The Princess Knight by: Tauriel Rogers

Chapter 29

"Why did you use the whisky on my wound?" the princess asked once her and Captain Riley were seated in the garden again.

"The ingredients in the liquor stings because it's burning your skin. It only hurts for a moment or two because it does not take long for it to work it's magic. Once your skin has been burned by he whisky, it closes up the wound so it won't get infected and it also stops any other bleeding. This way, your wound will simply scab over and heal underneath until the scab comes off," he explained.

"And where did you learn such tricks?" Alice asked curiously.

"My father taught me how to treat all kinds of injuries; he was a healer," Derek informed her.

"He is a good smart man."

"Aye...he was," Derek said sadly. Alice realized she had hit a soft spot and felt bad.

"I am so sorry Derek, I had no idea," she apologized as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Derek glanced to her hand and then to the princess. The Captain put a hand over the princess's and smiled sadly.

"I miss him so much Alice, he always had a plan and seemed to know exactly what to do," Derek remembered as a tear threatened to run down his cheek. Alice hated seeing him like this, she hated to see any man like this truthfully and couldn't stop herself from doing what she was about to. Princess Alice used her free hand to cup the side of the Captain's face, tilt it towards her, and she leaned in to kiss his cheek. Derek looked at her surprised, but didn't make an effort to move away from her grasp. Alice gave a careful smile, hopping her action wasn't a mistake. Derek put his hand over hers and gently peeled it away from his face. "Why did you do that?" he asked, now holding her hand.

"You were upset and almost in tears and I didn't want to see you cry," she explained herself.

"Why do you care so much about me?" Derek asked.

"I-I," Alice stammered, lost for words, "I think I might li-"

"Princess Alice! You must hurry back to the castle before your mother sees you out here in this, this...this situation!" Maid Lydia cut Alice off, panting as she rushed over. Alice's hand fell from the Captain's shoulder as she stood.

"I'll be right there." Maid Lydia nodded and went to wait for the princess by the doors leading back into the castle. As Alice stepped away, she felt Derek's hand tug on her own, keeping her from going anwhere else,

"Alice," she whipped her head around to look back at the Captain, "When will I see you again?"

"I don't know," she answered with disappointment in her voice, "but I do know it will be sometime soon," she reassured him.

"What is it mother?" the princess asked annoyed.

"The seamstresses have finished your dress for tomorrow," Queen Rosalind told her. Alice gulped, knowing what chaos tomorrow would bring.

"Is it pretty?" she asked half heartedly.

"Why of course it is or else you would not be wearing it!" the Queen answered. "Cheer up darling, this will all be over soon," her mother tried when she saw Alice's sullen face.

"No it won't mother! I will still have to marry that menacing Prince, I will still be trapped I in a place that I do not feel comfortable in, I will still have to deal with Royals who think they are above everyone else, and I will still be unhappy," Alice burst out. The Queen sighed.

"If there was another way, believe me Alice, I would have found it already."

"Really mother? Because it seems to me like you enjoy seeing me struggle and making me feel bad every chance you get," Alice said.