The Carriage Ride

Once inside the carriage, Rache collapsed against the seat.

She stared up at the ceiling, exhausted, shaking and feeling sick.

Laine's expression flashed through her mind.

Horror.

Pain.

Rache stared up at the delicate wood of the ceiling, painted a perfect white, and thought to herself.

It was for Laine's sake she'd taken the princess' deal.

It was for Laine's sake she was heading to Sidera.

...She hoped...

She hoped Laine would understand.

Laine was a smart, caring woman. Surely she'd realize Rache didn't abandon her.

...She'd be angry, if anything.

That Rache went through all of this on her own.

She'd be very upset that Rache didn't go to her for help.

And in the end, when she was told she'd have to leave Aurania, go to another kingdom...she would realize Rache did the best she could to keep her safe.

Rache...

Rache really hoped Laine would understand.

"Laine..."

She murmured.

Laine was...

She'd always been like a mother to Rache.

Kind, nurturing, supportive, sweet.

Rache trusted her, even if she'd only known her for a few days.

"She...really would have been upset I did this on my own, wouldn't she?" Rache breathed in heavily, and shut her eyes.

...She missed her already.

It was selfish, to think so, but...

She was about to leave, for forever.

It was only natural she'd be a bit selfish, wasn't it?

She couldn't even cry, though.

If she did, her makeup would run.

And Donncahd...

Well, it wouldn't be a good thing.

She laid in the carriage, and took deep, steady breaths.

In.

Out.

She stared at the ceiling and tried to just...

Stay calm.

She could do this.

The original Princess Airie hadn't known of the sword dangling over her head, hadn't known Donncahd, hadn't known the story.

Rache knew this story.

She knew the supposedly mad king.

...She knew how hopeless it was.

No-

No.

If she fled, Donncahd would have no need to chase her.

If they weren't married, he would have no need to use Aurania as an example.

She didn't know how badly this would derail the plot, but-

It wasn't just a story anymore.

She was living in it.

It was her life on the line.

More than that, there were real people who would die.

And Laine...

She'd be...

Even if she survived, it would be ridiculous to assume Laine would be happy alone in Nial when her homeland burned.

So.

She could do this.

She could save herself and everyone else.

It was okay.

It would be okay.

The carriage hit a bump, and Rache grunted as she was jolted out of her seat.

She sighed and reached up to brush her hair out of her eyes.

...It was only the beginning.

"Don't get lost in your thoughts." She chided herself softly. "You need to focus. Be ready. For anything."

At the moment...

She wasn't a princess.

But she needed to act like one.

"Submit to Donncahd."

"Behave like a proper princess."

"Keep your dignity to those beneath you."

Those were Airie's instructions.

To her they sounded easy enough.

But then again, she'd never been any kind of royalty before. Not in this life, not in her last.

...Was it really okay to have faith that she'd be able to do this?

She sighed and shook her head, dragging herself back onto the seat.

This...

She wished she could just.

Pretend.

Tell herself she could play the princess and not worry about failure or doubt.

But.

The moment she arrived in Donncahd's sight...

No matter how prepared she was, that was the moment that would be the start of a very long trial with no breaks.

She couldn't be off her guard, even for a second.

Donncahd was the villain for a reason.

He was merciless, and he was shrewd.

She...

Couldn't imagine what being married to him would be like.

No.

Actually.

She could imagine it.

But she very much. Did not want to.

She hadn't thought it was possible to be more afraid, but the possibility of being left to Donncahd's mercy made her feel nauseated.

She held her hands together, and focused on her breathing.

She could do this.

She could do this.

...No matter how many times she chanted that in her head, it sounded weaker and more faint each time.

Quickly, she shook her head, turning her gaze up to focus on the window of her carriage, the city passing by.

It was just in time to see Donncahd's camp approaching.

It looked more like a camp of an army preparing for a siege, not a diplomatic party awaiting a bride.

Her lips quirked up into a faint grimace.

Of course it did.

Donncahd only saw this as another step in his path to domination.

No doubt he was scanning the walls and having his men look for weaknesses in the city defenses right now, preparing for the inevitable attack he would launch when Aurania's guard was fully down.

What a monster.

...And she was going to be his wife.

...That was right.

She swallowed and tried to look anywhere but at the camp of darkness that steadily grew larger in her carriage window.

She had to be ready for anything.

She would be Donncahd's wife.

Perhaps she could avert that.

Perhaps not.

The goal was to get away from Donncahd safely, first.

That was her chief goal. Get away and meet up with Laine.

But-

If somehow she could spare Aurania in the process.

Then...

She supposed she'd sleep easier, too.

She laughed and shook her head.

The hell!

She shouldn't be the one with the responsibility for protecting a whole nation!

She was forced into the role of a princess, given all the downsides, all the responsibilities, but where was even one perk?!

Rache sighed and shut her eyes, squeezing them tightly closed.

She would be strong.

The princess of Aurania couldn't be strong, apparently.

So she had to be.

This was.

Really.

Damn.

Unfair!

This was unfair!

She slammed her fist into the cushion next to her in frustration - it was all she could do not to scream and alert the driver of the carriage.

It was all she could do to not start screaming, because a part of her worried when she started, she wouldn't be able to stop.

In the end...

It was for Laine's sake.

That's what she kept telling herself.

She leaned back in the carriage's seats and stared at the ceiling, taking deep, slow breaths.

She would endure just long enough for Laine to get to freedom. And then she would escape.

No screams needed.

She nodded to herself as the carriage rode forward.

As the sun began to set beneath the treeline, the carriage slowed to a stop. Around her milled Donncahd's camp, more of a military encampment than a diplomatic procession.

It was no wonder that they sent Princess Airie out to meet him, rather than wait for him to enter the city with this camp.

It would have spooked anyone, she thought.

The door to her carriage swung open, and a man dressed in black and silver gripped her hand, helping her step out of it with grace.

Her legs shook, but the voluminous skirts of the gown hid that.

Saying nothing, the man led her toward the large tent in the middle of the encampment.

A man with a small trumpet looking thing blew a shrill note as the flap opened, and she was ushered inside.

On the far end of the tent stood the imposing figure of the man she had dreaded since realizing the world she'd awoken in.

Prince Donncahd.