The Vengeful Princess

Chapter 17: The Annual Royal Hunt Part 2

The snap of a branch close behind me sent my reflexes into overdrive, immediately pulling the dagger from its sheath and bringing it down towards the assailant. She dodged the blade with ease, a hand shooting out and grabbing my own, twisting it to a painful angle. With a cry, I dropped the dagger, getting a good look at who had attacked me.

"Irelia? What are you doing at the hunt?"

"Relax. I know how to be invisible, I've done this many times before. With so many foreigners in court right now, no one will notice me." She grinned before growing serious. "Is Alexander de Levrochet dead yet?"

I shook my head in response. "We fell into a hunter's trapping pit but he helped me out so I could go get help."

"So he is still in there?"

"Yes..."

"Then go finish him off." Irelia stated casually as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Upon seeing my hesitation she released a short, humorless laugh of surprise. "Wait. Don't tell me that you have grown to care for him? Trust me, romances with royalty never end well for an outsider."

"But I am royalty." I responded quietly.

"Not anymore, you're not. King Francis made sure of that. And we need to make sure that the de Levrochet line doesn't continue on the throne." She picked up my dagger and placed it in my hand. "Now go finish him off."

"I can't."

Irelia furrowed her eyebrows. It took a second for her to spur into action once she realised that I wouldn't be moving. "Then I'll do it myself. All you have to do is keep walking, coward." She unsheathed her katana, the metallic noise sending chills down my spine. Irelia spun on her heels and headed for the hunter's trap.

I turned away, forcing myself to take a few steps forward in the opposite direction. You're doing the right thing, I reassured myself.

I owed the Forsaken my life. I owed the de Levrochets nothing.

Just keep walking and don't look back.

A realisation that I already knew deep down resurfaced as I attempted to take another step. Alex de Levrochet didn't deserve to die. It wasn't my place to condemn his entire being based on what I had seen from so far. And based on what I had seen so far, Alex only wanted what was best for his people. And currently, that included me.

As if on cue, something fell from my pocket and onto the undergrowth, stopping me in my tracks as I picked it up.

The silver hairpin.

"Oh screw it. Screw it all to hell." I turned back.

♕

Irelia was almost at the spot where the pit lay when I managed to catch up to her. The flames cast ominous, flickering shadows across her face.

She raised an eyebrow as she saw me. "So you finally gathered up the courage to do it yourself?"

I kept my mouth shut and kept walking towards her. When I was only a mere step away from Irelia, I unsheathed my own sword and pointed it at her. "Don't call me a coward."

"Oh?" Irelia laughed, amused. "I taught you everything you know about combat and swords fighting, you really think you can best me?"

"Worth a try."

She knocked my sword away lazily. "Is his life really worth it? You're going to lose."

Without a warning, she struck, bringing her katana down towards me. I parried the blow, catching her blade with my own in a shower of sparks. Seeing the opening for an opportunity, I followed up with a riposte to counterattack, which Irelia easily dodged.