A KISS OF RAGE AND FIRE

SEVEN

She whirled and whatever emotions she had earlier vanished immediately.

"Alastair?"

The man flashed her a grin. "The one and only."

It was as if the burning emotion, the anger she felt earlier was dampened by his mist. Alastair walked closer and wiped something on her face dahilan para pamulahan siya ng mukha. If she knew Alastair was coming, she would've taken the day off from all those practices and just stayed in her room, asking her handmaidens to prepare her for this meeting.

"What...what are you doing here?" she stammered as she suddenly became conscious of what she looked like, of what she smelled like.

Alastair tilted his head. "Don't you want me here?"

"What? No! Of course, I want you here." More than anyone else.

Alastair removed the coat he's wearing and draped it on her shoulders. The rain stopped and the fire she set was totally extinguished. And she felt cold so she clutched Alastair's coat tighter.

She heard the man sighed---breathed in the smoky air. Then he smiled at her when he caught her staring. "I was hoping I could breathe in some fresh air but this place isn't really the one I was looking for."

Is he asking me to tour him around? Her mind was in chaos. Napatingin siya sa paligid and embarrassment quickly went up to her system. She made quite a mess in the courtyard.

"I...erm...I could take you to the gardens if you want."

Her heart skipped a beat when Alastair tucked a strand of her hair to the back of her ear. "That's a really good idea. But..." He looked at her state. "I'm sorry you're dripping wet now because of my magic. You should change first. We don't want the future Queen of Terrasen looking like that."

She felt her cheeks burn. She must be really dirty now because of the training she had earlier with Master Amon.

"I don't mind you looking like that, though. But I think you're getting cold."

She bit her lip as she tried not to smile. Her face must be very red by now.

She heard Alastair chuckled. "I couldn't remember the last time I visited here."

She stole a glance at him as they walk down the hallway. "That was when we were ten years old, Al."

The man chuckled. "Right. I remember we used to play together. Me, you, and Killian."

Katharine blushed. Alastair has been someone she really admired ever since she got any idea what admiration is. He's the son of his Father's closest friend, the General of the Royal Knights. Kaya naman madalas ito sa palasyo noon. She could still remember during her lessons, she could see Alastair and Killian practicing sword fighting just below her room.

Killian Archeron is not really someone friendly to her. Nakakasama lang niya ito noon dahil magkaibigan sila ni Alastair. She can't really remember any interactions she had with Killian. He is the current Captain of the Elite Magic Knights, a group of Elite Knights personally chosen by her Father. They're what they call the Kingsguard. They're a different group from the Royal Knights. They're more powerful and...merciless. They kill without hesitation and would do anything for the King. They have their loyalty to the King. And soon, to her when she takes over the throne.

"I wonder where Killian is now. Being the Captain of the Kingsguard surely made him busy," Alastair said while they walked the long hall to the gardens.

That's another strange thing her Father did. The Kingsguard are supposed to be always beside the King. But for some unknown reasons, her Father sent all of his seven guards somewhere. Walang nakakaalam kung anong dahilan. She never thought of asking her father.

"Father sent them somewhere. I don't know where, though." She said as she looked at the floor. Her mind is blank and she doesn't know what to say. All her wits left her. She still can't believe Alastair is here. It's been more than ten years since they last saw each other. She didn't know what he's been up to and they never had any communication but seeing him now—seeing him like this brings back nostalgia. It brought back the feelings she buried a long time ago.

She felt him stopped walking. She looked at Alastair who was looking at her seriously. She gulped. She never admired anyone other than Alastair. She doesn't have a clue if Alastair knows about it or not.

"Do you have any idea why I am here, Princess?"

She fumbled on the coat draped on her shoulder. He never fails to make her heart skip a beat.

"I—"

"I've been waiting for this day to happen, Kath." Alastair took a step close to her. She risked meeting his eyes. He has the ability to make her feel so helpless. She is Katharine Arathorne. Everybody knows her as someone with a swagger. But in front of Alastair, all her confidence disappears.

"I came here to ask your hand for marriage, Princess." She hitched her breath when Alastair kissed the back of her hand. He looked at her with those sea-blue eyes. She remained standing there, frozen in fact. All the remaining fiery emotions she had earlier totally disappeared. She couldn't believe what she's hearing. Here in front of her, the man she likes is asking her hand for marriage. She doesn't know if she's dreaming or not. And if it is a dream, she doesn't want to wake up.

"Marriage?"

She hasn't really thought about getting into a relationship, much more marriage. In fact, she didn't care much about it at all. As a crown princess, someone from a powerful house should marry into her family and take her last name. She didn't care who she marries as long as it's from a powerful house, she's fine with it. She can marry anyone her father chooses for her but Alastair asking her for marriage is a different story.

"Alastair, I...are you serious?"

"Are there any reasons why I should be joking at something crucial like this?" Ngumiti ang lalake sa kanya and it took the air out of her system. Alastair reached and tucked her wet hair behind her ear.

"I want to marry you. The decision is up to you, of course."

She stared at Alastair holding her hand. "I...I want to marry you, too," she said and bit her lip. And the look on Alastair's face was priceless as his smile turned into a grin. He ruffled her hair and she could feel her cheeks burning.

They have known each other since they were kids. They can spend more time together to get to know each other better. He knows Alastair is a good man. He is from a well-known House. He is also someone she admired deeply. And she is marrying him. She felt like she's living in a dream. It's...too perfect.

