FAKING ROYALTY [rewrite]

chapter seventeen

"You may be dismissed."

Sitting at a rather large dining table with a king's eyes beating down on you make those four words seem like sweet relief.

I felt like I was rejected watched the entire dinner. And even when I stand to leave, I feel his eyes follow behind me with each step I take. There's nothing I would wish more for than his eyes to fall upon some other unlucky soul.

The halls echo soft clacking of heels only to grow distant as they slowly begin to separate in directions. Garroth has been kind enough to escort me to my chambers because his are in a nearby hall.

"Tomorrow would you like to go out?" He asks, glancing back to me with a soft smile. It makes me happy to know he can find some sort of happiness in these saddening times.

"What do you mean by go out? Where would be go?" I asks, looking over at him quite confused. I didn't think that he would offer such a thing now. I understand walking around the palace halls, but a trip outside wasn't expected.

"A walk in the garden. Perhaps a stroll around the kingdom. I can tell you've never been to O'Khasis before, and fresh air sounds absolutely wonderful right now."

I nod my head, looking down at my feet. They click clack against the hard surface of the ground while Garroth's footsteps remain a considerable amount quieter than my own. I know he's walking, and there's a soft tap coming from his feet.

"Will we be alone?" I ask, looking over to him mildly alarmed. While I may not be engaged, this may cause rumors for him. I know when I was in the kingdom words would fly by about the three royals and lost interests they were seen with. Some weren't too kind but quickly dismissed but Hayden. "That may not reflect kindly against your engagement with the Princess of Scaleswind."

"You've done your research on me."

"It's hard not to," I admit. "The other two speak very highly of you."

He sounds pleased by my response. I've never known if my words to other people are bothersome and tolerated or if they find true enjoyment in conversations. Older children in the orphanage liked to hide from younger children and would tease them constantly. I was little when I first arrived in the orphanage, so I've witnessed this.

But I feel comfortable in this conversation with Garroth. So much so that I can't help but steal a glance at him. He reminds me greatly of Laurance and gives off a sense of security. Though, it's clear to spot certain differences between the two males. While I trust Laurance greatly, I know Garroth from a hole in the ground. While the other two trust him greatly, it will take some time for him to gain the amount of trust I have placed in Laurance. For Laurance is whom I trust most in the world.

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A few days later and Laurance and Hayden stayed true to their word. The kingdom didn't question the two princes walking around O'Khasis with us on their arms.

By Garroth being engaged and escorting me, a rumor wasn't dared brought up about Vylad having a "newly found" engagement. But with Vylad walking with us, there wasn't any slippery mouths giving off false information about Garroth. Though, I know if Laurance were walking with us it would simply be pushed to the side as the next generation of royalty keeping strong ties amongst other kingdom. For that walk on it's own would've been three, possibly four kingdoms, on strong connections.

We leave in two days time following today's funeral. It was indeed small. They rode Zane's casket on a carriage through O'Khasis until it was time for his burial. Commoners weep while the horses go by. The royal family strolled behind while we stayed a good distance behind them.

The person I felt the most sadness for who remained living was Queen Zianna. On accident we've heard her weeping in a parlor as she spoke to her husband, declaring how she wished she would've gone first. How she felt as though she failed him as a mother for not finding a way to save him. How he should've helped bury her in her forever resting place instead of it being the other way around. We haven't dared bring that subject up every again.

I remember that moment very clearly. There was an eerie silence amongst the small group of us. I had felt my hands clasped within someone else's hand, being squeezed tightly only for another hand to be placed on my shoulder. The boys' faced had gone deathly pale.

Garroth told me that that was one of the few times he had ever seen his mother cry.