I happened upon Giselle as I crossed the length of the deck. She was standing at the railing, looking out at the blue waves. The wind was particularly strong that afternoon, whipping through her hair to send her delicate locks sweeping behind her. She wasn’t leaning heavily against the railing, on which her crutches were resting against. There was a faint smile across her lips as she looked out at the vast stretch of sea before her, white foaming waves fizzling up against the Obsidian Vow’s hull.
“Good afternoon, Princess,” I said as I approached, using her official title in case anyone happened to be walking by and overheard. I wanted to call her by name, but that would have made things way too obvious.
Giselle smiled at me, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she did. “Doctor Pratchett,” she replied. “Good afternoon.” There was a mischievous glint in her eye, a knowing look that made my heart skip twice in quick succession. “Fine weather we’re having.”
I joined her at the railing, folding my hands behind my back. I looked to the sun setting beyond the horizon, an orange half-circle hidden behind large fluffy clouds. The first stars of the evening were beginning to break through the night sky, winking at us like they knew our secret.
“Indeed,” I answered. “Fine weather. The captain expects us to arrive a day or so earlier thanks to favorable winds.”
Giselle’s jaw stiffened a bit. “I see.”
She didn’t have to say anything for me to know what she was thinking. The second we reached port, things were going to end before they could really even begin. There was probably an entire team of palace escorts at the harbor awaiting the arrival of King Maximillian and Princess Giselle. She’d be whisked away before we even had a chance to say goodbye. I tried not to dwell on it. I had no say in the matter, after all. Everything was out of my control, so I could only really focus on the now.
“How is your ankle feeling today? Any better?”
She nodded. “Much better, thank you.”
“Good,” I mumbled. “That’s very good.”
“May I ask you a question, Doctor Pratchett?”
“Anything, Princess.”
“What do you plan to do after your service is over?”
I shrugged. “To be perfectly honest, I haven’t thought about it too much. I’ll probably go somewhere that needs doctors. Maybe join the relief effort to help the Welesian front. I’m sure there’s going to be a large demand for medical staff now that the Pramorian Empire’s wreaking havoc.”
Giselle wrung her hands together anxiously. “That sounds incredibly dangerous.”
I managed a grin. “Are you worried about me, Princess?”
Her cheeks flushed a light pink. “Of course, I’m worried. I would worry for any one of my subjects putting themselves in harm’s way. It’s an incredibly honorable thing to do.”
“Thank you, Princess. It’s very kind of you to spare the thought.”
She leaned in and whispered in my ear. “Are you free right now? My guards are checking up on Father.”
I nodded, my reports that I had to deliver for the captain completely forgotten.
We snuck back to her room and locked the door behind us. We were a fit of giggles the second it closed. I had my fingers tangled in her hair while we kissed feverishly, lips searing against one another. Giselle had me pinned to the back of the door, busily rushing to undo the buttons of my shirt. The doorknob was unfortunately digging into my back, so I had to break away from her lips for a second to readjust.
“Sorry,” I chuckled.
She grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled me back so our lips could crash together. We stumbled backward, collapsing together onto her bed. I adored the way she smiled into every kiss. I wanted to memorize the sounds of her languid moans and hurried breathing. Giselle expertly undid the front of my shirt and helped me tear off my blazer, nimble hands quickly moving to work on the front of my pants.
“Someone’s in a hurry today,” I teased.
“Are you complaining?” she quipped as she undid my zipper.
“No, no complaining.”
“Good. Now, take this off and we’ll–”
We were interrupted by three sharp knocks at her door. Giselle and I stopped what we were doing and sat up immediately. My heart thumped loudly in my ear, blood coursing through my veins so hard I could feel my pulse in the back of my eyes.
“Princess?” called Nathanial from out in the hall. “Are you in there?”
Giselle turned to me, wide-eyed and startled. I looked about the space, knowing full well that if Nathanial were to come in, he’d see the state of our undress. It wasn’t going to be difficult to guess what we’d been up to considering how swollen Giselle’s lips were and how flushed her skin had become. I stood up in a panic, pulling on my shirt and snatching up my blazer, looking about helplessly for somewhere to hide. There was a little bit of space beneath her bed, but I was far too bulky and large to fit under it effectively. There was no room in her little closet space either, as it was full of storage bins and sectioned off with rows of shelves.
Giselle snapped her fingers at me to get my attention, likely too afraid to speak and give away my presence. She pointed a long finger at the little bathroom stall in the corner of the room. I understood her silent gesture and immediately hid inside, pulling the door closed. I couldn’t see anything in the dark. The only light I had inside the small stall was what seeped in through the gap at the base of the door.
“Uh, come in,” said Giselle, her voice muffled.
I heard the sound of the door unlocking and swinging open, followed by a couple of footsteps.
“Is everything alright?” asked Nathanial. “You took forever to answer.”
“I was taking a nap,” she said without missing a beat. I liked how quickly she could think on her toes.
“My apologies for the disturbance, then.”
“It’s fine. Is there something you needed from me?”
