The Princess and Her Rogue

by Sheritta Bitikofer

  “And what did the letter say?” he asked.

  “It was regarding a very embarrassing and upsetting situation between him and I… But, it is resolved now.”

  Kiara looked up to Nate with a coy smile and he beamed back with just as much happiness, if not more.

  “I’m glad to hear it.”

  They went back to eating their shallow bowl’s worth of soup and took a few bites of bread before the second course was served with a choice of pork, chicken or fish. Kiara chose chicken, and so did Nate.

  “Something unfortunate did happen, today, however,” Kiara said suddenly while in the middle of her second plate.

  Nate turned to her with a look of concern. “What happened?”

  “I went to see how much that dress cost that I took a liking to yesterday and Gwen informed me that it had already been purchased.”

  “Oh…” Nate relaxed a bit, turning back to his food. “I’m sorry to hear that. Do you know who bought it?”

  “Not the slightest. But, I also went to check on the ring I liked and it had been bought as well.”

  “I thought you didn’t want the ring?” he questioned with a startled tone.

  “Well… It is a very pretty ring… Perhaps I could give it to someone who has a finger my size,” Kiara lied. She wanted the ring for herself to wear in private. Even if she wasn’t allowed to wear another ring on her finger besides Sir Claude’s, she would want something to remember Nate by when they parted. The thought turned Kiara’s countenance grave and solemn.

  “… Are you alright?” Nate asked.

  “Yes, I’m fine.” Kiara went back to eating her fare. An intriguing idea threatened to enter her mind concerning Nate and the lost items, but she pushed it out before it could take root. There was no way the two could be connected.

  Nate gazed at her a few moments longer, then finished off his own plate to take a drink of his goblet. A servant boy soon came around with pitchers to refill the cups. When asked if Nate would like to keep with his water, or sample some new fruity refreshment that was freshly pressed, Nate kindly requested water.

  “And you, my lady?” the boy asked, holding two pitchers in his hands.

  Kiara looked from the boy to Nate for an answer, but realized that she had to come up with one on her own. “Um… What kind of fruit is it?”

  “A mixture of berries, my lady. Would you like to try it?”

  Compelled by politeness, Kiara nodded her head in response. The boy poured the red liquid into her goblet and continued on down the line. Kiara cautiously picked her glass up and sniffed its edge, testing its smell before its flavor. Once she assessed that there seemed nothing dangerous about the drink, she took a sip… then another… then another.

  “This is very good. Nate, you should try some,” she said before a hiccup erupted from her mouth. Kiara put her hand to her lips and set the goblet down. “Excuse me,” she said with a slight giggle.

  Nate raised a suspicious eyebrow to her, then the drink. He picked up her glass and sniffed it just as she did. “I think this is mead,” he said calmly.

  “Well, then mead tastes very good, all the same.”

  “You shouldn’t drink this. At least, not a lot of it,” Nate warned, setting the glass down.

  “Well, he poured me a goblet full, so it would be rude of me not to drink it all, wouldn’t it?” Kiara said, picking up her drink and taking another small sip.

  “I’ll ask him to bring over some water.” Nate then turned to try and wave down the servant boy again, but was unable to get his attention before walking out of sight.

  “Don’t worry, Nate. I’ll be fine… If it will make you feel better, I’ll be rude and just let the glass sit there and drink out of your goblet. How’s that?”

  “I’d very much prefer if you did that.”

  So, for the rest of the second course, Kiara unwillingly restricted herself to drinking out of Nate’s goblet, which aroused some muttering among the ladies from across the way. However, Kiara could have cared less at the moment. Her mind was buzzing with euphoric sensations that were new, yet pleasing.

  The third course was optional, serving a round of pound cake if the guests so desired. Most were inclined to begin dancing instead when the musicians came out to play a few tunes.

  Nate and Kiara both ate a piece of cake and she began to drink out of her own glass again without Nate noticing. As a result, she became even more light hearted and ditzy, but not enough to arouse any alarm yet.

