Rebirth Of The Fallen Princess

Chapter 9

"Avyanna," my father warned, his hardened gaze fixed on me. "Your Highness, please allow me to introduce you to my daughter."

Right. I was still a lady in the presence of a member of the royal family. Erasing the shock from my face, I lowered myself into a curtsy. It was a blessing that my mother wasn't anywhere to be seen. She would've berated me incessantly had she witnessed my entrance. Still, my heart hammered in my chest. How was I to know that the young man who caught me in the gardens was the crown prince? I had never been allowed to leave the estate prior to my debut, so I never had the chance to even come within the vicinity of the first prince. He had been dressed like any other knight and hardly acted in a manner befitting royalty.

"Greetings, Your Highness," I said, still in a curtsy, "my name is Avyanna Rhosyn."

"Yes, I do not believe we have formally met," Prince Rylan replied, "It is nice to make your acquaintance, Lady Rhosyn. However, I recall seeing you at the palace a few weeks ago. If I had not had my hands full with a stray raven, I would have introduced myself then."

My eyes widened ever so slightly. Was he going to expose my improper behavior to my father? Not only had I ungraciously avoided my meeting with Prince Cade by jumping from the second floor of the Crystal Palace, I then fell from a tree onto the first prince and treated him as I would any other stranger. If my father learned of any of these things, I wasn't sure what he would do.

As if sensing my distress, Prince Rylan turned back to my father and said, "Excuse my sudden arrival, Duke Rhosyn. I simply heard my brother is soon to be betrothed and felt it necessary to meet the young lady in person. After all, if we are to become family we must learn to get along. Now, I have heard that the gardens of Raven's Wood put even the Crystal Palace to shame. If you do not mind, Duke, Lady Rhosyn could show me the gardens. We have much to talk about now that she is to be my sister."

Father glanced between the two of us, Prince Rylan's easy smile obviously giving something away about his intentions. I hoped the shame I felt inside wasn't visible to anyone. This was absolutely humiliating. How could I, a daughter of House Rhosyn, be caught by the crown prince? If he had been a regular knight, I could have held my position over him to demand he forget about the entire encounter. Of course, circumstances are different now.

Facing the prince again, my father nodded, "I see. Avyanna, show Prince Rylan the gardens. Do not mind your afternoon lessons. I will inform your mother that your etiquette lessons will resume in the morning. And your other lessons will resume tomorrow as well."

I stared at my father. We were in the presence of royalty, yes. However, I couldn't recall a single time Father had budged when it came to my training. No matter how tired I was, how torn to shreds my body came to be, nothing deterred him from assigning my exercises. Mother felt just as strongly about my etiquette lessons. In my last life, I wouldn't have even dared to think of asking for a day off of anything. And Father certainly didn't give any breaks, even if Prince Cade was forced to come by.

Offering my father his thanks, Prince Rylan stood and gestured for me to take the lead. I hesitated for a moment, glancing at Father. In mere weeks I would be announced as engaged to Prince Cade, was it really alright for me to go walking around with his brother? While I doubted anyone from our manor would breathe a word to the outside, one couldn't be too cautious. One mishap here could lead my family to ruin before I even had the chance to stop it. But Father merely gave me a short nod, and I had no other option than to lead Prince Rylan from the room.

As we walked towards the gardens, I couldn't help but glance up at the first prince. His resemblance to his younger brother was minuscule to say the least. The only commonality I could come up with was perhaps their sharp facial features. They gained that from King Caesar. I couldn't say I was surprised. Being half-brothers strained the alikeness. Their personalities certainly couldn't be further from each other.

Before long, we emerged in the great gardens of Raven's Wood. Calling it a spectacle of color would imply a variety to the blossoms that bloomed. However, there was only one color that dominated our garden: red. The staple of Raven Wood's gardens, blood-red rose bushes spanned the expanse of land. All surrounding a small lake in the center. People didn't talk about our garden for the flowers. No, our garden was famous due to the rumors. They say that our roses were dyed red with the blood of our enemies. Everyone knew this, even the prince.

As we walked, Prince Rylan did nothing more than make small comments. He would admire the contrast of the shimmering lake with the roses, or marvel at the bushes that grew to be taller than him; he even stopped to question our gardener regarding our new fountain which had been modeled after the ravens that lived in the surrounding woods. All the while, he never said a word about our initial meeting at the Crystal Palace.

