Hunting 4th

CHAPTER 13-- Hunting 3^rd

(More on the latest victim, hunting)

She indeed smiled back at him, a sweet and innocent smile. She had fear of neither him nor any other. Her heart was pure and saw all with impartiality. None looked to be a threat, for all people were inherently good of heart and soul.

She was a beautiful flower of nearly six and twenty summers. Her hair, her eyes, so familiar to him. She could have been the sister of his beloved. Mayhap within this one's heart was the piece of his beloved, the part of her that would always be near. She was reading, a past time that both he and his lost beloved enjoyed. The book was of fairy tales, stories of old that had once been merely spoken or sang around camp fires. He knew them well, having spoken them for his amusement to guests. She seemed to be enjoying her tales of witches and warlocks. He could not take his eyes off her, she was so enraptured with her tome and it was a joy to see one out of the many that had a love of the written word.

He knew that a gentleman should not be staring with such unhidden lust after a young woman, but he could not stop himself. Her loveliness was not to be ignored. Many of the other young bucks had taken notice of her. Such blackguards would not show her the proper honour she deserved. He would have to make sure that she was protected and not left to men that were clearly beneath her standing. The prince approached, smiling easily, and started a cordial conversation about her reading. She responded in kind as he glanced to noticed the others back away. She had been claimed, in a manner of speaking, by the prince and would not be further harassed by the brigands.

She was pleasant and intelligent, not like many of the females that frequented the shops of the township. Most were overly concerned with appearance, heeding naught of the mind. Outward beauty mattered only if the intellect was just as lovely.

He wanted to take her then, bring her to his palace. Protect her, show her how he cared, that she would be a princess. Of course, that would only be possible if she truly was the lost piece of his beloved. So far, two had proven themselves to be unworthy. Neither had seen that he was only trying to love them, to be the prince they deserved. However, each resisted, claiming that he was a mere jailer, a common criminal, a highway man! It was an insult. His first hope screamed to the rafters for a saviour. His second? She was no princess, but more of a bar maid.

This third princess? She may be the princess, the one that held a piece of his beloved and, therefore, his heart.

Author's Note

Unedited for NaNoWriMo