Rowan lead Lia out back outside, the younger princess a bit anxious, face flushed. While Lia would admit to both having a massive amount of anxiety in that moment as well as concern for their steed, they were separate worries. The speed of her steps were for the animal, but the heat resonated in her cheeks stemmed far more from the man.

He wasn’t exactly how Lia had imagined him, all those years she spent writing him letters. They’d had no way to exchange photographs of one another and though he’d seen her (or, rather, her sister) in local papers or artistic depictions of the Kingdom’s princess adorning the sides of buildings, things were much different in person.

And Lia only had his written descriptions to go by.

Rowan described himself as “normal” for what he was, in any letter pertaining to appearance, but it was hard for Lia to imagine a man that wasn’t fully Galian. She didn’t know any, even, besides her father. And Rowan was no Galian.

But he’d never told her exactly what he was and if the information had ever been shared around when he came to visit the palace that once, she was far too young to recall it. Though, Rowan and his brother both had skin too fair to survive any place surrounding. The density of the forest’s treetop covering was the only thing that allowed them to go unburned, she imagined.

His figure was leaner, even more than Locke’s, and he and his brother both seemed to lack any sort of magical energy.

He would not make a good mate for the future queen of the Galian people. They were used to rugged, aggressive men who weren’t afraid to head into the caves. Someone to lead them in battle against their foes and who wasn’t only willing to fight, but also able to lead the charge.

Rowan wasn’t fighting anything, she didn’t think, as they found his brother Finn had actually returned to the carriage and was caring for the horse. He was in the middle of dragging a large, filled to the brim water trough across the lawn.

“What,” Rowan complained, “are you doing?”

“What’s it look like?” Finn snapped, red in the face and covered in sweat. He’d been bent over before, both hands gripping the metal handle on one side of the trough, straining along with the rest of him as he tugged the weighty container around. At his brother’s words though, he stood straight, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow as he griped, “I’m getting the horse water.”

“Why,” Rowan growled as he increased his pace, leaving Lia behind, “did you not just bring it over to the horse empty and then use buckets to fill it with water? It would take a lot less time and effort.”

“Well… Shut up!” Finn’s eyes hardened as he glared at his brother. “You couldda been handling it too, you know.”

“I had to...check on the princesses, you dork.” Rowan huffed some as, shoving his younger brother out of the way, he leaned down to grip the handle himself and begin pulling. It took more effort than he’d have liked to admit, to get it to move even an inch. Growling, he barked at his brother, “Push on the other side, you dolt.”

Finn quickly moved to do as his brother instructed, bending down to push on the other end of the trough while Rowan pulled. It seemed to be working well at first, as the men were getting it to slowly move across the way, but then tragedy happened.

In two parts.

First, Rowan stumbled some and, in his awkward position, slipped backwards to fall with a harsh smack into the ground. Second, as he was blinking up at the green tree tops that covered them, trying to figure out what happened, Finn pushed against the container, as he had been, but now with no help on the other side. This caused the water inside to sway unnaturally, splashing backwards onto Finn.

“Awh, man,” he griped loudly. “Now I’m soaked! Nice going, Rowan.”

The other man growled as he shoved up from the ground and insisted, “You’re the one that filled it up, Finn!”

“Yeah,” he complained, shaking himself the best he could, in hopes to rid himself of any excess water. “I didn’t want it all over me though.”

Rowan was going to argue something back to his brother, but the sound of the younger princess’ giggling stopped both men in their tracks. The woman stood nearby, a hand brought up to her lips, giggling into her fingertip as she stared at them with round eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, face flush, when she noted their eyes. “I just… You’re both so funny, is all.”

“Funny?” Rowan griped while Finn’s typical grin returned.

It wasn’t often he had an audience. And a captive one at that.

“Awe, c’mon, Rowan,” Finn snickered, giving up on wringing his shirt out any. “We almost had it, even. Just a few more shoves-”

“No,” Rowan growled, jumping fully up then. “I’m going to dump it and just move it that way.”

“You’ll make a big pile of mud,” Finn warned as, even from the water he’d spilled, the ground beneath their feet already felt so. “Let’s just push a bit more and then, if you don’t fall-”

“Me fall?” Rowan huffed. “You try tugging it backwards while someone else pushes it!”

“You told me to!”

By then, Lia was doubled over with laughter and it was hard for Rowan to hang onto his sour attitude at the sound. Though he was more interested in the older princess, it was a bit embarrassing to be arguing in front of the younger.

