Princess Lily

Chapter 16

"Kyle!" Lily exclaimed as the jugs of water were spilled by no other than Kyle.

 They fell to the floor with a crash. There was a small party going on in her house and Alexei was playing the violin. Everyone was having a grand time and the villagers had taken a liking to Alexei. Lily sighed and bent to clean up the broken jugs and went outside to throw away the shards of glass.

The moonlight shined on her ring and Lily felt an odd sense of peace in the uneasy dark of night.

She heard hooves and looked around to see Baron Rothberg charging right at her.

Lily screamed, dropping the cloth full of already broken glass which shattered further upon impacting the ground. Everyone inside heard and ran outside. Alexei immediately ran to protect Lily, stepping in front of her, as Rothberg stopped a few mere inches away.

"See your highness! Now do you believe me?!" Rothberg yelled triumphantly.

 Alexei paled. James came riding on his white horse and stopped in front of Alexei who was practically covering Lily from site.

James drew his sword.

"Let her go," he said to Alexei dangerously.

Alexei looked confused and realization hit him. His Highness thought that Alexei was attacking Lily.

"James!" Lily burst out and passed Alexei, now she was the one trying to protect him. "He's my friend, don't hurt him!"

"What?" asked James confused.

"You heard me he's my friend-"

Her words were drowned out as Baron Rothberg charged towards Alexei and started a sword fight.

“I will get my reward for capturing you!” Baron Rothberg stated as their swords clashed.

Luckily, enough time had passed that Alexei was able to defend himself despite one arm still in a sling.

 James stepped down from his horse and looked at Lily censoriously.

"Lily he's an outlaw, a rebel," said James as if he was talking to a two year old.

"James I know and he's not so bad. He's just fighting for his country’s freedom...what would you do if you’re people were being suppressed?”

James stiffened at the accusation.

“What nonsense!” he exclaimed angrily. “The people of Pacem are not suppressed! That’s all propaganda started by the criminal you’ve been helping!”

Lily winced at James’s accusation as the sword fight went on in front of their eyes. She opened her mouth to argue the statement but at that moment, Baron Rothberg was able to effectively counter Alexei’s jab at him, sending the outlaw’s sword flying through the air and into the grass. Baron Rothberg laughed evilly as he stalked towards Alexei, intent to kill in his eyes. Lily instinctively made a grab for James’s sword that had been hanging limply in his hand. She called his name as she threw the sword to him In a graceful arc, it made it’s trajectory towards Alexei who caught it expertly in his hand.  

"Traitor," said James staring at her with cold fury. "How dare you give that outlaw my sword and how dare you help him? He's the most dangerous of them all!"

"James!" said Lily surprised. He'd never talked to her that way. "Why don't you hear him out before branding him a dangerous rebel!?"

"What's to hear? He’s a criminal!"

"For the wrong reason!" Lily exploded.

"He's a threat to my empire Lily," Said James softly. "He's a threat to ME. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?"

"Maybe if you talked with him, you'd see his intentions were right," said Lily snappily. "There are two sides to every story. Hear him out, please," she pleaded, hoping to convince him. 

James looked at her as if he'd been betrayed and then mounted his horse. Lily looked at the sword fight just in time to see Baron Rothberg cornered by Alexei, the baron's sword laying a few feet away from him as the outlaw advanced towards him.

In the blink of an eye, the baron ran towards his horse, mounted it and galloped away.

“Odd how a dangerous wanted criminal couldn’t even kill the vile baron who was trying to kill him,” Lily commented to James pointedly. “Alexei it an excellent swordsman. He let Baron Rothberg get away. He doesn't kill people unnecessarily.”

James stiffened, hating the way Lily said the outlaw’s name. Now that he thought about it, the way the rebel had stood in front of Lily earlier had been rather protective…possessive even.

"Thank you Lily," said Alexei warmly and James couldn’t help the ugly surge of jealousy encroaching his very being.

“Your sword, your highness,” said Alexei respectfully, remembering his promise to give the prince a chance. He held up the sword, trying to hand it back to James.

"Keep it," James spat. "Be grateful I'm not arresting you. You owe Miss Lily a great debt." He then looked stoically at Lily. "Thank you madam, for opening my eyes to where your true loyalties lie."

Lily looked at him in horror. He'd said her name like it was some sort of curse word. This wasn't how their reunion after so long was supposed to have gone. 

"James you're becoming out of hand," said Lily her voice rising.

"You are a threat to my lands Miss Lily for helping an outlaw," James retorted.

Lily looked at him and her eyes burned with cold fury. How dare he...

Kyle, who was oblivious to this whole situation suddenly ran up to the prince and said. "James! James! Are you going to stay with us? Can you take me horse riding?"

James voice softened. "I'm going to the northern mountains of Fortius. They’re only a few hours ride from here. We own a holding there where I’m going to go to think some things over.” He caste a sad gaze at Lily “I don't think I'll be staying here or coming back. I have no reason too."

Because he could never be with her now. Not after what he’d just seen. That was all too clear.

Lily’s anger went out of control.

"Good-bye!" she yelled tears stinging her eyes. "Leave! Just go! You have no reason to stay here! GO!" she yelled a bit more loudly than she wanted and stormed inside throwing her ring to the ground.

"Oh!" exclaimed Kyle. “I think I just found myself some treasure!”

James looked at the ring sadly as Kyle bent to pick it and then rode off into the night.