My Princess~Malachi Barton

☆"Your more like Shrek"☆

** Laura's POV:**

I sat at the royal table, trying to enjoy my breakfast despite the tension in the air. My brother Zack looked at me with a curious expression. "Hey, Laura, where were you last night?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Just out with a friend," I replied, taking a bite of my toast.

My father raised an eyebrow. "What friend? You only have one friend, and that's Floura, and she was with Zack yesterday helping to make arrangements for a charity event we have coming up" he said, his voice firm.

My grandmother interrupted before I could respond. "Okay, that's enough. Can we just eat our breakfast in peace?" she said, her voice commanding silence.

The table fell silent, with only the sound of utensils scraping against plates. After a few moments, my Grandmother spoke up again, her eyes twinkling.

"Actually, Laura does have other friends," she said, looking directly at me.

My mother looked at me with a confused expression and then turned to my Grandmother. "What do you mean, Mother?" she asked.

My Grandmother smiled. "I mean, I've seen her with a boy. A very handsome young man, I might add," she said, her eyes sparkling.

I felt my face flush as I quickly cleared up the misunderstanding. "Grandmother, that was just a boy who was lost at the airport. I was helping him find his way, nothing to serious" I explained.

Zack raised an eyebrow, still looking skeptical. "Save it, Laura. I'm sure we'll hear all about it soon enough," he said, rolling his eyes.

But he let the subject drop.I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that the conversation had been diverted. But I knew that I couldn't keep my secret hidden forever.

As the breakfast conversation turned to other topics, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. I knew I had to confront my father about the arranged marriage he had agreed to on my behalf. I took a deep breath and decided to approach him.

"Father, can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked, my voice firm but respectful.

He looked at me with a hint of surprise but nodded. "Of course, Laura. What's on your mind?"

I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "I know about the arrangement you made with Prince Jona's family. When were you going to tell me about it?"

My father's expression turned serious, and he set his cup down. "Laura, I was going to tell you soon. I didn't want to burden you with it until the details were finalized."

I felt a surge of frustration. "Burden me? You're arranging my marriage without my consent! That's not a burden, that's my life!"

My father's face softened, and he reached out to me. "Laura, I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but trust me, this is for the best. Prince Jona is a good man, and he will make you happy."

I pulled my hand away, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "How can you be so sure? You don't even know me anymore, Father. You don't know what I want or what makes me happy."

The room fell silent, and I knew my family was listening to our conversation. I didn't care. I needed to make my father understand.

"Please, Father. Don't do this to me. Let me make my own choices," I begged, my voice barely above a whisper.

My father's expression turned stern, and he stood up. "Enough, Laura. This is not up for discussion. You will marry Prince Jona, and that's final. Its for the better you do,you will bring great honor to our family name Laura"