The Princess and the Spy [M]

[AllyKabbet]

(Heyy!

I am idle. I have a lot of homework from the university but I don't feel like doing it, so I've started translating old stories from spanish to english to be able to publish them.

This one in particular is from a novel I'm writing (and to which I changed the names for obvious reasons). Very briefly, Nazine is an exiled princess, and Dehran, a spy who is protecting her on the path they are doing. The world fantasy in which it takes place is half desert half oasis.

I hope you like it, and as I always say, excuse my spelling mistakes! 🥰)

 

 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Nazine asked, looking from side to side.

Dehran hissed and took her firmly by the forearm. Her hazel eyes widened, which were covered by tousled strands of dyed brown hair.

“Calm down, Your Highness” He whispered, and his tickling, deep voice gave Nazine chills “If you keep looking everywhere like if you're a fugitive, they'll find us out.”

“But we are fugitives.”

“No.” Dehran approached, and Nazine admired that those bright eyes, besides being beautiful and shiny, were also terrifying. “We are going to sabe Lalitzia, we are not fugitives.” Dehran released her wrist gently and straightened up in the tavern chair, his back straight. “So calm down and eat. We need to regain strength before searching for resources.”

Nazine nodded quickly.

“Sorry.”

Dehran shook his head to dismiss it. As the innkeeper approached, Nazine did not look at him until Dehran struck up a conversation.

“Eh... Please, a leek and carrot soup, and...”

“There are no leeks.” the innkeeper stopped Nazine.

“Ah… Well, vegetables, whatever there is.” Her cheeks colored.

“Anything else?”

“No, thank you.” Dehran asked, and with a polite, slight smile, he dismissed the man.

Nazine breathed out slowly.

“Is it the first time you eat outside the palace, or what?” Dehran asked, resting his chin in his hand in a relaxed gesture. His elegance was enhanced by that calm and unchanging aura that always characterized him.

“No, I've been to restaurants in the city once, but no… By myself. Always with guards”  She looked around again, unable to contain herself. “What will we do next?”

Dehran swallowed and ran a curved finger across his nose for a moment.

“Aster has given us directions to go to some stores on the outskirts of the city. They say that they offer large quantities of food for trips, expeditions, weddings… We could try to make a deal.”

“Or steal it.” Realizing the stupid thing she had said, she looked at him with wide eyes.

 A smile slipped across Dehran's lips.

“Or steal it. But hey, except for participating in coups, I'm usually pretty legal.” He said.

Nazine smiled sincerely for the first time since she had entered. It was not expected that her conversation with Dehran would be so comfortable.

“I wanted to say in the extreme case... We have to hurry, when my brother notifies all the guards and organizes the Families it will be impossible to run away from Lalitzia.”

Dehran nodded and said nothing more. Nazine was surprised by her lack of continuity, when she saw him with a strange expression, somewhat wrinkled. He held up a finger.

“S-sorry.” He raised his forearm to his mouth, moving away from the table a little, and with an unmistakable hint of despair, he took a breath. “Ah-HtSSshh! Hh… Ttsch” He sneezed twice; wet and rather desperate sneezes that made his head shake slightly. He sniffled and stayed a second longer in his position before lowering his arm. “My apologies.”

Nazine stared at him a bit surprised. It was not expected that the mercenary who had been infiltrating Lalitzia for four years, the wizard with the most fearsome eyes she had ever met, could make such a human gesture as sneeze. It was delicate, elegant to the extreme. Nazine blushed a little.

“Itzsen Sin. Or… I don't know how to bless where you come from.”

Dehran nodded, and rubbed his nose gently with his knuckles.

“Doesn’t matters, thank you.” He sniffled.

“Hey… Can I ask you something…?” She asked, clearly uncomfortable. Dehran agreed. Nazine smiled. “Sorry, I don't like silence. I have never liked it.” She laughed softly.

Dehran shook his head and crossed his arms.

“Don’t worry. Go ahead.”

