The Princess Who Went to War

Chapter 13 - A Gift

[Calysta] 

Atticus jumps down from his horse, smiling. I immediately walk towards him as the people around me start to stand. 

"What are you doing here?" I ask as I get closer.

He scoffs, as if I've hurt his feelings, "Nice to see you too, Caly." 

"Your Highness, welcome to the border." Ser Remnand says as he bows to Atticus. Atticus turns to him, simply nodding. 

"I'm sorry for my unexpected," He says, then turns to look at me, "And apparently unwelcomed visit." 

I roll my eyes at his dramatic remark, "I never said that." I tell him. My brother smiles at me.

"I am happy that you're doing well." He says as he puts a hand on my shoulder. 

I simply smile, but don't reply, remembering how he has no idea of the injury I've sustained from fighting the Giorem. He will surely drag me back to the Palace should he find out. 

"Your Highness." Atticus and I both turn and see Gwen bowing as she greets Atticus. He smiles at her. 

"Well, I've come bearing reinforcement." Atticus says as he gestures to the soldiers behind him. 

The soldiers immediately stand in attention as Ser Remnand approaches them, and assigns them to stations and commanders. 

"I've also brought a gift for you." Atticus says as he gestures for us to walk. We both walk towards a clear space, away from anyone else, with Gwen and Atticus' guards following not too far behind. 

"I was expecting to meet the gift on the way here, but as it turns out, she will be arriving late." Atticus tells me. 

"She?" I ask, confused. When he had mentioned a gift, I did not expect it to be a person.

"Kalah Trenaia, the Sorceress of Fire." Atticus says. I almost gasp at this, shocked that he had convinced a Sorceress to join us. 

He grins, seemingly proud of himself and how he has managed to invite another Sorceress to fight. 

"I've never met her before." I tell Atticus. He only nods.

"The daughter of Lora Trenaia, Sorceress of Magma. They live by a small volcano in one of Raziem's Duchies." Atticus tells me. 

There are only about a dozen living sorceresses in Raziem at the moment, and I've only met three in my lifetime, excluding Liliana. 

Still, Raziem's population of sorceresses is plenty, compared to other Kingdoms with mostly three to five each. According to history, Raziem is the birthplace of Sorceresses, as they all used to live here. As centuries passed, some has moved to farther lands. 

"Your Highnesses, please, let us head to the dining halls for a welcome feast, in honor of the Crown Prince's arrival." Atticus and I look back to see Ser Remnand extending a hand towards the dining halls as he bowed. 

"There is no need for that, Ser Remnand. I would like to rest from the long journey." Atticus replies.

"Immediately, Your Highness." Ser Remnand says as he orders for squires to prepare the Royal Room for Atticus. 

It is a room located at the very top floor of the quarters, with a small drawing room and two bedrooms reserved for visiting Royals. Because I came here as a soldier, I had specifically asked that they do not prepare the room for me. 

"I shall head in, Caly." Atticus tells me. I simply nod as he and his guards follow Ser Remnand. 

As soon as he is out of sight, I immediately start walking towards the infirmary, where healers have gathered right outside to see the arrival of my brother. 

I notice some of them smooth our their hair, already tied in tight buns. While some of them smooth out their aprons as they eye the young soldiers who have accompanied Atticus on his travel. 

I only notice Gwen half-running as she followed me asking, "Where are you going?"  as she catches up to me. 

I don't have time to answer as I quickly open the infirmary's door, looking for Ayu. I find her mixing up tonics in the corner and immediately approach her.

"You want me to make sure he does not find out?" Ayu asks the moment I stop right at the side of the table, still concentrating on mixing tonics.

It was almost as if she could hear my thoughts the moment I have stepped into the infirmary and knew exactly what I was going to say. 

"He'll drag me home if he finds out I've been injured bad enough to be confined here." I tell her. 

Ayu chuckles, "I do not have to tell men anything." She replies as she slowly turns her head to look at me and winks, her gray hair tucked neatly in the tight bun she wears daily. 

I smile at this response, "And the ladies?" I ask, referring to the other healers. 

"They are all but head-over-heels for the handsome Prince. They will never tell a soul." She tells me. I let out a sigh of relief but quickly get tensed as I realize that it is not only the healers that I should be worrying about. 

"The soldiers, the knights, the squires, the cooks..." I panic as I list all the people who could let the information slip. 

"All you have to do is ask Ser Remnand." Ayu tells me.

"But will he choose to listen to me, over my brother? My brother, the future King?" I ask, worried that he may feel obligated to report to the Crown Prince of Raziem of the events that have involved me during my stay. 

"You are the royalty with the power to zap anything with lightning, my dear. I'm sure it will be a rather easy choice." Ayu replies. I laugh at this, but am also determined to make sure Atticus does not find out. 

"Thank you, Ayu." I thank Ayu. She only nods as I head back out. Once outside, Gwen and I find Gabriel and the rest of his team standing as they watched squires and soldiers hurry around. 

