The royal mistake

Chapter 3: Dancing with destiny

As I approached Axel, I kept reminding myself: He is your future, not Jace. Axel stood before me, his posture perfect as always. He wore a burgundy suit, which color clashes with my lavender dress, creating an even bigger contrast between us that I added to with how I felt secretly inside. His curls were neatly defined, not a hair out of place, just as the dinner he had prepared for this evening down to the last detail.

Axel didn't seem nervous, unlike me. His expression was the same as it's always been, calm and confident. Which I assume is a given when you'd been rehearsing this moment for years.

"Princess," Axel said, bowing slightly. "You look beautiful." His eyes widened slightly as he took me in, I actually caught a flicker of genuine surprise.

For a moment his reaction caught me off guard. It almost felt real. But then the moment passed and I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just another one of his well practiced lines, delivered perfectly.

"Thank you," I replied, forcing a smile. The words felt heavy on my tongue. I glanced around the ballroom, feeling the eyes of the hundreds of guests on us, including my friends. We were expected to put on a show and act as if this arranged marriage was what we both wanted.

Axel extended a hand towards me. "Shall we dance?" he asked with a subtle smile on his face. "Of course." I responded grabbing his velvet suit. His grasp on me was tight enough to let other people around us know I was his, yet also delicate enough to assure me that I'd always be safe. We moved swiftly across the dance floor and I internally thanked my mother for the dance lessons due to axel being such a great dancer, I even found my self stepping on his foot a couple of times.

For a moment I felt as though this was the right choice. I'd marry Axel, we'd pop out a few kids. And occasionally I'd go to a ball and we could charade around like this.

But then a thought of Jace emerged, him smirking at me at the dinner table. A smile only I'd received and that had only been meant for me. I let my mind wonder for a moment at what could life had been If he was to be king and I was betrothed to him. Would things be less awkward? Or would they remain the same.

In a moment of clarity I snapped myself out of those lingering thoughts. Jace was not the future king, Axel was. And I had to be the future queen. Despite how much the thought of it made me want to vomit. I tried to force myself to feel something towards Axel. However every time I looked up at him his facial expression remained the same.

The music soon came to halt and me and Axel made our way to an exclusive table set just for us. Now was the perfect time for me to ask questions and gain insight on him, maybe even catch him off guard so he'd deter from his script. The closest Id gotten him was asking about his favorite hobby. Maybe that's what I should bring up.

I took a deep breath, deciding to start with something light in order to ease into the conversation. "What's your favorite childhood memory, Axel?" I asked as he pulled a chair out for me.

Axel thought for a moment, clearly surfing through acceptable memories to tell me about. "I believe I already told you, but it's when I saved my family from an intruder," He began, his voice steady. "A great leader should be able to take care of his family, and I showcased that when I saved mine." His eyes met and scanned mine for approval.

I nodded, forcing myself to stay interested. "Well saving your family is... challenging," I said, picking up my glass of champagne and taking a small sip. Unfortunately the bubbly liquid did nothing to calm the growing unease in my chest.

The conversation continued, Axel's voice rambling about his discipline, focus, and everything we had spoken about during our dinner. I nodded and smiled in all the right places, but my mind kept drifting back to Jace. A sudden image of Jace chuckling flashed in my mind, I almost blushed at the memory.

Axels hand covering mine pulled me back to reality. His touch was warm, firm, but it felt foreign. "Ellie?" he asked, his brow creasing slightly. "Are you alright?"

I forced another smile. "Yes, of course," I lied. "Just a bit tired."

The walls of the ballroom seemed to inch closer, the air growing thicker. My heart began to race, a dull thud echoing in my ears. I glanced around spotting my friends, family, and others I didn't recognize conversing and genuinely having fun. I felt trapped. They all held me with high expectations. This was my life now. A never-ending cycle of me giving up my dreams to conform to formalities.

The thought sent a wave of dizziness crashing over me. My hands started to tremble, and i clenched them into fists, digging my nails into my palms to ground myself. I couldn't breathe and my chest tightened, each breath shallow and forced.

"Ellie," Axels voice came again, laces with concern now. "You're pale, are you sure you're alright? I promise you can talk to me."

"I... I need some air," I stammered, pushing my chair back. Without waiting for Axel's response, I stumbled away from the table, weaving through the crowd. Faces blurred around me, voices merging into a single overwhelming noise.

I needed to get out. I needed space. I needed to breathe.