The Rover Princess

by D. E. Kilgore

  “Let me paint you the heroic picture of Rafael, whisking you away to the Stronghold. After of course, hefting your limp body from the mud puddle you tried to drown yourself in.”

  I groaned, falling backwards onto the bed and turned my head toward Selene as she dramatically hopped from the bed and reenacted the scene, sounds and all. Apparently, Bambi had offered to marry the prince if I was dead. The fact that she said it in front of the Queen without knowing, then threw an attitude her way was icing on the cake. I was giggling like a fool as Selene tried to reenact the queen’s face when Bambi declared her ‘noble intentions’, but she couldn’t stop laughing. Instead, she sat back down on the bed.

  “The queen took one look at Bambi and assigned her to the metal working shop as extra help.”

  I groaned putting my hands over my face. “Greatttt,” I said, lengthening the word. “She’s around gold and fancy, expensive gems now.”

  Selene grabbed my hands and pulled them down. “No Maribella... she’s in a blacksmith shop. She is doing manual labor...sweeping, hauling water, cleaning. An honest to the gods Blacksmith shop.”

  A barking laugh escaped my mouth, and Selene tried to hide her smile.

  “It’s not that funny.”

  I looked at her and tried to make a straight face. “So horrible. The poor little dear.”

  Selene snorted. “Apparently.” She paused for dramatic effect looking over her shoulder at the door as if she were worried someone would overhear her.

  Leaning in close, she mock whispered, “The Dragon that owns the shop, he has a son who is around her age. Word around the castle is she threw a temper tantrum. So, the son grabbed a bucket of ice-cold water and dumped it over her head. To cool down her temper, he declared.”

  Howling in laughter and clutching at my stomach, I couldn’t believe all that had happened in the past few hours since arriving at the Stronghold. I was also starting to remember how easily gossip traveled within castles, which I assumed was our location, but I really didn’t know enough about Dragon culture to be one hundred percent sure. I sobered at my thought.

  Selene caught onto my mood change and reached out, gripping my hand. “Talk to me, Maribella.”

  I shook my head. “I need to speak to Rafael. This is just too much to process. I don’t even know if what we had over the last three years was real or not.”

  Selene sighed, lips quirking up gently to one side. “From what I have seen, in the short time being here, he cares for you. He cares for you deeply, Maribella. You should talk to him—just keep a level head when you do.”

  She looked at me, eyebrow cocked, and I chuckled. Even after all these years she remembered I wasn’t one to beat around the bush when it came to showing my emotions.

  “Did you have time to speak earlier after you awoke, and I left?” Selene asked gently.

  I rolled my eyes. “No, not really. He distracted me with...with”—I motioned at my body—“all of his sexiness.” A blush crept across my cheeks, and I looked away. “Then he kissed me.”

  Selene’s barking laugh made my eyes go wide, and I turned back toward her, her hands covering her mouth. “Sorry... sorry...” She was breathless from holding back the rest of her laugh. “Well?”

  She looked at me expectantly and I just stared at her. “Well, what?”

  “How was it?”

  It was her smirk that had me reaching out, pushing her gently. “It was...” I scrunched up my nose trying to hide my smirk, and Selene snorted. “I’m still angry at him, Selene!” I exclaimed.

  Selene sobered up at my outburst. “Yes, yes of course. As you should be. Healthy relationships are born out of truths and trust, not lies and betrayals. You two need to speak to each other openly.”

  Nodding, my anger in what had transpired in the last week rolled over me. “I do feel betrayed. You’re right, Selene. I won’t let him distract me this time and we will speak openly.”

  Jumping up quickly, it caught Selene off guard, and she reached out to stop me. “Maribella! You shouldn’t be on your ankle.”

  Ignoring her, I ripped open the heavy doors leading to a corridor and yelled for Rafael. Hobbling into the corridor yelling Rafael’s name once more, I sucked in an angry breath, ready to yell for Rafael a third time, when the door across from me flew open.

  Rafael stepped out and grabbed me by the shoulders, swinging me around to face him. “Maribella! Are you okay? What’s happening?” He looked around, behind me and behind himself, apparently searching for the unknown assailant making me yell for him.