We came to a stop at a marble gazebo not far from the water's edge. I took my seat, wary of his presence as he sat beside me. He marveled the near perfect reflection that appeared on the water's surface and I watched him silently. Perhaps I had been wrong. Maybe the knight I had run into was a lookalike with features that strongly resembles Prince Rylan. Yes, he had simply heard the story from one of his men and decided to tease me with it as a form of punishment.

"You seem to be well versed in the ways of etiquette, Lady Rhosyn." Prince Rylan suddenly noted, tearing his eyes away from the sparkling water to gaze at me. "I never knew someone could look so graceful falling from a tree. Nor was I aware that the daughter of a duke would have such a sharp tongue."

Of course, I wasn't so lucky.

"Your Highness, I must ask you to accept my apology. My behavior at the Crystal Palace was not that befitting House Rhosyn. Please, forget the events that took place that day," I requested.

"Very well,” Prince Rylan agreed, too easily to put me at ease, “I will forget everything that transpired at the palace, so long as you answer a question for me. Why were you running from Cade?"

"I was not feeling well, Your Highness. Perhaps it was nerves or maybe something I had eaten, but I could not meet Prince Cade under such circumstances. I surely would have brought my family shame."

Just as I planned, the excuse spilled easily from my lips. It wasn't entirely untruthful. Even now, every nerve in my body was at high alert at the mere mention of the second prince. But my nerves certainly weren't the only reason I'd avoided him. Self-preservation was the first one to come to mind. I couldn't let my life play out as it had previously, nothing would change. Yet, it seemed my answer wasn't satisfactory. As Prince Rylan fixed me with a long stare, his vibrant eyes unwavering, I could tell he didn't believe me.

"You should know, no one has ever lied so convincingly to me before. I commend you for that. Now," he said, his gaze hardening as his tone shifted, "you have one more opportunity to tell me the truth. I am not known for my fondness of liars."

A chill shot down my spine. His expression gave little away, his true emotions and intentions remaining a mystery. Prince Cade wore his feelings on his sleeve. There wasn't a day of our marriage that I wasn't aware of his resentment towards me. Prince Rylan was different. He was harder to read, eerily calm. Dangerous.

"I.. I cannot marry Prince Cade," I finally admitted, casting my gaze out towards the water.

"Why?"

"Tell me, Your Highness, do you believe that as we are right now a marriage between the prince and I would be the most beneficial course of action?"

He began to reply, but then closed his mouth. I nodded. His silence only confirmed my claims. Right now, a marriage between Prince Cade and I would be disastrous. And not just from the perspective of knowing the future. As it was, the kingdom was teetering on the brink of civil war on any given day. A marriage between us would be enough to tip the scale and send the kingdom into chaos. Prince Rylan understood this.

After a moment, a smile spread across his face.

"I wish I could be there to see my father's face when you tell him that you will not marry Cade," Prince Rylan laughed. "Unfortunately, I will be taking my knights to the south soon. There is a dispute going on with the Yoddha tribe and my father is sending me to settle it. Hopefully, it will not escalate by the time I arrive. Do be sure to not fall victim to the snakes of the court while I am away."

I looked questioningly at him. So far as I remembered, no one had mentioned a conflict. Then, as if pieces of a puzzle were falling into place, my memories returned. Not of this life, but of my last one. The Yoddha tribe occupied the lands just over the southeastern border. Much like the other tribes of Sahir, the Yoddha valued strength. I heard their third princess was a prodigy when it came to swordplay. If I recall correctly, it had been enough for her to seize the position of chieftain from her father at the age of nineteen in my previous life. A strong leader for a strong tribe.

Marquess Orville held authority over that area. From what I heard before; the conflict arose over the flagrant disrespect he showed to Sahirian traders. Though we had never personally fought the Yoddha, he grouped them together with other tribes who had tried to cross our borders and called them barbarians. Because of his racism, the Yoddha tribe called for penance. It blew out of proportions when the marquess sent his knights to imprison the traders on false claims. Then, we went to war. The war that would claim the crown prince's life.

On impulse, I lunged out and grabbed onto his arm, "No! Do not go south!"

