Adeline's P.O.V.

People wanted me dead and all I could think about was how I wanted to kill Prince Rowan. He was insufferable. The man has the nerve to treat me as a child or a friend and even to some extreme attempt to flirt with me. He doesn't even call me by my title, even though I have not been coronated yet, I'd expect a little respect.

As soon as I saw my dearest friend Liana and her now husband, my captain of the guard Dorian, I had to try one more time. "Is it too late to switch traveling partners?"

I threw a dirty look in Rowan's direction but he just took it with a lazy grin. "Sorry Shorty, but you're stuck with me."

As I feared. I think I might kill myself instead of those assassins.

"I'm not short," I mumbled under her breath. Always with that nickname. Ever since his growth spurt as a child, he's never failed to point out how short I was. I finally reached my own growth spurt and had gotten to the average female height but still short in comparison to him. I hadn't seen Rowan until I seeked refuge in his castle. He just seemed to get taller, and as I hate to admit it, even more handsome to the point where it was aggravating.

Liana let out a giggle at our banter making me turn my dark look towards her. Was my misery that entertaining?

Liana took that moment to walk up to me and engulf me in a big warm hug. "Please be safe, I can't lose you. You are my best friend."

I returned my dear friend's hug squeezing her even tighter afraid it will be our last hug for a long time. I will not say goodbye, I will make it through this and continue my family's reign. "They're going to have to try a lot harder, I don't go down that easily."

Liana pulled away and gave Rowan a pleading look. "Please, keep her safe."

He nodded as he looked at me with such promise in his eyes. "Always."

I couldn't help but blush at his sincerity. So he did have a nice bone in that body of his.

Just then, a soldier came barging into the car with worry etched on his face. "Captain, we received word over the radio. There is a band of thieves waiting at the halfway point. If they are getting out then they're going to need to jump. Now."

The train rumbled beneath my feet as I could feel my face drain of color. "B-but the train is still moving."

"Scared princess?" Rowan teased earning a glare.

Scared? I was petrified. Not that he could ever know he had the upper hand.

"No, and it's queen to you," I said with a scowl.

Dorian opened one of the doors and looked down. "We'll be approaching a lake soon, get ready."

Rowan and I stood by the door side by side. Oh god. I couldn't do it. My whole body trembled and my hands were shaking with nerves. A warm hand covered mine giving me a comforting squeeze. At this moment I couldn't be any happier and grateful that Rowan was by my side. I squeezed his hand back and thanked him with my eyes which in return he gave me a boyish smile I couldn't help but find cute.

Dorian started to count us off. I had a few seconds before we jumped, I turned to look at my two friends with a sad smile. "I'll see you on the other side."

Dorian had reached the number one. Squeezing Rowan's hand even tighter, we jumped.

I held my breath as we fell into the lake, it's coldness sending shock through my body. Maybe it was my stubbornness that did not say anything earlier but I did not know how to swim. Rowan had let go of my hand as he began to swim to the surface. I was regretting not admitting not knowing how to swim as I struggled to swim to the surface but did not succeed. Holding my breath longer was becoming more difficult as black dots took over my vision. Then I slowly faded into darkness.

***

Rowan's P.O.V.

I swam to the surface looking around me for the soon to be queen. She couldn't have swam to the shore faster than I could? I had military training for this type of thing. Fear ran through me as I realized the only other place she could be. At the bottom of the lake. I took a deep breath as a swam back down looking for Adeline frantically. God, please let me find her.

I searched and searched until I couldn't breathe. I swam back up for a breath of air before diving again. A glint in the water caught my eye as I swam towards it. As I got closer I realized it was indeed Adeline with a locket around her neck. My heart beat in relief as I pulled her to the surface with me. Taking us to the shore, I lay her on her back and checked for a pulse. She was still alive but it was a weak pulse.

"Don't you die on me," I threatened her. I began pumping her chest before parting her soft pink lips and breathing into them. I went back to her chest then back to lips. Come on Adeline, come back to me. Back to her chest, then her lips, then her chest--

Adeline coughed out water before gasping in air and began coughing again. I held her in a sitting position holding her to my chest as she continued to try to regulate her breathing running a comforting hand on her back.

After a few moments, she had finally stopped coughing putting me at ease. She closed her eyes as she continued to rest her head on my chest. "You saved my life. Thank you."

"I promised I was going to protect you. You scared me out of existence," I was angry now at her foolishness. "Why didn't you tell us you couldn't swim? I would have helped you."

She was so stubborn. It was one of the many things I admired about her but right now I despised it. She could have died.

"You seem awfully worried prince, one would say you have feelings for me," a small smile threatened to tug on her lips. She was teasing me. She had just come back from the dead and was teasing me. She was infuriating!

"I am awfully worried about my wonderful hair! I think you've turned it gray. How am I suppose to attract the ladies now?" I asked in a serious tone but I was indeed joking.

"Of course you are worried about your looks," she said pulling away from me. She slowly began standing up before her legs gave up on her. I quickly caught her in my arms making sure she was steady on her feet. She looked up at me with a thanking smile.

I couldn't help but take advantage of the situation. Putting on my notorious smirk, I said, "seems like you have fallen for me Shorty. Quite literally at that."

