The steps to the gazebo had never seemed as steep as they did while Sir Ramneal's eyes were upon me. Against my will I smiled at him and his eyes widened slightly before he looked at the ground. Feeling my cheeks warm I took the next step down, and then the next. With only two steps left I dared to sneak a glance at Sir Ramneal. I gasped slightly. Sir Ramneal was a devilishly handsome man, tall, fit, and so sure of himself. A soft breeze tossed his collar length, silky brown hair into his face. The same breeze also blew his normally loose fitting shirt against him, revealing his taut stomach. I looked back up into his beautiful amber eyes and found them examining me as I just was him. Our eyes met as I was taking the last step and to my great surprise my foot somehow was no longer beneath me.
I was falling forward, my feet kicked out behind me, and the stone walk way looming before me. Time seeming froze while Sir Ramneal moved at an impossible speed, grabbing hold of my waist with his strong hands. He easily lifted me to safety off the ground and held me so that I was just above eye level with him. My instincts betrayed me and before I could think better of it I reached out branching myself on his shoulders. We must have looked quite the pair, him lifting me into the air with his hands around my waist, and me looking down at him with my hands on his shoulders. I felt my cheeks warming at the thought, and the soft smile he gave me. Once he noticed my blush, his own cheeks reddened and all I could do was stare at him in utter disbelief. Frozen as we were in the moment my heart was racing. A breeze floated through the garden sending the strands of my hair that had come unpinned dancing into his face. With a deep breath he lowered me to the ground but did not let go of my waist. My hands slipped from his shoulders, down is firm chest, and to my sides. "Sir Ramneal..."
As if reality returned to him he jumped back, face red, eyes on he ground. "Princess, I..."
"Thank you." Startled he looked at me with wide eyes. "You saved me. That fall would have not been pleasant."
"It's my duty." I just nodded. "If your prayers are complete we should return to your room."
I took a deep breath in order to compose myself once more and then walked past Sir Ramneal to the stairs leading back up to the living quarters. I needed to calm myself so I asked for some tea and then sat in my salon with a book on Morean trade policies. Since it was likely that my tutor had either been killed or fled the palace I expected that my studies would fall on me. It was a good thing I loved to study and learn but for the first time in my life I was having a difficult time concentrating. The figure looming in the corner was distracting without even realizing it. He assumed he was being non-imposing by taking to a far off chair but the way the shadows were falling over him made him look all the more handsome. He stretched his arms and then rested an elbow on the arm of the chair, leaning his head against his fist. His head twisted slightly and his eyes met mine with a cockiness that was rare even amongst nobles. "Can I help you, Your Highness?"
I was flustered by being caught and blurted out that which first came to mind. "You're breathing entirely too loud!"
He smirked at me, and I wanted nothing more than to see him dead. "I am sorry that my most basic means of survival is so utterly irritating."
I had been caught staring at him but I had my pride, if I was going down, I was going down fighting. "Perhaps you might just die then."
He smiled even wider, making me more angry. "Is that what you truly want, Princess. Would you not miss staring at me?"
"You can't fool me. I know that even the devil has his charms."
"Oh, and what are my charms, Princess?" He asked lifting his head from his fist, leaning forward.
I slammed my book close and stood up. "You're far too cocky for your own good, Sir."
He stood as well, the grin still on his full, masculine lips. "I'm confident, Princess. And I've no reason not to be."
"Aye, you are confident in deed. Though, I am surprised you find yourself so grand when your nostrils are two different shapes." A lie, but he got a slightly panicked look about him.
I couldn't help myself, I burst into laughter at the sight of this vicious knight falter at the thought of his nose being unattractive. He looked at me curiously and then scowled as he realized that I had lied to him. "You're cruel."
"Me?" I asked crossing my arms. "That's golden from the likes of you."
He visibly shrunk as if he remembered suddenly how he came to be my guard. "I..."
But before he could finish the maid came in frantically. "Your Highness, the king has demanded you take dinner with him."
"I'd rather starve." I said, my voice full of contempt.
She got a pained look about her. "He said to inform you that he will kill one servant for every half hour you are late..."
I clinched my fist seeing red, and for the first time in longer than I could remember I lost control of my magic. Flames licked up my arms, the heat which was no bother to me, caused the maid to step back. I was so angry I could have burned the palace to the ground. And I just might have if not for the fact that Sir Ramneal stepped forward placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Princess, I understand your anger but if you don't want to hurt innocents you need to regain your composure."
"I can't!" I yelled, tears of rage and sorrow staining my cheeks.
Sir Ramneal took another daring step forward this time wrapping me in a firm embrace. The fire singed his shirt, and the heat brought sweat to his brown but still he pulled me closer until my head was resting against his chest. A cool pulse surrounded us, redirecting the flames away from our bodies as his deep voice whispered down at me. "Arabella, close your eyes and picture a river." I did as he directed. "The water gentle babbling, lapping against the land, carrying away anything not held down. Let it carry away your anger, Princess."
I could see the water flowing clearly in my mind and left my rage to flow with it. Not even a minute later the flames dissipated, leaving only the warmth of his body against mine. I wanted to step back but I didn't dare, fearing that without his kind embrace that I'd be lost in my emotions once more. "How?"
"It's magic that allows us to redirect spells. Similarly to how Amells can neutralize magic, only on a less impressive scale. For instance, if you were to unleash that fire on me I could part it around my body if I had ample reaction time."
"All Altheans can do this?"
"Just a few select lines." He said his hand tracing my back. "Feeling better?" I nodded, my cheeks still against his chest and he let go stepping back, taking all my anger with him. "Very well, you should prepare for dinner."
"Thank you, Sir Ramneal... I find your nose charming."