Sequel: The Game ›
Status: complete, but revisions are being made
The Pauper Princess
Epilogue
“So, what now?” Siya leans against the railing and looks back at Ekohl. He stops writing and stands up to approach the balcony.
“Is life too boring for you without a secret identity and possible political crisis?” He asks with a smile. She rolls her eyes and punches his arm lightly.
“That’s not what I meant,” she sighs. She turns to the courtyard below her. There are still traces of the wedding even after a week. Trampled rose petals litter the stone walkways and the ivy had been left to adorn the immense columns.
“I know.” Ekohl leans against the railing beside her, gazing idly over the city. In the approaching dusk, the soft light of evening fires filters through open doors and windows, giving the city a orange glow.
“Where can I go from here?” she whispered almost inaudibly. Her hair cascaded loosely across her shoulders now that she was no longer in disguise, obscuring her face. Ekohl reaches over and places his hand over hers, causing her to look up at him.
“I can’t go back to Kyshia,” she continues.
“No,” he said flippantly, “I suppose not.”
“Ekohl, stop-“
“Jegan appointed me to be a Representative of Kyshia,” Ekohl interrupted. Siya was left with her mouth still open as she took in this news, so he tapped her chin. Her teeth snapped together and she slapped his hand away.
“You’re staying?” Ekohl nods. “I mean, in Lequin? You’re not going back to Kyshia?”
“Well, I’m sure I will go back occasionally, but yes. I’m staying in Lequin.”
“You’ll live here in the palace then?”
“I think I’ve had enough of palace life,” Ekohl answers with a smirk, and Siya smiles back. “Jegan’s father offered me a house by the ocean. It’s small, and hasn’t been used recently, but it is close enough to the palace that I could work from there.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Siya looks out over the city, which is now washed in the final red glow of the sun as it descends behind the western mountains.
“You think so?”
“Of course,” Siya laughs. “Who wouldn’t want to see the ocean every day.”
“I don’t know,” Ekohl says slowly. “I think it’ll get lonely out there.”
“Oh, I suppose it would.” Ekohl steps behind Siya and slowly wraps his arms around hers. She looks back, clearly surprised, but allows his embrace anyway.
“So, what do you say?” Siya turns around to face him, obviously not understanding. Ekohl laughs, and she glares back at him. “I’m asking you to come with me, Siya,” he explains delicately.
“Ekohl, I-“
“It’s alright if you don’t want to,” he says quickly. He leans against the railing again, trying to avoid her rejection by avoiding her eyes, but it turns out to be unnecessary. Siya steps closer, mimicking his earlier gesture and wrapping her arms around him.
“There’s no place I’d rather be, Ekohl.”
“Is life too boring for you without a secret identity and possible political crisis?” He asks with a smile. She rolls her eyes and punches his arm lightly.
“That’s not what I meant,” she sighs. She turns to the courtyard below her. There are still traces of the wedding even after a week. Trampled rose petals litter the stone walkways and the ivy had been left to adorn the immense columns.
“I know.” Ekohl leans against the railing beside her, gazing idly over the city. In the approaching dusk, the soft light of evening fires filters through open doors and windows, giving the city a orange glow.
“Where can I go from here?” she whispered almost inaudibly. Her hair cascaded loosely across her shoulders now that she was no longer in disguise, obscuring her face. Ekohl reaches over and places his hand over hers, causing her to look up at him.
“I can’t go back to Kyshia,” she continues.
“No,” he said flippantly, “I suppose not.”
“Ekohl, stop-“
“Jegan appointed me to be a Representative of Kyshia,” Ekohl interrupted. Siya was left with her mouth still open as she took in this news, so he tapped her chin. Her teeth snapped together and she slapped his hand away.
“You’re staying?” Ekohl nods. “I mean, in Lequin? You’re not going back to Kyshia?”
“Well, I’m sure I will go back occasionally, but yes. I’m staying in Lequin.”
“You’ll live here in the palace then?”
“I think I’ve had enough of palace life,” Ekohl answers with a smirk, and Siya smiles back. “Jegan’s father offered me a house by the ocean. It’s small, and hasn’t been used recently, but it is close enough to the palace that I could work from there.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Siya looks out over the city, which is now washed in the final red glow of the sun as it descends behind the western mountains.
“You think so?”
“Of course,” Siya laughs. “Who wouldn’t want to see the ocean every day.”
“I don’t know,” Ekohl says slowly. “I think it’ll get lonely out there.”
“Oh, I suppose it would.” Ekohl steps behind Siya and slowly wraps his arms around hers. She looks back, clearly surprised, but allows his embrace anyway.
“So, what do you say?” Siya turns around to face him, obviously not understanding. Ekohl laughs, and she glares back at him. “I’m asking you to come with me, Siya,” he explains delicately.
“Ekohl, I-“
“It’s alright if you don’t want to,” he says quickly. He leans against the railing again, trying to avoid her rejection by avoiding her eyes, but it turns out to be unnecessary. Siya steps closer, mimicking his earlier gesture and wrapping her arms around him.
“There’s no place I’d rather be, Ekohl.”
♠ ♠ ♠
Currently posting a rewrite of this story called "The Game"