A Wild’s Tale Part 2

(Continued from A Wild’s Tale Part 1)

As she stepped out into the dimming evening sun of yet another city she was forced to tour, a heavy sigh escaped her. This was the sixth stop on a tour promoting “international relations” her father had sent her on. She wasn’t a fool though. She knew this was a tour to put her in front of every possible suitor in other kingdoms, with her father hoping she would catch their eyes. It seemed many from her own country still didn’t want to sully the reputation of her first betrothed since they had warped him into some kind of war hero. She didn’t care.

After her hysteric crying on the floor of her chambers she vowed she would be resigned to her fate. She didn’t cry again from that night on. She would smile when she was told and she would do the bare minimum that was expected of her. She didn’t hate her life, but she couldn’t help but feel something was always missing. Something that seemed just out of her grasp, but she dared not think too hard on. Instead she wrote in her book. She wrote mundane things, she wrote her feelings, she wrote her daydreams. She never mentioned him, but every time she opened her book she thought of her Advisor and tried to follow his wishes to fill her book with all the potential she could hope to. The pages had been filled, margins scribbled in, embarrassing things crossed out to the point that she had taken to writing on scraps of paper and inserting them inside as best she could. She knew it was only a matter of time, though. Before she left on this journey she had bundled the book with leather ties and vowed that it was time for her to find something new. She couldn’t bring herself be away from it though, so it traveled with her where ever she went.

A Wild’s Tale Part 1

A’s character Heathen, Princess

A’s Heathen backstory from the Princess’ POV

A knight’s tale dance scene – once as the advisor sneakily – maybe betrothed gets announced?, aftermath of battle – how she feels after he is banished – spots something while visiting somewhere and clumsily sneaks away, then dance once again as Heathen – leaving it open ended of what happens – maybe he is too much changed but gives her a brief moment in the dance of a glimpse of what was before disappearing again

She had danced this same dance a hundred times before with as many different partners since her public coming of age. She knew she would dance it a thousand times more in her lifetime. She only hoped that she wouldn’t be forced to continue to have a new partner each time she had to perform the practiced movements. She knew they had been drilled into her because she was always under scrutiny – especially since she was unwed and was being evaluated constantly as a prize. Her father would have the final decision on who was to take her hand of course, but there were many who had such an active interest in her success that she dared not let them down. Of course, they weren’t interested in her personal happiness – just that of the kingdom.

Except perhaps the Advisor. She didn’t know when she had started to daydream that maybe he was interested in her personal happiness and not just that of the kingdom. She wasn’t sure if he had ever done anything to pointedly to give her that impression, but she couldn’t help her mind from wandering when he was around now.

Just like this moment. She glanced up to the dais and spotted him standing at the base talking to some man she recognized, but didn’t bother to know the name of. A small smile graced her features as she saw him laugh at something the man had sad. He didn’t laugh often when he was around her since he was usually focused on advising her, but she got a warm feeling every time something caught him off guard and he did.