Something With a Prince

Chapter Sixteen: Only Children Play By the Rules

Arlyn

The morning after I had shown Elleanor around, I woke to the entire castle buzzing. Maybe buzzing is a nicer word than should be used. Amendment: The next morning after I had shown Elleanor around, the entire castle was gossiping mercilessly about the wedding, the coronation, the fact we were on the brink of war, and what our children would look like. Better? I didn't think so either. Regardless, it did sound like a hive of bees down every hallway, as heads turned to whisper. I just hoped they didn't whisper around Elleanor the way they did around me. Of course, when I arrived at breakfast, I knew that she had not escaped my same fate, as her lips were stern and eyes angry. She jabbed at the eggs on her plate with the prongs of her fork, and I wondered if she was imagining my face on that egg or her father's. Or this ridiculous marriage.

We walked through the gardens for at least two hours yesterday, hardly speaking a word to each other except to remark on certain plants. She would nod her head and say something like, "Verbena, how lovely," or "I didn't know that this—" some unknown fern looking plant "-- grew here too."

At one point, we sat by the fountain to rest, and she pushed her eyes over to me asking, "Do you like roses?"

To which I responded, thinking that I would take my chance to be personable, "I guess so. They are the most renowned flower, aren't they? "

She returned with a muttered, "Figures."

I didn't know what that meant, but I don't think it was a great first encounter with each other. I also don't think Elleanor likes roses. After that I just stared uncomfortably at my shoes, hoping that Thea would get my desperate telepathic messages for help across the forest. Then I thought twice about that and decided to send my telepathic cries for help to Lansing, because Thea would just sit and watch me suffer. That or encourage me into making a total ass of myself. Then again so might my brother.

The interaction between Elleanor and I now was hardly any different as I took my seat beside her at the breakfast table. Our breakfast room was less formal than most of our dining areas. With vaulted ceilings, crested in decorated white moldings and simple light-yellow wallpaper, it felt more like a wing of the kitchen in all truth. Dark wooden beams stood out against the walls, reflecting the breakfast table, which was crafted from mahogany. Drooping baskets of ivy and other flora were silently standing at the windows, blocking my view of the outside and two guards were standing at the foot and head of the room like they were elements of the décor. My eyes met with one of them toward the head of the room as I scanned my surroundings. I recognized him as Kim, one of the guards in Oveda's troop. He smiled just the slightest. I nodded in acknowledgement, returning with a small smile of my own.

Morning light danced through the windows, heating up the back of my chair and head, which was nice, considering the frostbite my right shoulder was receiving from Elleanor's side. My mother and Niklaus were happily eating, forks and knives scraping against the plates and grating my nerves down to the quick. I hoped my shoulders would find a way to relax and my brain to shut up, but not one day of my life spent on this earth ever granted me both of those things at the time.

The only change in Elleanor's demeanor from yesterday was the plastered expression of politeness on her face. Our parents were in the same room as us, meaning we had to throw in a little spice of cordiality and maybe even a smile if things got seriously awkward.

"Good morning, everyone." I addressed the room, allowing the servant to dish out my portion of food as I placed my napkin. My mother looked at me radiantly, not-so-subtle in connecting Elleanor and my faces with her eyes. I ignored her and continued to say, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"Not at all, Arlyn," Niklaus spoke in that even tone that seemed to relax the room to the point of tolerability. "We were just listening to Elleanor talk about the gardens. My daughter loves nature, has quite the knack for natural remedies and such, but I am sure you know that by now after spending so much time with her."