“Lia!” came a shout from behind them. “What are you doing?”

It was Princess Toren and Balt, the latter having tumbled back into what he’d worn earlier, but the former donning a gown she’d found in their inn room. It was too tight on her, came up too short, but there was something even more alluring about the ill-fitting dress.

For Rowan at least.

The red fabric bunched in all the wrong (or right) places and, even as the woman was coming to a stop before them, she was tugging at it uncomfortably.

Her eyes were locked in a glare towards her sister though.

“W-What do you mean, Toren?” Lia asked softly as her laughter fell away and, standing straight now, she clasped her hands behind her back as she eyed her sister. “I was just coming check on the horse, is all.”

“With them?” Toren asked, raising an eye brow as she nodded towards the pair of brothers. At the moment, Rowan was bowing his head, hoping not to be reprimanded by the woman, while Finn took Lia’s distraction as a chance to pull off his shirt and wring it out. Balt was eyeing him in particular, finding this odd, but Toren continued to make a face at her sister as she said, “That’s not safe. I brought you along because I thought you could keep up with us, but if you can’t even listen to me when I tell you to just stay in your room-”

“What were you guys doing anyways?” Balt walked away from the sisters and over to the men instead. Rowan raised his head, frowning at the Galian, but not answering him.

Finn did, grinning brightly as he slung his wrung shirt over his shoulder. It was hopelessly soaked now and he figured it was just as well. To Balt, he explained, “I filled up the trough with water, but now we’re struggling to get it over to your horse.”

Toren wasn’t too busy yelling at to spare some for Finn as well.

“Bring the horse to the water, idiot,” she griped at him. “It’s that simple.”

Rowan blushed, but Finn only snickered.

“I guess we could do that,” the younger brother remarked while Balt, over to them now, only squatted down before the trough. As Finn and Rowan watched in equal horror and awe, Balt stretched his arms out and grasped the tubs handles before lifting it.

“Hey, you’re gonna hurt yourself, man,” Rowan tried to caution him with a frown, but Balt merely grit his teeth as he began, with slow steps, bringing it over to the carriage and horse. “How-”

“He’s Galian.” Toren couldn’t help the smirk that fell over her then, turning fully from Lia as she equally enjoyed Balt’s feat as the slight shock on the face of the brothers. It wasn’t often back home that she got to brag about the man, but she relished every chance she got. “They juggle boulders for fun.”

“Really?” Finn asked in wonder, but Lia shook her head softly no.

Toren didn’t wanna answer his question though, shrugging a bit at it as she followed after Balt. Her attention had shifted now; Lia’s disobedience was no longer of concern. As Toren made her way over to the carriage, Rowan was quick to fall into step with her, trying awkwardly to think of anything to say to the woman then.

Finn wasn’t concerned with them though, instead beaming as he headed over to Lia.

“That was pretty cool, huh?” he asked as, without doing much at all, he brought a giggle to the woman. Still, Finn insisted, “He lifted it so easily-”

“Toren could too, if she wanted,” Lia replied as Finn glanced over at the princess skeptically.

“Really?” he asked.

Shifting arms to cross loosely over herself, Lia began to slowly head over towards the others, offering to Finn, “We’re Aithers. Just not full blooded, so not as imposing, I guess. I’ve never been to our land before, but our father tells us that all Aithers are as strong as he is.”

“The King is pretty scary looking, I guess,” Finn remarked. He couldn’t recall what he’d thought of him as a boy, meeting in person, but all of the artwork he’d seen of the man implied as much. Falling in step with the woman, he asked, “Could you lift it then?”

“M-Me? No.” Lia was quick quick to shake her head. Heat radiating in her cheeks, she remarked, “I don’t take after my father, the way Toren does.” She held her head taller as she said the next part, her tone lighter as she informed him, “I’m closer to my Availian side. Which makes sense, my mother says. I’ll be their queen.” But the airiness died off in her voice as she added, “One day.”

They were before the horse and buggy then. Balt had dropped the trough of water before the horse while Toren took a seat at the helm of the carriage, turned not to face forward, but rather down at the rest of them.

She always felt best elevated above others.

“Hey, your majesty, can I ask you something?” Finn raised his hand, literally, as he approached. Rowan glared back at him and Balt rolled his eyes, but Toren seemed to enjoy the attention.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Still, she replied, “I’m only a princess; your majesty is too much.” She grinned. “Your highness will work.”

“Toren,” Balt spoke up, his tone low. A warning. But she refused to glance over at him.

