"LIKE what you see, princess?", Geralt mocks while smiling devilish. She immediately turns away while crimson spread on her cheeks.

Amalia clears her throat nervously. She knows, that she can't let him make her feel this way. After all she's the princess, a future queen, a man shouldn't have this effect on her.

She takes a deep breath while turning towards the witcher again. "You really don't have any manners, do you witcher?", she confidently answers,"I was staring you down, because even though we have to spend a lot of time together, you never told me your name".

The white haired man lets out a small laugh facing Amalia again:"Geralt. Geralt of Rivia". The Princess smirks still staring at him until he'll introduce her to his horse. There's something about his golden eyes, which somehow attracts her. She could stare at them for hours.

"Oh and this is beautiful Roach", he laughs as he finally realized that was what she wanted to hear,"Happy now, princess?".

"Yeah", she softly answers, finally taking her gaze of him. Geralt watches her looking away. There is something which gives him the feeling, that she still isn't happy somehow. Well that's probably because she is escorted to Aedrin to marry some prince there. Geralt decided to go on talking with the princess anyways, until she'll finally feel a little bit better.

"We won't spend that much time together if you run away again", he smirks still looking at the beauty riding the horse next to him.

"Oh no, I won't be doing that again", she lets out a laugh, then putting the serious face back on.

"Why, princess?", Geralt asks, now curious about her changed mind,"Now you want to get to know the prince of Aedrin?".

"Of course not", she rolls her eyes answering deadly serious,"But if I run away and you won't catch me again, my father will have you killed".

Before Geralt can answer, Amalia continues:"Oh and stop calling me princess, witcher". While being with Geralt, she wants to be treated like a normal girl, just for the last moments until she has to marry.

"But you are the princess. Aren't you happy living this perfect life?", he suddenly asks. Geralt doesn't get it. He would've been glad if he didn't had to hunt monsters just to get some coin for food. He would've loved to be just a normal boy, being a prince even more.

"Perfect?!", Amalia almost shouts out of shock. She faces Geralt who is looking at her confused and she answers slightly disappointed:"You really don't understand".

Without hesitation the princess flicks her tongue twice so her horse would go faster and they gallop away.

Geralt grumbles annoyed, then making Roach go faster so he'll be able to keep up with the princess.

•••

While riding in silence, Geralt realized that he failed making the princess feel better. He probably made it even worse. So he decided it would be best for the horses and them to take a break. Now the princess and Geralt are sitting around a campfire, which is the only source of light except of the moon. It's already night.

"I am sorry Amalia", Geralt says but he goes silent turning towards her as soon as he saw her gazing at the night sky. The princess laid on her back in the grass and most importantly she smiled and that made him smile too, until he realized that he just destroyed her moment of silence and peace when she sat back up looking at the witcher.

"You can continue", she smirked briefly while glaring at him for the first time after their last talk. She really missed looking at those golden eyes. Now that it's dark outside they seemed to shine somehow. The eyes of a witcher really are beautiful.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you, but from the outside everything that has to do with a big castle seems so perfect", he smiled while watching Amalia stare in his eyes.

"I always hear that, but sadly it's not a fairytale", Amalia says while turning back to watch the fire burning,"My own father is sending me away to marry someone I don't even know. He told me to do it for my country, for its safety".

"Hm", Geralt grumbles like he understands.

The princess tried not to look into his eyes always, but whenever she is, it feels like a form of safety. Like if her body knew that Geralt would keep her safe, in case something happens. And right now she needs this feeling, otherwise she isn't able to go on talking without a tear falling on her cheek.

While facing Geralt Amalia continues:"But Redania is not my country, because I will never be its queen. Once I'm married I'll be the future queen of Aedrin, but never queen of Redania".

"I don't understand. You are the only legitimate child of your father, the king. If he dies, you'll be the queen?", Geralt asks confused while shaking his head.

"I committed a crime and because of that I'll never be queen without a king at my side", Amalia speaks under her breath. She lowers her gaze, not being able to look Geralt in the eyes.

"What kind of crime?", he questions. His hand careful reaches out to the princess, but before he is able to touch her face, he quickly pulls his hand back while reminding himself that he shouldn't get too close with her.

Amalia clears her throat, looking back straight into Geralts eyes:"I am a woman. Father would never make me queen without a husband at my side who's going to be my king".

"But you would be queen of Redania, wouldn't you?". Geralt moves a little closer to the princess, trying to comfort her because he realized how much this means to Amalia.

"A queen who has to bow to her king", she answers and the witcher can hear the angry undertone of her voice,"Redania is my country. I am the legitimate air of my father the king. I shouldn't bow to nobody".

Geralt can't stop himself from putting his arm around her to calm the princess down, even though he understands her anger. And it works. Amalia continues to speak more calm now:"But still he sends me away to marry Stennis this prince of Aedrin, so that he has more time to produce a male air with some mistress. If he succeeds I'll never be queen of my country, instead this bastard child will reign".

"So you'll only be queen if your father dies right now", Geralt combines. A smile appears on her lips. He really did listen to her not like everybody in the castle.

"Thanks Geralt, but I don't think it would be a good idea to kill the king", Amalia chuckles while looking him in the eyes.

The witcher lets out a laugh:"Yeah you're probably right". For a moment the two keep eye contact until Geralts gaze lowers. Now he is looking at her lips and the princess knows.

"Like what you see, huh witcher?", she giggles then standing up to free herself from his arm. Geralt immediately turns away staring into the flames. He is regretting that he got so close with her even though he told himself not to. He shouldn't start to have feelings for a princess who is basically taken. Nevertheless he would never be in a position to be with her. Geralt shakes his head and the thoughts of her away. He shouldn't even be thinking about her.

„I'll take that as a yes", Amalia lets out a laugh while falling back into the grass,"Good night witcher".

Geralt can't stop himself from looking at her. She really is a beautiful girl and not just a dumb princess who does like her father says. She knows what she wants. He really is impressed and even more fascinated.

Even though her eyes are closed, Amalia can feel his gaze on her. They both know he shouldn't look at her like that, but secretly wants to and does. The princess doesn't want to embarrass him again, so she keeps her eyes and mouth shout trying to sleep.

Geralt watches Amalia quite a while, thinking about her: heavy is her crown and yet she wears it as if it were a feather. He can see the determination in her eyes and her will to survive. She really is a born queen.

•••

Birds are chirping and the bright sunlight is hitting Amalia in the face, forcing her to wake up. She slowly opens her eyes to look around. Then she quickly jumps on her feet. Geralt is gone.