FAKING ROYALTY [rewrite]

chapter twelve

Time slowly ticks, and my desire to see you again burns greatly. I have heard of the news, and the seamstresses have already begun to sew my outfit to the ball. I have already decided that you will be the belle of the ball compared to any other girl in sight. For no other girl could compare to your beauty.

I fear that I may come off as entitled or conceded, but I can only hope that I am to steal your first dance. This is our first outing together as a royal engaged couple, so it will certainly turn heads. Letters and arrangements have already been set with your seamstress so we are to match. I cannot contain my excitement to see you once again.

I must wait days until I can speak to you in person, but I can wait patiently.

Your beau,

Prince Leonardo

I shake my head, trying to rid of the blush's scattered across my cheeks. No one has ever tried to woo me the way he is trying right now, and I must give him credit for his attempts. Perhaps it is the simple fact that I've never been written to, or desired, this way before that brings a flutter to my heart.

I choose to write back later tonight when there is peace and quiet. During that time it is less likely that I'd be interrupted in any sort of way as I try to wind down.

I do not have any more lessons, or portraits to be painted, so for now my days consist of fittings for dresses and letters from Leo. There's not much to my days, but I don't have many royal duties.

As selfish as it sounds, I'm thankful I'm not casted away like Laurance is within a study learning how to be king. Preparing for when he takes over the throne in less than a year. I couldn't fake a smile if that was my duty every day.

Victoria rushes into my chambers, clear excitement as she looks at me. "Your highness," she starts, nearly forgetting formalities and proper greetings. "You have a dress fitting in a matter of minutes, but I am pleased to announce to you that we are expecting Queen Cadenza's arrival soon!"

Cadenza knew of Alex's reappearances and that caused her wedding day to be filled with even more joy, but a ball was the perfect excuse for her to cast away royal duties as queen and come for a visit. I read the letter mere days ago. I hadn't expected her to arrive so soon.

I glance back at my letter before smiling softly, letting out a soft exhale before flattening my dress. Victoria escorts me to the seamstress for my fitting, but her talking is drowned out by the sound of my shoes. Constant click clacks fill my ears until I look up to see a measuring tape held out in front of me.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Cadenza stands tall and beautifully. Her crown sparkles against the candle light while her laugh sounds like a melody one longs to hear. She's happy, and I can only hope to be as happy as her when I marry.

"And marriages? My little sisters have gotten fiancés?" She says, looking between me and Alex before looking back over to Laurance. She knew that Laurance would know better before anyone else.

"Laurance has decided that I will die an old spinster," Alex says, blatant annoyance coating her voice. "I can't even try to woo someone who is eligible."

Laurance clicks his tongue in disapproval and crosses his arms over his chest. "I've told you before trying to woo after someone else is a ludicrous idea, Alex," he says, ignoring the fact that Cadenza and I remain present in the room. "As for Y/N, her engagement is up in the air. Prince Leonardo just does not know that yet. Father and the king have a meeting after the ball."

Cadenza lets out a sigh as she wraps her arms around Alex. "Little sister, I promise you that an arrangement marriage isn't nearly as bad as you fear it to be. Perhaps you can learn to love whom Laurance and father set you with," she says. "Y/N already seems quite smitten with Prince Leonardo."

There's a scoff heard beside me. And if I didn't know any better, I would've said it came from Laurance. Instead, I assume it's Alex, regardless of how masculine it sounded.

"Your marriage is going well, Cadenza. You're already trying for heirs," Alex says before looking over at me. "I'm sixteen and out already. I'm least likely to rule Meteli, so I do not see the problem in me choosing to love someone on my own as long as they are in the royal court."

Cadenza seems to side with Laurance as she pulls away, placing her hand on Alex's shoulder. "Father raised you to be a queen, Alex. He raised us all to rule, and he's shaping Y/N to rule if need be."

"I don't wish to be a queen," Alex says, sighing. "I wish to be in love."

"That comes with time. Father and Laurance know what is best for you. I wish you would stop fighting them on it."

My heart begins to sink. The longer I stay at the palace posing as a royal, the more I wish to become an orphan once again. The more I wish that I wouldn't have agreed to fill in as a princess.

While I am quite smitten with Leo like Cadenza said, I am strangely enticed by Laurance. I've never once heard Laurance complain about his engagement. I've rarely ever heard him speak of it. The only thing I know is that he's never met her.

I suddenly envy those in the kingdom even more.