  When they had finished off their own desert, Lady Elsie and Sir Ethan took to dancing in the middle, leaving Kiara and Nate alone at the table. Kiara, now finished with her goblet of “fruit drink” began clapping merrily with the fast paced music, smiling and laughing at those who were dancing. Nate, finding enjoyment in simply watching, clapped as well.

  As the third song ended, he turned to her, about to say something, but she interrupted.

  “Do you know how to dance, Nate?” Kiara asked excitedly.

  “Uh… No, I don’t. Not this sort of social dancing anyway.”

  “Yeah, I bet you’re more used to the dirty romping we were doing the other night. I do feel so ashamed about my behavior that night. Please, promise you won’t tell anyone?” she pleaded, placing her hand on Nate’s arm.

  He smirked and nodded. “I promise,” he vowed softly.

  But, before the conversation could be continued any further, one of the squires from the opposite table meandered over to Kiara. “Good evening, my lady. Would you do me the honor of this next dance?” He offered his hand out to her with a boyish grin. The squire must have been about the same age, if not younger than herself, but nowhere near as appealing as Nate was.

  She gave a quick, apologetic glance to Nate before standing up and curtsying to the squire. “I would be delighted, good sir.”

  Kiara took the squire’s arm and was led out between the two long banquet tables to join the ranks of dancers waiting to begin the set. Nate sat at the table, looking mystified by what was happening. He watched with disappointment as she and the squire lined up across from each other and began to dance with everyone else in unison to the music. Jealousy burned within him.

  Nate gazed at Kiara’s beautiful form, admiring her grace and elegance. She was an extraordinary dancer. He ached to be with her out there, but could he afford the humiliation? Without further delay, Nate stood up from his chair and walked around the table towards the dancers.

  “May I cut in?” Nate asked, tapping on the young squire’s shoulder, whom he had earlier defeated in the tournament. Kiara and the squire stopped dancing and stepped aside so as not to get in the way of everyone else. Aware that Nate was a strong fighter and not the best person in the world to mess with, the squire nervously nodded and stepped out of formation. Kiara grinned at her new partner, her heart flattering with hope.

  “You’ll have to go easy on me. I’m a beginner,” Nate said playfully as him and Kiara rejoined the dancers at the end of the line.

  “Don’t worry. It’s not that hard,” Kiara replied.

  She gave him a quick lesson in the basic steps of this particular dance, then advised that if he got lost for any reason, to just copy her motions. Nate did so and proved himself a fast learner. Kiara was even surprised when he was able to keep his concentrated gaze fixed upon her while dancing. Most beginners would stare at their feet.

  Before they knew it, that melody was over and some of the guests chose to retire for the evening. Kiara and Nate, however, stayed in place and smiled to each other.

  “You’re a natural, Nate.”

  “Not as good as you, though. Where did you learn to dance so well?”

  Kiara shrugged, “My father holds many banquets during the year and being his daughter, I am asked to dance many times during the night.

  “You get asked to dance a lot by men?” Nate asked, feeling the familiar pangs of envy.

  Kiara giggled. “Of course, silly! Why would women ask to dance with me?” she q
uipped as the next song began to play, which was slow and gentle in its rhythm. Kiara’s smile faded slowly and she glanced from the musicians to Nate.

  He cleared his throat and offered his hand to her. “May I have this dance, my lady?”

  Kiara smiled and nodded, placing her hand faithfully in his. Even though the dance floor had many other couples upon it, Kiara and Nate felt like the rest of the banquet guests had disappeared. They joined hands as if to accept each other for eternity and began slowly dancing to the lovely music. Their gazes locked upon each other, stars dancing in their eyes.

  Nate and Kiara danced closely together as the music continued, feeling sparks fly and hearts race. All at once, Kiara thought her life made perfect sense. She loved Nate and that seemed to be all that mattered. She could have cared less what would happen that night or the next day. This moment she wanted to savor for the rest of her life, regardless of what would become of them.

  “You’re doing very well,” Kiara complimented breathlessly.

  Nate only smirked. “So are you.”

  “Nate, there’s something I have to say to you.” Kiara, though a bit inebriated by the drink, felt she had had complete clarity of mind.