Adeline scoffed before pushing me away from her. The fire had returned to her eyes the way I liked them. My Adeline was back in business.

"I am not short, you maggot," she spat.

I stepped closer to her and she kept her stance. We were toe to toe as I looked down at her. Her head was craned up to glare at me. She was up to my shoulders, as a woman she wasn't short, but next to me she was short. There was no way I wasn't going to tease her about it like as I did as children. "Short."

She pursed her lips angrily bringing my attention to them. I couldn't really savor them when I was bringing her back to life, it was probably my only shot to taste her lips and I didn't. Pity.

If I continued to stare at them any longer then I think my impulses will get the better of me. She had changed over the years. She went from a little cute girl that got on my nerves to a breathtaking young woman. When I had seen her for the first time, I couldn't help but get aroused at the gem she had become. However, I knew she was the one woman I shouldn't have, and by god, she wouldn't let me if I could.

"If I am short, then you are ruttish," she spat. I couldn't help but smile at the angry queen as she swore unladylike. "And a boar, an ingrate and a swine!"

"Anything else?" I smirked trying not to laugh.

She furrowed her brows and thrust her chin up. "Yes! You are full-gorged."

I guess she's heard gossip about myself and the woman in the castle. I have needs, what could I say? "Why thank you, I worked hard for that title."

This seemed to set her off because she gasped and spun on her heels and began walking away. I watched her for a few moments in amusement before I spoke out. "You are going the wrong way princess!"

She stopped in her place and slowly turned around. A blush covered her angry face. "I am a queen."

"Not yet," I reminded her. I nodded my head in the right direction. "This way gorgeous."

Adeline rolled her eyes as she fell into step with me. I had memorized the maps before coming here. I tried opening conversation with the princess but she was ignoring me. I smiled to myself finding her childlike behavior entertaining. Little did she know that I had ways to make her talk.

***

Liana's P.O.V.

My heart stopped as I saw Adeline jump out of the train with Rowan. God please protect them. Dorian pulled me into an embrace seeing my worried state. "Don't worry love, I've stood next to Rowan in battle. If anyone is able to keep her safe, it is him."

I sure hope he was right. He pulled back and gave me a warm smile. "Come, talk to me about anything. What are your new dreams? I'd love to hear them."

I smiled at his attempt to distract me. "Well, I dream to start a family."

"How many children do you want?" He asked pulling me on to his laps as he sat down.

I wrapped my hands around his neck. "A big family. A bunch of little feet running around. Every morning they would barge into our room and disrupt our sleep but despite how tired we would be, we'd laugh it off. I would make sure our daughters are well educated--"

"-- and I will teach them how to defend themselves from men," he said a serious expression. I couldn't help but laugh at his protective nature.

He captured my laugh with a kiss. "God I'm in love with your laugh."

I swooned at this wonderful man. "And I'm in love with you."

I kissed him again until a voice sounded from the speakers. "We are coming up to the halfway point. Get ready for interception."

I looked at Dorian worriedly as a serious expression look over his face. He looked at me with promise. "Nothing is going to happen to you. Not as long as I live."

I nodded my head believing him. We braced ourselves as neared the halfway point. Since we weren't slowing down any more then it should be harder for the crooks to get on, right?

We heard a thump coming from the car ahead. I looked at Dorian with a worried expression. Quite frankly, I wasn't ready to die. He pulled me behind him with one hand and with the other he had his sword ready. I kept glancing at the car doors waiting for someone to barge in, it was then I realized that they weren't in the train but rather on the train. A little hatch was opened from the roof as a man dropped in. I also heard noise coming from the car in front of us. They've split up, each man took a car. Dorian kept me behind him as he raised his sword to the man who in return raised his own with a sickening grin.

"Pretty girl," the man titled his head to the side eyeing me with hunger. I gripped onto the seat beside me to keep my shaking legs up.

"I will give you a fair warning, leave now and I will spare your life," Dorian said in a deadly tone.

"Not until you hand over the princess," said the man with a playful look in his eyes.

"The princess is not even on this train, you've been fooled," Dorian said in an equally playful tone.

"Well I wouldn't want to leave here empty handed?" The man looked at me dead in the eyes before licking his lips. I think I was going to faint.

Dorian shifted his stance as if getting ready to spring on him. "How about leaving with no hands?"

The man's eyes shot back to Dorian with a serious expression. "I will kill you and then take your lady for all the lads to enjoy."

Fear passed through me as I held my breath.

"Oh, I'm going to like killing you. I think I'm going to do it slow," said Dorian in a dark promising tone, sending a shiver down my spine. I don't think this man knows he is about to go up against the captain of the guards.

Within a second, both men had gone into battle.

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Sorry I haven't updated lately! It was exam week and I went from a part-time worker to a full-time worker so I haven't had time to breathe!

I decided to put Adeline and Rowan's story in this one since it is very short. I have a similar story to theirs coming out and is also a royalty based book so I thought I'd keep it simple like that. I still hope you enjoyed!

Don't be a silent reader! I'd love to hear what you guys think!

Vote and comment!

Love ya!

XO