Gracefully the young woman eased herself into the large dining chair and
nodded to the servant before he pushed it in and left. She didn't see
Kayell come into the large room until she heard his voice behind her.
"What's in the bowl?"
She jumped briefly before turning to watch him walk around and take his own seat across the way.
"Oh, just a little frog I found yesterday," she said smiling down at him. Naetalia then remembered that she was still holding the bowl tightly in her hands. She scolded herself inwardly, telling herself there was no good reason why she couldn't put him down for a while. She put the bowl to the side just in time for some plates of food to be put in front of her.
"I was worried he wouldn't be alright today if I just left him, so, I brought him along."
The prince snickered, causing her to look over towards him. He was handsome she had to admit. His dark hair was cut short, but still allowed a loose wave to show along the top. His face had a strong look to it, she especially loved his jaw line. But his eyes were so cold, even with the dark brown hue. They frightened her, but she could never place why.
"Women," he commented, looking over at her with amusement. "Either they shy away from the creatures with disgust, or treat them like a lost puppy. My dear, couldn't I just get you one of those, dogs are so much more pet like, maybe a cat?"
"When I'm sure he's alright, I'll let him go, but it's so cold out there now."
"Yes, well, as you like, but speaking of yesterday, that's why I wanted to see you this morning."
She cast him a curious look before cutting some of the meal.
"You never came to supper."
Naetalia paused, looking up with a smile.
"Yes, well, I was a bit tired. It seems after that bit of adventure finding the frog, I couldn't help but retire early."
"See that it doesn't happen again," he remarked firmly, taking some food.
"Excuse me?" she questioned, looking back at him as he ate.
"Just what I said, if I expect you to be there for dinner, you will be there. Is that understood?"
"No, it's not, Your Highness," she added the title with a note of annoyance. "If I am to become your wife, and for reasons beyond me, I am too tired to attend a simple meal, it should be within my right to not show myself at that time."
"Your right?!" The prince slammed his fist on the table, standing and glaring over at her. "Yes, you are to be my wife because I commanded it. If I expect that you are to come to even something as 'little' as dinner, you will be there, and I will take nothing less! And I will not have a future queen who runs off to god knows where whenever she feels like it!"
"I have every right!" she answered angrily, pushing her seat out to stand up. "If I had a choice in the matter, no, I wouldn't marry you, not like this. I will because you did order it, whether I like it or not, but I will not tolerate being treated like a slave!"
His eyes flared and he was right in front of her in an instant, his hand flying back and across her face. Her head spun to the side from the impact, tears unwillingly filled her eyes.
His face softened, though his eyes remained hard set on her. He brought his hand up to where her face was reddening and began to trace her features.
"My dear, beautiful Naetalia," he smiled sarcastically. "Never raise your voice to me again. Is that clear?"
She only nodded, pushing her eyes away from looking towards his face. Her body wanting to push as far away from him as she could.
"Good," he moved his hand away and turned back to his meal, taking a seat once more. He motioned for her to sit down.
"Come, let's eat, you must be starved."
Naetalia realized she had been shaking and gathered her thoughts again. Never had she been struck before. She sat down uneasily and went back to her meal, mentally noting not to make eye contact the rest of the morning. They finished breakfast in silence.
...............
(Frog)
There was something I was supposed to remember, I know there was. Every time I'd find myself trying, that damned headache would start coming back, but I know there was something. We were at the table, I couldn't see very much, at least besides all that was over me. She was there, looking down again, and then a man's voice sounded. It was so familiar, but I couldn't place it. Like a voice from a dream. I should remember where I know it from, but I can't. The throbbing started coming back, so I tried clearing my mind of thoughts again.
Yet I still began making out some of the words.
"Either they shy away from the creatures with disgust, or treat them like a lost puppy. My dear, couldn't I just get you one of those, dogs are so much more pet like, maybe a cat?"
"When I'm sure he's alright, I'll let him go, but it's so cold out there now."
What were they talking about? Me?
Then something started him yelling, suddenly. Not long after, I was able to see them both, standing near me. I wanted to scream out loud when I saw him hit her across the face. I wanted to be able to do something, anything, but I felt frozen. I saw his face, a face that looked so familiar. The eyes, hair, skin, they were mine!! Something had happened, why couldn't I remember?!
Her eyes were so sad, they looked at me for only a moment before she moved to sit down. Beautiful ocean eyes, confused, angry, hurt, in shock. But what could I do? Sitting in what seemed to be a simple bowl. What could only a small frog do?
