Enchanted Rivalry

7. Moonlit defiance

Aria

As I watched the moonlight dance upon the surface of the river, a sense of tranquility washed over me, momentarily soothing the turmoil that churned within. The events of the day had left me unsettled, my encounter with Kael serving as a stark reminder of the tensions that simmered between our kingdoms.

But amidst the quiet solitude of the night, I found solace in the gentle embrace of the water, its cool embrace a balm to my weary soul. With each graceful movement of my hands, I called forth the magic that flowed through my veins, weaving intricate patterns upon the shimmering surface of the river.

Lost in the rhythm of my magic, I barely registered the sound of everything around me. 

I looked up to find Kael standing at the water's edge on the other side, his gaze fixed upon me with a mixture of curiosity and distrust.

"What do you want, Kael?" I asked, my tone tinged with a hint of defiance.

He hesitated, as if grappling with his own inner turmoil, before finally speaking. "I said cease your magic at once and leave our river."," he replied, his voice tinged with the same authority that had marked our previous encounter.

I felt a surge of indignation rise within me at his words, a stubborn defiance that refused to be quelled. "Your river?" I retorted, unable to suppress the edge of sarcasm that crept into my voice. "Last I checked, the river belongs to neither of our kingdoms. It is a force of nature, untamed and unbound by the petty squabbles of men."

Kael bristled at my words, his expression hardening with thinly veiled disdain. "Be that as it may," he replied, his tone clipped and dismissive. "You would do well to remember that our kingdoms are not allies. Your presence here is a provocation, nothing more."

As his dismissive words hung in the air, a surge of indignation welled within me, fueling the fire of defiance that burned bright in my chest. "Provocation?" I scoffed,"Trust me, Kael, if I wanted to provoke you, I would have found far more effective means than simply practicing magic by the river."

His lip curled in a sneer, the familiar mask of arrogance slipping easily into place. "Is that so?" he replied, his tone dripping with disdain. "Forgive me if I find your assurances less than convincing, Princess. Your presence alone is enough of a provocation for me."

"My presence?" I shot back, my voice laced with incredulity. "Last I checked, it was you and your kingdom's soldiers who crossed into our territory uninvited. If anyone is guilty of provocation, it's your precious Shadowlands."

His eyes flashed with a dangerous glint, his temper flaring in response to my barbed words. "Watch your tongue, Aria," he warned, his voice clearly irritated. "You may be a princess, but you're not above reproach."

I met his gaze head-on, refusing to back down in the face of his intimidation tactics. "And you may be a prince, Kael," I retorted, my voice tinged with defiance, "but you're not above accountability. Your actions have consequences, whether you choose to acknowledge them or not."

He arched an eyebrow in mock amusement. "Is that so?" he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Forgive me if I fail to share your optimism, Princess. After all, your people have a rather... colorful history of stirring up trouble."

"And your people have a rather colorful history of hiding in the shadows, plotting their next move like cowards," I shot back, unable to suppress the edge of scorn that crept into my voice.

Kael's lips curled into a smug smirk, his gaze locking with mine in a silent challenge. "Ah, but you forget, Princess," he countered, his tone laced with arrogance. "It was your beloved Summer Court that first taught us the art of deception. Or have you conveniently forgotten the lessons of our childhood?"

I felt a surge of anger welling within me at his mention of our shared past, memories of our childhood sparring matches and petty rivalries flooding my mind. "I haven't forgotten anything, Kael," I replied, my voice tinged with bitterness. "Least of all the day you cheated in our archery contest and claimed victory as your own."

He chuckled at the memory, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. "Ah yes, I remember it well," he admitted, his tone surprisingly nostalgic. "But need I remind you of the time you tricked me into eating those foul-tasting berries and laughed as I turned green?"

I couldn't help but smile at the memory, despite the tension that simmered between us. "Fair point," I conceded, a hint of amusement softening my features. "But that doesn't change the fact that you're still a pompous, arrogant prince with a penchant for causing trouble."

"And you're still a stubborn, headstrong princess with a knack for sticking your nose where it doesn't belong," he countered, his tone surprisingly playful.

With a scoff, I turned my attention back to the gentle flow of the river, dismissing Kael's protests with a wave of my hand. The rhythm of my magic pulsed through me, a soothing balm to the turmoil of the day.

As Kael's voice cut through the night air, his frustration palpable, I couldn't suppress the smirk that tugged at the corners of my lips. "Stop it, Aria!" he bellowed, his tone tinged with exasperation.

I glanced over my shoulder, meeting his gaze with an unapologetic glint in my eyes. "Or what, Kael?" I shot back, my voice laced with defiance. "Are you going to throw another tantrum like a petulant child?"

His jaw clenched with barely contained fury, his eyes blazing with indignation. "This is not a game, Aria," he growled, his words dripping with venom. "You're endangering yourself and everyone around you with your reckless behavior."

I waved his concerns aside with a dismissive flick of my wrist, my focus returning to the gentle ebb and flow of the river. "I'll take my chances," I retorted, my tone defiant. "I refuse to live my life in fear of what might happen. I'd rather embrace the unknown than cower in the shadows like you."

Kael's voice rang out in frustration, his demands falling on deaf ears as I steadfastly ignored him.

"You're impossible," he spat, his voice thick with frustration.

The more he shouted, the more determined I became to continue practicing my magic, relishing in the knowledge that my defiance was getting under his skin.

As his annoyance grew, a smirk tugged at the corners of my lips. 

So, this was what truly irked him – being ignored. Well, if that was the case, then I knew exactly how to get under his skin in the future. Ignoring him seemed like the perfect way to ruffle his feathers.

I silently vowed to make a habit of disregarding Kael's demands whenever it suited me. After all, if ignoring him was enough to incite such a reaction, then it was a tactic worth employing in the future.

As I lost myself in the rhythm of my magic, a sense of liberation washed over me, freeing me from the shackles of expectation and duty. In that moment, all that mattered was the magic coursing through my veins, and the freedom to wield it as I saw fit.

And as I watched the moonlight dance upon the water's surface, I couldn't help but feel a sense of empowerment swell within me. For in that moment, I realized that my magic was my own, a force to be reckoned with, and no one could take that away from me.