Tied to the Throne

chapter ten

As we started dancing, all I could think about was not messing up. I should have this routine memorised. My father used to practice with me every day when I was little. But over time, as he's gotten worse at being a father, I've tried to block out all memories involving him. One of them being learning how to dance. And if I mess up in front of all these royals, they are going to see me as a failure. A fraud.

"Hey, calm down. Look at me and follow what I do." Nikolai's voice snaps me out of the daze I was in. At this point I've forced myself to stop questioning Nikolai's sudden cree to help me. I'm starting to like it actually. He's not a scary as everyone paints him as. An asshole, yes. But scary? Not really.

Doing what he told me, I lift my chin up to face his mask. His blonde hair falls messily on his head, strands covering his forehead.

The music starts to fade in my mind, and now all that's on it is Nikolai. I'm enchanted by him. And I notice something that I haven't before.

He smells like vanilla and cedar wood. The smell is comforting, and very pleasant. It smells like home.

His attention remains on me. This moment we are sharing feels intimate. Like we are the only people here. And as much as I hate to admit it, I could very well get used to this; to him.

My trance is broken by Nikolai spinning me around. I almost trip over my own foot, my he stops me from falling. I don't want this to end, but I know we must change partners soon, and this is just an act anyway. Just as the thought comes into my mind, Nikolai passes me off. The next person I am meet with is no other than Camille. I haven't been able to speak to her as much as I would have liked, as she's been ill this past week. We both smile at each other as we start dancing again.

"Arabella! I'm glad to see you." She's genuinely lovely.

"Me too Camille. And you can call me Bella, we'll be family soon." Her face lights up at my last sentence.

"Thank you! Also, I'm sorry if my brother's being annoying, he's like that sometimes." Camille tells me.

All I do is smile at her. She should not be the one apologising for hers brother's wrong doings.

We continue our conversation for a few minutes before it is time to exchange partners once again. As we spin our way apart, the next hand I grab is not one that I would prefer.

Will.

"Hello" Is all he says.

I uncomfortably nod back at him.

As we continue dancing, all that's in my head is how familiar he looks. It irks me. And I just have to ask, "I'm sorry Will, but do I know you? You just- you seem awfully familiar." I say with a smile.

At first he looks taken aback, then his expression changes to a smirk. A small patronising smile that plays on his lips.

"Don't you remember me? Bells." Will asks me, glaring at me with with brown eyes.

Bells.

No one calls me that anymore. My eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Let me help you out. My real name is William, the last time we spoke you were about 16." His pitch raises at the end, the same it would as if someone was asking a question. But I know he isn't asking me, he's telling me.

William?

Suddenly a thought hits me.

No, It can't be. He shouldn't be alive.

Why? I didn't know.

I stop dead in my tracks, not caring about what they see me as anymore. My gaze rises from the floor to meet Will's. His smile makes me feel idiotic. Like he's telling me how much of an absolute idiot I am for not releasing who he was sooner.

And then it all stars to fade. I thought he was dead. Everyone did.

I fell tears start to fill my eyes, and my breaths start to quicken. It feels as if all the air from my lungs has been stolen.

This is all too much.

I make a dash for the exit. My heels clicking loudly against the tile. I can feel everyone's eyes one me. My hands make their my up to cover my face.

I need air, I feel like I'm suffocating. Like the air is getting heavy.

Once I'm out in the hallway my head darts around, trying to find the nearest balcony or door. I finally spot one to my right. Briskly I make my way over.

Feeling the relief of cold air wash over me, I finally let the tears fall. This rapidly turned into sobbing as I fell to the forested floor. I can see my breath in front of me. Fuck I'm cold.

"Arabella!"

I don't even try to stop crying as I look up to see who followed me out here.

Nikolai. Of course he did.

"W-what, uhh," I can tell he has no clue how to handle this shit. So he does the only thing he can.

He gets down to my level, and hugs me.

We both stay like that for what feels like forever. Me sobbing into his chest, and him embracing me, telling me everything's alright.

Eventually, I manage to calm down.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Nikolai asks me. I can hear the genuine care in his voice.

I nod my head and wipe away the tears that remain on my cheeks. He lets me go and we both prop ourselves against the railing of the balcony, sitting beside one another.

"Prince Will's real name is William." Is all I start out with. Nikolai looks beyond confused.

"William Levand." His face drops.

"He's my brother, who I thought was dead. Everyone thought he was dead, even our parents." I drop my gaze down the the concrete.

"He left to go 'exploring' when I was 16. He said he'd come back in a month, maximum two. But he never did. So, we all assumed he had died." I sniffle and Nikolai's hand rested on my shoulder, providing a sort of comfort.

"We were really close, he was only a few years older than me, and he was one of my only friends. So when he left me, I was heartbroken." My sentence trailed off with a voice crack. I needed to stop crying.

We both sit in silence after I tell him.

"I need to do something. Like talk to him or-"

"Nothing is better sometimes." Nikolai cuts me off.

I look up at him. He's already looking down at me. Before I can say anything else, he gets up. And without another word, he walks away.

There's a guilty feeling in the back of my mind. And I have no idea why.

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plot twist 😏 this chap sucks 😂 anyway, let me know about mistakes. thanks for reading :)
1184 words