The Kingdom of Belmar

Chapter 26

Love is a fickle thing. Something Caroline Rosings was never able to experience before her untimely death: not familial, not romantic. But she did love in a rather unconventional method. She loved reading, and fictional worlds with fictional princes and happy-ever-afters, and as she decided that love was nothing more than just a word on a page, she met him. Ink on paper suddenly became so much more when it came alive, creating this world around her. No, not her, not Caroline Rosings anymore.

Me.

Sir Amalie Marinette von Ewell the third, only daughter of His Grace Duke Ewell. This is the life I chose for myself, and as I look at my fictional prince, riding on his horse, arms wrapped around his waist, I wonder if perhaps this, this happiness, this foreign circumstance, is as rare as love is. True love.

We had left the others at the estate with my father to debrief the situation to the second knights' regiment. The Duke agreed to lend us his troop for this purpose, but we would be unable to procure mass amounts of armor and weaponry through him without detection from Queen Rista. Father gave me a name and an address of a crooked noble that would assist us in remedying this predicament, but I'd be lying if I said I weren't at least a bit skeptical of my skills of negotiation. Though having a Duke's fortune tied to my name doesn't hurt. We have a meeting scheduled in two days time.

It was decided that at least one of us should return to the castle to assess the situation, and report that the Crown Prince and his knight were both certainly dead. Geoffrey happily volunteered, insisting on honing his skills of espionage. Grace, Percival, and Phillip remain at the estate, awaiting further orders. For now they will be devising a plan that involves insider information on the layout of Lambhurst Palace, as well as spread the rumor through the Ewell Dukedom of the Queen's cruelty. How could she murder the beloved daughter of their Duke? The more aristocrats we can persuade to our faction, the less resistance there will be for a coup.

For now, Cole insisted on taking me to a trusted apothecary on the outskirts of the dukedom, one that he has seen since he was a boy and retired a few years back, Sergei Bryant. He wanted to take a carriage to ensure I don't further injure myself, but I insisted riding horseback would be less conspicuous. I was right, of course, but being right has come at the unfortunate cost of my comfort; not that I have much room to complain, a bruised tailbone is preferable to a slit throat. Dressed in simple, plain garb, and curls pinned to the top of my head, we've been riding since dawn, and only now arrived.

"Careful, Princess," he offers a hand to help me down, "It'd be shame to be out of commission before the fight has even started."

Careful to keep my weight on my one good leg, I less-than-gracefully accept his gesture and dismount from the horse. "You're mistaken, Cole, for I'm not a princess."

"Not yet. But when this is all over I fully intend to make you one."

"Is that a proposal?"

"It's a promise." He places a gentle kiss on the back of my hand and I find myself fighting the butterflies finding residence in my stomach. "Come, there's an old friend I'm sure you'd be delighted to meet."

"Sergei, you mean? You have spoken so highly of him and yet it's been years since you've last made acquaintance. What if the gentleman has become less than exceptional?"

"Then the halls will be hung with portraits of a one-legged queen." Cole offers a wry smile and I push an elbow into his side, though it's clear he has the same doubts and concerns as me. What if he can't help me? Or worse, what if I simply can't be helped?

"Best not to ponder on 'what ifs' and 'what nots,'" I laugh a nervous laugh, "Questions must be answered before mourned."

Looking around, there isn't much to see but a desolate village and foliage obscuring my vision every few feet. Why such a famed physician decided to retire to the slums is beyond me, but another thought occurs to me. Though this area is so close to the dukedom, I'm wholly unfamiliar with the terrain. In my limited time in this world, I've never looked beyond the walls I've been kept in; perhaps that can be accredited to my ever-changing circumstances and ever-wavering survival status. Though if I'm to overtake the throne with Cole by my side, it's time to stop making such excuses for my negligence. I'm as familiar with these lands and people as the Crown Prince, and yet I have not been locked in a palace my entire life.