Returning Reign

Chapter 25

-Friday Morning-

     We ended up accidentally falling asleep after watching a couple of movies together. It was nice to have a few moments of normalcy with my best friend before Saturdays Ball. The work day was just as uneventful as usual. Making beds, folding and hanging clothes, dusting non existent dust, and mopping floors in the royal suites.

     It is like the universe knew that I needed to see Nathaniel and decided to make it the one week we don't bump into each other several times. There is a growing ball of anxiety and anticipation growing in the pit of my stomach. When I fall asleep at night I catch myself playing possible outcomes of what could happen on Saturday. I am most definitely a mess at the moment.  

     After my shift is over I decided to head to the only place in this palace that can bring me comfort, the library. Lizzy was visiting her mother and picking up my ball gown so I did not ask her to join me this time.

     The library is empty like always. This is my sanctuary, the books, the fireplace, and the memories. I grab a book and try to read the pages but my eyes move in autopilot across the pages and I retain nothing. I sigh and put the book down on the couch.

     I start pacing in front of the burning fireplace and thinking about this giant messy puzzle I am trying to solve. Is the King trying to speed up the process of Nathaniel choosing a wife so that he can prevent his marriage to Vivian and from making her Queen?

    If Nathaniel gets married before his father he will become king. Its as if King Hugo is trying to prevent Vivian from ever having the title. I shake my head, there is no way this petty royal nonsense has anything to do with my missing parents.

     "Cartia" I hear the familiar masculine voice call out my name from across the library. I sigh in relief, finally.

     "I have been looking for you for the past three days." I tell Nathaniel as he makes his way over to me. He is dressed in a white button up and black formal pants. He is sporting the 'casual prince look' today but it suits him well.

     "I hope you didnt miss me too much then," he smiles cheekily at me and I ignore his comment.

     "I actually came here to talk to you." Nathaniel tells me as he settles on the couch across from mine. I make myself comfortable and pull my white cardigan closer to my body. I stay silent waiting for him to speak but he remains silent. He seems serious and I am scared of where the conversation is heading.

     "Cats got your tongue?" I try to lighten the mood and he lifts his gaze from the fireplace to my face. My hands start to sweat a little at his serious demeanor.

     "I'm going to choose you." He blurts out. My mind blanks and I cant seem to process the information.

     "I wanted to make sure youre okay with it before tomorrow." He rambles. My eyes widen and I cant believe what I heard him say. Clearly, we cannot be on the same page.

     "Choose me to be the maid that cleans your suite, right?" I try to correct his possible mistake. He could have worded it wrong. He is being very vague too. Nathaniel chuckles very lightly and shakes his head.

     "No, I am going to choose you on Saturday." He tells me.

     My world crumbles. Shouldnt I be happy?

     No. Not when I have been lying to him this entire time. I have basically been using him since the moment I stepped into this palace. He cant choose me to be his wife when I am using him just as much as those people trying to marry to the crown or for political alliances.

     "You cant." I look up at him. My voice is barely a whisper but it is just loud enough for him to hear. His face falls and in less than a second is composed. The cold, and untouchable prince is back. The first one I saw during breakfast all those weeks ago. He cant show pain, it would make the Prince seem weak.

     "Why not?" He asks as his composure slips for half a second.

     "I have been using you for information so that I can-" I start coming clean about my motives and about my parents but I am cut short by Nathaniel.

     "You betrayed my trust and our friendship to use me for information?" He looks at me and his warm hazel eyes somehow look colder than ice right now.

     "Nathaniel, let me explain!" I beg him. The way he retracts back tells me this is not the first time he's been used. Hes been broken before. 

     "I trusted you," he shakes his head angrily. He stands up to leave.

     "I guess it comes with being the crown prince right? Everyone has ulterior motives for befriending me."

     "Im sorry." I choke in the sobs trying to escape my body. Tears stream down my face.

     "No, I am stupid for not realizing sooner."

     Nathaniel leaves and the library door slams shut.

Authors Note:

Okay, little fight scene here. I hope they're okay.... hahaha evil author cackles

- xoxo ellie violet