryker chuckled and shrugged when I glared over at him.
“Oh no. Do not make the same mistake many fools have before you. Do you know what happens to princesses when they fall in love with the wrong people? The guard gets a quick death. The princess must live with the shame of knowing she sent her lover to his grave. And you haven’t known pain until you watch your lover die.” she warned, holding her breath as Nikita came into the room, tears in her eyes.
“Where is my sister? I need to speak with her immediately! I don’t care if she’s busy. Find. Her.” she growled at me before turning and running back out.
“Nikita!” I called after her, standing up.
“Leave her be, boy. A princess should know when to hold herself together and when it is ok to cry. Simply bursting into tears because she’s upset? She would be slapped if the queen was here.” Mother glared toward the doorway, her cold eyes staring through the wood as if she could see Nikita.
“Ryker, come with me.” I walked out of the room, searching for both princesses.
“Go find Hilary and take her to Nikita’s room. I’ll get Nikita.” I patted Ryker’s shoulder and headed for the door, already knowing where she would be. I went to the clearing, finding her there in the middle, sniffling.
“Can’t a girl have some peace? I just want silence.” she snapped as I came closer.
“Then I won’t talk. Why are you upset?” I asked, sitting next to her on the ground.
“You know how when you are young, your parents tell you a bedtime story of where the princess finds her prince and they live happily ever after while carefully maneuvering around the villain? They are such liars. I feel like I am trapped in the between process. The villain has the upper hand and I am yet to find the hero that will rescue me and love me for the rest of our lives. They are going to make me marry him. I will be punished if I deny him a kiss. Killed if I slap him or harm him in any way.” Her voice broke and she dropped her head, covering her mouth as sobbed.
I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer. “I will not let them hurt you.” I whispered into her ear, stroking her hair back.
“But they will hurt you. As soon as Nathaniel’s king, he will have you slaughtered or thrown out into the werewolves. And there will be nothing I can do about it. He will probably make me watch as they tear you apart limb by limb. If he feels kind, maybe he will settle with a simple beheading.” she whispered, voice quivering with every word.
“Don’t worry. I will be fine.” I promised.
“No. You will not. Neither will I.”
