WINTERS SECRET (RISE OF OYO EMPIRE)

WINTER

Thursday 7th June.

"Morning your royal Highness" Lina walked into my bedroom with my set of clothes as she always does.

I don't know anytime I am in the palace my mood always gets ruined by one thing or the other.

"Princess you have to get ready for breakfast" Idar dashed into my room with my crown on her hands.

"Drop that, get grace to do it" I said as I say up from my bed, making a soft sound as I stretched my body.

"Your majesty, I can't be around you and not help you, that's all I know" she said, Idar was my royal help from the day I got coronated until some few months ago, but even at that she is still here by my side as always.

"Good morning your highness I was unable to find your.."

"Oh don't worry dear, I already got it for you" Idar stoped grace before she could even finish her sentence.

"Get up, you don't want the king to be seated before you" Lina began to nudge me into the bathroom with my fan, getting ready today seems chaotic as always but these are the things that makes me happy, makes me feel like the life I am living is not as bad as I thought.

"What do you think" Lina turned me, we were both facing the mirror as she held me by the elbow.

"I don't even recognise her" I was grinning as she seems to know what she does well, the soft makeup, the dress and the way she curled my hair, she was a pro at this point.

"You look gorgeous princess" Lina complimented me, who would have known I was hiding a bleeding heart underneath all these fabric, well that's something about pretence you do it too much to the extent you begin to forget who you are.

"Let's go" Idar pestered as I was clearly late for breakfast.

"Good morning your majesty her royal Highness and all, sorry for the delay" Grace said as we walked into the dinning hall.

"All?" I whispered to her.

"Yes ma, can't you see" she said as she held my chair for me to seat on.

"Good morning princess" a familiar voice greeted amongst the sea of many other voices, could it really be?

"Shall we?" Dad said as the starter course was brought to the table.

"You may continue young man"

"....Giving that, we are going to hire 2000 citizens of ofuland, during the project and we are ready to expand to every main city..."  I have heard that voice before, but where? I looked up to see who was talking.

"Ummh" I coughed softly as I was startled by the face, it was winter? What was he doing here?

"Sorry princess" he paused, looked at me and gave a light smile.

"Well then, I would be determining who gets what role" mom pitched in, she never forgets to run on any opportunity to put her family in power.

"Well according to the contract I just drafted, we would be the ones to do the employment process as to get qualified people for the position" he countered.

I took my eyes off his arm for a second to access the room, mom was really ready to get her people on board as the were here dining with us, I couldn't help but notice Fred's entire family.

"Hey beautiful" Fred whispered to me as our eyes met, where is all these niceness coming from? He was never like this to me when we were together.

Come to think of it, the dinning hall which had the capacity to house a hundred people was filled quarter way.

"Are you trying to insult me?" Mom raised her voice, yep she hated being confronted too, giving her status as Queen who dared to go against her?

"It's strict company police that is non negotiable, if you have someone you want for a role nominate them, the company would do the rest" Winter said calmly reducing the tension the room had some moments ago.

"I want my nominees to be interviewed a day ahead" there you have it, most corrupt Queen ever.

"As long as they meet requirements no problem" For the first time I am seeing mom being humbled, wow.

"Hi princess" Winter said redirecting everyone's attention to me.

"Hi" my pupils were already dilated as I froze in place, I was use to being looked at by people but something about this made my skin crawl, it made me uneasy.

God please let him not say anything stupid, I prayed as I held tightly to my dress.

"Grace" I signaled for her to go close to Winter to hear what he has to say to me instead of him saying it out here in public.

"Are you still up for a drink?" Grace whispered as she came back, I knew it it was going to be something stupid.

So he hadn't forgotten about that, I wonder what his reaction was when he returned to the bar the other day with drinks and I was no where to be found.

"Sure" I replied with a faint smile on my face, i spread my princess fan to prevent anyone from reading my our lips.

"Oh and I also gave him your number" grade added.

I looked up and everyone was still glancing at me, I could tell they were already judging me, I looked up to the Queen and she was losing it already but I liked that, she doesn't control everything especially me and I want her to know that.

"Your majesty, he asked when you would be free" during all these tension and glance I and Fred's entire family was exchanging grace still went over, oh lord she doesn't read the room at all.

"It's okay, he has my number now thank you" I whispered to her, she needs to be more smart about things.

My eyes and Fred's kept meeting severally as his was glued to mine, I could see him panicking internally but he was trying his best not to show it, he looked frightened for one.

"Don't you dare embarrass me" a message from Fred's deeja popped up on my phone, it has to be from her narsasistic elder brother.

"And who is going to stop me?" I replied the message, it was one thing to be proud it was another to be an idiot.

Do your worst, I looked at him and he was fuming, red all over his light skin, well guess who is speaking now? I let out a smile as I placed my phone back on my lap.