  “You!” I growled and poked him hard in the chest.

  Rafael looked down at my hand then up at my face. Whatever Rafael saw had him take a step back. “Me?”

  “Yes. You, Rafael. We need to talk about all this.” I motioned wildly at the both of us and felt rather than saw the individuals in the hall stop, staring at the scene I was making, but I didn’t care. Rafael’s eyebrows knitted together and his jaw tightened. Good. He just realized I wasn’t going to play whatever game this was.

  “If you are about to make a scene, Maribella. May I suggest a more private place?”

  “Why? So, you can attempt to distract me again with your body?”

  My voice hit a high pitch I didn’t even know was possible, and Rafael growled, quickly grabbing me. Shock froze my body as he swung me up into his arms and stalked back into the room he’d emerged from. Back kicking the door, it slammed violently, cracking the frame from the force. My face burned from anger and shock at what he had just done.

  “You...I... you asshole!”

  He scowled, tossing me gently onto the bed and backed up a few feet. “Come on, Maribella. Tell me how you really feel so I can get on with distracting you with my body again, as you so eloquently put it.”

  I screamed in frustration, more so to the fact that deep down I somewhat liked how Rafael so effortlessly tossed me onto the bed. Grabbing a pillow from behind me, I threw it as hard as I could in Rafael’s direction. My head felt like it was about to rupture when he caught it, casually throwing it back onto the bed.

  “Use your words, Maribella.”

  Oh, he did not just say that. His lip twitched upwards, and I snapped. Rafael had his work cut out for him as I threw every single pillow from the bed in his direction whilst using every explicit word I knew in my vocabulary. In the end I was panting, and Rafael was grinning like a maniac, having successfully evaded all the pillows I’d thrown at him. Unexpectedly, all my anger simply vanished, leaving behind doubt blossoming throughout my chest. Rafael watched my face fall, and he dropped the pillow he had caught, and rushed over to my side. Pulling me into his chest and lap, he engulfed me within his strong arms.

  “Why didn’t you tell me who you were?” I mumbled into his chest. Rafael sighed, leaning down, and put his chin on the top of my head. His arms tightened around me as if I would disappear from his grasp at any minute.

  “I wanted to. Believe me I did but...” He trailed off and I wiggled a little, trying to look up, but he had me locked down in his arms.

  “I’m so stupid sometimes. When it comes to you, I lose all sense,” he murmured. “I understand if it takes you time to trust me again. Believe me, I never meant for this to happen.”

  I put a little extra effort in my wiggle and Rafael loosened his grip, allowing me to look up. His face was serious as he looked down at me, slowly intertwining his fingers with mine, bringing my hand up to his lips. My breath caught as he kissed my fingertips. “I never did ask you to marry me, did I?”

  I shook my head, unable to breathe as my whole body started to tingle. The feelings of doubt and anger were replaced with longing and desire. A rumble emanated from Rafael’s chest as he nipped at my fingertips. A different type of flush rose to my cheeks and he leaned down, kissing the inside of my wrist.

  “If I had come clean about who I was, what would you have done?”

  My brain refused to work. “I...Rafael...?” His name came out as a moan as he s
lowly kissed his way down my arm. I jerked away as he hit a particularly ticklish spot and Rafael raised his head, concerned.

  “Was that a...”

  Tilting my face, I planted a kiss on his lips, stopping him mid-sentence.

  Rafael hesitated for a brief second before taking control of the kiss, and I let out a moan as he threaded his hand through my hair. Then I promptly smashed my face against his lips as loud knocking interrupted the current moment.

  “Oh no.” I reached up as Rafael chuckled, holding his mouth, blood dripping down his hand.

  “It is like she knows.” His words came out muffled and I just looked at him confused until a voice rang out from behind the closed door.

  “I know you two are in there! The seamster is out here in the hall and is all but ready to tear his hair out from worry. Not to mention the frazzled guards who need to know if you are currently murdering each other and if they need to step in.” The queen’s voice rang out strong and clear, followed by another muffled voice.

