The Princess of Elfhame

Kiss and kill

Rhea 

It doesn't take long for me to assemble my circle of Archers. 

"Wait. You're telling us that Prince Castien will be staying indefinitely until you, your mother, and your father deem it good for him to return to Dorenhid?" Melanie clarifies and I nod. 

"Yes. While I want to send him home this moment, my parents wouldn't permit that idea. They want him to stay until he learns how to respect us. And to be well enough to return to Dorenhid." 

"Fucking hell" Naercé laughs, and looks out the window. 

"This should be interesting. Seeing you both hate each other, I wouldn't be surprised if one of you are dead by the end of the week." 

"Oh cut it out, Naercé. Don't you see that Rhea doesn't want this? And don't joke about them killing each other" Bay snaps, arms crossed. 

"Jeez. Tough crowd" she grumbles, but she offers me an apologetic tilt of her head and I give her the hint of a smile. 

"So what's your plan exactly?" Melanie asks, sitting next to me and I shake my head. 

"I don't have a plan. All I can do is go ahead with my parents wishes and make sure that Prince Castien understands that the faster he complies, the sooner he goes home." 

"Yeah, I bet he just loves the idea of hanging out with you all day long, doesn't he?" Bay teases and I scoff. 

"He was equally thrilled as I was, I assure you. In the meantime, we should start looking for Nara's replacement at the ball tonight." 

They giggle, and I roll my eyes.

I had asked for a circle of archers- sharp, deadly, cold. 

Instead I was surrounded by women who were excited to dress up and celebrate another evening alive by drinking wine and dancing. 

"I'll see you downstairs in an hour" I finished as they stood up, curtsying and they softly closed the doors behind me as I was left to my own devices. 

I rubbed my temples, frustrated that my parents hadn't told me anything about Prince Castien' longer visit. 

I wished that they had consulted me, but they probably knew I would've said no. 

I look at the dress hanging on my door, and smirk. 

The first night Prince Castien had arrived, he had looked at an unassuming flower, dressed in swaying pinks and a lovely face framed with beautiful brown hair.

But he hadn't been expecting a deadly swordswoman underneath. 

I ran my fingers over the emerald green and gold colors, before letting my own dress fall in a puddle on the floor.

 Castien

"Why wouldn't you tell me if I'm staying in Elfhame?!" I yelled at Father and his sharp eyes locked to mine.

 "The way you have acted on this royal state visit is absolutely unacceptable, Castien. If you had done this back in Dorenhid, I would've already killed you, and Aurae would've become the Crown Princess. You should be ashamed of yourself, Castien, because me, our court, and your mother are most definitely disgraced." 

"We had to basically beg the Greenbriars for forgiveness" Mother says coldly from where she stands next to Father and he slams a hand down on the table. 

"We do not beg from allies, especially for forgiveness because a stubborn crown prince can't figure out that he is ruining a rickety alliance" he says coldly, and Mother shakes her head.