Chapter 168 A dangerous decision
“Prince William!”
William’s hold tightened on Doris and woke her. She felt his warmth leave her the second he unwrapped himself from her. It almost made her beg him to come back and cover her entire body with his own.
William’s hair was a wild mess as he threw on a coat over his bare chest and tossed back the tent flap just enough so that she remained hidden from view.
“Luna Queen has sent this for you. One of her messengers left it this morning.”
William took the letter quickly. “Thanks.” He said before he closed the flap.
Doris scrambled out of bed and pulled on her thickest sweater before she met him across the room. He didn’t even seem to acknowledge her presence as he tore there the letter to get it open. A bit of sweat formed on his brow, the only sense of weakness he would let free.
“Dear Prince William,” he mumbled, “I’d like to have a private meeting with you before you send your army towards our own. I feel we can come to a mutual understanding and resolve this before it gets out of hand. Yours, The Luna Queen.”
William stared silently at the letter before he threw it in the fire that had grown dim. It flickered brighter but quickly grew out before it could catch any of the flames. “She’s too late, I already sent my army to theirs in the middle of the night.”
“So it’s started already?” Doris whispered. William moved around the room like his own fire as he got ready. It was almost hard to concentrate on anything when he looked that determined.
“Yes. They should already be aware that it’s started. I wonder if she sent it before or after.” William grumbled. “I would bet after just to try and mess with my head. She always wants to act like she has the upper hand.”
“She might have sent it after to mess with you, as you said. I wouldn’t trust her motives. You’re the only thing challenging her direct path to the throne and she knows that.” Doris said. She pulled on warm pants and boots. Out here, there was no use for beautiful dresses but she missed them anyway. For just a short time, she had gotten a taste of what it was like to wear a few.
“I don’t trust her, I never have. She wants to meet this afternoon by the frozen lakes.” William ran his fingers through his dark hair. “That’s one place that’s out of the way from all of this, but also too close to our camp here. T don’t want her to come here if I don’t show.”
“Are you going to meet her?” Doris asked.
“I don’t want to. But I know she won’t let it go if I don’t.”
“I could come with you—“.
“You will. I don’t want you out of my sight. Knowing Luna Queen, she might try to lure me away from here just to get the one thing I care about.”
William glanced out of the tent and called out to a guard nearby. She felt her mind drift away as he demanded a small group to ready themselves. A wave of dizziness passed by the time he focused back on her.
“Are you well?” He asked.
“I am.” Doris cleared her throat. “Just a bit hungry.”
“I will make sure you eat before we leave. I want to get there before she does in case she tries to get the higher ground.” William started to leave the tent before he paused. “The medic will be by tonight to check you. I asked her to do it late so we don’t pull too much attention.”
Doris let out a long breath. “Okay-yes, great.”
They left much earlier than Doris expected. Luna Queen didn’t want to meet until noon, but they were almost there with over an hour to spare. Doris felt she was lucky enough not to feel sick after eating as much as she did before they left. If only she knew someone that had been in her shoes before and knew how to handle her sickness. 1
“Something feels off.” Doris looked around at the frozen trees that hid miles ahead of them. A shiver passed over her skin and almost made her bones stiffen. “I don’t know why, but it feels wrong to be here.”
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