Nathanial cleared his throat. “Your father has asked me to invite you to a private dinner this evening. Since our trip is about to wrap up, he thought it might be nice for you to join he and the ship’s captain.”
“That sounds lovely. I’ll be right over.”
“Shall I escort you to the captain’s quarters?”
“N-no, that’s fine. I was going to freshen up.”
“Should I wait out in the hall for you? It’s getting dark, and I would hate for you to lose your footing out on the deck.”
“I, um–”
“Are you feeling alright, Princess? You look rather flustered.”
“I’m perfect,” she lied. I could hear the shakiness in her voice. “I’ll be out in just a moment, Nathanial.”
“Very well, Princess.”
The next sounds I heard were a few steps against the hard floors, followed by the secure latching of the door. I didn’t dare poke my head out to check out of fear that Nathanial could still be there. I held my breath and only released it when Giselle opened the bathroom stall.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered hurriedly. “He won’t leave. Can you stay hidden until the coast is clear?”
“Alright,” I said, doing my best not to sound as bummed out as I felt. This was all so ridiculous. What if we’d been caught together? And now, I had to remain hidden until the coast was clear? This was really starting to become more and more complicated than I would have liked.
“Do you think you can come later tonight? After the guards have all left their post?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
She placed a quick peck on my cheek before locking me in again. I heard her shuffling about before leaving her room, the familiar click of her crutches fading off into the distance. She spoke candidly with Nathanial, and when I could no longer hear either of their voices, I figured it was safe to come out. I snuck out of her room in a hurry, anxiously adjusting my uniform as I stalked down the length of the hall. The coast seemed to be clear, but my heart wouldn’t stop racing. I wondere
d if I’d lost my mind by taking such a risk.
7
Giselle
I sat across from Father and Captain Stanley, hot food still steaming on the dish in front of me. Captain Stanley looked as aged as my father, though he still had a bit of bulk to his shoulders and chest. He had weary eyes, those of a man who’d seen too many battles, but didn’t know enough peace to be able to retire quietly. His life was at sea, the only place he’d ever felt truly at home. Captain Stanley had incredibly bushy brows and a full beard, but I couldn’t help but notice the long scar running along his jawline. His hands were tough and dry, thick knuckles sporting wiry hairs. His forearms were equally as hairy, likely his body’s reaction to fend off the cold of the unforgiving waters.
I ate in relative silence as Father and the captain conversed. I drifted in and out of paying attention to their words, too preoccupied with thoughts of Leo to really concentrate. I hoped he made it out of my room okay. What if he’d been discovered by someone as he exited? I prayed Nathanial hadn’t noticed anything out of place. He hadn’t said anything to indicate that he had, but my father’s private secretary was an intelligent man with a steel tongue. It was one of the reasons why Father trusted him so much. The problem with men like Nathanial was that they never showed their true intentions, preferring to remain silent and in the background, collecting information that they could later use to their advantage.
“What do you think, Princess?” asked Captain Stanley.
I looked up and blinked. “Pardon?”
“I asked what you thought of Doctor Pratchett’s treatment,” he repeated. “I heard he was attending to you personally.”
I swallowed at the dry patch in my throat. “He’s an excellent physician. You’re lucky to have him as a member of your crew.”
Captain Stanley stroked his beard and hummed. “I agree. I got lucky when he was assigned to me. Competent help is hard to find these days.”
Father glanced at me, but said nothing. It was sometimes difficult to tell what he was thinking because his face was so bland and stiff.
“Tell me, Princess,” said the captain with a mouthful of food, “what do you make of the Idolian response?”
I flushed. Even though I was trained in political thought, I rarely participated in political discussion. It wasn’t exactly my wheelhouse. But as future queen, I needed to take everything about my role into consideration. I adored the more charitable projects that I got to help organize and participate with, but international relations intimidated me greatly. It was for that exact reason that Father insisted I travel with him to meet various leaders. It wasn’t just to get my face out there, but also to get a sense of the waters.
“I think we’ve been more than fair,” I answered. “We’ve condemned the Empire for their actions against our allies.”
“And if they do not meet our demands?” asked Father. “What would you do then?”
I bit my lip. There were only two real options. Because the Empire was the one who transgressed the peace treaty with no defensible reason for war. Idolia naturally ordered them to expel their troops as soon as possible or risk being declared war on by Idolia and Weles in a joint effort. So, either we went to war and risked the lives of thousands of soldiers in the pursuit of justice and the protection of our friends, or we did nothing and risk international fallout.
“If we do nothing,” I said slowly, “we would risk setting up a dangerous precedent.”
Father cocked a brow. “And what would that be?”
“If the Empire doesn’t withdraw and Idolia fails to come to the aid of Weles, we would be demonstrating to the Empire that their actions are without consequence. Should they choose to invade other countries, they would do so knowing we would never come to their aid. They’d step all over us.”
Father nodded sagely. “But would you rather us go to war and risk military lives? Maybe even the innocent public?”