  “What’s that?” Nate asked.

  “I don’t know why you apologized for last night when I should be the one apologizing. I behaved very rudely and presumptuously and that was wrong of me. I was not acting like I should have and I definitely shouldn’t have slapped you or even touched you at all last night…” she forced back regretful tears so she could continue. “If anyone is to ask for forgiveness for last night, it should be me. After all we’ve been through, I shouldn’t have treated you with so little respect. Could you find it in your heart to forgive me? I’d understand if you can’t, but…”

  When they stepped forward together in the dance, Nate placed a gentle finger on her lips to hush her and gave her a comforting smile. “I already have.”

  Such words set Kiara’s heart and mind at such an ease that when he removed his finger, she felt like laughing, but held it in. “So, can we just forget about it? And please, again, don’t tell anyone how I’ve behaved?”

  “I wouldn’t dream of telling anyone anything bad about you. And I certainly will not tell anyone of the embarrassing or shameful events that have taken place,” Nate said just soft enough for only them to hear.

  Kiara grinned and blushed lightly. “How could I ever thank you?” she asked, just as the dance was drawing to a close.

  “You already have.”

  Chills shot up Kiara’s spine as the look of pure love came over Nate’s adoring face. She didn’t know whether to laugh, smile, cry, run away or leap for joy.

  “Very well then,” was all she could muttered through her illuminating grin.

  A few more hours and a few more goblets of the “fruit drink” later, and Kiara could be seen stumbling back towards Sir Ethan’s camp with Nate leading the way. Night had already fallen and most of everyone who had attended the banquet were sound asleep in their tents.

  “I told you that was mead. The boy must have mixed up the pitchers or something,” Nate said ruefully, watching Kiara trip over her own feet and giggle as she came close to falling over. The poor girl was slaphappy drunk.

  “Well, shame on that boy! I’ll have my father lock him away for getting the princess drunk!” Kiara exclaimed in a rather loud voice. Nate tried to shush her.

  “Hey, don’t say that so loud. Come here.” Nate came up alongside Kiara and placed one of her arms over his shoulders, wrapping his other arm around her waist to steady her.

  “Oh! Don’t you go being all nice and romantic or I will have to ruin my reputation.” Kiara leaned over and placed her other arm around Nate’s torso to hug him.

  “Kiara, come on, be serious.” Nate removed her arm and tried not to let her trip over his feet as they walked.

  “You come on! Serious? What’s that? I’m tired of seriousness. I’m on vacation, after all. Can’t I have a bit of fun? I want to stay on vacation forever!” Kiara screeched. Nate had to cover her mouth just to keep her from waking up the whole campground. Luckily, they didn’t have much further to walk.

  “Kiara, please, try to snap out of this and be yourself again?” Nate pleaded, watching her with worried eyes.

  “I’m sorry. I just want to have some fun. Don’t you?”

  “Of course, but there is the kind of fun that you can have all the time and the kind of fun that will get you in trouble. Please, try to reason between the two?”

  “Why can’t you reason that I’m just a little loopy right now and this will pass by the morning?”

  Slowly, but surely, Nate and Kiara made it back to their tent and she was beginning to calm down, probably due to sleepiness rather than the alcohol wearing off. Nate almost had to drag her through the tent to reach her bed.

  “Alright, now you just go to bed and sleep this off, ok? I’ll see if Sir Ethan has some herbs that will help with the head ache you’ll have in the morning…” Nate pulled back all of her bed covers and laid the princess down to bed. As he saw that her eyes were closed and she was hardly moving, Nate leaned over and shook her shoulder a bit. “Kiara?”

  She grunted in response.

  “Are you ok?” he asked.

  Kiara whined and grabbed his arm blindly, pulling it to her chest like a selfish child to hold. “No, I’m not ok.”

  “What’s wrong?” he said with a smirk, slightly amused by the combination of her drunkenness and grogginess state.