She’d spent days without outside attention. Balt, Lia, and Radic weren’t the same as the admiration commoners usually poured upon her when she was out and about. The workers in the castle. She was Lia’s sister, Radic’s employer, and Balt’s girlfriend; if she was looking for praise without critique, she’d have to look further.

Finn and Rowan both stared at her with that same wonder she got, whenever she traveled with her parents, out of the capital. Where her face was fresh and people would line the streets, just to catch a glimpse of it.

“Your highness,” Finn began as Toren eyed him, “I’ve always wondered this, but never known a royal person to ask. When you wear your crown, do yo ever, like, reach up to scratch your head and poke your palm on the pointy spokes? You know, the little ridges?”

Toren narrowed her eyes before replying, “No.”

“Great.” Finn beamed. “Okay, so my next question, if you ever have to don a cape-”

“Finn, shut up.” Rowan shoved his brother slightly as Lia came over to stroke gently at the horse’s mane.

Still, over her shoulder she asked, “Are we staying for dinner, Balt? I-If not, can I go into the store and pick something out to eat? Or-”

“Of course you’re staying,” Finn answered and that time, Rowan shoved his brother a bit more forcefully. When Finn turned to finally glare at him though, Rowan met him with one of equal intensity.

“You don’t talk for them. Or at them. Or around them,” he growled, leaning closer to his brother.

Balt looked away and Toren didn’t correct, as she fully agreed, but Lia couldn’t stand to see either man in such a way. So far, she’d found Finn to be entertaining, but Rowan had treated him rather harshly. It was a quality she didn’t expect from the man. She knew his nerves were in high gear of course, in their presence, and then considered her own hand in making him feel so.

She didn’t want either brother upset because of her presence.

Or Toren’s.

“It’s okay,” Lia was quick to interject, but when she turned to walk back over to the men, she found Balt had purposely taken a step in front of her, blocking this. Still, off to his side, she added, “I wanna stay too.”

Toren glanced over at her sister with a bit of a shrug as she said, “I haven’t made a decision yet. I suppose your mother has been slaving away, right? Making us something? It’d be rude to cut and run.”

“Horse needs more rest anyways.” Balt still wouldn’t step out from in front of Lia though. To the two men, he said, “If you lead us to where we’ll be having the meal-”

“And what, Balt? Sit around and be bored?” Toren jumped down suddenly from the carriage. Tugging at the too tight dress, she griped, “Let’s go back and find me better clothes.”

“Princess, if I could?” Rowan tried to smile at Toren, but she looked away from him.

“Your highness,” she decided and Finn snickered.

“R-Right,” Rowan stuttered as Balt huffed her name, but the woman waited all the same, eyes expectant on the other man, anticipating his statement. “Your highness, I thought I might mention that the clothes you and your sister found in the inn are...quite outdated and leftovers from a time before I even lived here. In the back of the shop, we have some things that both you and your guards can pick over.”

“You sell clothes at your tavern?” Balt asked. “I didn’t note any.”

“Ava wanted to sell branded merchandise, like what you’re wearing, Princess Lia,” Rowan explained before, with a frown, correcting, “Your highness, I mean.”

“Princess Lia is okay.” The woman was able to step out from around Balt then, though the other man did fall in step with her as the brothers led the other three back towards the general store. Her cheeks still felt hot as she eyed the back of Rowan’s head, the man not glancing towards her at all. Rather, Toren was walking ahead of him and he seemed to only have eyes for the back of her head. Softly, the younger woman said, “Or just Lia, even.”

“Does that go for me too?” Finn asked, popping up on Balt’s other side to grin over at Lia.

Balt grimaced at the other man, but Lia only blushed some more, nodding her head.

“Alright!” The man pumped his fist. “I’ve never been friends with royalty before.”

“Finn,” his brother hissed, glaring back at them as the younger man’s own cheeks became red. “Knock it off.”

They were to the store then though and Rowan had to pick up his pace a bit, to get to the door before Toren. Opening it for her, he bowed his head to his princess, being rewarded with twinkling eyes.

But not from Toren.

She walked through without acknowledgment while Rowan, now stuck holding the door for the other three, was profusely thanked by Lia. She paused even in the doorway, stuttering a bit as she thanked him, but Balt was coming in behind her and seemed to have no problem with pushing her along. This felt odd to Rowan, but Lia made no complaint.

“So where are these other clothes?” Toren was asking, anyways, and before Finn could say something else idiotic, Rowan was quick to step inside and answer her.