"Caly! Gwen!" Ulysses exclaims as he notices us. I smile at him. 

"Now that, was a Royal Entrance." Randall says, gesturing at the soldiers still holding up the Royal flags. 

"You should see the King's entrance." Gwen comments, and the others laugh. 

"Do they only do it for the men of the Royal Family?" Ulysses asks, referring to the way Atticus travels, complete with a fleet of soldiers and Royal flags. 

"We were on a hurry on the way here. I've insisted that Gwen and I travel by ourselves." I reply, explaining why my arrival did not look the same as Atticus'. 

"You look so much alike. It is the first time that I've seen the Prince." Randall comments. This information immediately surprises me.

"Were you not there when Gabriel was knighted?" I ask. They all shake their heads. 

"Gabriel did not want us to go." Randall replies. 

"Why not?" I ask, baffled that he did not want his closest friends with him during such an important milestone in a soldier's life. 

"He doesn't like Royal ceremonies or events." Ulysses tells me. 

"I simply dislike how fussy the Royals can be. Always keeping people on their toes." Gabriel finally speaks as he continues to watch squires and soldiers run about, getting everything ready for Atticus. 

I feel somehow ashamed, fully aware of just how a big of deal it is when a member of the Royal Family arrives anywhere in the Kingdom. 

Especially if it's for the Crown Prince of Raziem, people are bound to be on edge as they scramble to make everything to the Prince's liking.  

Before I could reply, we all turn out heads when a man approaches us, "Your Highness." A voice greets me. I find Fenwick, one of Atticus' personal Royal Guard bowing right in front me. 

"His Highness has requested your presence in the Royal Room, Princess Calysta." He tells me. 

"I thought he was resting?" I asked, confused. Immediately, I feel my heart race as I realized that he was with Ser Remnand. It is possible that he found out. 

"Are you alright, Caly?" Ulysses asks, but before I could answer, my eyes widen as swords are drawn. 

Fenwick has drawn his sword and has it pointed directly at Ulysses, while Randall and Gabriel have their swords drawn and pointed at Fenwick. The rest of Gabriel's team have their swords drawn out as well, seemingly ready for anything that may take place.  

"What insolence! How dare you address Royalty only by Her Highness' name? Have you no shame?" Fenwick bellows. I glance at Gwen as we quickly realize what is going on, and how bad this could end up if it is not stopped now. 

"Put your swords down!" I exclaim. It is as no one can hear my voice as none of them budge.

"Is this how you train your men, Elwood?" Fenwick asks, seemingly mocking Gabriel. By his tone, it seems like they have met before. 

"One move from you and I kill you myself, Fenwick." Gabriel replies, looking and sounding determined. 

Frustrated at the situation we've found ourselves in, I grab their forearms as I try to pull them down, but to no avail. 

"I command you to put your swords down!" I shout, trying to ease the tension as one could almost see beams firing from their eyes by the way they are staring at each other. 

"Gods, Fenwick listen to the Princess!" Gwen exclaims from behind me. 

"But—" Fenwick starts, and I immediately cut him off.

"Fenwick Relighan, I command you to put your sword down." I tell him. He takes a glance at me before putting his sword down. The rest of them put their swords down as well. I look around to see that the people who were hurrying around has stopped to look. 

It must be quite a sight, seeing the Crown Prince's very own Royal Guard point a sword right a soldier, and a knight defending his man. 

Usually, things like this would end up with the knight reprimanding his own soldier. Instead, Gabriel is more than ready to fight Fenwick. 

"Your Highness, this rude behavior must not go unpunished. It is the law that you are properly addressed as the daughter of the King and the Princess of this Kingdom." Fenwick tells me.

"It is fine, Fenwick. Please, let us just go." I tell him as I start to walk away. Gwen quickly follows as Fenwick sheathes his sword back in its scabbard and follow me as well. 

"How have you been allowing that insolence to take place in front of the Princess, Gwen? You did not even take your sword as I did." I hear Fenwick tell Gwen from behind me as we walked towards the quarters. Gwen simply sighs. 

"Should the Commander have heard how that mere soldier addressed the Princess, he would not have let him go without punishment." He tells Gwen further as we start walking up the stairs. 

I stop in my tracks and turn to the both of them, causing them to also stop a few steps below me from the stairs.

"We are not in the Palace, Fenwick. The Commander of the Royal Guard is not around. You do not dictate how I let people address me." I tell him. His eyes widen in shock.

"You've allowed soldiers to address you by your name, Your Highness?" He asks. I sigh, knowing full well that this information will reach my brother, who is a stickler for the rules. 

"Please do not bother that soldier or Ser Elwood, Fenwick. You will have to answer to me." I clearly tell him before resuming to walk up the stairs. 

I shall worry about this issue later, after I've sorted out the injury problem with Atticus in the Royal Room.

Once we arrive at the very top of the stairs, I find two soldiers guarding by the door of the room. I take a deep breath before allowing them to open the door for me. 

Once the door is opened, I step in and so does Fenwick and Gwen right behind me.