"Come. Your father asked me to look for you. Let's tell him about it." Alastair gave her his dashing smile and she couldn't help but smile back. This man, Katharine thought, makes her lose her cool. But she doesn't care. As long as it's him.

She did not protest as Alastair intertwined his fingers to hers and they walked the narrow hallway to her Father's office, still not believing what just happened. 

* * * 

It's been two days since Alastair proposed to her. And three days from now will be her 23rd birthday. She rested her back on her bed as she played with a small fire in her fingertips. Transferring it from finger to finger. She noticed she is getting better at controlling her magic power. Before, it's either zero to five percent or one hundred percent. But now, since she started practicing forming something from her fire, she got full control of it. She regretted the days she did not practice her powers more often but that's not important now. What's important is she's starting to learn.

She looked at the clock. It's already six in the morning. She actually woke up an hour ago. She attempted to go back to sleep but her new body clock wouldn't let her so she stayed in her chambers, admiring the fire in her hands. So far, she can do almost twenty weapons using her fire and that counts for something. She is also getting good at estimating and controlling the size of what she wants to make. She's confident she will master her power in no time.

She did not wait for her maids to come. She prepared her bath and soaked in it for several minutes. She especially put some essential and fragrant oils in her bath. She bit her lip as she tried not to smile. Alastair is coming today and they're going to spend the whole day together. She hugged her knees and buried her face in them. It's also one of the reasons why she couldn't go back to sleep earlier. She's just too excited. She felt her bath getting cold so she warmed it up again using her fire.

The moment the maids entered her room, she was finished.

***

She sauntered through the halls, almost skipping. She needs to go to her Father's office dahil ipinatawag siya nito. She doesn't know what could be the matter but she doesn't care much. What she cares about today is she's going to spend her whole day with Alastair.

The maids would jump in their feet when she called and greeted them good morning. It was unusual for her to do that kaya naman labis ang gulat ng mga maid na nakasalamuha niya. They didn't say a word. They just bow slightly in her direction and scuttled away. Even the Royal Knights stationed in every column were looking at her as if they're seeing a stranger. But she doesn't care. Nothing could spoil her excitement for today.

At least that's what she thought.

She knocked on her father's office door. Hindi na na niya ito hinintay na sumagot. She entered the office and was greeted by the back of a man. She blinked. The man bowed to her father and turned to face her.

And when she saw his face, she almost choked on her words. In front of her was someone she almost didn't recognize. His hair was longer than the last time she saw it. She's not saying it's bad. In fact, it made him look better. His ruggedly handsome face reflects the terrible things he's witnessed and the fights he fought. It reflected darkness as he is darkness itself.

"Killian," shesaid when she finally found her tongue.

A smug smile escaped his lips as he scanned her from head to foot. She couldn't help her cheeks heating up. He says nothing but she knows he's making fun of her inside his mind.

Killian bowed slightly and gave her a feline smile. That's one thing she hated about Killian. She doesn't know what he thinks.

"Your Highness," he said. His voice skittered along her nerve endings. But his mocking tone didn't escape her ears. And she could have sworn darkness swirled around him, crept closer as he stood straight.

Killian Archeron is someone strong enough to be the Captain of the Elite Magic Knights or the Kingsguard. She doesn't really have a good grasp of what his power is and all she knows is that he comes from the Northern Lands, a member of the most powerful House in the North, House Archeron. Killian's name comes with darkness. One glance at him could send warning bells to one's head and send them running away.

"I heard you are engaged to Alastair. Congratulations," he said, still smiling in her direction. Even the way he congratulates her sounded like a mock to her. Killian has always been so good at masking his true intentions.

"Thank you," she responded, rather blandly. "Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?" She looked at her father who was rubbing his temples. Killian went to the other side of the room settling his back on the wall.

"Father?" she called. Her father looked at her. Exhaustion is visible in his eyes.

"Father, what's wrong?"

Her father rubbed his temples. As far as she can remember, she didn't do anything stupid today. Kalalabas lang niya ng kwarto. Is there any bad news? Is that why Killian's here? But then she remembered what she did to the courtyard yesterday. She clamped her lips. Maybe I did something terrible after all. The gardeners might have fixed it by now but the fire she caused yesterday was too big to be ignored. But what she heard from her father next is completely unrelated to the disaster she caused yesterday.

"You are to go to the Northern Lands, Katharine," he said as he leaned back to his seat.

"What?" she looked at Killian who just shrugged at her. She looked at her father. 

"Is this another training?" She walked to his desk and placed both her palms on top of it. "I am getting married soon, Father. And it's my birthday too. If I am going to train there, I'm sorry but I can't go."

"You will not be staying there for a long time. And this isn't training." He stood from his chair at naglakad papunta sa harapan niya. Ramdam niya ang higpit ng hawak ama sa kanyang mga balikat. His eyes are weary and she could see in the wrinkles in his face that he, her father, is old now. 

How time flies.

"I am stepping down soon and before you become the Queen of Terrasen, you need to do something in Arythea. Complete their task and we determine if you deserve the throne."

Her brows furrowed as she looked at him. "Since when did we start doing this ... tradition? Completing a task before I become Queen? Am I going to complete the other land's tasks too?"

His father merely shook his head. "We always had this tradition. Just not known to everyone. And Arythea is the strongest land in Terrasen. Completing their task is enough."

She doesn't know if it's just her imagination but her father seemed to sound so...urgent. So she looked at her father's eyes and said, "When am I going?"

He looked at Killian and the latter pushed himself from the wall. "We're going now," said Killian.

* * *