In the past, I had no connections to Prince Rylan. Anything I knew of him came from those who worked in the palace and Kaius. Despite his stoic personality, Prince Rylan had been his friend from the Academy. Even Kai mourned his death in his own way. That's why, if I could save his life, I would do it. Not to mention, Prince Rylan was a powerful ally. If he lived, perhaps I could save my family.

"Oh?" he mused, glancing down at the arm I held onto, "Lady Rhosyn, I hope you have an explanation for why I should not go. I am the captain of the Red Guard. What could I say to my father? To the noble court? I cannot simply tell them that I cannot go to the south because my brother's fiancée requested that I stay."

At the word 'fiancée', I let go of Prince Rylan's arm. What was I doing? Had I truly been so desperate for him to listen that I completely overlooked the fact that I would soon be betrothed to his younger brother? How careless. I needed him to take my advice, but I needed to do so carefully. There were still so many uncertainties about the state of my future, I couldn't afford to slip up like that.

Prince Rylan looked at me expectantly, waiting for my response. How could I tell him what I knew? I had long been at war with myself over what I should do with my knowledge of the coming future. It was a constant battle of should I tell someone, or should I keep it to myself. At best, people would tell me it was merely a horrid dream. No one would imagine that House Rhosyn could fall. Sometimes even I wondered if it truly was a dream.

"You would not believe me if I told you," I replied dejectedly, averting my eyes.

"I see," he responded, humming thoughtfully. "Well, that is for me to decide, correct?"

Turning, I faced Prince Rylan. He had a loose smile on his face as he looked at me. I couldn't possibly tell him that he and his men would die if they marched south. The stories I heard of him always spoke of his abilities as a strategist. If he were even a fraction of the talented as the stories told, he would've come up with a plan in which he could avoid bloodshed. And, based on the information he currently had, there was no doubt he would have succeeded. However, the key difference was that in the month that would pass before he arrived at the border, Marquess Orville will have already locked up the traders and the Yoddha will have declared war. But that had yet to happen and I was the only one who knew it would.

If I told him now, I would surely be called mad. Prince Rylan would lock me up, away from the outside world, and my future would be forced to play out in the exact same way. I could not save my family from behind locked bars. Yet, if I didn't give him a convincing enough argument, Prince Rylan would die just as he had before.

"Lady Rhosyn?"

"I apologize, but I cannot tell you, Your Highness," I replied, meeting his eyes. "However, if I offer you some kind of evidence that I have information pertaining to future events, will you consider my request?"

After a moment of thought, Prince Rylan nodded, and I continued.

"At my debut party, Lady Carne is planning to humiliate me in front of everyone."

His eyebrows shot up at my comment and he asked, "How could you know that? The fact that this party is meant to serve as your debut has not been disclosed to anyone. None of the noble houses are even aware of your existence."

I nodded solemnly. That was true. Even in my past life, everyone heard stories of the mysterious lady who lived at Raven's Wood, but no one knew who I really was. My debut party had been under the guise of King Caesar announcing Prince Cade's engagement. The nobility had been beyond shocked when he arrived escorting me, an unknown lady with a ghoulish appearance. Everyone who had assumed Lady Morrigan to be the prince's fiancé would mark me as a target. This party would be the beginning of the social war that became my existence.

Fixing me with a thoughtful gaze, Prince Rylan stood up. I followed suit, smoothing out the kinks in my dress. Neither one of us uttered a word as we traversed the winding paths of the garden. Whatever information he wanted to get from me, he got it. And more.

As we exited the gardens, I glanced at the prince. I recalled the words he said to me when we parted after our first meeting: 'I hope we meet again soon'. Had he known my identity the whole time? Or was our meeting now purely coincidental? Something told me I would never know the answer to that question.

Perhaps it would be better if I avoided Prince Rylan, I thought, fiddling with the skirt of my dress absentmindedly. He is not like Prince Cade. He is unpredictable, intrusive, and-

"Lady Rhosyn!"

I turned at the call of my name. While lost in thought, I failed to notice our approach to the training grounds. A hand waved wildly in the air. My breath came out in a long sigh as I noted who the arm belonged to. Farren bounded over, abandoning her sword along the way. I fought to keep from burying my head in my hands. She certainly had a way to go in terms of being a proper knight. Prince Rylan stifled a laugh as the young girl came to a stop in front of us, a broad smile decorating her face.