“Boxed up in the back,” he remarked, rushing through the store then, headed that way. “I’ll go get them.”

“Yeah, Ava tried out branding stuff once, mugs and stuff,” Finn took over explaining as, naturally, he went to stand behind the counter. Resting his elbows against it, he grinned at the trio as he went on, “Shirts with that little logo that you have on, Lia.”

She glanced down at the logo, remarking, “It’s quite nice.”

“I think so too,” he agreed with a grin. “But...with no customers-”

“You’re on the outer ring of the forest,” Balt spoke up. “Just before the tundra. There were never going to be many visitors.”

He frowned then, Finn did, for the first time.

It was one thing to insult literally anything else; he hated for someone to disparage Ava or her decisions.

“Yeah, well,” he replied softly, but it didn’t matter as Rowan was back then.

Two wooden crates stacked in his arms, he came to drop them in the center of the store, placing one beside the other.

“There’s shirts, pants, shorts, and even swimsuits,” Rowan said, gesturing to the open crates at his feet. “Take whatever you need.”

Toren was the first over. She’d tossed on the dress in her rush to get to her sister (her former clothes were just grungy masses of cloth), but wanted out of it immediately. Though she could dawn one for a function at the castle, they were hardly her standard chosen attire.

Balt came to stand over her, glancing down into the box as the woman tossed a shirt up at him.

“You,” Toren insisted as she tossed a pair of shorts as well, “stink.”

“Thanks, Princess,” he grumbled softly as, with a giggle, Lia came over to glance through the boxes as well.

“Can I ask something?” Finn raised his hand again, but didn’t wait to be called on. In fact, he only had the eyes of the younger princess when he questioned, “How is it that two princess are digging through our leftovers anyways?”

They froze.

Lia looked stricken, Toren gripped the shirt currently in her hands tightly, and Balt considered how quickly he could get the two princess back to the carriage as well as find his brother. No more than a shout, he imagined, would bring Radic running.

But Rowan didn’t ponder his brothers words.

At all.

Instead, he turned back to glare heavily at the other man and, looking about ready to pummel him, said, “Finn, what is wrong with you? Do you know who you’re questioning? Who are you to even-”

“Now, Rowan, what have I told you about speaking so harshly to your brother?”

All their eyes moved in tandem then, to the front door and fuck, Balt tried hard to not look upset, but his brother was going to have his ass for this one. Getting the princesses backed into a corner like this…

It was Ava, the former warrior coming in to eye the scene before her curiously. Arms folded loosely over her chest, she continued, “Not to mention, I do find his queries founded.”

“You do?” Finn asked in a bit of surprise. A grin fell over his face, even, as his brother’s fell. Already, twice in one day, the woman had praised him in the face of his brother’s failure. A rare feat indeed.

Nodding, Ava still only looked to the three before her. To the women, she said, “I find it odd, two princesses arriving to my desolate little shop, empty handed, without even the most basic of necessities. Single royal guard. One horse carriage, run ragged, I assume, from days of travel. It doesn’t make sense to me.”

While Lia’s breath caught, Toren shoved to her feet once more and glowered towards the former warrior.

“Who are you to question me? Any of you?” The older princess leveled a dark gaze at Ava, informing her, “This is my land.”

Ava bowed her head slightly in recognition of the woman’s power, yes, but softly she reminded, “It is your father’s land. Princess.”

Toren took a step forward, but Balt shot a hand out to grab her wrist. Though she shoved the man off, she didn’t get a chance to do much more as it was about then the distinct rumble of horse hooves could be heard in the distance. Far enough off, at first, but they felt fast approaching.

“Princess,” Balt whispered softly, her back to his chest, breath hot on her ear as he leaned close to her, “I think we’ve outstayed our welcome.”

“Nonsense,” Ava answered, turning slightly to glance out a window. At the sight of five horses galloping down the trail, towards her tavern. Atop them were soldiers, suited in armor. “It seems your backup has only just arrived. Ahead of schedule, were you?”

Toren kept even gaze with the older woman as she replied, “Go greet them, then. In my stead. While my sister and I browse your wares.”

“Perhaps,” Ava told her with a slight bow of her head and a turn of her heel, “I shall.”

But the second the swordswoman was out the door, off greet the approaching guard, Toren was quick to snatch up any remaining articles of clothing they needed before turning on her own heel.

“Toren-” Balt was starting as Lia trembled when her sister grabbed her wrist with her free hand and tugged her further into the store. Her boyfriend had little choice other than follow.

