The Forbidden Princess [Paused]

Chapter 18: A Turn of Events (Charlotte's POV)

Jesse was here. I saw him. But it felt like he was millions of miles away. He ran away so fast I couldn't even call out to him.

Of course I didn't realize he left; I was focused on Liv.

She was lying on the ground, not moving. Her arrow wound was pouring blood, causing a puddle to form under her head.

I screamed so loud that eventually I lost my voice.

I couldn't believe what all had happened just now. My best friend had died right in front of me, I'm suppose to marry this imposter Prince, and my actually boyfriend ran away. Wasn't he going to save me?

I felt betrayed. He and Caiden just vanished into thin air, leaving me behind with Arthur and his goons.

"Get up," the meaty goon demanded.

I rose to my feet and frowned at the man. He rolled his eyes and called over Arthur.

"Ah, hello, my Princess!"

"Inotyerprinceth!" I yelled through the handkerchief that was tied around my mouth.

"Tristan! Remove the bindings from her!"

"Of course Your Highness," Tristan answered, bowing to Arthur before freeing me from the rope and handkerchief.

Once I was untied, Arthur led me over to a creek and we sat down.

"Do you remember that day when we all went to the secret lake?"

I didn't say anything but nodded. I didn't feel like speaking to Arthur right now.

"Well, remember when I was drowning and Jesse saved me?"

"Yes," I finally broke and said. "But why does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh it doesn't really. Just the fact that I find it hilarious that the real Prince saved his imposter and his later-to-be enemy." Arthur looked at me with a huge smirk across his face.

I stood up and said, "Jesse is the real Prince?!"

"Well duh," Arthur said also standing up.

"Would you care to explain?!" I yelled.

"Don't mind at all. It's quite simple really. But you might want to sit back down."

I sighed and sat down on the grass. Arthur paced around me, glancing at the creek, back to me, then the woods, and so on as he spoke.

"You see, I am with a secret society known as the Romair Rebels."

"What's the Romair Rebels?" I asked.

"If you would hush you're pretty little face I could tell you," Arthur snapped.

He took a deep breath then continued. "Romair was a kingdom long ago that was attacked and is now just rubble. The survivors formed a society and named it the Romair Rebels. We have been a secret for over 5 generations. No one has known we existed. Anyways, the Rebels sided with your father and they turned me over to him to live as a spy in your kingdom. I was the same age as Jesse then.

Right before I was suppose to be moving into Harling, we received news that Dragnor had fallen and the King was sending his surviving child over to Harling to live in safety.

I was suppose to go to a very poor family, while Jesse was going to a more wealthier one. But before Jesse arrived, your father had us switch places so I could become Jesse and pretend to be him."

"So...so you're real name is-"

"Jesse Rhett Daniels."

"And Jesse is-"

"Arthur James Lewis."

I sat on the ground, completely stunned by what I was just told.

I shook my head and looked up at Arthur, or really Jesse now.

"What am I suppose to call you?"

"You can call me King Arthur. Since that's what I will be soon. Come along, my princess; our wedding awaits."