"Lady Rhosyn, the captain says I have gotten leaps better since I got 'ere. Would you please consider sparrin' me?" she begged, the sparkle in her eyes making her excitement even more apparent.

"Squire Farren, no matter what my brother has said concerning your abilities, you are still far from being able to hold a candle to me. That aside, I am currently with a guest," I nodded towards the prince.

Farren's eyes widened and she immediately jerked herself into a bow far too low. Prince Rylan muffled another laugh as he looked the girl up and down. I stifled a sigh. She arrived shortly before I did and jumped immediately into her training. Though she still appeared a bit worn from the nonstop training, she looked leagues better than she had the day we met. The dirt had washed out of her hair, revealing the golden color underneath, and she built muscle quickly, hiding her ribs away. Now, Farren looked like any other squire.

"I be-beg your pardon, Lord...?" she trailed off, realizing she had no idea who she was addressing, and looked up.

"Prince Rylan, what are you doing here? And with my sister at that."

I glanced behind Farren. Having retrieved her fallen sword, my elder brother stood behind the young squire. His training leathers were drenched in sweat, an indication at what he had been doing all day. Ever since he came back from the Academy, he had been here day and night working with our knights. It appeared he paid particular attention to Farren, not that I was surprised. I was sure the moment he found out that I brought her here, she would pique his interest. He fixed his gaze on Prince Rylan with one eyebrow c****d.

"Do I need a reason to visit my future sister?" the prince asked, smiling, "That aside, I see that your squires are much more interesting than usual. Has the duke finally loosened his training regime?"

In realizing who he was, Farren nearly threw herself on the ground before the prince, "I ap-apologize for my behave-behavior! Please excuse.. excuse me, Your Highness!"

"It is alright, no harm do-"

She didn't need to hear anything else. The young girl hurriedly stood once more and scurried away, her feet carrying her swiftly back to the training grounds. Kaius looked to the sword still in his hand and shook his head.

Turning back to Prince Rylan, my brother inquired, "Are you staying for the night?"

The crown prince shook his head, "Stopping here was just a small detour. I am visiting Baron Von Ness to discuss how many men he could afford to send, should the conflict with the Yoddha take a turn for the worse. Then I ride south to mediate the conflict."

"I see. Do not die."

Without another word, Kaius turned and jogged back to the training grounds. I stared after him. How could he speak so bluntly to the crown prince? The person we would be renewing our oath with. He didn't even give it a second thought as he arrived at Farren's side without a single backwards glance. While I couldn't pick out specific words, I could tell he scolded Farren for abandoning her weapon.

"Do not look so shocked, Lady Rhosyn," Prince Rylan laughed, grinning at my brother's figure in the distance. "At the Academy we are treated as equals. Kaius is far too used to my constant berating of his formal language to so easily change back to his usual speech patterns."

I nodded slowly. It certainly made sense. My brother's arrival at home had symbolized his graduation from the Academy. After four years it was only natural to have some behaviors ingrained in his memory.

"That is understandable. I do hope he does not slip up in front of our father," I worried. "I can only imagine the verbal lashing he would receive should that happen."

Prince Rylan chuckled at the thought.

"On that note, Lady Rhosyn, I must be off. As I told your brother, I am scheduled to arrive at Baron Von Ness's residence by nightfall. To make up for lost time, I will need to depart right away. Please, do not feel the need to escort me all the way back to my horse; I know the way," he explained. "But, before I go, allow me to offer you my congratulations on your future debut. I pray it does not go as you fear it will."

As I bowed, Prince Rylan departed. I lifted my head to watch his retreating back. Just as his tone shifted when he told me he hoped to see me soon, it shifted in his parting words. He was planning something; I was sure of it. My debut was just a month away and I could feel the noose around my neck tightening. Aside from minor details, nothing about my fate appeared to change. I was continuing on the same path of destruction.

A chill shot down my spine. Something was coming, good or bad that had yet to be seen. In either case, my debut would set the stage for the beginnings of my fate to unfold. If I succeeded, I would be able to reshape my future as best I could. If I didn't, I would do everything in my power to ensure that House Rhosyn emerged from the c*****e alive.

Even if it meant destroying every house in Etherea in the process.