Queen Of His Heart

Chapter 6

 Shout out to @Mariead091 for adding this book to 'Waiting to Update please i'm dying' and making me realise I should really update since its been nearly a year...so shout out to them 😃👍🏻

Just started my exams so I won't have a lot of time, sorry to disappoint some people, but education comes before fan fiction...I think. 

❤️

Julianna's POV

 I was fully aware that the girls knew I was lying, I wasn't surprised; I've never been a good liar.

I'm just glad they dropped the subject and let me get dressed in peace, although Kiko helped me lace up the corset, laughing when I practically begged her to stop after I felt my stomach swap places with my lungs... that's not a good thing.

"Do we have to force ourselves to wear such tight outfits? Don't princesses know what casual clothes look like?" I groan and clutch at the chair, my hair falling into my face as Kiko tightens the last thread.

"It accentuates the waist, boys like it like this," Kiko smiles and pats me on the back "You'll get used to it... hopefully," she continues and I sigh.

"Have you ever asked a prince if he likes having your organs squeezed, or is that just a guess?" I stand up stiffly and brush my hair out of my face as I watch Kiko's reaction.

Beatrix speaks up before Kiko can say anything back, "It's always been like this, we've been taught it," she takes Kiko's hand and leads her to the door, "Are you coming Julianna, breakfast is an important meal for a princess?" she disappears behind the wall before I can say anything back.

I sigh again and struggle with the tight corset but stiffly go to get my shoes, high heeled shoes as befits a princess in training. I had to stifle a small smile and put on the beautiful silver pair. High heels were a luxury that hardly anyone in Gavaldon could afford. The weather and the dirty ground made heels impractical, so I had to laugh as I carefully slipped them on and took a few unbalanced steps.

"They suit you," a voice echoes through the room and I let out a small cry, clutching at the bedpost to keep my balance. I turn round and look into the piercing blue eyes of Tedros, who is leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and a smug smile on his face

"Yes, well, it would be better if I could wear them without tripping," I reply, taking a cautious step towards the nearest bedpost as I continue to catch the amused prince's eye. "You seem to enjoy watching me make a fool of myself." I snort and look up at him properly.

He was wearing blue, a colour I'm ashamed to admit makes him look incredibly handsome, and a gold suit, his sword resting at his side and his shoes polished to a shine. I avert my eyes, but he has already noticed my glances.

"I enjoy watching you because you're pleasant to look at, seeing you fall is an added bonus," he muses and I let out a soft scoff. I can feel his eyes travelling over my body and I have to fight the urge to blush. I want to say something, but he continues and my words choke in my throat.

"You're walking the wrong way anyway, you're stomping, princesses are supposed to glide," he corrects me and I scowl at him

"You wear a lot of high heels when you train, don't you?" I slurred, watching him stifle a smile

"No, but I've seen my mother walk in them often enough to know how to teach you." He steps away from the wall and walks towards me, I stay quiet but squint my eyes at him.

He stands in front of me and offers me his hand, I look down at it and then back up at him. I had heard his the story of his mother and father in Gavaldon, of the queen who fell in love with a knight and a king who drank himself to death, a tragic tale.

With the newfound knowledge that this wasn't just a story, but real life, the life of Tedros, something bubbles in my chest. He had to watch both his parents abandon him at such a young age, and became king of a shattered kingdom.

The bubble in my chest bursts as I place my hand in his, waves of silent pity flood through me, but I don't let it show, Tedros doesn't want pity, I know I wouldn't want it either.

I clutch his hand tightly as he steps back and pulls me with him. His other hand rests on the small of my back and I feel myself straighten up immediately. I see him give me a reassuring smile before he steps back again and invites me to follow him.

This time the heels didn't wobble, I didn't trip over or stumble, I glided, and it was an incredible feeling.I feel his hand leave my back and I bite my tongue to keep from complaining. Slowly, I let go of his hand and take an independent step towards him, laughing triumphantly when I don't trip.

"You can do it." Tedros watches as I smile happily.

"I'll do it," I huff and turn to look at him gratefully: "Thanks, this wasn't necessary."

The grin was back on his face as he looked at me. "I said if you fell, that would be a bonus," he replies, and every bit of pity I felt for him dwindled to nothing. History or no history, he was still a cocky prince.

I avert my eyes awkwardly and cough, "You should go to breakfast, Beatrix will be there... I know how much she likes you."

I wanted to swallow the words back down the moment I said them, to hold them in and push them away so he wouldn't hear them, so I wouldn't ruin a perfect moment, but I can't, and my stomach sinks as I see his shoulders slump and his grin falter.

That perfect smile that makes every princess in this school look ridiculous, that smile that I shouldn't go near because there are more important things than princes. That damn smile that was associated with a prince I should have nothing to do with.

I force myself to look away, my cheeks grow hot with embarrassment and I run my hands over my skirt.

I bite my cheek before uttering a quiet "thank you" which, despite its timid tone, echoes through the room as if it had been shouted by a hundred people. Tedros stops, turns his head slightly and barely looks over his shoulder at me

"Anytime, Princess," he says, making a face I don't quite understand, but he's gone before I can figure it out.

I swallow hard and lean against the bedpost, cursing myself for getting caught up in the moment, I needed to focus on getting out of here, not swooning at some Crowned Prince who is... reluctantly attractive.

Ashamed, I look down at the floor as the shimmer of heels catches my attention and a lazy smile forms on my face despite my efforts to fight it.

"He called me princess," I murmur softly, a hint of affection mixing into my voice