Lioness

Chapter 2- A Lion in Red

"How about we go into town today?" Prince Leonardo suggested. 

I nearly broke my neck whipping around. "What?"

"I said-"

"I know what you said, I was just shocked! I would love to go to town!" I exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of my feet. 

Leonardo grit his teeth. "You shouldn't interrupt me."

I ignored him and skipped towards the stables. "Prepare a carriage, stable boy!"

A blushing young man started hooking a team of black horses to a smaller brown carriage. He hitched up four of them, more than necessary, but the more horses one has, the more of a statement it makes. Leonardo climbed in, and the boy's face was beet red as he held my hand to help me into the carriage. He had clearly never interacted with a princess before. Poor soul.

Leonardo fiddled with his thumbs the whole ride, but I was peering out the window at the streets until we reached the square. The carriage stopped and the driver let us out, promising to return in an hour for us at the same location. 

My betrothed and I walked through Paris's streets. Streets chock-full of peasants dropped to their knees as soon as they saw my tiara and Leonardo's crown. My prince soaked it in, puffing out his chest. It was awkward for me, though. I had never been outside the palace. Sure, people bowed and curtsied to me all the time, but never like this. 

Marie was somewhat right. The people touched the hems of my skirts as I walked past, but it wasn't pulling, really. Many people begged for bread, and I gave them what gold coins I had with me, but there were so many of them. 

Our excursion was going well for a while. We stopped at small shops and purchased things. I was fascinated by all I saw. Sure, it smelled wretched and some people did drop their chamber pots out the windows, but I never got any on me. To me, it was glorious. 

Then it all went wrong.

We entered a square where a man with golden curls and a blood-red jacket spoke to a crowd, very angrily. 

"They have oppressed us for too long! We fought the French Revolution, but did it make a difference? No! King Louis-Philippe took over anyway. Well, we will not be his slaves anymore! We will take back what is ours!" He shouted. 

The large crowd around him cheered their encouragements. I caught words or phrases like "tyranny", "stuck up nobles", "injustice", and "down with the crown". 

"Come, Evony," whispered Leonardo, "These are the rebels our father mentioned. We need to get out of here before they recognize-"

"HEY!" A man with dark hair screamed. "LOOK OVER THERE!"

The mob turned towards Leonardo and I, their eyes immediately filling with pure and undeniable hatred. They were eyes that wanted to see my throat slit, and they wanted to be the ones to do it. It was unnerving that they hated me so much, just because of my father. 

"It's Princess Evony!" hollered another man. 

"And Prince Leonardo of Italy!" A woman shouted. 

"GET THEM!"

The group surged forward and Leonardo immediately drew a pistol to hold it threateningly. But he was not the only one with a firearm. Roughly five others drew pistols and pointed them at us. 

Leonardo knew he was outmatched. "Whoa, see here. I am from Italy. You want to destroy the king of France. You can have his daughter, Evony, here if I get to go free, deal?"

My eyes widened. "Leonardo? Seriously?"

"Kill 'em both!" Someone raged. 

Leonardo turned on his heel and ran, shots firing after him. I tried to run, too, but someone got one of his hands on my arm with the other around my neck and dragged me back. I fought with all my might, thrashing and kicking, but he pressed a pistol to my forehead and I went still.