Finally

After we finished breakfast I felt better, the food had given me strength and energy. I stood up from the table and looked at the princess who was still sitting there watching me. I needed to finish my mission, I couldn't stay here with the princess anymore. I was starting to realize that I was starting to gain feelings for her and I didn't want things to go any further than this. I had to obey my king and I was forced to take her as a prisoner. So I turned away from the princess and started walking towards the door... 

I went upstairs and pulled on my armor. It felt good to have all the heavy pieces of metal around me again. I strapped my sword to my hip and checked my other weapons. My king had ordered me to capture the princess, so I couldn't be unarmed. I felt like a real warrior again with my full armor on. It was time to complete my mission... 

I went back down to the living room and stood by the door, awaiting the arrival of the princess. I waited there for a while and finally I heard sounds coming from upstairs. I watched the stairs as the princess came walking down towards me. She still looked delicate and fragile but her presence was so enchanting. She was wearing her dress which I had seen her in yesterday, she looked so beautiful just like before. I felt a bit nervous with her in front of me... 

"I hope this time I can walk with my feet." She crossed her arms and she looked away, it seemed like she was mad at me. I couldn't blame her, I had carried her on my back yesterday and I'm sure her feet felt sore now because of that. She was still so beautiful and delicate, even when she was annoyed and angry. I couldn't help but feel attracted to her, I wanted to kiss those pretty soft lips of hers... 

I shook my head, I couldn't give in to my urges. We were supposed to be enemies, not lovers. The princess was not supposed to make me like this, she was supposed to make me hate her so I could take her away without remorse. But she was so beautiful and her presence was making me want her. Every minute I was growing more and more fond of her, she was making me feel things I shouldn't be feeling... 

I took her hand and led the way out of the cabin, her small hand felt so small and delicate in mine. She was like a delicate flower I was protecting rather than a prisoner that I was kidnapping, the feelings were all mixed up in my head. I led her out of the cabin and we went towards the place where the horse was waiting for us. We were almost at the horse and all I wanted to do was to keep her in my arms.... I felt like I couldn't let her go... 

I raised her on the horse first and then I got behind her. What an intimate position, I was basically holding her in my arms. The princess was sitting on the horse, but I was wrapping my arms around her waist and my chest was against her back. I didn't want to let her out of my embrace, I wanted to keep her close to me... 

As we rode the horse through the woods, I could see we were getting closer to the gate of the castle. It was funny how I had come in through the gate and now I was leaving the same way, but this time dragging the princess with me. It felt like deja vu all over again, only this time it was different. I felt a strange fondness for the princess, unlike before when I was just following orders and felt no emotions for her... 

"Noah" 

I looked over at the princess, she got my attention by saying my name. I realized that this was probably the first time she had actually called me by name and not "knight" or some title. It sounded different coming from her and it made me feel good when she said my name, I liked that she knew it... 

"Are you sure they won't hurt me? And they're just going to keep me until my father signs the peace contract?" 

I thought for a moment, she was right to worry. I was following the orders of my king and I didn't think to make any promises to the princess. Her father could be extremely upset and he might do something extreme... I didn't want that to happen, the king wouldn't have liked that. I wanted the peace. I wanted to protect the princess... 

"I promise..." 

"You promise...?" 

"I give you my word." I wasn't going to allow anything to hurt the princess, even if it meant going against my King. I couldn't let anything happen to her, if something happened to her than all of my work would have been for nothing. I couldn't have that happen... 

We entered the gate of my kingdom and I was relieved to see the guards there, but they weren't stopping us from entering. They probably had orders from the king. I felt a little strange being here with the princess, I didn't want to hurt her but I also had to follow my king's orders. If we didn't have a peace agreement, I knew that war was inevitable... 

We continued riding until we arrived at the first village near the palace. It was my home village, the place where I grew up as a child. The villagers were gathered in front of the village hall, they all stopped what they were doing and stared at me and the princess. Word had already spread about what had happened and now everyone knew that the princess was being taken away. It felt like I was returning home after years of being away... 

I got off the horse with the princess and we both stepped down to the ground. The villagers looked at me curiously and they whispered to each other. I could hear them talking about the princess, their princess, and how she was being taken away by an enemy. It felt so strange to be here after a single day, I felt like a stranger in my own home... 

As we walked towards the king's palace, I kept walking hand in hand with the princess. I was enjoying the feeling of holding her hand, it felt delicate in my palm. It felt as if I was protecting her from the outside world. Suddenly I noticed someone walking towards us from the alleyway, it was Evelyn who had spotted us... 

I saw Evelyn coming towards us and my mood shifted instantly. I couldn't believe that she was here, the last person I wanted to see right now. She had a smile on her face, which I didn't like one bit, I hated when she smiled so much. She was always trying to get under my skin and it annoyed me... 

Evelyn bowed her head towards the princess and she had a fake smile on her mouth. I could sense that she was putting on an act right now and it made me annoyed. I hated when she smiled, it reminded me of how she thought she could get away with everything with that stupid smile of hers... 

 "Evelyn right? Your father was a great friend of mine's" 

The princess father was a friend of her father. This was an unusual situation, the princess was trying to act friendly with one of my enemies. I was annoyed at the princess being so civil, because I wanted her to hate those people like I did. I didn't want her to be friendly with them after what they had done to me my whole life...The princess was smiling back at Evelyn, which made me want to get angry. I wanted to protect the princess from all the world but this didn't feel like the right way. I hated being jealous but watching the princess interact with Evelyn pissed me the f*** off...I watched as the two girls smiled at each other and I started to get annoyed. I didn't like that the princess was so close with Evelyn, but I had to keep my cool. This was a delicate situation, I didn't want the princess to suffer because of my mood... 

I pulled the princess closer to me and we walked away from Evelyn. It was an infuriating situation, I couldn't believe that I was watching the woman I loved smiling and laughing with my enemy. It was maddening... 

The princess may have been my enemy before but I couldn't think of her like that anymore. She was now the girl I loved. I had never really been in love before but in just a few days I had started feeling for her in a different way. I couldn't believe that all of a sudden I had started to fall in love with her...And as for her relationship with Evelyn, the princess didn't know the nature of their rivalry. She still thought that they were some kind of friends, which was frustrating for me... 

The princess and I entered the king's chambers, we walked inside the large room which looked so grand in its splendor. The king was sitting on his throne, he was waiting for us. I stood at the edge of the room and the princess stayed behind me, her delicate presence was making me feel uneasy. The king was looking at us and it felt as if he was judging me with his eyes... 

I was surprised when the king threw me a bag of gold for completing the assignment. I hadn't expected him to give me so much for taking the princess. The king was usually the type to take more than to give and I wasn't used to him giving away so much. I took the gold from the king and I thanked him for his generosity. It was good to know that I had made my king happy... 

The king dismissed me but I noticed the princess grabbing my clothes, she was doing it subtly so the king wouldn't notice that she was holding me back. I couldn't quite understand the gesture but I had a feeling that she wanted to keep me from leaving right now... 

I went over to the princess and I was trying to comfort her, she was scared and it broke my heart to see her this way. She was still holding my clothes, I wanted to take her into my arms but I knew that I couldn't do that here in front of the king. I felt like a helpless guard of the princess, and it made me feel bad because I couldn't protect her as much as I wanted to... 

"I'm sorry" 

I looked at the princess and she just looked back at me with her big eyes. I felt bad for leaving her here, she was afraid and I didn't want to abandon her like this. I looked at her for a moment and then I left the room, the king had told me to go and I had to obey his command. I walked out of the kings chamber and I felt bad to leave the princess behind...