Royal Renegade

Chapter 43: Innocent

Princess Axelia

Leonidas has our horses meet us halfway on our trip back to Rerimas before we part ways. Although, after everything he shared the last thing I want to do is be away from him, but he has to warn his council and mother about what we saw.

On my journey to Cadomia, I play out a variety of scenarios that could occur when I confront my father in hopes of putting a stop to this war before it has a chance to begin. It would be far too suspicious of me to wake him in the middle of the night, so I wrestle for sleep until sunrise.

"Princess," Miss Elysse says as she shakes my shoulders. "Good heavens you're covered in mud!"

Bolting up, I rush to my balcony to watch as my father sets out with Maynard and a unit of our army to the north.

I've overslept.

Flying around my bedroom, I gather a set of fresh clothes and my armor until Miss Elysse takes hold of an arm dragging me to a bath she's prepared.

"I don't have time!" I argue as I yank my arm free. "I need to catch up to my father."

"Do you know where he's off to?" she inquires and I nod. "Then you'll be able to find him after a bath. Look at yourself, there's crust in your eyes and twigs in your hair."

Groaning, I pull off the clothes from last night and slip into the steaming water. It helps to soothe my anxiety over what I will need to do next.

"Honestly, what has you so frazzled?" she prods while scrubbing my skin roughly in a few places the mud has stained.

"I think my father is going to attack Rerimas," I blurt, causing her to pause. There is doubt in her eyes but only for a moment before she continues washing. "What will you do if that is the King's intention?"

"I'm going to try to talk him out of it, or perhaps fight him," I figure since my words don't always have much effect on my father.

"Axelia, I worry about you getting involved. This isn't your battle and how awful would it be if you had to choose between protecting him or Prince Leonidas. What if only one can be saved?" she mutters before rising to grab a towel and wrapping me up.

I haven't considered that but hopefully I won't need to.

Opting out of answering her question, I pull on clothes and armor as I rush from the room to leave with Aries.

It takes us a half hour to catch up to my father's convoy, but the moment we do I make Aries hurry to the front where my father rides his steed.

"Axelia," he frowns as I ride along beside him. "What are you doing out here?"

My heart beats rapidly as I glance around and notice Maynard also looking surprised by my arrival.

"I thought I would join you," I offer with a shrug. "Where are we going?"

Slowing his horse, everyone else stops a few meters behind us. "There is a base up north that I am visiting," he explains, "but you are not to come along. It's dangerous and--"

"Why is it dangerous?" I pry.

Narrowing his eyes, he glances over at Maynard as well before gesturing for him to join us.

"Escort her back," he commands.

"No! I want to come along," I shout.

Maynard releases a hard sigh probably frustrated that I've gotten involved, but I wonder how long he has known about this.

"Axelia please," my father rolls his eyes. "I am on a tight schedule and this matter is important. Go."

He begins to ride away but I use Aries to cut him off.