Sequel: The Game ›
Status: complete, but revisions are being made
The Pauper Princess
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I rolled onto my back, still shivering from the cold and shaking from shock and fear, and stared at the canopy of leaves. Now that I was out of the water heat was slowly returning to my body, but I shifted to lie closer to Ekohl and shamelessly glean heat from him. As the numbness faded from my limbs, a throbbing pain flared up in my left leg. Moving my foot caused the pain to worsen, so I ignored it for the moment and just relished in the fact that I was alive.
Turning my head I could see that Ekohl’s eyes were closed and his face was turned to the sun, which was just now appearing over the trees. His chest still heaved as he tried to catch his breath after the strenuous fight to shore.
“Ekohl.” He opened his eyes and glanced at me with a concerned look. I smiled to assure him I was fine, then continued, “Thank you.”
“It was nothing,” he shivered.
“Of course,” I jested. “Rescuing a damsel in distress has become part of your daily routine lately.”
“And I’m considering running off with a princess and having grand adventures before settling down to live happily ever after, just like the old stories.”
“Your tale would be told around campfires and hearths all over Kyshia.”
“I wonder what it would be called…” He looked ponderous, as if he was considering this, but then he looked at me and we both began to laugh until our stomachs ached and we could hardly breathe. It felt good to kid around with Ekohl; it reminded me of when we were much younger, and life was still full of fairytales and fireflies.
“I’ve missed this,” Ekohl said a few minutes later.
“Me too,” I said, laying my head on his chest. We were both still shivering, so he wrapped his left arm over my shoulders. “It’s nice to have you back, Ekohl.”
I heard him open his mouth to reply, but it was then that we heard horses quickly approaching. Looking upstream, we saw Mehta and
Jegan riding toward us on one horse with another galloping just beside, his reins attached to the saddle of the first horse.
Ekohl started to stand, pulling me with him before dropping his arm from my shoulder. Pain pulsed up my left leg again, originating from my ankle. It had probably been twisted when my horse fell, but I didn’t mention it. I didn’t want to cause any further delays.
A minute later, Mehta slid out of the saddle and ran toward us nearly before Jegan had reined the horse to a complete stop. She ran and embraced us- first Ekohl, then myself- effectively drenching the front of her dress with our soaked clothes.
Turning my head I could see that Ekohl’s eyes were closed and his face was turned to the sun, which was just now appearing over the trees. His chest still heaved as he tried to catch his breath after the strenuous fight to shore.
“Ekohl.” He opened his eyes and glanced at me with a concerned look. I smiled to assure him I was fine, then continued, “Thank you.”
“It was nothing,” he shivered.
“Of course,” I jested. “Rescuing a damsel in distress has become part of your daily routine lately.”
“And I’m considering running off with a princess and having grand adventures before settling down to live happily ever after, just like the old stories.”
“Your tale would be told around campfires and hearths all over Kyshia.”
“I wonder what it would be called…” He looked ponderous, as if he was considering this, but then he looked at me and we both began to laugh until our stomachs ached and we could hardly breathe. It felt good to kid around with Ekohl; it reminded me of when we were much younger, and life was still full of fairytales and fireflies.
“I’ve missed this,” Ekohl said a few minutes later.
“Me too,” I said, laying my head on his chest. We were both still shivering, so he wrapped his left arm over my shoulders. “It’s nice to have you back, Ekohl.”
I heard him open his mouth to reply, but it was then that we heard horses quickly approaching. Looking upstream, we saw Mehta and
Jegan riding toward us on one horse with another galloping just beside, his reins attached to the saddle of the first horse.
Ekohl started to stand, pulling me with him before dropping his arm from my shoulder. Pain pulsed up my left leg again, originating from my ankle. It had probably been twisted when my horse fell, but I didn’t mention it. I didn’t want to cause any further delays.
A minute later, Mehta slid out of the saddle and ran toward us nearly before Jegan had reined the horse to a complete stop. She ran and embraced us- first Ekohl, then myself- effectively drenching the front of her dress with our soaked clothes.