Chapter 6 – The Prince

I was in the forest the next day exploring. I brought my bow and quiver with me as usual.

I was watching a deer when I heard hoof beats coming towards me, the deer fled. I turned towards the sound and saw three men galloping on horseback. They were wearing rich clothes. I looked for a place to hide, but it was too late.

The man in the middle who looked about twenty dismounted. He walked up to me and bowed.

"Prince Charming III of Leithia, the greatest country in the world." He kissed my hand and stood up. I studied him; he was wearing clothes made of the finest silk. He had dark hair and piercing green eyes and was a lot taller than me. I didn't know why, but there was something about him that I didn't like. Maybe it was the way his nose was turned up and his voice was snobbish.

He was waiting for me to curtsy and say how glad I was to meet him. But I stood still, the prince looked confused for a second, but his face cleared, "Yes, I know you are honoured to meet a being as royal as me. With a kingdom much richer and larger then this one. Don't be afraid of my royal self. Tell me your name fair maiden."

"Aireia." I said coolly.

"Ah, what a pretty name to match a pretty face." He waved the two other men on horseback away. "I'm sure you know a lot about me." I do? "So tell me about you."

"I'm sorry sir,"

"That's Your Highness." He corrected.

"Fine. I'm sorry Your Highness. But I don't know anything about you."

"Don't know anything about me?" his eyebrows rose in shock, "Of course everyone's heard about me. After all, I'm a very important prince from a very important country." Then he scrutinized my old beige tunic and green trousers, "But then again, you would not know because you are just a village girl who hasn't had much education."

What a conceited jerk!

"For your information, I'm very well educated! You may be a prince, but you are not the king of the world." I shot back, angry at his comments.

"Hot tempered too! Although you are very beautiful." He murmured, "What is a young pretty maiden like you doing in the forest?" then he saw my bow and quiver "And with weapons too! Women shouldn't carry weapons at all, they should be at home, cooking and cleaning."

I didn't like his attitude at all. I turned to leave.

"Wait young maiden!" he caught up with me. "I'm going to make you an offer of a lifetime."

I stopped, curious at what he had planned in mind.

"I'm going to make you my queen!" the prince gushed, "You are so beautiful I just got to have you!"

I stood there with my mouth hanging open. "What!?"

"You heard me, I can, and will, whisk you off your feet. You are going to live in the biggest castle in the world, with the richest clothes in the world. You are going to have servants at your disposal and everything you'd ever want. So how about it my dear."

I was shocked. This, this jerk just met me five minutes ago. After five minutes of insults and arrogance, he wanted to marry me? Then again, if I married him, Vivia wouldn't dare hurt me. I hated to admit it, but Leithia was more powerful than Annon. But I'd have to pay the price of living with is arrogant jerk. When I thought about it that way, I knew what I had to do. I'd rather die than live with him.

"No way!"

"What! You dare refuse the prince of Leithia!" it was his turn to be shocked.

I was indignant "I said no and I mean it."

The prince smiled and tried another tactic. "But you are so beautiful. You deserve to be a princess, and then a queen of the most powerful country in the world." He said in a sweet voice.

Did he think that I was so shallow that I could change my mind just because he said I was beautiful? As for the deserving to be queen part, I almost laughed. Little did he know that I am a queen. Or I was, until Vivia took over.

"No thank you." I walked away as he blabbered on and on about how great he and his country were.

I had only walked two feet when a pair of arms grabbed me from behind by my waist.

"I hate to do this but you leave me with no choice. You have to come with me, pretty one." He dragged me towards his horse.

I was steaming. I jabbed my elbow into his side as hard as I could. He let go of me and doubled over in pain.

"You are strong for someone so small." The prince grunted, holding his royal side.

"And you better not mess with me. Go home to where you are welcome." I had strung my bow and aimed at him. I smirked at him, "I hate to do this but you leave me with no choice."

I'd never seen anyone mount a horse so fast as his royal self did that day.

I went home proud of myself. But there was one thing that bothered me. It was the thought that I should be the rightful queen of Annon. Someday, I'll go back and claim my crown.