“How did you manage to enter in Lalitzia? I understand that you don't want to tell me, but since everything has fallen apart now...”

Dehran lowered his head and then brushed a lock of black hair behind his ear. When he looked at her, Nazine felt a chill. His eyes seemed to contain suns within them.

“There are those who know secret, underground entrances that connect Lalitzia with the desert.”

Nazine did not understand. If Dehran knew of secret entrances, why hadn't the desert attacked Lalitzia earlier? She was about to ask him directly when the innkeeper arrived with two ceramic plates and a bowl. In one there was mixed salad, a chicken thigh in a ruddy sauce with floating bread, and Nazine's vegetable soup.

“Do you want something to drink?”

Nazine looked at Dehran, waiting for his answer, but his expression had suddenly crinkled, and he just raised his hand indicating that he didn't care, before burying his face in his elbow and turn around.

“H-TXST! TCsh!” There were two strong sneezes, stifled but forceful. “H-Hh… H…” He was about to sneeze again, but it stopped and he withdrew his elbow, unsatisfied.

Desperate, Nazine looked at the innkeeper with the most graceful smile she could manage and shook her head.

“No, do not worry. You can leave now.”

Dehran kept a hand under his nose before sniffling. The innkeeper left, bowing his head.

“You can leave now?” Dehran commented, clearly more congested than a few seconds ago.

Nazine didn't know if she had to comment the evidence that two sneezes was normal, but four was remarkable. Instead, she pushed her strangely sticky brown hair back from her neck and smiled guiltily.

“I’m sorry. I'm not very good at hiding, I think I would not be a good spy.” She grabbed the metal spoon.

Dehran did the same with his knife and fork. He definitely did not have the manners of a peasant. He had learned to pretend well. It was surprising.

“I can teach you some tricks, but spy and thief in a single day…” he looked at her, with a slow smile, before eating a piece of chicken.

Nazine smiled. Talking to him was much easier than she expected. They were silent for a while, enjoying the food.

“This place is not a village tavern.” Nazine commented.

“We are in Calenna, what did you expect?”

“It's good. There isn't much difference from the soups that Shamma prepares to me” She smiled as she remembered her trusted cook.

Dehran asked her about the food that was eaten in Lalitzia. Nazine spent a while talking about the sweets they were making in the palace, much more confident. Dehran responded with brief remarks, without revealing much about himself or his environment. He was good at answering without contributing about himself. Nazine supposed it was another of his qualities as a spy. Dehran finished eating earlier, to which Nazine guessed that he had to hurry up a bit, and quickly ate his soup.

“But as I say, in the palace they try to share the food equally with the rest of the citizens.”

Before finishing the sentence, Nazine noticed the change in Dehran's expression. The man, who had both hands clasped on the table, his elbows resting on it in a relaxed position, had uncrossed his hands and brought one of them to his nose, which he gently rubbed. Then he lowered his head so that it was partially hidden in his arm.

“HhH-Txsg-Shu!” He stifled it back almost completely, but a sound of release escaped his lips right after. “H-h-Ttshi” Then he put a hand under his nose, sniffling. “Excuse me.” He whispered immediately, a little out of breath.

“Bless you. Are you okay? You've sneezed a lot.” She said with real concern.

“Yes Yes.” He sniffled. “Something is bothering me, my nose itches.”

“The incense, maybe?” Nazine smiled.

“Maybe”

 

 

(I think this has a lot of typos. I don't know how to write princess polite english, sorry. They may be shippable, but the reality is that they are not a couple. He has another partner. I'm sorry for breaking your dreams huehue

Thank you for reading it 😍!)

 

[RipleyToo]

Ooh please do more! Is he trying to hide his developing cold? 

[MidnightCatK]

This has great promise, and I would love to see it continued!

[starpollen]

Agreed. Great start!  Would love to read more. 👍🏻

[Dream Moon]

Love it! I would love to see it continued!!! 

 

(P.S Any chance of continue Lamarck and Lean story? I just like them so much) 

[a-and-b-snz]

This is so good!