Page 22
Story: His Forbidden Princess
When I take up my post outside her door, the other guard nods in greeting.
"Quiet night," he observes.
"So far." I position myself so I can see down both ends of the corridor. "The princess retire early?"
"Just after dinner. Seemed tired from all the festivities."
I nod, careful to keep my expression neutral despite the anticipation coursing through my veins. "You should check the eastern corridor. Thought I heard something on my way here."
He frowns. "Probably just servants."
"Probably." I shrug. "But with foreign dignitaries in residence, better to be thorough."
This appeal to his sense of duty works as I knew it would. He nods and moves down the corridor, leaving me momentarily alone outside her door.
I don't knock—too risky with servants possibly within earshot. Instead, I use the signal we developed years ago for security concerns—three soft taps, a pause, then two more. After a moment, the door opens just enough for me to slip inside.
Lirien stands in a simple nightgown, her hair loose around her shoulders, face free of the cosmetics she wore for court. She looks younger, more vulnerable, and infinitely more beautiful than the poised princess who walked the gardens today.
"Dain?" Her voice is hushed, concerned. "What's wrong?"
I close the distance between us, taking her hands in mine. "We need to talk."
She searches my face, sensing the gravity of the moment. "Tell me."
"I'm taking you away from here." The words fall between us like stones. "Tonight."
Her eyes widen. "What? That's—that's impossible."
"It's already arranged. Horses, supplies, a route that will take us beyond the kingdom's borders before they realize you're gone." I squeeze her fingers gently. "But we need to leave now, while the palace is settled for the night."
She pulls her hands from mine, turning away to pace the room. "You can't be serious. Leave the palace? Leave the kingdom? Dain, that's?—"
"The only way." I remain where I am, giving her space to process. "Unless you prefer to marry Prince Aldric."
"Of course I don't want to marry him!" She keeps her voice low despite her agitation. "But I have responsibilities, duties?—"
"To whom?" I challenge. "To a father who trades you for political advantage? To subjects who've never met you? To traditions that treat you as property to be bartered?"
She flinches at the harshness of my words, but doesn't deny them. "What about your duties? Your oath to the crown?"
"My oath means nothing if it forces me to deliver you into a life you don't want." I step closer, not touching her but near enough that she has to look up to meet my eyes. "I have been loyal to the crown for fifteen years. Now I choose to be loyal to you."
Conflict plays across her face—the duty she's been raised to honor warring with the freedom she desperately wants. "Where would we go?"
The question sends hope surging through me. She's considering it.
"South, across the border to Valenia. I have contacts there, people who owe me favors. We can disappear, build new lives." I reach for her hand again, relieved when she doesn't pull away. "You wouldn't be a princess. We would have to work, to struggle like ordinary people. But we would be together."
"And if we're caught?" Her voice trembles slightly. "They would execute you for abducting the crown princess. You know that."
"Then I die having tried to give you the life you deserve, rather than standing guard at a marriage that will destroy you." I bring her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to her palm. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."
She stares at me for a long moment, something shifting in her expression. "You would really do this? Abandon everything you've built, risk your life, just to free me from this betrothal?"
"I would do far worse to keep you from a man you don't love." The truth of it burns in my chest. "Say yes, Lirien. Come with me."
She closes her eyes, and for one terrible moment I think she'll refuse. Then she opens them, determination replacing doubt. "What do I need to bring?"
"Quiet night," he observes.
"So far." I position myself so I can see down both ends of the corridor. "The princess retire early?"
"Just after dinner. Seemed tired from all the festivities."
I nod, careful to keep my expression neutral despite the anticipation coursing through my veins. "You should check the eastern corridor. Thought I heard something on my way here."
He frowns. "Probably just servants."
"Probably." I shrug. "But with foreign dignitaries in residence, better to be thorough."
This appeal to his sense of duty works as I knew it would. He nods and moves down the corridor, leaving me momentarily alone outside her door.
I don't knock—too risky with servants possibly within earshot. Instead, I use the signal we developed years ago for security concerns—three soft taps, a pause, then two more. After a moment, the door opens just enough for me to slip inside.
Lirien stands in a simple nightgown, her hair loose around her shoulders, face free of the cosmetics she wore for court. She looks younger, more vulnerable, and infinitely more beautiful than the poised princess who walked the gardens today.
"Dain?" Her voice is hushed, concerned. "What's wrong?"
I close the distance between us, taking her hands in mine. "We need to talk."
She searches my face, sensing the gravity of the moment. "Tell me."
"I'm taking you away from here." The words fall between us like stones. "Tonight."
Her eyes widen. "What? That's—that's impossible."
"It's already arranged. Horses, supplies, a route that will take us beyond the kingdom's borders before they realize you're gone." I squeeze her fingers gently. "But we need to leave now, while the palace is settled for the night."
She pulls her hands from mine, turning away to pace the room. "You can't be serious. Leave the palace? Leave the kingdom? Dain, that's?—"
"The only way." I remain where I am, giving her space to process. "Unless you prefer to marry Prince Aldric."
"Of course I don't want to marry him!" She keeps her voice low despite her agitation. "But I have responsibilities, duties?—"
"To whom?" I challenge. "To a father who trades you for political advantage? To subjects who've never met you? To traditions that treat you as property to be bartered?"
She flinches at the harshness of my words, but doesn't deny them. "What about your duties? Your oath to the crown?"
"My oath means nothing if it forces me to deliver you into a life you don't want." I step closer, not touching her but near enough that she has to look up to meet my eyes. "I have been loyal to the crown for fifteen years. Now I choose to be loyal to you."
Conflict plays across her face—the duty she's been raised to honor warring with the freedom she desperately wants. "Where would we go?"
The question sends hope surging through me. She's considering it.
"South, across the border to Valenia. I have contacts there, people who owe me favors. We can disappear, build new lives." I reach for her hand again, relieved when she doesn't pull away. "You wouldn't be a princess. We would have to work, to struggle like ordinary people. But we would be together."
"And if we're caught?" Her voice trembles slightly. "They would execute you for abducting the crown princess. You know that."
"Then I die having tried to give you the life you deserve, rather than standing guard at a marriage that will destroy you." I bring her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to her palm. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."
She stares at me for a long moment, something shifting in her expression. "You would really do this? Abandon everything you've built, risk your life, just to free me from this betrothal?"
"I would do far worse to keep you from a man you don't love." The truth of it burns in my chest. "Say yes, Lirien. Come with me."
She closes her eyes, and for one terrible moment I think she'll refuse. Then she opens them, determination replacing doubt. "What do I need to bring?"