“Is there a back exit to this place?” Toren questioned as after exchanging glances, both Rowan and Finn were quick to head after them as well. But when neither answered her question, she growled, “Is there?”

“Y-Yeah,” Rowan spoke up, “but princess-”

“We run for it,” Toren told her sister and boyfriend as, in the back area now, a big room filled with shelving and crates of product, she looked to Rowan now to lead the way. “The second we get outside-”

“Run where?” Lia tried not to sound scared, but there were tears springing to her eyes already. “T-Toren-”

“Why would you run,” Rowan asked though, at Toren’s pause, he’d taken the lead, walking ahead of the group now, “from your own guards?”

“Is something wrong with people out here?” Toren retorted as he lead them to a back hallway, splitting off to an office and then, finally, a back door. “That you think to question your princess in such a way?”

“N-No,” Rowan answered slowly, “but-”

“Where,” Lia interrupted, “will we run, Toren?”

“We can’t leave behind Radic,” Balt reminded as, to the back door now, Rowan quickly took to unlocking it. “Toren-”

“We can go down to the water,” Finn suggested, trailing behind the group as he kept glancing back, expecting to hear the sound of the front door opening and a real chase to ensue. Though he couldn’t understand the others insistence on running, he was more than aligned with them by that point. His loyalty was that easy to gain. Especially from royalty. He’dda tried his best to hold off those damn guards, even, if they asked.

He was thankful that they didn’t.

“Water?” Balt questioned and, as Rowan opened the door, the other guy answered him.

“Yeah,” Rowan said, taking a step back into the evening air. It was colder, back behind the building. Thinking then of their voices carrying, as he could make out Ava’s, even, as she conversed with the by then arrived guards, he said softly, “There’s a pond back through the forest. Straight back from here. If we- Hey!”

He didn’t mean to yell, but Toren shoved passed him roughly, hand hand still wrapped tightly around her younger sister’s wrist, the other gripping the assortment of clothing she’d snagged, taking off into a sprint for the nearby line of trees.

Balt was quick after them while Finn and Rowan had little choice, but to give chase.

Beyond the treeline was lush forest, a slight decline in the terrain causing to them all stumbling, more than once, but Toren gripped Lia’s wrist tightly through each tumble, only releasing the other woman when they broke through another treeline and found themselves skidding to a stop at the bank of a large pond. It’s crystal blue water was clear enough to see various fish swimming about. In its center sat a large rock.

It felt tranquil.

Too tranquil, even, for the heavy pants of the five young adults as they all came to a stop huddled together, bent at the waist. Balt gathered himself the quickest though, standing to attention as he glared back the way they’d come.

“Ava will bring them back here, Princess,” he remarked. “If she realizes this is where we are. Or, even, when they realize we’re not in the tavern, they’ll search the area. We have to-”

“Shut up.” Toren finally released Lia’s wrist, dropping the clothing from her other hand as well. “We have to change.”

“Change?” Rowan questioned with frown. “Into the clothes? I mean, sure, but how will that help you guys-”

“Ava’s not an idiot,” Toren replied simply and though it did little to answer his question, Finn was quick to agree.

“She’s not,” he nodded helpfully.

“But-” Rowan tried though it was no use.

After gathering what clothing she thought both her and Lia might need, Toren grabbed her sister’s wrist again and lead her further, off into a different treeline. Balt wanted to follow, but swallowed this, knowing their enemy to still be behind them.

“Why are you guys so afraid of the other guards?” Finn asked Balt as, no concern over the other men, he took to tugging his shirt over his head and slipping into the one Toren had left him behind. “Aren’t you guys all, you know, on the same side?”

Balt snorted, tugging the soft, blue dyed cotton shirt over his head as he replied, “It’s complicated.”

“W-Well, what should we do?” Rowan questioned instead. “If they come back here, I mean.”

“You,” the Galian replied as, still with little bashfulness, dropped his pants before them, “won’t be doing anything. I’ll take care of them.”

“Take care of them,” Finn repeated softly and, stepping out of his pants, Balt was quick to pull on a pair of shorts.

“Between my brother and I,” he insisted, an ill-timed swallow betraying the confidence he hoped to portray, “nothing can harm the princesses.”

Rowan snorted, openly, but when this got a glare from Balt, he could only look off.

“Where his your brother,” he thought to question instead. “Anyways? Surely he hasn’t slept through all this.”

“Dunno,” Balt replied more evenly then. Eyes falling back to the treeline, listening, closely, for any approach, he assured the other two men, “But I doubt it.”