Princess Giselle:
“Giselle?” he asked tentatively.
I froze. I couldn’t move. The sight of him blew my mind away. He was exactly the way I had pictured him during those lonely nights when I would sit on the balcony of Versailles and watch the city lights. Seeing him in flesh was too much. It opened back the wounds which had taken years to heal. I was a like a dam for years, holding it all in and now it was about to burst. He closed the distance between us in a few, hesitant strides. He was gauging my reaction. My mind was a cacophony of panicked thoughts, memories and overwhelming feelings I do not want to deal with at this moment. It wasn’t until he was a mere foot away from me that I regained my good sense.
“Don’t touch me,” I warned when I saw him reach out for me, but it came out harsher than I intended to. He flinched at my sharp tone, confusion clear in his beautiful hazel eyes with its golden flecks. His face contorted as the pain of my rejection wounded his pride.
How I wanted to comfort him, to throw my arms around him and say it was just a mistake. But I can’t, not after what happened last time.
“Why?” he managed to ask, the angle of the sun shadowing his face, making it difficult to read his expression.
Stupid fool! Didn’t he learn it the first time? He doesn’t understand anything! I opened my mouth but nothing came out. I could feel the tears brimming in the corner of my eyes, ready to betray my cold exterior.
“You can’t fool me, Giselle,” he whispered softly, caressing my cheek lightly. His sad, soulful eyes met my determined ones and just like that, I broke.
I let out a choked sob and buried my face in my hands. I was furious with myself for giving in so easily. For allowing this to happen despite knowing there won’t be any happy ending for us. For falling madly in love with the boy currently standing in front of me.
I felt his strong arms around me and surrendered myself to his touch, burying my face in his shirt, inhaling his scent. He smelled of hay and horses, of the warm spring pastures and the salty air surrounding the lake. I heard him inhale the scent my hair, his coarse hands rubbing my back soothingly. My conscience was screaming angrily at me to stop this. To put an end to this madness. But my heart was yelling just as loudly, bleeding as it struggled to be heard over the chaos in my mind.
“We can’t do this,” I finally croaked after a few seconds silence and pushed him away. He reluctantly released me but grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him.
“Look at me,” he commanded, when I tried to free myself. Giving up, I glared at him belligerently, daring him to go further.
“Let me go,” I growled. “You know this isn’t going to work, Louis!”
Understanding flashed through his eyes and he clenched his jaw in frustration, letting go of his hold on me.
“See? This won’t work! You know how this ends,” I continued, struggling to keep my voice from breaking. “I will get married off to some prince from a foreign country, and – and you will remain a groom forever!” I screamed; my voice breaking as I threw the painful truth in his face.
“This has to end,” I whispered hoarsely for the last time. I didn’t dare look in his eyes as I turned and fled the scene. Blinded by hot tears, I ran through the palace corridors like my life depended on it. I almost ran into the Minister of War in my hurry. He was astonished at my state but nevertheless, I gave him a short curtsey before resuming my frustrated run. After a few more minutes, I collapsed on the soft ornate carpeting and cried my heart out.
*************
King Frederick:
“This is complete madness!” I roared, slamming my fist against the polished mahogany table. “Ridiculous!”
“Your Majesty,” pleaded the Royal Advisor. “I believe this is the only way. I have received information that King Alekzander’s only son is looking for a bride,” he added.
My blood boiled at the thought of my sweet, innocent Giselle being married off to the son of that tyrant. Yet, another voice is whispering in my ear, telling me this is the only way. I shook my head in frustration as I thought of Giselle’s future. How bleak and dark it will be.
“You are dismissed,” I waved away the adamant Royal Advisor.
“But Your Highness-” he protested, but he never finished whatever he had to say, for he trailed off at when he saw the look in my eyes. Apologizing and bowing, he left the throne room, leaving me alone with the turmoil in my heart. My poor little Giselle…
Song of the Chapter:
You know I love you, I really do
But I can't fight any more for you
And I don't know, maybe we'll be together again
Sometime, in another life
In another life
I know I said that I would keep my word
I wished that I could save you from the hurt
But things will never go back to how we were
I'm sorry I can't be your world
In Another Life – The Veronicas
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Betrothed to Trouble
Teen FictionPrincess Giselle is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill princess you read about in fairytales. Nu-h, she’s definitely not a damsel in distress. She causes distress. Either she’s off running wild in the woods or romancing the cute stable boy from the R...