  I couldn’t quite make out what they said but I heard the word fittings. I turned back to Rafael in horror as he wiped the blood from his hand onto his shirt. Blood was smeared all over his face, but it looked like his lip had stopped bleeding. He smiled, bloody teeth and all, making me involuntarily groan.

  “What?” I shook my head and slid off the bed. Rafael grabbed my hand and pulled me back, leaning in to whisper. “Just ...tell me if you can’t do this. I will understand. I promise.”

  Rafael helped me walk, while I processed his words and he swung the door open. The queen was frowning, and a small, frantic-looking man with bits of cloth and measuring devices hanging off him stood beside her. Two young women stood behind the man with pained looks on their faces. The queen took in Rafael’s face and swelling lip, then looked at me and to the pillows strewn about the room.

  She sighed, shaking her head and pointed at Rafael. “I don’t want to know.” She pointed at me. “You need to be fitted for your dress. So both of you knock off these shenanigans, you will have plenty of time to play later.”

  I fought the urge to hide behind Rafael when she locked her light blue eyes with mine.

  “The kingdom is going to have its hands full with the two of you. This will be an interesting time,” the queen murmured and pointed back to the room I had awoken in earlier. “Maribella, follow the seamster and his assistants back to your room.”

  I nodded and murmured, “Yes, My Queen.”

  She shook her head, face softening. “Rafael, your father needs to talk to you. He is in the study.”

  Rafael nodded. “I’ll be there in a minute, Mother.”

  Crisis seemingly averted, the queen turned away, swiftly making her way down the corridor. As she rounded the corner, I briefly heard her laugh and murmur something. I was still staring in the direction the queen had gone when Rafael softly caressed my back and whispered in my ear, “I’m looking forward to playing later.”

  My laugh rang out startling the short man, still standing in front of us. He cleared his throat and motioned to the room across the hall. “Princess, if you may?”

  Looking back to Rafael, I stuck my tongue out as he mock bowed. Slapping him on the shoulder playfully, I hobbled after the seamster and the two women entering my room. Turning back, Rafael stood there watching me. “Rafael ...”

  He cocked his head waiting.

  “Yes. I’m saying yes.”

  He graced me with a smile, melting me right down to the bones before one of the seamster’s assistants shut the door.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Two hours had passed, and I shut my eyes out of pure aggravation, nostrils flaring. The seamster and his assistants had poked and prodded at me for the first hour, getting my exact measurements, before making me try on every single wedding dress ever made in this realm. That might have been an exaggeration, but I was tired and beyond hungry. My brain had ceased believing it was still the same day I had fainted and almost drowned in a mud puddle.

  The sky turned from dusk to pure darkness before one of the assistants shut the curtains. They murmured something in a language I didn’t know before shaking their heads and picking out another dress. A knock came out of nowhere, and I rejoiced at the timing.

  “Oh, thank the gods, please come in!” I yelled, hopeful it was food or maybe Rafael coming to save me.

  Over the last hour, I’d mentally tried to send a ‘come and save me’ signal to my betrothed. I knew I didn’t have the magic to do such a spell, even if one existed, but it was worth a try, in my opinion. Especially with how bored and hungry I was. Selene had all but given up trying to entertain me after the first hour. At the moment, she was helping the assistants find dresses, which meant I wasn’t speaking to her due to the obvious betrayal in friendship happening. We all looked up as a child stepped into my room and chirped out Selene’s name. One of the seamster’s assistants violently grabbed my waist, turning me back to face the mirror. She glared at me, and I rolled my eyes in response. Selene let out a loud ,strangled noise, startling the seamster who ripped the dress I was wearing.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” I threw my hand out in the direction of the squealing seamster as I turned, leaping off the portable dais and almost face planted as my ankle once more twisted under my unexpected weight. That would be hurting later. Selene gaped at me and shook her head, holding out a letter, and I snagged it from her.

  “Holy gods!” I squealed grabbing Selene’s hands. “This is really good, right?”

  “Yes! Yes... but I ... I don’t want to leave you here alone.”

  I gave her a look of mock distain. “Selene, if you don’t get your ass out of here right now and report to the healer’s bay, I’m kicking you out of the Stronghold.”

  She chuckled, giving me a quick hug.

