Status: hiatus

Love, and Other Torture Devices

Home

The distinct sound of her heels colliding with the smooth concrete floor echoes through the large corridor, bounces off the smooth wall to her right and exits out of the window-decorated wall to her left.

"Oh, Lady Almira!"

The young woman's eyes dart over her shoulder when she hears another female attempting to speak to her, but she does not stop walking.

"Lady Almira, where are you going?"

"Home."

The servant has a smile on her face, nearly jogging alongside the petite woman to avoid stepping on her dress' train. "But, Lady Almira... the Palace is your home now. You mustn’t leave, or you'll risk not only your life, but getting in trouble with the Prince--"

"Do you honestly think I'm scared of your Prince?" Almira nearly spits the words out at her maid, narrowing her light brown eyes. "That boy has got nerve calling himself a Prince. He's simply inherited that title and has not earned it... he's smeared the title."

The servant's eyes widen, as she cowers back from the younger woman's outburst.

"Get out of my sight," Almira says quietly, watching as the woman runs from the direction in which they came. Turning to walk away, she stops less than six inches short of running into a man's chest.

"Princess Almira," the man only a few years her senior smiles as he bows his head.

Wordlessly, Almira grabs a small piece of her dress between each of her thumbs and forefingers, bending her knees and slightly bowing her head. She returns to her natural posture, with her hands folded in front of her small frame.

"Won't you greet me?"

She attempts not to roll her eyes, "Edmund."

"Properly?"

Almira licks her lips before her lower row of teeth dig into her upper lip. She curtsies again, "Prince Edmund."

He smiles as she stands up straight again, the top of her head reaching his lower chest. "Were you headed anywhere in particular?"

"No," she says, with a slight shrug. "Were you?"

He smirks, "I was actually coming to find you."

Sneering slightly, Almira looks away. Letting her face fall, she looks back at the young man standing before her, "what for?"

"I figured that maybe you would enjoy accompanying me to a few activities."

"I'm assuming that's not an invite."

"Not really," he nods, smiling.

She shakes her head, quickly shrugging. "Fine."

"Lovely," Edmund offers his arm.

Almira blinks, not moving to take his arm.

"The people expect us to be civil, Almira." He reminds her, eyeing his arm.

"And part of us being civil is walking arm-in-arm?"

He clears his throat, "we are to be married in just a few months. Walking arm-in-arm is a very appropriate sign of civility."

"Not in my country."

"It's a good thing we're not in your country, isn't it?" Edmund rebuts quickly. "Now take my arm, Almira."

The young woman's jaw tightens as she slowly eyes up the Prince, sliding her arm into his. After a few moments of walking, she speaks, "where are we going?"

"Well, I overheard you talking to a servant of yours. I've decided to prove you wrong. Plus, it seems appropriate to spend some time together."

"Prove me wrong? And I've been here for two weeks, why would you want to spend time with me now?"

Edmund continues walking, finally answering the young woman after a few minutes. "I just returned about a week ago, from serving my time in the Armed Forces."

She nods, "I am going to guess that went well, as you're here in one piece."

"I'm lucky, yes." He nods. "And I'm going to prove you wrong in your assumption of my smearing the title of 'Prince'."

Almira blinks, "you don't have to go out of your way to prove me wrong, Edmund."

"Oh, it's not out of my way at all. After all, if I must prove myself to my future wife... it's the least I can do."

Almira sighs loudly, "your sarcasm does not amuse me, Edmund."

"I'm sorry I don't amuse you, Lady Almira. I was unaware you'd lowered me to the status of court jester."

Almira stops walking, prompting Edmund to stop as well. She speaks quietly, through clenched teeth. "I don't know what you are trying to do right now, Edmund. But you'd better stop."

"And what will you do if I don't stop?"

Her eyes narrow.

"That's exactly what I thought. Don't challenge me, Almira. I will always win."

The Princess' lips purse and she shakes her head. She is dragged along as Edmund begins walking again.
♠ ♠ ♠
This story is just the product of an idea that popped into my head a while ago, and I got the inspiration to start writing it out the other night. It's a bit of a breath of fresh air from my other stories, I suppose.

We'll see how it goes.
I always appreciate feedback.

xoxo