Princess Aria

Chapter Six

Chapter Six:

Roan is seated on the carpet on the floor, leaning with his head back on my bed, eyes closed.

"Thank you for the food." I mumble between bites, and he just smiles.

"How are you a princess?" He asks and peaks at me with one eye open. "You barely act like one." His smile does not fade.

I take another bite and pretend to be thinking.

"Maybe because I was forced to be one?" I ask and he lifts his head, his smile still there.

"Forced? You were born into it." I shake my head, swallowing my bite.

"No, I was forced. My mother didn't rest until she drilled every little thing into my head." I sigh, "She tried too hard instead of letting me be."

"Well, she is a queen, and they are like that sometimes." I raise my brow at him, and he leans his head back again.

"They like forcing you to do things. I had met a few in my life and one even tried to force me to marry her." I choke on my laugh, and he chuckles, "I am serious! She was already engaged to some other king, but she wanted a life with me."

"Talk about royal drama." I laugh and he laughs along with me.

"She just won't take "no" as an answer."

"Have you never been in love, Roan?" I laugh and his laughter dies down a bit. I peek and I can see a small smile on his face. He seems far away.

"I am very much. She's waiting for me at home." He finally speaks up and he smiles at me. "I think you would get along." He grins and I smile back at him.

Archer stops in the doorway and look at me and Roan. He has a weird expression on his face.

"Have you given her something to eat?" He asks and Roan nods his head.

"She eats like an animal." I gasp in offence.

"I do not!"

He barks a laugh and stands up from the carpet, taking the dishes with him.

"Sure, you don't, princess."

I just roll my eyes, and this amuses Archer.

"I am certain I have the wrong girl here." He tries to hold back his laughter, "You are no princess."

"I am trying not be, but my ancestors say something else." I state with a straight face, and he chuckles.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" He asks, standing straight.

"A walk?" I ask and he nods his head, a small smile on his face.

"Please come walk with me?" He asks again and I laugh.

"You have such a nice way of asking." I laugh and he grins.

I get up from the bed and head to him.

He offers his arm to me, and I hook in to his, giving him a small smile.

We reach the same field I had seen through my window.

The real-life view is even better than the view from my window. It is gorgeous.

I look around and the flowers are so bright.

"It is beautiful." I whisper and I hear him next to me, "Yeah, it is."

I look at him and he is looking at me already.

"How come I have never met you before if our fathers had worked together?" I ask him and he looks at a bird that is singing on one of the branches in a nearby tree.

"I honestly do not know." He mumbles and I nod my head slowly.

"Maybe our fathers had other plans, like combining kingdoms or something." I think out loud and Archer stops in his tracks. "Maybe someone found out, someone who did not want that, and they killed your father and put the blame on mine."

"But who would do that? That is a serious felony." He states and I nod my head slowly.

"Unless the person who did it is also royalty." I look at him and he looks just as confused as I feel.

We headed back to the mansion and my brain is still raking for any clues as to whom could have killed Archer's father.

I know that my father is innocent. He would never kill another king just for fun or just because.

"Aria."

I turn to face Archer who seems distracted by his thoughts. I cannot help but notice how attractive this man is.

"My father had many affairs." He admits, and this seems to upset him. He looks disappointed is his father's ways.

"After my mother's death." He carries on explaining, almost trying to defend his father. "He did not handle it well and even if he did try to, it seemed to make things worst for him." I keep quiet, allowing him to think.

"Do you think someone found out about the many affairs?" He looks at me with questioning eyes and I frown.

"No, why would someone want to kill a king for having many ladies?" I ask, "That does not make any sense. However," I think about it before answering him honestly, "If a woman he had slept with could have been married, jealousy is a good enough motive." I murmur and I can see that this bothers him a lot.

He seems like a guy who is trying to defend his father.

Maybe King Richard was not such a good king as he is trying to portray him.

"Archer," I reach out and gently touch his arm, "My father had no reason to kill yours. Like I said, kings have a lot of enemies." He looks to be in a war with himself.

He only turns around and walks away from me.

I allow him to, not wanting to upset him more.

I went back to my room and the only thought circling my mind was the way Archer felt the need to defend his father's ways.