TRAPPED

THE COUP

SHALOM.

The week flew by quickly and before I knew it, Friday had arrived and I was stuck in the backseat of a car with junior being driven back home in preparation for the ball on Saturday evening.
Eric had also left for his village saying he had a really big and sensitive project, he had promised to tell me all about it when the time was right.
"Do you think dad will be enraged when I tell him about Eric?" I asked junior while looking out the window, we had started off before the sun even came out and now I was watching the beautiful sunrise.
"you know how he is, he’ll talk and talk and probably forbid you from seeing him, maybe lock you up in the castle" said junior with a teasing grin
"not helping!" I frowned and he chuckled
"relax, even after he does all these things mum will talk to him and he will eventually accept your decision" he said and gently patted my shoulder  "... Stop stressing."

I took a deep breath and looked at him with a smile
"you are right, everything will work out fine.. and it doesn’t matter whether dad accepts Eric or not, I’ll still never leave him" I said firmly and I meant it.

We arrived at our home before the sun even set and the first thing I did was take a shower then I went looking for my mother, I had missed her so much. Like always I found her reading a book outside
"mama!" I rushed to her and she hugged me
"my dear shalom, look at you" she cupped my cheeks "I have missed you so much"
"I have missed you too mama" I said and sat next to her just as we saw dad's mistress and her daughter passing, going to their quarters at the back.
I really couldn’t understand why she let dad have a mistress but she always claimed it was for the best, I knew if this was a modern day normal marriage my mother wouldn’t still be here but she couldn’t leave, she was trapped in the royal bullshit, that was one of the reasons I was thrilled to have fallen for a simple normal guy.

Once Eric and I get married I would escape some of the traditions.
"Tell me, how is school?" I heard mum ask, bringing me back to reality.
"school is okay mama, and am not marrying Henry" I said and she chuckled.
"I was expecting something like that, I even told your father but he wouldn’t listen" she said to me
" I am in love with another man mama, and I have already given my body to him" I told her and a small gasp escaped her mouth as she looked at me in bewilderment.
"oh my dear, why would you do that? I have nothing against you loving another man but laying with him? What were you thinking?" she was devasted.
I bit my lower lip nervously and looked down
"I love him mama and we're going to get married whether dad likes it or not" I spoke stubbornly and crossed my arms
"Let’s hope whoever he is he will be willing to go up against your father and stand by you no matter what" said mum with a sigh and I smiled then hugged her
"Eric loves me, he won’t abandon me no matter what” I said happily.
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The banquet hall was decorated beautifully and I was in awe as I entered with junior. It looked like we were in a forest out of a fairytale and I really loved this theme,
"This is beautiful, Arthur really outdid himself"  I complimented as I looked up and junior chuckled
"yeah right, as if the future king would bother himself with such issues. This has mother written all over it, she reads too much" commented junior and I agreed with him.

The ball was being held on the eastern part of the kingdom in the smaller but gorgeous palace where dad had sent Arthur to stay. I never visited the place regularly but it was really beautiful.
"there comes your prince charming” junior nudged me gesturing to prince Henry who had just entered the hall
“great, night officially ruined” I said with a frown and junior laughed
"well good luck sis" he said and kissed my cheek "As for me, am going to take advantage of this opportunity to finally find myself a girlfriend. So many single and elite singles and yet only one will be picked." he said with a grin and walked away leaving me standing there alone.

Before Henry could spot me, I turned and walked out of the hall, no one would miss me anyway.
I decided to go out and explore the beautiful gardens, mum had told me stories about that garden and being in there was refreshing but I knew I couldn’t stay there for an entire night, my family would murder me if I didn’t make an appearance so slowly I walked back inside but before I could even reach the hall someone yanked me back and put a knife to my throat
"wha…what’s…who are you? What do you want?" I asked as I felt a lump in my throat. Was I about to be kidnapped?
"Just shut up and walk princess" he barked at me and pushed me forward.

There were four strange men with rifles standing by the entrance to the hall and I knew they were not our guards, they opened the doors and the man shoved me forward. To my dismay there were more men with guns and knives inside, the guests were being held hostage and there at the high table I saw someone pointing a gun to my fathers head.
I looked around and saw my mother and siblings tied up in a corner. The man who had a knife to my throat kept on pushing me forward until I was just inches away from my father, I was looking down at my feet and tears couldn’t stop flowing.
"my lord, I found the princess” he said then pulled my hair back and I winced "look at our king!” He barked at me and I looked at the man pointing a gun to my fathers head, our eyes met and my strength left me, I couldn’t believe it.
"Eric? , why?”
was the last thing I whispered before passing out.