  “I don’t want to go home to Aleph. I want to stay with you,” Kiara complained, playfully nuzzling her head against Nate’s arm. “I don’t want to marry Sir Claude. I want to marry you and have lots of poor babies. And I don’t give a darn what my father will think. I don’t want to go back and be miserable. I want to be with you and have fun all the time.” Her mouth opened to conclude her speech with a big yawn.

  Nate chuckled and petted her sleepy head. “You don’t mean any of that. Tomorrow, your mind will be more clear and you’ll take everything back. Don’t worry.”

  “No!” she whined. “I mean it. My mind is a clear as mud… I mean crystal.” Kiara giggled and snuggled herself in the mattress, Nate’s arm still trapped in her embrace.

  “Exactly my point…” Nate watched her for a moment and sighed happily. A part of him wanted what she said to be what she really meant, but he knew it wasn’t. He secretly wished that they really could stay like this forever, roaming around the world, exploring new territories. It didn’t matter what they were doing as long as they were together and he would be satisfied.

  After a while, Kiara seemed to be fast asleep, so Nate carefully slid his arm out of her grasp and tucked her in as if she were a child. He made sure there were enough pillows and blankets to make her comfortable throughout the night.

  Nate stood up and went over to sit down on his own bed, gingerly untying the cords that held his vest in place. He slid the vest off, then pulled his tunic up over his head in preparation for bed. All the while, his eyes stayed fixed on Kiara’s sleeping figure. Even in sleep, she looked exquisite. Nate slid off his boots and stockings, then paused for a moment, watching her.

  He got up, walked back over to her and knelt down by her bedside, memorizing her peaceful expression, wishing that somehow, he could go to sleep to that face every night for the rest of his life. Nate reached into his pocket and sat down comfortably by Kiara while he pulled out the ring she wanted to buy that day. He turned it over and over between his fingers, examining every facet of its design. It was no wonder Kiara liked the ring, it was almost as lovely as her.

  Nate smirked and stuffed the ring back into his trouser pocket. He turned his gaze to Kiara and felt an indescribable fascination come over him. How could he have been so lucky as to meet up with her again after so many years? How could she be the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen? How could she tolerate such a worthless man like him? So many unanswered questions buzzed through
his mind as he reached out and began petting her soft, smooth, black hair with immeasurable rapture.

  Nate knew not why or how this was all happening. He certainly didn’t deserve the privilege of loving such a beautiful, majestic girl as Kiara. And he certainly wasn’t worthy of her love in return, but somehow the past weeks have been the best of his life, despite all the hardships and challenges. It was all worth it for the chance just to be with her. He would gladly have his heart broken in a billion pieces if it meant that he could be with her just for a few more days.

  With his soul crying out for her love, he whispered those unmentionable words that he thought he would never say in her presence. “I love you, Kiara…”

  Chapter 20

  The next morning, as did the previous morning, sunlight shined brightly through the guest tent where Kiara and Nate slept, adding a bluish tint to everything inside.

  Nate was the first to wake, lying on his side next to Kiara’s bed, holding her hand in his. It was the only chance he would have gotten to hold it. He sat up with a lazy grunt and gazed sleepily at Kiara with a yawn. She was still passed out in the exact place and position he had lain her last night. She looked as if she hadn’t moved a muscle.

  Almost unsure if she was alive, he watched her for a moment. Her chest rose and fell steadily with each breath, which put him at ease. He stared lovingly at her peaceful expression and even smirked to himself. Nate gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, wishing every morning could be as pleasant as this one. Unfortunately, he knew that today would probably be the last he would spend with her.

  Nate stood up and walked to the opening of the tent to check out what was going on inside the camp. The sun had just peeked over the tree line, so activity was at a minimum, with only a few servants clattering around to clean up and get everything ready to move out. Nate closed the tent flap and shuffled back towards his bed.

  By now, Nate’s old clothes were already clean and mended, ready to be worn again, so he slid on his own baggy white tunic before carefully folded up the white tunic and black leather vest that he had worn the night before and placed it at the foot of his bed. He then quickly changed back into his brown trousers - being wary to transfer the ring from one pocket to the other -, just as Kiara stirred under the covers.