Royal Renegade

Chapter 2: Reap and Sow

Princess Axelia

There is silence amongst the Calvary as we trot the gold stone streets of Cadomia to the castle. With the night still young, villagers are outside of their homes. I am grateful to Maynard when he hands me his helmet before anyone in the village sees me. They do not know that their Princess fights for them. It already wearies me enough that Prince Herakles knows. He has since the first of my battles with Leonidas, but I worry he will report our fights to the Royal Court.

Many citizens approach my Calvary unit as we pass through and thank us for chasing down the Reriman raiders. I spot the buildings from the attack, and a sorrow fills my heart as I watch neighbors gather the bodies of women and children to burn.

I wish I came earlier to their rescue.

Behind the visor of Maynard's helmet, I allow a few tears to skate down my cheeks. A fury blazes within my chest, and I yank back on Aries' reigns. Prince Herakles notices first and stops before calling out to the rest of our men. They all give questioning glances and he pulls his horse around until he is at my side.

"Why do you stop?" He asks.

I don't answer him.

Instead, I wave over Maynard.

"Tell them I want to burn the bodies," I speak low to him and tilt my head in the direction of the villagers.

He gives a single nod before riding over.

"Your father is expecting you," Herkales reminds me.

I simply meet his eyes before I slide off Aries and help the villagers finish collecting the mangled bodies. I force myself to look into their lifeless eyes as we load them onto a hay wagon. By the end, there is a count of ten children and eight women. Maynard hands me a torch.

"Forgive me," I whisper.

We stay until there is nothing left but their ashes. I cry silently, but when I sniffle, Maynard offers comfort by standing beside me.

When I mount Aries again, I notice Herakles never left from his spot and feel his gaze upon me.

A quarter of an hour later we are walking through the tall white oak doors to my father's throne room. The ceiling is the height of the sky and my eyes squint from the way candle lights in the chandeliers reflect off the white and gold beams that parallel the walkway. As we approach the back of the room, my father watches with a look of deliberation. His dark brown, naturally arching eyebrows meet in the center of his forehead as he rests his chin in the palm of his right hand tapping his fingers along his jawline. My spine sends a chill through me as I meet his unforgiving hooded eyes.

I am ahead of everyone else. Herakles follows two feet behind me and Maynard three five feet behind him. When I lower to a knee, the sounds of knee guards touching the floor echoes off the stone walls as everyone follows suit.

"Rise, Knight," his voice booms.

I do so.

"Remove your helmet."

I oblige.

His council of eight don't gasp in surprise when they see me. They grumble and groan amongst themselves while my father stops tapping his fingers.

"Silence," he hushes the council and shoots them a glare.

"Father-"

"I said, silence," he repeats and returns his eyes to me with a cautioning look. He then straightens his posture. The white robe around his arms cascades beyond his knees to the bottom of the throne. "Prince Herakles."