Princess Lily

Chapter 18

"Come on!" Lily exclaimed as she made a move to climb one of the steep cliffs freckled with snow.

"No," said James. "It's dangerous."

"Don't be such a baby!" Lily exclaimed. "Besides, you have no choice you are climbing this thing with me!" she exclaimed, grabbing onto a few foot holes and starting to climb. He brown fur boots made it easy for her to make her way upwards. But Prince James knew that even a small patch of ice would end up hurtling her downwards.

"How about I just stand down here and catch you when you fall?" he suggested.

"Nop," said Lily.

"I can't believe I love someone as stubborn as you!" he called as she got farther away from him.

Lily lost her footing and found herself hurtling downwards. She landed in James’ arms neatly, a little out of breath from being face to face with such danger.

The prince smiled mischievously, glad he was able to hold her so intimately against him.

"Aren't you glad now I didn't climb?" he asked.

Lily looked up at him with wide eyes. "Say that again," she said in a completely serious tone.

James knew what she meant. 

"I love you. I really do," he replied.

Lily smiled. "I love you too."

Suddenly, James felt the urge to jump up and down and scream to the whole world that he loved Lily and she loved him but he resisted.

Instead, he set her down gently before pulling her into him and kissing her like he’d been wanting to do the moment he saw her standing in his drawing room. Lily kissed him back, matching passion for passion, spilling all her months of aching and wanting him into that one kiss.

They pulled back, breathless from the magical kiss they’d just shared.

“We’re getting better at this,” Prince James teased. “That was the best kiss ever.”  

Lily blushed and he laughed over her embarrassment.

"Come on, let’s climb the mountain now," said Lily getting out of his arms.

"Are you always this stubborn?" he asked, grabbing a foothold and giving into her insistency.

"I take after my father after all," said Lily smirking.

“So I guess helping outlaws isn’t the only thing that runs in the family,” James replied as he overtook her in their climb. He'd done his research on her family, and now he was convinced the whispers of Duke Max sympathizing with the Pacem Liberation Movement was the truth, not just rumors like he'd initially assumed. 

“I think—” Lily began slowly, “There is a lot you don’t know. And it’s better if you talk to the citizens of Pacem yourself. You’d be surprised to discover what’s been going on beneath your nose this entire time. Things are different from the time your father was emperor. There were never any riots then. Haven't you ever wondered why?”

“It’s because they believe my mother is weak. They are trying to use this opportunity to overthrow us,” Prince James said confidently.

Lily sighed. She realized that there was no way she could erase years of brainwashing within a single day.

“There’s two sides to every story,” Lily responded quietly. “Maybe it’s time you gave the Pacem citizens an opportunity to voice their concerns. They have a right to be heard.”

James helped Lily onto a ledge and he contemplated her words as they looked at the view before them. 

*    *    *

"Oh if only James was here," said Sasha to Empress Sophia as she stepped into the carriage she and her father would occupy for the carriage ride through the city.

The trusted nobles and officials of the empire were all going to meet Marshall Zhukov at the city entrance in open carriages and then travel back in a huge procession to the palace for celebrations. 

"I'm so sorry dear," said Empress Sophia as she stepped into a different carriage.

"Daddy! My dress, you'll ruin it! Sit over there," said Sasha pointing to the seat farthest away from her in the carriage. "You might accidentally mess up my dress if you sit too close!" She had slipped on a rose red ball gown with real roses adorning her gown and even her black hair that swept past her shoulder blades. Sasha was afraid of the roses on her dress becoming crumpled or falling if someone bumped into her.

The Empress, who was in the other carriage, looked at Carl.

"Carl what do you think about Sasha?" she asked.

"What do you mean mother?" he asked nervously as he waved to the villagers who had come out to ooh and ahh at everyone.

The girls took a special interest in Sasha's attire, thinking she was the most beautiful girl they'd ever seen. 

"She's smart, knows how to act like royalty, and over all beautiful. She's perfect for James and she'd make a wonderful Empress. Besides, I've had my eye on her for quite awhile. We just needed to get Elaine out of the way."

"Helaine mother," Carl corrected.

"Yes, yes. I hear her family was having money problems and that her father was HELPING outlaws. How scandalous. We can’t have someone like that married into our family," said the Empress off-handedly.

Carl looked up a bit of sadness in his eyes. "But mother what about Lily? She's not-"

"She's the worst of them all. She's wild and untamed. She'd make the worst Empress!" said Empress Sophia.

Carl didn't reply.

Empress Sophia went on.

"And the way she dresses! Heinous. She is a little beauty I won't deny that but she does as she pleases and rides horses with the village boys. Don’t think I don’t know about you boys swimming in the lake with her! Highly improper Carl! Don’t forget, your guard consists of men loyal to me," Empress Sophia pointed out at the startled look of her son. “I’ll let it pass this once but I never expected such behavior from my own sons! She is most definitely not royalty material. Pity. I was hoping to marry her of to you Carl but now I see that's impossible. I do know of a Baron in Fortius who might find her worthy," said Empress Sophia ranting on and on oblivious to her sons hurt face.

Because he'd still held out hope that Lily would one day be his. But seeing his mother ranting the way she was, he knew that it was impossible now.