FAKING ROYALTY [rewrite]

chapter ten

I've moved bed chambers and received a new lady-in-waiting. It was a new adjustment, but it was understandable. I just don't have the relationship with my new lady-in-waiting as I had with Taryn.

I've finished dressing and am now wandering the halls. I feel a hand gently place itself on my shoulder only to reveal Laurance when I turn around. "Oh, Laurance," I say. "You startled me."

He only chuckles and looks around at the walls. "Walk with me," he says, his voice confident that I will oblige. We begin to walk down the hall, but his attention is on the walls more than me. "Father is having a painter come and paint a new portrait. It's his way of showing the kingdom that you truly are a part of the family."

"I thought we were going into the kingdom today?" I question. His plans clearly contradict the other plans we had. Originally we were to dress for a walkthrough in the kingdom in the morning. I wasn't aware of a portrait later today.

"We are, but it wouldn't take very long," he reminds, stopping to look at me. "I already sent a valet to retrieve your cloaks from ladies-in-waiting. I wish to leave soon, and you and Alex decided to take time dressing."

My cheeks burst in color due to my embarrassment. I didn't think that I took long to dress. I didn't wish to wear something too fancy because this wasn't the occasion for it.

I only nod my head, unsure of a verbal response for him. Chamber doors open and little clicks follow behind. I look behind us to see Alex giving a servant a letter before she begins to walk towards us. "I'm ready to leave when you are," she says, looking between me and Laurance. Laurance glares at her, looking at the servant with a roll of his eyes. "Oh please, you cannot be angered that I wrote a letter. You write them constantly during the wrong times. I just need my cloak, and I'm ready to leave."

Laurance scoffs before he shakes his head. He begins to walk forward without another word before walking towards the main entrance.

Hayden stops him and reminds him of what is expected and to "keep us in place" because this is the first outing the kingdom has seen of the royals face to face in a grand amount of time.

I believe the last time I saw them was when I was nearly entering my teenage years. That was four years ago. Otherwise I didn't see them often, nor did they make many appearances in the kingdom. We only heard updates through word of mouth and the papers.

Hayden eyes us down for a moment before letting out a hum of approval. He then makes his leave for his study after reminding Laurance once more that he needs to present himself as the future king and not a prince.

With a heavy sigh, our cloaks are placed on our shoulders and Laurance walks ahead of us. The carriage ride is short, and it's a strange feeling for me to enter the kingdom like this. I was an orphan, and now I'm walking around as a princess.

People stop and stare. There's pointing, but no one dares walk up to talk or touch. Growing up I learned onto to talk when spoken to when it came to the royal family.

Though, I can tell the girls have found Laurance to become even more attractive with the gawking I hear. I try my best not to roll my eyes and follow Laurance's lead. I'm behind Laurance instead of being in toe of the line.

And because of my arrangement marriage, and age, I managed to secure a spot of walking ahead of Alex. Did I take over Cadenza's position?

"Laurance," I whisper only to hear a soft hum from him. "Are you going to speak to business owners? I think a talk with Mrs. Davis would be nice."

He glances back at me and flashes a smile. He nods his head before walking forward once more. "I planned on making the orphanage my first stop."

I can't help but let out an excited giggle and nod my head, my hands absentmindedly grabbing fistfuls of my skirt. I hear Alex clearing her throat in disapproval of my actions, and I instantly let go realizing what I'm doing.

While Laurance begins to speak to those around us, I notice he's listening to commoners as well. My heart swells at the sight, but there's an internal battle within me fighting my heart.

"Laurance wishes to rule different than our father," Alex whispers beside me, smiling when someone locks eyes with her before looking back at me. "He cares about the people in the kingdom and wishes for them to feel as though they're being heard. This was his idea."

I smile and look up at Laurance, admiring him from afar. All people wanted in the village was to feel heard. There was wrong going on, things they couldn't fix. Money that was needed for things being run down, or problems that couldn't be solved on our own. We just couldn't figure out how to tell King Hayden because we were afraid. We feared Laurance would become the same way.

But looking at Laurance now, I can tell that he wishes to move Meteli in a different direction. It's just a shame I don't know the princess he will marry well to see how she would do by his side. Would she support him willingly or because that is her job as wife and Queen of Meteli?

It's hard to admit there's a pang of jealousy within me at the thought of her.