"What's in the bowl?"
She jumped briefly before turning to watch him walk around and take his own seat across the way.
"Oh, just a little frog I found yesterday," she said smiling down at him. Naetalia then remembered that she was still holding the bowl tightly in her hands. She scolded herself inwardly, telling herself there was no good reason why she couldn't put him down for a while. She put the bowl to the side just in time for some plates of food to be put in front of her.
"I was worried he wouldn't be alright today if I just left him, so, I brought him along."
The prince snickered, causing her to look over towards him. He was handsome she had to admit. His dark hair was cut short, but still allowed a loose wave to show along the top. His face had a strong look to it, she especially loved his jaw line. But his eyes were so cold, even with the dark brown hue. They frightened her, but she could never place why.
"Women," he commented, looking over at her with amusement. "Either they shy away from the creatures with disgust, or treat them like a lost puppy. My dear, couldn't I just get you one of those, dogs are so much more pet like, maybe a cat?"
"When I'm sure he's alright, I'll let him go, but it's so cold out there now."
"Yes, well, as you like, but speaking of yesterday, that's why I wanted to see you this morning."
She cast him a curious look before cutting some of the meal.
"You never came to supper."
Naetalia paused, looking up with a smile.
"Yes, well, I was a bit tired. It seems after that bit of adventure finding the frog, I couldn't help but retire early."
"See that it doesn't happen again," he remarked firmly, taking some food.
"Excuse me?" she questioned, looking back at him as he ate.
"Just what I said, if I expect you to be there for dinner, you will be there. Is that understood?"
"No, it's not, Your Highness," she added the title with a note of annoyance. "If I am to become your wife, and for reasons beyond me, I am too tired to attend a simple meal, it should be within my right to not show myself at that time."
"Your right?!" The prince slammed his fist on the table, standing and glaring over at her. "Yes, you are to be my wife because I commanded it. If I expect that you are to come to even something as 'little' as dinner, you will be there, and I will take nothing less! And I will not have a future queen who runs off to god knows where whenever she feels like it!"
"I have every right!" she answered angrily, pushing her seat out to stand up. "If I had a choice in the matter, no, I wouldn't marry you, not like this. I will because you did order it, whether I like it or not, but I will not tolerate being treated like a slave!"
His eyes flared and he was right in front of her in an instant, his hand flying back and across her face. Her head spun to the side from the impact, tears unwillingly filled her eyes.
His face softened, though his eyes remained hard set on her. He brought his hand up to where her face was reddening and began to trace her features.
"My dear, beautiful Naetalia," he smiled sarcastically. "Never raise your voice to me again. Is that clear?"
She only nodded, pushing her eyes away from looking towards his face. Her body wanting to push as far away from him as she could.
"Good," he moved his hand away and turned back to his meal, taking a seat once more. He motioned for her to sit down.
"Come, let's eat, you must be starved."
Naetalia realized she had been shaking and gathered her thoughts again. Never had she been struck before. She sat down uneasily and went back to her meal, mentally noting not to make eye contact the rest of the morning. They finished breakfast in silence.
...............
(Frog)
There was something I was supposed to remember, I know there was. Every time I'd find myself trying, that damned headache would start coming back, but I know there was something. We were at the table, I couldn't see very much, at least besides all that was over me. She was there, looking down again, and then a man's voice sounded. It was so familiar, but I couldn't place it. Like a voice from a dream. I should remember where I know it from, but I can't. The throbbing started coming back, so I tried clearing my mind of thoughts again.
Yet I still began making out some of the words.
"Either they shy away from the creatures with disgust, or treat them like a lost puppy. My dear, couldn't I just get you one of those, dogs are so much more pet like, maybe a cat?"
"When I'm sure he's alright, I'll let him go, but it's so cold out there now."
What were they talking about? Me?
Then something started him yelling, suddenly. Not long after, I was able to see them both, standing near me. I wanted to scream out loud when I saw him hit her across the face. I wanted to be able to do something, anything, but I felt frozen. I saw his face, a face that looked so familiar. The eyes, hair, skin, they were mine!! Something had happened, why couldn't I remember?!
Her eyes were so sad, they looked at me for only a moment before she moved to sit down. Beautiful ocean eyes, confused, angry, hurt, in shock. But what could I do? Sitting in what seemed to be a simple bowl. What could only a small frog do?