Chapter 33 Flying fist

Isla
I'M WARY OF LYSIA. Ever since she told me that she was in love, she has been acting like nothing happened. I wonder who are love interest was, a Prince? A duke? A Sire? A commoner perhaps? She leads me deeper into the orchard and we sit under the shade of trees. She doesn't even loosely resemble the girl who was crying just minutes ago. She sits beside me biting into a mango. She sinks her teeth into the fleshy yellow fruit and chews with a hum.
"Are you sure you won't eat some mango?" She stretches a small mango to me. I shake my head. Her countenance falls but she recovers fairly quickly. "Suit yourself," she says with a shrug.
"How big is this orchard?" It seems to stretch out to the horizon.
"Acres and acres," she replies dryly while sucking on the hard mango seed.
"That's really impressive," I gush. "I can get lost here."
"We used to have horses here too but I haven't seen any so they must be in the stables." She throws the seed and it lands with a small thud a few metres away.
"Can we go to the stables? I would love to see the horses," I ask a bit too perky.
She wrinkles her nose in what I perceive is disgust. "The stables are too stinky, Isla. My brother will have to take you," turning to me, she asks, "you haven't seen a horse before?"
"I have. Only the wealthy can afford a horse at Kintil, and some merchants," I reply.
"Oh," is her only reply.
We sit in silence and Lyza gets started on the second mango. I stand up and my legs protest with pricks of pain, I deserve it for squatting too long.
On a few trees away are noisy weaver birds, there can be hundreds of them. Their chirps and songs are mellifluous to my ears. Since we are under a mango tree, the smell of mango is consuming my nostrils.
Lyza said there used to be horses here. I can imagine them cantering through the trees and grazing at the short grasses. I can imagine them drinking from the lively crystal river. I can almost imagine riding on their back, my hair tousling in the wind.
"Can you ride?" I'm hoping she can teach me. The scandalized look on her face is comical, it's obvious she can't.
"I'm afraid not, Isla." Sighing, she rises to her feet and stretches like a cat. "You two are so alike," she adds dryly and begins to walk away from the tree that was our shade only minutes ago. Not that we need a shade, the weather is balmy and not scorching hot like the Torrid.
"What do you mean?" I follow her as she trots in between trees.
"My brother. You two are a match made by God." I'd say she was just trying to crack a joke but the look on her face is quite serious.
I roll my eyes and hope she didn't see me."And why would you say that? I haven't even said a word to him."
"You seem so interested in horses," Lyza states. "And when he's not on one of his stupid hikes, he loves to spend his time in the stables."
"So?" I'm not seeing her point though I want to ask about the 'stupid hikes' I'd rather not.
"Just imagine it, Isla. You two can ride off into the sunset." She adds with a wistful sigh.
My laugh is forced and dry. "You are such a dreamer, Lyza."
She shrugs indifferently. "You only get to live once and I don't mind daydreaming through it."
My thoughts wander off to her brother, Prince Kyan. I haven't seen more than a glimpse of him but from the little I've seen, I have noticed that he always wears a stoic mask and stands too stiff like the soldiers that stood guard at the dungeon. His eyes seem without depth, his lips are always in a thin line and his gait is like a soldier's march. Even if I had wanted to marry him, I can't envision a life with such a statue-like person.
Lyza stops walking all of a sudden and being too immersed in my thoughts I don't see her halt and I bump into her. She doesn't turn to me or say a word instead, her eyes are fixed ahead at an advancing figure.
"Who's that?" I blurt out. She doesn't reply but I think I hear her grind her teeth in what I presume is infuriation. I wonder who the person is. I can make out the broad shoulders and stiff gait of a male. In fact, I'd think the person to be Prince Kyan if I hadn't noticed the shaven head and darker complexion.
"Rakar," she says the name with a sneer.
Close up, I can remember the person from yesterday. He was sitting a few chairs away from the Prince. I would have thought him to be Kyan's brother but their resemblance suggests something more distant, cousin probably.
