Bridgerton - The Lost Royal

Chapter Three

Sophia

A harsh and bright light wakes me, followed by a high-pitched female voice,

"Good morning miss, time to awaken!"

I'm sorry what now? I sit upright instantly, squinting my eyes at the bright light coming from the window, that had curtains covering them just a second ago. She is right next to me then, the maid, nearly pulling me out of the bed.

"Sorry, what's happening?" I ask confused, what even happened last night?

"You need a bath," the maid states before undressing me.

"Hey, will you stop that?" I step away from her, "I'm fine, I'm leaving" I say, still processing where I at all am.

"Mister Bridgerton instructed me to get you cleaned up, miss" she says.

That's when it clicks; Mister Bridgerton, the chase, him hiding me inside, someone calling his name. Benedict. Benedict Bridgerton. I read about him, he was mentioned in pretty much all the Whistledown's I could get my hands on. She'd mentioned he had green eyes, and just last night I looked right into them.

The last thing I remember was this sharp pain in my side, which must have been the excessive amount of running. He picked me up, I'm pretty sure and then I- oh ew, I must have passed out. In his arms. How... dramatic.

Without me noticing, the maid has fully undressed me and so much as pushes me into the hot bath, that I admit I needed very much. The maid gives me some soap to wash my body and she works hard to get all the mud out of my hair. I feel bad accepting it all, I'm a thief, the last thing I desere is a hot bath, but it's been so long since I've experienced warm water at all that I can't help but give in completely.

Once I'm dry, I look for my dress, but it's nowhere to be seen.

"Where's my dress?" I ask. The maid looks at me concerningly,

"We disposed of it miss, as I'm sure your understand" she chuckles lightly.

"oh," I breathe, unsure what to say next. She then hands me a new dress,

"This belonged to miss Francesca Bridgerton, back when she was still that. A miss, I mean."

I take the dress and nod, "right."

The maid helps me put it on and it fits like a glove, it fits me better than any dress I've worn before.

"Thank you, I'll be on my way" I nod and move towards the door quickly.

"No wait! we haven't done your hair, or your face!" The maid so much as jumps in front of me, blocking my way to the door. I look down at her, the sweetest smile plastered on her face,

"Please" she whispers, "Otherwise I have to do the dishes."

I doubt she's telling the truth to be honest, but still it works, and I let her do whatever she wants to me.

When she's done and I look in the mirror, I see an entirely different person, someone more sophisticated, someone who would belong in a house like this. Someone I'm not.

"I believe lady Bridgerton is ready to see you now," the maid says as she steps away, admiring her own work. I turn around swiftly,

"I'm sorry?" I ask.

"She would like to discuss some things with you, I believe, about your debut in society among other things." The maid is still smiling. I'm not.

"No, thank you. That sounds like an awful idea." I say, while stumbling backwards, closer to the window, "I should just go."

"But... she's awaiting you downstairs" the maid certainly wasn't expecting this reaction. I've walked backwards so far my back hits the wall and I look through the open window next to me, vines have grown all the way down to the ground.

"Miss... what are you-" the maid begins, panicking.

"Thank you for everything" I smile, before throwing both my legs out the window and placing my bare feet on the vines, testing my weight on them. When I'm sure they'll hold me, the way down begins.

"Miss!" The maid's head appears above me, she looks absolutely mortified. The next second she's gone, running for help I suppose. I sigh, now I need to hurry even more.

Step by step I get closer to the ground, placing my feet carefully yet swift. I'm more than halfway down when the urge to speed up results in a big mistake and the vine I put my feet on snaps, causing me to lose my balance. I swing my arms widely, trying to catch the vines and stop me from falling, but my chest has already moved too far back for me to reach it.

I had at least twenty feet more to go and I close my eyes as I accept my early fate. My body is tense as I fall, awaiting the hit I'm about to take. Just as I believe to take my final breath, something stops me from descending further. I'm still too in shock to open my eyes, but the voice reveals who just saved me from falling to my death,

"You're not going to pass out again, are you?"