I clenched my jaw, uncertain as to how to respond. I didn’t like the idea of going to war, but what choice did we have?
Thoughts of Leo out in a warzone flooded into my head. He said himself that he hoped to go where doctors were needed. Leo was a good man, one who only wanted to do right by others. But I couldn’t bear the thought of him placing himself in danger. My heart stung at the thought of him getting caught in the crossfire. I didn’t like the idea of him getting injured or being in pain. What if he was killed? What if he was captured? It was true that there were laws in place that forbade torture of prisoners of war, but if the Pramorian Empire was so bold as to attack a country that they’d promised peace to, what was to stop them from going against international accords?
“Giselle?” whispered Father.
I snapped out of my trance. “Hm?”
Father sighed and placed the napkin that was draped over his lap onto the table. He turned to the captain and offered an apologetic smile. “It seems Princess Giselle is a bit tired.”
The captain stood and nodded. “Of course. I’ll leave you both to your rest. Thank you very much for honoring me at your table.” After giving us both a curt bow, Captain Stanley disappeared from the room, leaving us to our silence.
Father strummed his fingers impatiently on the table. “Do you have something you want to tell me?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No?”
“Why did that sound like a question?”
“No,” I repeated, a little firmer.
He didn’t look impressed. “What’s going on between you and Doctor Pratchett?”
My heart fell into the pit of my stomach as panic gripped at my nerves. “W-what? N-nothing.”
“Giselle, I know you better than anyone. Tell me the truth. Is something going on between the two of you?”
I pursed my lips into a thin line, unsure of what to say or do. Either way, Father was going to be severely disappointed in me. Luckily, Father continued to speak so that I wouldn’t have to.
“I’ve seen how you look at him. You’ve been showing a great deal of interest.”
“No, I haven’t,” I insisted.
Father shook his head at me and grumbled, “Don’t lie to me, Giselle.”
“He’s just been taking good care of me. I mean, of my ankle. He’s nice, that’s all. I haven’t–”
“You are going to be queen one day,” he cut me off, severity dripping off of every word. “You can’t afford to go … cavorting around with just anyone.”
“Cavorting?” I snorted. “This isn’t the seventeenth century, Father. Women can do what they please.”
“Women can. You can’t.”
“Leo is an honorable man, Father. He’s a great doctor and–”
“Leo?” Father echoed loudly in disbelief. “Since when have you two become on a first name basis?”
My guts were in knots. I knew in that instant that I royally—no pun intended—messed up. I refused to speak, afraid that I would only make the situation worse.
Father pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy exhale. “I don’t care if he’s nice, or if he’s honorable. You must marry someone of noble birth, someone who will help further our country’s interests. What you do and say have an impact, Giselle. The person you eventually decide to marry will have a significant effect on state business. You can’t just pick someone because you think he’s kind and handsome or whatever.”
I gritted my teeth, shivering when my molars squeaked against one another. I didn’t want to listen to what Father had to say, but I knew that he was right. As much as I hated it, I understood. I knew from a very early age that I couldn’t have what I wanted. My people and my country came before my interests.
What Leo and I had, it could only ever be a fling.
8
Leo
Giselle’s bodyguards had all gone to bed for the evening. But since they were occupying the room directly next door, I knew I still had to be quiet. I gingerly tapped on Giselle’s door frame and was immediately dragged inside, a hand clapped over my mo
uth to keep me from making any noise.
“I don’t think we can stay here,” Giselle whispered urgently.
“Why not?” I asked, keeping my tone hushed. The crashing waves and howling wind outside would do well to drown out our voices, but I didn’t want to chance anything.
Giselle worried her plump bottom lip as her eyebrows pulled together with concern. “I think… I think my father’s keeping tabs on me.”
My chest tightened. “Do you think he knows about us?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I get the feeling he’s suspicious, but he doesn’t know any of the details.”
I sighed. “I shouldn’t have come. I’ll leave and–”
Giselle gripped my hands and gave them a squeeze. Her dainty fingers laced themselves with my own, knitting together perfectly like they were made for one another. “Please,” she mumbled, “I want to see you.”
“It’s not a good idea, Giselle. If your father suspects something, then we–”
“Then we go somewhere else,” she finished for me. “Can we go to your room instead?”
I shook my head. “Not possible. I’ve got bunk mates.”
The look of genuine disappointment she wore tore at my heart. I didn’t like seeing her this upset. We were stuck between a rock and a hard place, the hard place being a ship with very little vacant space where we could have a bit of time just to ourselves. I searched my brain for solutions, only to come up with one plausible answer.
I squeezed Giselle’s hand and said, “Follow me. I have an idea.”
“Where are you taking me?”
I snatched up a couple of pillows and folded up the thin blanket from her bed, tucking everything beneath my arm as I led her out quietly. “There’s a storage room in the medical bay. There should be enough room in there for us because we’ve pretty much run out of supplies, so all the boxes are cleared out. It’s probably not going to be very comfortable, but–”
Royally Loved: The Royal Romances Books 1-5 Page 57