Mated: An Enemy King

“Princess Aryn, this is unbecoming of a lady and a princess.” "Oh, Zofia, will you let me breathe?!" Just as my great grandmother, the former queen of Xatis, would at her own, I snapped at my maid, but regretted it a moment later when she merely arched her brow at me. Her look mirroring the royal she wolf who'd placed me in her charge and the very one I had tried and failed to impersonate. Zofia would definitely be making a report of the matter to the matriarch. Knowing I did not wish for another of those long lectures from my great grandmother, Liira, I offered an apologetic smile, but still stripped of my stockings after discarding my boots. "I won't be long, I promise." I sighed in contentment as my bare feet touched the cool waters of a stream we'd encountered on our way back to the palace. The afternoon weather was hot and heavy. So was the royal carriage I had ridden from the capital, making me wish I could strip of every piece of clothing that covered my frame. I wished I could strip of every little part of me that made me a princess too so that I could freely cool off like the young maidens my age who were happily splashing away a little further downstream. "There is no point in envying the commoners. Your father would have every one of his guards' heads for staring at you in such a shameless manner." Zofia pointed to the guards who as she said, kept stealing glances at the giggling maidens who where clearly calling for their attention now. "That he would." I mumbled, shaking the bloody vision from my mind. I was what many termed the great King Elian’s treasure, after my mother of course, and I knew he would undoubtedly have the guards’ heads for even thinking of such an act. He had punished men for much less. I couldn't help the longing in my heart, however. Not for my father's guards gazing on my nakedness, no, but for the freedom that the whole world around me seemed to possess. Something that as the heir to the great kingdom of Xatis I could never really enjoy. Not freely anyway. But then, what if– "Princess Aryn! What in God's name do you think you are doing?!" I giggled at my maid's sound of horror when she realized that I'd slipped away from right under hers and the guards’ noses. Grabbing hold of my gown, I splashed away in the stream before opting for the muddy banks as I headed upstream. It was a childish act. I was being childish, but God, was it freeing and so different from the lady like manner I was expected to carry myself. And until they caught up with me, I would enjoy this momentary freedom. At Zofia’s instruction, guards shifted, their wolves scrambling to secure the woods they had not thought of securing before my small act of rebellion. I did not care for them as I knew only Zofia could stop me physically and judging by the distance between us, I still had a few steps ahead of her. Until I didn’t. “Ouch!” I had been going so fast, loving the wind in my hair and the feel of the wet earth under my feet that I did not notice the figure in my path, until we were both tumbling to the ground. I was still giggling when we hit the hard surface. "Uh, forgive m–" My words died on my tongue, as did my giggles in my throat when once we stopped rolling on the ground, I found myself on top of a stranger. A boy. No older than I by at least a few moon birthdays. Or perhaps more. "You should watch where you are going!" He growled, the sound, even though laced with anger, was melodious and deeper than I had expected of a boy his age. Not that I had known many boys, nor did I wish to get to know any of those who'd frequented the palace with the hopes of impressing my father and I. That ambitious lot that could practically lick the soles of my feet if I asked them to. "Princess!" Zofia called yet again and I should have scrambled to my feet then. Seeing how inappropriate our position was, but his eyes– My grandmother had always said, the eyes were windows to one's soul and I had never understood it. Not until those steel gray ones, cold as ice, held my gaze and stirred something in me, drawing me down deep. Into a storm that seemed to be brewing deep within their owner's soul. Honestly, it was the first time any one had ever looked at me like that. With so much hatred. Something I did not understand. I mean, my bumping into him was an accident and it shouldn't have upset him this much. And in my position as princess, I should have reprimanded him for his outburst, but I found myself appreciating those raw emotions because it meant he saw me. The fact that he was not already apologizing and seeking to butter me in every way so that word did not get to the king, meant he did not see the shiny princess born from the realm’s most powerful couple that could do no wrong, but just…me. Aryn. Someone else apart from my close family was finally upset with me! As odd as that was, it made me happy and it was the thing that brought me to my feet. The boy's cold reception long forgotten and wishing to apologize and introduce myself at the same time, no matter how unnecessary that was, I let my gown fall and cleared my throat while I fumbled to clean the mud I’d gotten on my face. "My apologies. Perhaps I could start by introducing myself–" “I know