  “Go. Fly...escape while you can,” I whispered, before pushing her towards the door.

  She looked back giving me a genuine smile before closing the door behind herself and the messenger. Curling up my lip in actual distain, I turned back around to see the seamster glaring at me, arms crossed and tapping his foot. One of his assistants was holding up another dress for me to try on. I sighed and hobbled back to the dais. It wasn’t long after Selene leaving before I finally lost my temper, kicking the seamster and his assistants out. They stopped pounding on the door a few minutes later, presumably to go complain to the Queen. I growled, glaring up at the ceiling whilst lying on the mountain of fabrics that made up all the wedding dresses in the entire universe. The dress I was currently stuck in was itchy, involved a thousand plus buttons and I couldn’t get the damned thing off no matter how hard I tried. My thoughts scattered with the brisk knock echoing throughout the room, followed by the door opening.

  “Please be an assassin... Please be an assassin,” I murmured.

  “No such luck,” the queen said.

  “Damn it.”

  A light chuckle rang out, and the soft gliding of a heavy gown crossing the floor reached my ears. I struggled, trying to get up, but only succeeded in burying myself deeper into the realm of fabrics. The queen’s head popped into view. Her lips pursed, and one perfectly manicured eyebrow rose as she looked down at me. My stomach growled, breaking the silence, and the laugh she was holding back erupted. It was infectious, and I couldn’t help but to laugh myself. She held out her hand helping me up, which I was grateful for.

  “Here,” the queen handed me a silken light blue robe and made the signal for me to turn around. I sighed in relief as she started attacking the buttons on the back of the dress.

  “Your skin is red and raised in these sections,” she murmured, cold hands touching the areas that the itchy fabric had been on my bare skin, and I flinched. “Step out of the dress and put the robe on. I’ll call for some food.”

  The queen glided to the door, presumably to call for food, and I gladly shrugged off the dress. I sighed in relief the second the cool silk of the robe hit my skin. A moment later there was a knock
on the door, and the aroma of food hit my nose. The queen turned back toward me, a servant sweeping in beside her, serving platter in hand. The two seemingly floated over to a small table with two chairs which conveniently looked out the window. Putting down the platter, the servant vanished as the queen pulled back the curtains. What was the etiquette when sitting with the queen who ruled over an entire Stronghold of Dragons? She turned, presenting a gentle smile, as if reading my mind, and tilted her head to one of the empty chairs. I sat, waiting patiently until my stomach betrayed me with a loud rumble. The queen reached over and took the lid off the serving plate. “Eat, Princess, before you start drooling all over the place.”

  I barely registered her words, and I picked up a spoonful of diced meat and grilled vegetables, stuffing the first bite into my mouth. Flavors exploded across my tongue, and I scarfed down half the plate before realizing I should present better manners with my current company. Glancing up, I found the queen still watching me, lips quirking up at the side lightly. I swallowed what I had left in my mouth and grabbed the napkin, dabbing at the corners of my lips. The energy surrounding the Dragon Queen abruptly changed and she smiled at me, baring full teeth. I froze mid wipe. It felt like a large predator was staring me down. On second thought, it didn’t feel that way—it was that way. The queen was a Dragon. She was technically a big predator. I didn’t dare even a breath as seconds ticked by, waiting for the Dragon woman in front of me to decide whether I was about to be her dinner or a pet.

  “I think that you will fit in quite fine here, Princess.” The queen patted my hand, energy returning to normal, and I tried to relearn how to breathe.

  Unsure as to whether I passed the test that had just taken place, I gaped at her as she drifted over to the bed. My heart rate slowly returned to normal as she started picking through the mound of wedding gowns. Covering my mouth to hide my grin, the queen’s lip curled up in distain at a particularly hideous, poofy monstrosity of a dress. It was one I had tried on while Selene was in the room. We both had a laughing fit seeing me in it. The seamster had not been impressed. The queen’s eyes unexpectedly lit up and she reached elbow deep into the pile of dresses. What she pulled out had me perched precariously on my chair, straining to see it fully. She moved the rest of the dress pile to the side, carefully laying her prize flat on the bed.