The Broken Princess

25

Turning to see who she was so delighted to see, I was unfortunately graced with my dear wife's cold demeanor. Her skin glowed under the golden of the sun, gorgeous and inviting, the stark opposite of her personality. Dark pink gown glinting, she navigated all the bumps and dips of the cobblestone gracefully and held her head high, looking straight ahead as she moved towards me.

My best friend and chief of the military trailed behind her, shooting me an amused smirk and a helpless shrug. I sighed with resignation, rubbing my forehead with the palm of my hand.

I assigned my most trusted and highly trained guard to her and he couldn't even keep her in the castle. Adelaide came to a stop in front of me and ignored my expectant gaze as I waited for her to explain. Instead she went straight to Zelda behind me and glanced softly at Erin. Her smile was so quick and small I would've missed it if I hadn't been paying attention so closely. Erin took it as an invitation and zoomed towards Adelaide, wrapping his small skinny arms tightly around her legs.

Adelaide yelped and an "oof" left her in a rush as she teetered back, losing her footing. My heart leaped in my chest at the sight and I stepped behind her before she could fall, stabilizing her. This was the second time I'd had to save her from falling.

A tiniest laugh escaped the ice princess before she concealed it with a cough and rubbed the boy's head, "Hi there," she cooed softly. She melted into me for a split second and then stepped forward out of my embrace with Erin still attached to her legs.

Zelda, seemingly horrified, pulled the stubborn boy off and apologized profusely before glancing at me and then the handwoven bag in my hand. I gave her a short nod reassuring her that I would give Adelaide her gift and she went on her way with her grandson.

Adelaide waved back to Erin's little waves until they were out of sight, the bright expression on her face shuttering down into ice again when she turned to me.

The long sleeves of her gown sparkled little spots of light as the princess crossed her arms and tilted her head back, focusing on me for the first time since she marched herself down here.

Narrowing my eyes, slightly, I asked, "Who told you where I was and what made you think you could join me?" I kept my voice cold but soft, Zelda's words burned into my memory.

She pursed her lips and looked towards Bastian for a moment. Almost for guidance. When did they have the time to get so cozy? I would have to talk to Bastian about keeping his mouth shut and doing his job. Which was not to make friends with the ice princess.

Clenching my fists, I glanced back at Bastian just in time to catch a glimpse of his toothy smile and encouraging nod. What the..? Since when was he so...boyish. He was definitely not doing his job.

Adelaide cleared her throat, her uncertain expression morphing into confidence, "Bash told me where you were, and since this is my territory, I didn't think I needed permission to join my husband in his exploration. I'm surprised you didn't bring me along, I would have been ideal if you were taking a tour."

Bash. She had a nickname for him. Her guard, a man she shouldn't have even looked towards in the first place let alone give him a nickname.

"Are you okay?"

I relaxed my clenched jaw and took a strained breath, trying to remember what the hell my question had been.

"I'm. Fine." I managed, my words clipped. I closed my eyes briefly, processing her response. "So you came down here to give me a tour? Or did you need something?" Her poor attempt to subtly get an answer to why I was exploring 'her territory' alone was just that. Poor.

Her eyes flashed with irritation, noting the way I turned the interrogation back on her and not with admirance. She took a slow breath, "I did. I want to speak to you about the treaty."

I cocked my head at her, looking beyond her indifferent mask. Paying attention to the way her index finger twitched against the skirt of her dress, the way the delicate skin of her neck jumped against the quick pace of her pulse, and how her nostrils flared just the slightest bit.

I kept my expression still as stone, "What about the treaty, princess?" Restraining the menacing power that wanted to burst from my skin at the question. I had forgotten to keep a hold of it at the engagement and terrified multiple poor Maldonians with it's intensity.

She let me see the vulnerability she was feeling when she said, "Everything."