[BOOK ONE] Training Prince Arrogant (INTENSE EDITING)

Chapter Thirty-Two | Last Lesson

“Excuse me?” Brendan asked, now enraged.

He turned his attention to me, to see how I was taking his unexpected news.

“You’re engagement.” King Leon repeated, getting ready to argue with his son.

Princess Aveline questioned, “You’ve arranged Brendan’s marriage? To who?”

The tension in the room was now at a new high. Ella was remaining silent, as was I while the Royal Family dealt with this painful situation.

“This is not for you to question Aveline.” Brendan snapped. “It is for me.”

How embarrassing for me. After my declaration of love for him, they announce his arranged marriage? Who was I to blame the King and Queen? They might have planned this a long time ago. I could never object and I felt broken. My shock was still there but it was a different kind now, it wasn’t happiness and it wasn’t pain. It was the kind of shock that left me empty and speechless. I just said I love you and now he’s engaged to someone else.

“I don’t understand.” Brendan quietly sighed, “You’ve arranged my-”

“Yes boy, how many times do I have to repeat myself? You are going to marry a fine, young Lady of our choosing.” King Leon boomed.

“I thought we discussed this, I’m not going through with it.” Brendan hammered his palm onto the table, frightening Wren in the process.

You knew? Of course he knew. That’s why he was insistent on announcing our relationship to his parents. I was not the one leading him on. He was. He led me on from the beginning and made me think he loved me. I gazed over at Brendan and saw him terrified for his life. Traces of anger and distress were evident, it was so clear to me. I should not have even started this, Brendan is set to marry some other person and I’ll be left in the dark. Left there in agony and regret. You are not going to cry. You can cry later but not here. Unable to move, I hear Ella’s voice and see her rise in the corner of my eye.

“You’re Majesty?” Thank the heavens.

“Ella, what is it?” Queen Clarissa questioned.

“This matter is between the Royal family, I do not want to pry. May I be excused? I’m quite weary.”

I acted fast, without waiting for the Queen’s approval I took the lead and escorted Ella out of the dining hall. Do not look back. I fought every urge to turn my head around to see if Brendan was looking at me. But this wasn’t a time to show any feeling. It was time for me to figure out my next step, my next move in this chess game. I needed to think this through before I called checkmate. This always happens. One thing occurs, I pull through it and another event comes knocking on my door leaving a path of demolition and terror. I can’t do this anymore.

“Let’s get you to bed, Ella.” I mumbled, leaving the Royal family to discuss the preparations for Brendan’s wedding.

I slowly untucked Ella’s hair and helped her undress. For a woman who was eight months pregnant, she sure knew how to keep her balance. With her enclosed shoes to her three-layered cotton dress, I was completely puzzled and impressed. She must have a great deal of endurance.

“That was surprising, wasn’t it?” Ella lightly started a conversation I did not want to talk about.

I sighed, hoping that it was enough for Ella.

“Of course, it is common for the King and Queen to arrange-” Ella stopped midsentence.

“Ella, I’m quite weary myself. And do not think it’s polite to be talking about this behind our hosts back.” I whispered.