Royal Renegade

Chapter 41: Prince in Mourning

Prince Leonidas

Laughter is all that can be heard as Xeli and I chase each other around a lake near Cadomia. We've been out here for hours while our mothers attend some sort of tea party with other Queens in the region.

"Alright, you win," she pants as she rests her hands on dirt stained knees.

Relieved, I collapse on a warm boulder by the water letting the sun heat up my skin as I stare at the clouds drifting with the heavy breeze.

"You must be pretty tired," I say as I slide my arms under my head. "You never let me win."

She climbs up beside me and lays the same way but not without making sure to nearly smack me in the face with one of her elbows in the process. For a Princess, she can be real clumsy sometimes.

"Yeah? Well you taught me that playing games isn't always about winning, remember? You said that it's sometimes better to just live in the moment and enjoy the laughs," she repeats.

I didn't actually think she would do it.

"My father tells me that every morning while we play chess so I can't take all the credit," I shrug.

"You play chests every morning?" she leans up on an elbow with a frown.

Chest?

"No," I giggle, "chess." Then she mouths an 'oh' in understanding so I continue. "It's one of my favorite games. Eventually I'm going to be a King and the game teaches qualities like patience, strategy, and decision-making," I explain and feel excited for tomorrow to come so I can try out a new offense against my father.

Smiling, Axelia sits up crossing her legs and faces me.

"Will you teach me how to play?"

"S-sure," I frown. "Why do you want to learn all of a sudden?"

Patience isn't exactly something she is good at.

"Your eyes got all bright while you were sharing about it. That means you must really like it so next time bring it with you."

That's oddly thoughtful of her.

"Are you feeling alright?" I question as I sit up. "It's a slow game and will make you--"

"Live in the moment?" she wonders, smiling when my eyes narrow.

"Yeah."

"Good," she chirps and lays back down. "I like living in the moment with you. It kind of makes it feel like our time together will last forever. Our hangs out are the only events I don't try to skip," she grins and squeezes her eyes shut with a giggle that makes her cheeks turn red.

Forever?

"Does it ever scare you to be human?" I wonder aloud as I also lie back down.

"No, why would it?"

My chest suddenly feels heavy as I turn to meet her curious gaze.

"Humans die," I murmur. "I mean vampires do too, but if we're safe we can live forever unlike humans."

She scrunches her face in thought and stares up at the sky for a while.

"If I live in the moment every day of my life laughing with those I love then death doesn't scare me. It stops the fun but can never take away the memories," she speaks softly, "and memories last forever."