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Every Prince Needs a Princess
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ZERI (JUNE) 16, 1538
105 days into Prince Terosh’s Kireshana journey
McNoughten Home, Kesler Plains
To Reia’s relief, the Amrita Tears worked well on Kira McNoughten. The disease burned away in hours, but it took more than a day for the lady to gather enough strength to rise. Reia knew it would be months before things returned to normal for the family. Kira sat by Teven’s grave for long hours. Semon had returned to the farm work.
About midday, the front door crashed open, and Semon stood in the threshold breathing hard.
“They’re coming!” he whispered to his wife.
“Who?” Kira asked.
“Alliance people. They’re here for the prince. There’s a reward for his capture!” Semon’s words tumbled out.
“Where are our weapons?” Reia asked, struggling to rise from the couch.
“What’s wrong?” Terosh was on his feet but looked ready to collapse.
“Restler and Tarpon agents are searching for you,” Semon said, peeking out the window one more time. His right hand gripped the window frame hard.
“Why would they want me?”
“I don’t know.” Semon whirled to stare at the them. “But you have to leave!”
“Semon!” Kira protested. “We cannot abandon them!”
Reia exchanged a look with Terosh and flicked her eyes toward the barn. They rallied the anotechs and sent them into the barn to destroy evidence of the amrita plants. Getting caught would be bad. Letting RT Alliance thugs know about the anotechs would be infinitely worse. Though completed in seconds, the task left them dangerously weak. Knees buckling, Reia sank onto the couch, trying not to land on Terosh who had also sat down. She landed facing the prince with one leg curled underneath and the other flopped over the side of the couch. Her mind raced, trying to ignore the McNoughtens arguing in the background.
“Reia, the Alliance doesn’t know about you,” Terosh whispered. “Stay here. Pretend to be their daughter or something.”
She glared at Terosh.
“I’m eighteen and hardly dressed to play their daughter. And you can forget about surrendering.”
“But what—”
“This way! Hurry!” Kira McNoughten urged. She tugged on Reia’s arm. Getting little reaction, she sat down next to Reia, tucked an arm around behind her, and stood up.
Reia could do little more than lean on her.
“You too,” Semon said, doing the same for Terosh.
Moments later, they found themselves locked in the master bedchamber, tucked under a mass of blankets.
Well, this is awkward.
Nevertheless, Reia couldn’t deny that she felt better knowing Terosh was close.
A knock sounded and soon many voices came from the living room. As the argument raged, Reia’s heart and head pounded with anticipation and dread. She slowed her breathing, employed a few of Master Niklos’s calming techniques, and strained to hear the conversation.
“—is here?” demanded one man.
Reia assumed he was the leader.
“Our sev—six children, my sister, and her husband,” Kira answered.
Reia smiled at the story being weaved, but the danger stole most of the amusement and the hitch in Kira’s voice as she corrected the number of children killed the rest.
“Bring them out here,” the man commanded.
Heavy footsteps clattered outside the bedchamber door.
“No!” Kira protested. “They’ve both got cornada. Real bad.”
Reia tensed. Cornada wasn’t dangerous enough to warrant avoidance.
“Look at this,” called another man. He sounded young and excited. “Pretty large caydronan sack you’ve got here. Only Rangers carry those.”
Terosh kept Reia from rising by drawing her back against his chest. She remained tense but felt safer.
“They’ll be fine,” Terosh promised.
A slap, a scream, and several confused orders rang out, contradicting him. Reia clenched her jaw to keep from adding her own scream to the mix.
“You’re not hiding a Ranger, are you?” The man’s question came out with a growl.
“There was a Ranger here,” Semon admitted.
“She came to treat our children for Heskrin,” Kira added.
Silence enveloped the house. Reia’s heart faltered as she pictured Teven’s utterly still features.
Don’t think about it!
She swallowed to suppress a sob.
“Heskrin,” hissed a female voice. “That’s bad. Very bad. We should leave, Adnir.”
The leader ordered his people out.
“That’s the sixth case, boss,” the young man said. “I thought that plan was scrapped.”
“It was.”
Reia missed the rest of the conversation, but the information she had heard didn’t sit well. It fit with the McNoughtens’ plight and the notion of more families needing the Amrita Tears, but so many questions remained.
Once certain the RT Alliance people had truly gone, Reia allowed Terosh to help her rise, and they entered the common room. Their shaken hosts were locked in an embrace.
“We’re leaving,” Terosh announced.
Kira opened her mouth to protest.
“We will not endanger you any longer,” Reia added.
“At least stay the night,” Semon insisted. He released his wife and spread his arms, shifting his weight like he’d physically block the door if necessary. “Give them time to get to the next farm. You’re both poorly equipped for a fight right now. Tomorrow, you can set out whenever you like.”
Sensing the query in Terosh’s gaze, Reia shrugged.
The prince tipped his head in a respectful bow.
“Your offer of hospitality is much appreciated, Master McNoughten. We accept.”
“You talk funny,” a girl called from the hallway leading to the other bedrooms.
“She’s got you there,” Reia teased. “Must come from being a prince.”
“Arel! Mind your manners,” Kira scolded.
The girl entered the room looking sleepy but healthy. She shook herself as if suddenly registering the presence of strangers. Her gaze flitted over Terosh and fixed on Reia. A hundred questions lay behind her deep blue eyes.
“Is he really a prince? Is he yours? Can I have a prince?”
“Arel, these are our guests. Behave,” said Kira.
“It’s all right,” said Terosh.
Reia’s tension melted. She avoided looking at Prince Terosh as a flush warmed her. She covered the two steps to the child and knelt beside her. Taking the child’s hand, she turned the girl so they both looked at Terosh.
“Yes, Arel, he’s a real prince. He’s not mine, but he’s real.”
“Why is he not yours? You’re pretty!” said Arel.
“That’s enough,” said Semon.
“But he’s a prince, Daddy! Every prince needs a princess!” declared the child.
Picking up Arel’s other hand, Reia regained the child’s attention.
“I’m glad you think I could be a princess, Arel, but I’m a Ranger.”
“Can’t you be both?” asked Arel.
No answers came. The adults silently willed each other to answer.
“What do princes do, Arel?” Terosh asked at last.
“Rescue princesses from dragons, zaloks, korvers, and bad men,” replied the child.
“And who rescues the princes?” Terosh challenged.
“Ohhhhhh,” said Arel. “Rangers!”
“That’s right.” Terosh winked at Reia.
She couldn’t understand the flood of emotions the exchange released. A rush of warmth lifted her spirits even as a sense of longing and loss enveloped her.
***
THAT NIGHT, THE GIRL’S question kept Terosh from sleeping. It didn’t take much twisting to turn the question into: Is she yours? The obvious answer was no, but that begged a different question.
Why isn’t she yours?
Every prince needs a princess, the anotechs said, replicating Arel’s voice and inflection.
She’s not a princess.
Does it matter?
Father would say it does.
Since when have you listened to Father?
Terosh couldn’t tell if the thought came from the anotechs or not, but it didn’t matter. He knew Reia was everything a princess should be and more.
How can I get her to love me?
She already does.
