Tied to the Throne

chapter one

Power. My father craved it more than anything. It always came first.

From the moment I was born, my father saw past me as his daughter, but instead saw me as a tool. He should've never been handed the crown, he abused the power as king - took advantage of what he had been graciously given. I learnt to live with it. Well, I had to, for I am the crowed princess of Raeywell.

"Arabella, if you don't open the door in the next three seconds I'm breaking it down!"

And that is my beloved mother. The Queen. I love her, but god can she be scary sometimes.

In a panicked hurry, I rip the comforting sheets off my warm body and swing my legs off the firm mattress. They land onto the carpet beneath me. I make my way over to the large door. Reluctantly unlocking and opening it. I am now met with my mother, with a look on her face that certainly cannot be described as happy.

"I told you we were going to the Witlock's kingdom for dinner last week, and you slept in anyways!" Her words echo in my brain.

Fuck. I forgot about that. I have to play it off.

"Yes mother, I know, but aren't we going for dinner? It's only noon." As my words trail off with uncertainty, the conversation quickly becomes awkward as she looks at me with her 'don't be stupid' eyes. After a few too many seconds she amusingly explains to me.

"Their kingdom is up north. It's going to take hours to get there, meaning we need to leave in an hour if we want to get there by sundown." My brown eyes widen. An hour? Really? My eyes widen ever so slightly.

"Okay, I'll get ready now. Sorry." After muttering a 'thank you', my mother turns to walk away, leaving me be. Her blonde hair slowly becoming darker as she steps father away.

Slamming my door, I turn to my closet. Scouring it for a dress fit for the snow. The north was always freezing, differing drastically from where our kingdom, Raeywell, was located. I grew up with the sun constantly shining, so you can imagine my distaste for cold, snowy kingdoms. Like Athline - the Witlock's kingdom.

After a few minutes a found the perfect one. It was a royal blue fabric with gold adornments spreading across it like stars against a vast sky. The sleeves were long, and so was the dress. It also just happened to come paired with a matching cloak and boots. Setting it aside, I now had to get ready.

Forty minutes later I was finally ready. I had done my hair in a loose braid and done simple makeup, just mascara and concealer. And now had on the gorgeous blue and gold dress. Most princesses would have a maid or a lady in waiting to get them ready, but I refused. I hated the idea of relying on someone else to do basic daily tasks for you.

A firm knock reverberates around the large room. I know it's my father, since my mother knocks a lot softer, or not at all.

Taken aback, my face falters with confusion as I make my way over to the wooden door once again. Turning the cool metal handle, the door creaks open. I meet a tall figure, looming over me from the shadows. After looking me up and down, searching for anything to be disappointed with he speaks.

"It's nice to see you wearing the kingdom colours for once" His deep, stoic voice is like a foreign sound to my ears, he hadn't spoken to me for weeks. Usually we share glances, but that it where the line is drawn. I've never had a close relationship with my father.

I mutter back a noise of agreement. But the weak sound gets cut off by his voice, "We need to leave."

A man of few words, but still, it is more than he usually would say. Actually, why is he wasting his breath talking to me at all? And not just that, but he's not ridiculing me for once in my life. I mean he's not being kind, but he's not finding something to disagree with. I mustn't dwell on it too much, I'm probably overthinking it. He's probably just getting impatient.