Chapter 7: Rosaline

After 3 hours the three friends at the big gates of the castle, waiting for the prince to show up with a young pretty woman next to him. Two guards carried his luggage, Mal gave a questionable look at Kieran so he clarified:

"-She is my servant, she is going with us.

-The future king can't take care of himself without his maids help and people are expecting him to rule in the future. That's pitiful." Mal said to herself loud enough that Ray heard her and laughed. Kieran looked at him raising an eyebrow and said:

"-What's so funny?

-Nothing, let's go." Malin answered him before that her friend would get in trouble.

The three hunters and the servant rode their horses while Kieran was in his carriage.

"-Hi, I am Ellie. It's nice to have new company. What's your name?" Ellie introduced herself to the young lady on the white hoarse shoving her sweet smile and tilting her head a bit to the side looking more friendly. The maid felt relaxed and responded with a sly smile then said:

"-I am Rosaline. It's nice to meet you Ellie.

-And I am Ray and this is Malin. We feel honored to escort a young pretty lady like you Rosaline" the girl smiled widely and her cheeks turned red at Ray's compliment, who giggled at her cuteness making her bow her head with embarrassment.

Ellie told him to stop teasing the girl and leave her alone so he apologized sincerely but Rose said with a silvery voice:

"-No it's ok you don't have to apologize, you didn't do anything wrong to me. It's just that I am not used to people compliments me

-How can someone see that beautiful face, hiding a lovely personality and not praise it?" Rosaline couldn't take anymore, her face turned red like a tomato and Ellie yelled at him:

"-RAY!!!

-WHAT???..." the two kept arguing and Rose felt a burning gaze at the back of her head; to find out that Kieran was glaring at her, she knew that she screwed up and turned around immediately not daring to look back at him.

Kieran's hate toward Ray increased more but he shoved it off for now to admire secretly the walking art next to him. Mal was next to the carriage door in case of any sudden attacks, thinking about the conversation she heard few days ago…

***

She was chasing an incubus who killed three women at the village, when she got rid of him she saw two men standing not too far from her talking. She hid behind a giant tree, close enough to hear the conversation:

"-what we are we going to do now?

-just sit back and observe his kingdom collapsed.

-how long?

-just stay patient mate; the day the king died, our reign will begin." Then suddenly the corpse next to her let out a big whine of pain, she took her sword and beheaded him and a yell escape him before she made sure he is dead.

"-Who's there? Show yourself…" She ran away before they could catch her...

***

"-MALIN!!!" she turned right away to her left to find Kieran looking at her with loving sparkling eyes, supporting his hands on the window frame and his palm at his cheek with tilted head; making her cringe.

"-For god's sake why are you shouting! I am not deaf, you can…

-I called your name three times and you were lost in your thoughts. Were you fantasizing about me? If you want I can make your dreams come true my lady." He then send hair a teasing wink, she smiled widely at him and said:

"- oh… really? You are so sweet!

-you don't have to thank me...just tell me.

-well... I was thinking about different ways to kill you slowly, if you didn't STOP bothering me. Does the offer still on Prince?" she batted her lashes showing an innocent face to him. Kieran felt offended, he closed his window and got back to his seat, smirking at her.

Mal let out a sigh of relief and said with a low tone:

"-finally…peace." and then Ray called for her whining because Ellie kept teasing him:"- I guess not…" she smiled at their childish behavior and found Rosaline giggling at them. She walked closer to her and saluted her; the other girl greeted her back..

"-I guess you found new good friends.

-yeah, they are nice and helping me get out of my shell. I am not honestly that sociable.

-I agree with you. My first meeting with them was after Ellie introducing herself to me with Ray who came to show me the palace. I was too reserved back then.

-I am really glad to meet someone strong and independent like you. You are really an icon, I want to learn a lot from you Miss Chace.

-please call me Mal.

-ok Mal

-and if that bastard hurt you or said anything annoying just tell me.

-No need Ray is a real gentleman and…

-I am talking about Kieran silly…

-oh… well his highness is a good person.

-lie to anybody else but not to me, understood...I saw how you were trembling back then when you looked at him." Rosaline eyes widened like saucers then looked down stuttering:

"-N-no he is just a bit strict… that's all you got the wrong idea. His highness maybe flirty and annoying at sometimes; but he have a big loving heart. He can't hurt an ant." Malin looked at the girl up and down making her more uncomfortable then raised her shoulders in indifference and added:

"-ok I trust you, but… if he tried to hurt you by any means. I will make him regret it." Rosaline hummed in response and turned her eyes back to the road.