very well who you are, Princess Aryn." He snapped and not giving me a moment to react to that, he added. "And perhaps you should really listen to those who've been charged with you. You never know what dangers could be hiding in the shadows.” Was he chastizing me now? I glared at the boy. Forgetting that he was the first to grant me what I’d long desired, I let my temper flare. Standing to my full height, I snapped. “Perhaps you should know your place, foreigner.” I'd only noticed his garments now. And his accent. Both speaking of him not being from anywhere near Xatis or its neighbours. “I agree with the stranger. You should've listened to those meant to watch over you.” “Gol?” I squeaked when an imposing figure suddenly stood between me and the boy, effectively dousing my anger and shielding me. Probably both for my own protection and to keep me from displaying my oncoming unladylike outburst. His eyes gave nothing away as always, making me shift from foot to foot nervously. I had known the wolf all my life, but for the love of God I could never tell what was hidden behind that serious gaze he seemed to possess endlessly. Unlike my mother, the queen of Xatis it was said, was the only one to have ever been able to draw a smile out of him. Or so the whispers that surrounded my father's palace said. I had never bothered to confirm the truth in them as I was determined to be the other being to get him to smile. I had been terribly unsuccessful so far and my current rebellion would not be serving that endeavor, so I smiled instead. Albeit nervously. “I thought you were already in Carene. Or did you perhaps change your mind? Did you reconsider my request? Can I finally come with y–” “I have done no such thing.” He cut me off like the child I was currently being with all my questions, yet not with displeasure or disrespect that would have surely left me feeling embarassed in front of the little audience of my father’s men and the foreigner. “His majesty, the king, requires my presence tonight and I am to escort the latest of his guests to the palace.” “His guests?” I frowned, knowing how important those guests must be if my father needed Gol to be the one to get them to the palace safely. Having him or my uncle Rakon carry out such a task made them extremely important. But before Gol could utter another word someone appeared from among the trees. “Oh there you are, Eugan!" A man, older than Gol, dressed in what seemed to be royal garments, exclaimed as he drew closer, his eyes on the stranger. "Forgive me, your majesty. I didn't realize the stream was so far from the main road." The boy sounded as though he'd taken a bow. His anger seemed to have dissipated too, leaving his unusually deep voice sounding even more melodious. I was tempted to peek. Past Gol's frame to behold his face that was no longer angry, but the royal guard was as an immovable wall between us, keeping me hidden. “There is really nothing to forgive, as long as you are okay– Princess!” The king suddenly exclaimed, his gaze darting between me and this Eugan who now stood clear of Gol, and I could have sworn that a whole conversation passed between the king and the boy in that fleeting moment. If not in their mind link then simply with their momentary intense gazes. It left me wondering what had been contained their in and if Gol had noted it too, he spoke nothing of it. “I believe you have met my beloved guard over here?” A king’s guard? Wasn’t the boy too young? And why would a king need to introduce his guard? My gaze darted between the two figures, lingering longer on the boy who refused to look my way. “He is still in training.” As if the king understood my confusion, he flashed me a friendly smile. “As should you be.” Zofia was clearly displeased. Deciding to put her out of her misery and be on our way, I curtsied, perfectly. “A pleasure to meet you, your majesty. Eugan.” For strangers, I surprisingly meant that more than I should have. “We really should get going too, your majesty.” Gol spoke right after, making me frown. “Wait, they are father’s guests?” That made no sense. Not only because of the simple way the king and his guard appeared. They were from a small kingdom. One I was sure needed Xatis more and wouldn't necessarily force my father to have one of his best warriors at their service. Unless… I stared at Gol, wondering. What were the odds of him, who should have been in Carene, being in the same place as I, escorting guests that in my opinion did not fit the calibre that had needed such an escort before? "Where you ever going to leave for Carene at all?" I asked as realization struck me. Gol did not answer and in way he did not need to. My heart ached at that. "They were never going to let me do this alone, were they?" I felt the pride the trip to the capital had brought me evaporate. And with it, the trust I had placed in my parents after they had sworn not to interfere. “How many of those lords were merely indulging me for the sake of my father?” I asked bitterly, not caring for my audience. “It is not like that, my princess.” Gol hastily answered, making me grit my teeth. Of course it wasn’t. It never was. Not with my parents. They just loved me and wished to protect me…all the damn time!