An Equally Yoked Runaway

I was the next king after my Father, King Wilkin of Ravanark. A kingdom that thrives on tradition, history and power. Pride and honor was inoculcated deep in their hearts ever since the Ravens chose them. Being an embarrassment is treason, and I, the one and only Prince Cadfael, is worthy of treason.

"So you ran away from your marriage? Because you didn't know the girl?" She asked him, skipping along the wet snowy ground. The Prince walked behind her, keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword, in case his father sent a troop to hunt him down or maybe if...a wolf attacks her. In her eyes, he's just a knight who ran away from marriage on the same day as her's. The only difference between them is, she's a peasant. Knight was the only explanation unto why he has a sword. "What if she's after my riches? What if she tries to poisen me so she can have all the power? What if shes not meant for me?" he sighs before continuing, "What about you?" He asked back. She looks back at him, "heard rumours that he was an arrogant fool who has a mistress already."Those kind of men are the worst indeed. "To be fair, even I would get one if I had to marry you" he joked before getting a very hard punch on the arm in response.

They kept walking in this endless forest, with no sense of direction until night time. The night was cold, harsh and exceptionally windy. He was certain this was nature's way of punishing him. The full moon glowed brightly, almost too brightly, as if it were mocking the Prince, should've been drinking wine with your wife by now.

"You didn't bring a jacket?" She glared at him, reluctantly sharing her fur coat with him. He gave an awkward grin back, huddling close to her, covering them both with the fur coat, "Well I apologise for not thinking about the weather when i was taking a life bending decision of running away." She giggled in response, her figure clearly shaking from the cold. He looked at her. Her frail body covered in goosebumps, her long messy wavy hair covering her back, and oh her beautiful face...He looks away embarrassed by his thoughts. Can't start a fire...Maybe body warmth is enough? He thought before innocently hugging her without a second thought.

"Ew! Get off me!" She scoffed, and kicked him off. He laid in the snow as did she. After a few seconds of silence, a laugh emerged from her side. He joined in and laughed along.

For a second, nothing in the world mattered to him. For a second, he forgot about his saddened worried mother, his siblings that looked upto him, and his father who's trusting him with a kingdom. Just for a second, he forgot he was a Prince but a knight who ran away from marriage who spent the day with a peasant girl suffering the same fate. Just for a second, he was just a young man.

"There!" yelled a gaurd from far away, holding his torch up for the rest of the troop to see. The Prince immediately stood up and unsheathed his sword, instinctively standing infront of her. He rose his sword but quickly dropped it when he realised that these guards were not his. A man in his 30s, got off his horse, shoved thr Prince aside and knelt infront of her before embracing her tightly. "Princess Elody..." he wept, tightening his grip. Elody had turned pale, not because of the wind but the consequences she has to face. She shook her head, tears flowing from her eyes, "No...I'm not coming back...please! Please brother, I do not want to marry him! I do not want to go back! " She yelled, trying to push her brother away. Tears stung the prince's eyes watching her cry, unable to fathom the situation. She's a princess....who ran away from marriage...on the same day as him. "Grab the boy" the brother commanded and everything fell into a blur.

I sat in the carriage frowning at her, who frowned back at me. "Two-faced witch" I muttered as a joke, crossing my arms and looking away. She kicked my shin in response, "as if someone didn't lie at all." I deserved it. I looked at her while I rubbed my knee, suppressing a smile. Maybe marrying her isn't all that bad, and I knew she thought the same thing when I saw her suppress a smile too.