So Maybe This Is A Love Story? (3)

A collection of disgusted looks followed Adrielle throughout the Wolfsbane kingdom. The place seemed relatively cheery, quaint white-picket cobblestone houses lining the streets. Clearly her presence wasn't exactly wanted, not that she particularly cared, so she tried to make eye contact with as many uncomfortable people as possible. The castle wasn't far away, but through the magic of having insanely long legs Adrielle had arrived at dusk.

Surprisingly all she received from the palace guards was vaguely disgusted looks that mirrored those of the townspeople. She just gave them a wave and walked right through the front door.

Being an Elf, and a tall Elf at that, moments Adrielle felt truly small were few and far between. Yet the towering carved stone walls of the castle made her… tiny. The faster she got this princess and left, the better.

"Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?" A guard reached for her, relatively non-threatening.

In moments his hand was twisted behind his back, knife levelled at his kidney. "Stay still. If you hurt the cat in my blouse I'll end you. Now walk… carefully." The man's chest heaved as he gently shuffled forward with her.

The Queen stood in immediate panic as they entered the room. Her skin was soft, the colour of rich rainforest bark. Age only showed in the creases beside her eyes and the wisdom that bloomed over her irises. Thick grey coils cascaded down her shoulders, hair well-maintained. She didn't exactly look like a kidnapper, that's for sure. "Who are you!? What is the meaning of this!?"

Every weapon in the room pointed at Adrielle, which didn't seem like the best odds. Yet, like a professional, she didn't even flinch.

She edged her blade further into the man's back.

"Where's the kidnapped princess!? I… I know you have her!" Admittedly this wasn't her best thought out plan. But she'd freaked out the Queen enough, judging from her expression, that this may just work.

"Kidnapped? I've kidnapped no one! Who told you that!" The Queen seemed angry. Footsteps echoed off the walls, guards edging closer. "Now, if I may ask again, who are you?"

With a glowing and largely fake smile, Adrielle bowed her head respectfully. "Adrielle Frostfire, at your service. Now I'm here to find the daughter of King Bartholomew Hunton of… a kingdom that is nearby here. And I gotta tell you, I didn't want this job. But for a man with a kidnapped daughter problem maybe his method of hiring people shouldn't also be kidnapping. I just feel like that's a bit counter productive, but I digress. It's very rude if I'm honest. But I digress... again. I have things to do, places to be, a cat to care for and gold to collect. So if you could hand over the princess I would appreciate it very much."

"Did you just say Bartholomew Hunton?" Rage seethed from the Queen's every pore. Yet she was elegant in her fury, a trait Adrielle hadn't seen very often. It seemed that this woman was graceful no matter what form her emotions took. "Oh I am so sorry you've been pulled into this, Elf. I am Queen Saskia Ravenelle Astor, and the princess is-" Her voice cut short following the presence of a new person in the room.

She stole all the light in the room the second she walked in, harnessing the pure brightness of the setting sun in her russet eyes. The glow bounced off her soft cheekbones, the final flickers of stardust accenting the deep ruby curves of her lips. Her skin was almost the same colour as the Queen's, with black hair brushing her shoulders in perfect thick coils.

This girl was ethereal.

Even in her nightdress, clearly not awake, stumbling slightly with every step.

Adrielle lost the ability to move, snatched away by the woman before her. Adrielle had met queens, princesses, town jewels, all sorts of women rumoured to be the most gorgeous in the whole world.

None even came close to her.

The girl rubbed sleep from her eyes, slight pout overcoming her features, and looked to the Queen curiously.

"Sweetheart, you'll never guess what your father has done." Saskia indicated to Adrielle with a flourish. The guard sprinted away the second Adrielle loosened her grip, knife sliding into the sheath at her hip once more. She was overcome with the sudden concern that the princess would see her as some kind of low-life.

The princess stared at Adrielle for a long moment, thin brows furrowed.

"Oh. Hello Miss, I didn't see you there." She smiled sleepily. "Would you like some tea?"

"I- uh… alright." No one stopped Adrielle from going over to the princess, allowing her to lead her through the halls. "Look, I really must ask what's going on?"

"Tea first, I beg you. I promise to discuss politics when I am more awake." They were bought into a sitting room, plush couches positioned beside huge windows, the fading sunlight painting the room a bright orange. "I apologise for my current state. I only arrived last night and I don't do well in carriages, let me say. Make me sick."

Adrielle only allowed her body to sink into the chair after the princess sat down. "It's fine. I'm sorry for waking you then." She wished she actually knew what to say in this situation.

"It's not your fault. Oh, why must my father make everything complicated?" She groaned, head dropping into her palms delicately, hair falling back into its perfect curls immediately. "How rude of me, I haven't introduced myself. My name's Zararina, but just call me Zara."

"Adrielle. Oh, can I have some plain milk too?" The kitten poked his head out from the collar of her coat. "He needs to eat."

"He's so adorable! May I?" Zara reached out gently, holding the kitten with such care. "Why is he so small?"

"Malnourished. He's not had a good life thus far." Everything seemed so surreal. This single day felt like it had actually been multiple, each event far too disconnected from the next.

"This is such a mess… I'm truly sorry." Zara spoke again, brows furrowed.

This girl was weird. Gorgeous, but still… weird. "Uh, it's alright. I'm just… I don't know… confused." A servant placed a collection of teas and the tea set before them.

"I see. Do you want the story from the beginning, or just the basics? What tea?"

"Hazelnut, thank you. And you just… say what you gotta say." The itch of discomfort prickled over Adrielle's skin. She didn't know what to say to this girl, nor what would happen once she knew the whole story. Adrielle's spine was rigid, she clasped her cup so hard it almost cracked, and smiled as sweetly as she could while hoping she'd be home as soon as possible.

Oh, to be alone on a path in the middle of nowhere.

"King Bartholomew, as you know, is my father." "Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm very sure. Before I was born, at a council meeting between all 37 human kingdoms on the continent was held. That's where he met my mother, Saskia. He was my Mother's first, so they knew I was his child. He held my Mother captive for the duration of her pregnancy, sending her home without me when I was born. She would always send letters, and thankfully he wasn't cruel enough to stop me from receiving them. Only a week ago she sent me a letter offering for me to stay here for a short while. I agreed to go, told my father and took the carriage here. I never would have expected he'd do this…" Her bubbly joy died out entirely by the time she'd finished, frustrated tears collecting in her eyes. "I am so sorry you were dragged into their mess. At every meeting they have an argument follows. Mother just wants to see me more, but Father wants me to forget about her most days. And the first time I see my Mother in months he sends a hero to bring back his 'kidnapped' daughter!"

The room felt awfully warm.

A blanket of discomfort suffocated the space. She could hear nothing over the tense thrum of her heart in her ears, Adrielle glancing at the distressed princess desperately.

She didn't know what to do. All she did know was that she wanted to bring back the bubbly girl she glimpsed for that minuscule moment.

"Look, I know I'm here to bring you to King… the King. But that isn't the right place for you, is it?" Adrielle leaned forward, elbows to her knees, and took a sip of her drink.

Zara shook her head. "I just want some freedom in life… is that too much to ask for?"

At that exact moment a thought crossed Adrielle's mind. It wasn't processed properly, consequences lost to her at that moment.

All she knew was that Zara clearly deserved to see the world.

"How about I just kidnap you myself?"