"Who is he?" I ask Lyza
"He's a demon from the pits of hell!" Her reply is a furious shriek and before I know what is happening, the Princess sprints into a run towards Rakar. He stands still watching her advance at him but she doesn't fling herself at him in hate like I expect, but she runs past him and disappears into the orchard.
Rakar seems to be as surprised as I am and stares at the Princess' disappearing form. He turns his gaze to me and I can feel my face getting hotter.
"Hello, Isla." His expression is bored but his stare is intent.
"Hello... Rakar." I struggle to keep my tone polite but distant, I don't want to encourage conversation with him.
"I'm sorry for the Princess'... Rash behaviour." His sated smirk says the opposite.
I eye him up and down; leather boots, rugged clothes though they scream royalty. The only thing that catches my eye is the tartan scarf wrapped around his neck. I let my gaze linger there for a moment before returning to his hazel eyes.
"I think you are the reason she left like that." I try to make myself sound angry, furious even but I can't when I don't know what wrong he did.
"Then that would be immature of her won't it? She's really selfish for leaving you stranded like this," he says with a drawl. His eyes wander down my body in the most disrespectful way, I clench my fists so my hands won't leave my side and connect to his cheek.
Once he is satisfied with ogling, he begins to turn the way he came and starts to walk away. I blink, he came all this way to have a few unnecessary words and an eyeful? I shake my head, he must be idle.
I want to back to the Palace and check on Lyza but I'm clueless on which way to go. Maybe I'll just follow Rakar. I begin to follow him. He turns and looks at me, probably sensing that he is being followed.
"Can I help you?" His tone is indignant. I'm surprised how he can change at the blink of an eye.
"Just pretend I'm not here," I reply without looking at him. He stops walking and I walk past him whistling to show my disinterest in his presence. His hand wraps around my wrist and makes me halt.
Now, I'm irritated. I wish I was strong enough to conjure a dust devil so he'll be too distracted to take notice of me. Unfortunately, that will mean I'll have to stay with him until he recovers so I'll get back to the Palace.
"Leave me alone, Rakar." I don't hide the annoyance in my tone.
"Don't speak to me like that, Isla. Do you know who I am?" He growls.
I roll my eyes with abandon. "I wouldn't talk to you like that if you hadn't held my hand!"
"And I wouldn't hold your hand if you hadn't been following me!" He retorts.
"What?" I dare to laugh," I just want to find my way back to the Palace."
"I don't care", he says bluntly. "Find your own path. There are lots of ways to get back to the Palace."
He releases me and continues to walk without a backward glance at me. Huffing out a breath, I continue to follow him staying a few paces behind but not making any effort to stay silent.
He halts in his tracks. "Didn't you hear what I said, Isla?" He spins on his heels and charged at me. I stay rooted to the spot, I'm not going to let this spoilt royal have his way.
"I'm surprised you haven't sent a storm on me," he smirks with much amusement, his breath fanning against my face.
"I was just considering that," I spit.
"Why? Do I annoy you?" He leans a bit closer. His forehead brushes against mine and he smiles. I can't believe what's happening here. I can't be flirting with Rakar!
I take a shuffling step back and my body reels backwards, I scream as I feel myself falling to the floor.
Rakar laughs throwing his head back as he holds me in his hands, I clutch onto him desperately and my breath comes out in pants. My heart is thumping excitedly in my chest and it's not just because of the fall.
"That was a good show, Isla. You are so desperate to be held in my arms that you had to fake a fall," he grins at me with sparkling eyes.
I jerk out of his grip and my lips curve into a sneer. "You wish."
He shakes his head gently. "I can have any girl I please. I'm the Duke, the Princess' cousin." He runs his eyes over my body in a way that makes me feel naked. "But I must admit, you are quite a beauty. My cousin is going to enjoy you." I clench my fists at his words but he only twitches his lips in a smug smile. Then he grabs me in his arms, crushing me to his hard chest.
"What are you-" his lips cocoon mine and gasp in surprise. Ire flows through my veins and I push Rakar away from me with all my strength. He staggers and stares at me with surprise and indignation rolled into one.
I make a fist and let it fly to his nose.