Thread: Winter's Kiss (Ursus Peregrinus & Candy_demon21)

Watching Livia wave as she did made the rest of the climb into the carriage that much harder, and when Odette looked closer, seeing the tears in her friends eyes, it was almost heart wrenching. The moment she sank down against the soft leather, she wanted to leap from the window, to run back to the safety of her mother's little house, and curl up as she did when she was a child. But those days were gone now, sitting in the carriage with the prince, that was an absolute. With a soft sigh, she watched the sunlight flicker out like a candle, the two now lost in the darkness. Funny, Odette thought to herself, feeling the prickles of fear raise the small hairs on the back of her neck, funny how even as a child she had never been afraid of the dark, but yet here she sat with the prince, and only now did she fear it so. Perhaps the stories all had been true, maybe the prince did eat the hearts of those who came to his castle. When the prince spoke, Odette jumped and clutched the books again to her chest, I'll take the first bit as a compliment I suppose. Odette returned, her heart racing ever so slightly in her chest when the curtain was pulled back. When she could see just outside, she was more than a little relieved to see the beast who pinned the Mayor return to the carriages side. If I may be so bold highness, was threatening the Mayor, when he simply was trying to be kind, really required? Inwardly, Odette was kicking herself, she recalled Livia saying that she was afraid of saying something foolish, amazing how Odette now question her Prince. With a shake of her head, she turned her eyes away from the curtain, keeping her eyes away from the prince for as long as she could. When the carriage began to move, Odette felt the familiar pang of sadness course through her blood like poison. It hadn't even been a day and already she was missing her mother. She feared that she would never see her again, she should have never raised her hand, it had been foolish. The moment that they had reached the outskirts of the town, the ride to the palace became less enjoyable. The cart ride over had been bad yes, now granted the seats were more comfortable, but it seems that Odette was yelping and whimpering more with each harsh jostle. By the time they had reached the outer forest, she had begun to anxiously play with the silver locket she had taken from the box. The movement from across from her had been the first thing that caught her eyes, she had nearly forgotten that the Prince was even there. He was as silent as the grave. When he demanded her name, using the insufferable term, Odette huffed, straightening herself on the leather bench. My name is Odette, Odette Bellarose highness. Again if I may be so bold, I would request you call me by it instead of child or girl. I realize what sex I am and do not need a constant reminder. I am also no child, old enough to be married and have children. There she went again, spouting off to the prince, even if her tone was gentle yet dripped with venom. She would not survive the night at the rate that she was going, but she continued none the less, I raised my hand because- because I-she didn't have an intelligent answer, with a huff she tried again, -because I didn't want to have Livia suffer this fate. And because of the fact that this was my first year to the festival. Call it foolish, or childish, call it what you will, I raised my hand. The real reason she had raised her hand was due to her mother's lack of answers. Perhaps the Prince was her father, he surly had to be old enough. When he pulled back his hood, Odette gaped in awe. He was, in a cold sort of way, beautiful. His skin was as white as the freshly fallen snow, his lips a deep blue as if he had kissed the very winter itself, and those eyes. They were as black as her hair. The scars were what drew her eyes next, oh how it burned her to not ask what had happened. They were gruesome, but yet she wanted to know. Had he received them during a fight, or perhaps he had done them to himself. When he smiled, Odette felt like a lamb standing in front of a wolf. It was a predator smile, a smile in which pain was promised, even if it wasn't implied or amplified by his dark eyes. tag