AnotidaMandemwa

Everyone is playing a regal game. Everyone except Lucia (who probably should).

After her father faced accusations of trying to seize the throne from his father and king, he was exiled along with his family. They were no longer royalty, but his wife would not have it. She was friends with the queen of Vershia and used that to her advantage. Her two older daughters were the right age to marry the two princes, and she would make that happen come what may.

That became a problem when the oldest daughter was ignored by the crown prince, who formed a friendship with the youngest of the girls. There was still hope; Lucia could become the future queen. But Lucia was not groomed for this role. She did not want to live for the type of marriage she could snag. She did not want to take the man who had been planned for her sister.

But that’s the thing with plans, isn’t it? She never planned to fall in love with the man, and there she was: an unwilling participant in the regal games. Would she capture the crown? How would everything affect her relationship with her sister? Was there ever pleasing her mother?

[WSA 2024 Entry]

Regal Games

Lucia's hair whipped from side to side in her ponytail as she ran ahead of Michael. She looked over her shoulder at Michael and let loose a pearl of joyous laughter. Her legs pumped faster as she looked ahead and tried to put more distance between them. He let her have it and followed her while keeping a distance he could easily close. She would tire herself soon enough. For now, he was enjoying the sound of her victorious laughter.

She slowed to a stop and put her hands on her waist, her breaths moving her entire chest up and down. There was a big happy smile on her face that lit up her eyes. As he halted next to her, she cast him a little playful glare that was ruined by the joy that shone through. She couldn't believe it. Her lungs were threatening to crawl out of her mouth, and he was not even breathing hard. He'd let her win!

"You let me win," she asked. "Didn't you?"

Michael grinned and said tongue-in-cheek, "You did that on your own."

Fine ;-)