Emergency Princess (Under Editing)

Chapter 10| The Betrothed

Chapter 10| The Betrothed

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I just stood there and stared at the King, then at the Prince, then at the King again, my mouth wide open. A discreet cough from one of the guards snapped me back into reality.

"I'm sorry, I thought I heard you say betrothed," I said, sure I heard wrong.

"I did," said the King. "You were promised to each other at birth, to unite the kingdoms of Arathia and Maldonia. I meant to introduce the two of you at the ball, but he wasn't able to make it."

It seemed that the Prince had no idea that the real princess was missing.

"I'm sorry that I was not able to make your acquaintance sooner. I had prior appointments," he said, coming up to take my hand and kiss it. I shuddered. Something seemed off about him. "As it is, I sincerely regret not trying harder to make it your ball. I hear it was quite the event." He grinned.

"Yeah...it was something," I said, not sure of what exactly had happened. He chuckled.

"I am sorry to say, I must take leave of you now. As much as I want to stay, my duties call me. I hope to see you again soon Princess. After all, it is not every day that such a rare flower is met." He kissed my hand again.

"If I may, Your Majesty?" He bowed to King Richard, who granted him leave.

With that, he exited the throne room, with several guards in tow, and I released a pent up breath I hadn't even known I'd been holding in.

"Betrothed? That was never part of our deal?" I said, my arms akimbo.

"I don't see the need to explain myself to you," King Richard said.

"Really?" I drawled sarcastically. Not surprisingly, he didn't respond, instead opting to call a guard over to his throne.

"Call in Sir Oswald. Tell him his presence is needed at once."

The guard bowed left, returning five minutes later with Henry in tow.

I could see the beads of sweat trickling down his bald scalp onto his pudgy forehead, and the rings of sweat around his armpits. I almost felt sorry for him, even though I had no idea why he was there. Key word being almost. The man broke my phone. Forgiveness wasn't coming that easy.

Henry bowed. "Y-your Majesty."

"You may rise, Sir Oswald."

Henry stood, still sweating profusely.

"I would like you to explain to this girl why she, and her family, was not informed of the betrothal."

"Well, it was because we knew you wouldn't come if we told you," he said sheepishly.

"So you lied to my sister, brought her here without her family, you were prepared to marry her off, got her kidnapped, and you tried to do the same to me, with the exception of the kidnapping part, I hope." As I listed out the points, I counted them on my fingers.

He mumbled something.

'"What was that?" I asked.

He spoke louder. "When you put it that way, you make us sound like horrible people."

"Well what other way am I supposed to put it?" I sighed, exasperated. He was silent.

"I thought as much." Then I turned to King Richard. "How could you lie to your daughter-in-law, and your grandchildren?" I was disgusted with him.

"That woman is no daughter of mine," he said, impassively. My left eye twitched, a sure sign that I was getting ready to explode. Luckily before I could speak, he called another guard.

"Fetch Miss Johnson immediately."

The guard returned soon after, this time with a woman who practically glided into the throne room. Her dark brown hair was gathered into a severely tight bun, and she looked me up and down as if she was assessing me.

"You called me here, Your Majesty?" she said, after bobbing one of the most impeccable curtseys I'd ever seen, not that I'd actually seen many.

"Yes, Miss Johnson. We need to speak about your charge. I'm afraid she has amnesia, poor thing," said the King, and I almost believed that he cared about me. "The doctors say it was from the shock of almost being kidnapped on the night of the ball."

She put a gloved palm to her mouth as she gasped. I didn't blame her. Even I didn't know I had amnesia. Maybe that was a side effect of the amnesia—that I didn't have.

"I am truly sorry to hear that," she said. "But with all due respect, Your Majesty, what does that have to do with me?"

"She seems to have forgotten all that has taken place within these last few weeks. Including the lessons you two have had together."

I just stood there, waiting for the right moment to grill the King about this amnesia.

"So what you are saying is that I am to reteach her everything?" she asked.

"Yes."

"When may I start taking her for lessons?"

"Whenever it pleases you, though I do expect you to start soon."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Your Highness," she said, curtseying to me. I curtseyed back, and she wrinkled her nose. "Only curtsey to those above you in rank. In your case, that is His Majesty, the King. It is an abomination to curtsey to a person below you in rank. You nod to acknowledge his or her presence."

I nodded, blinking at the overload of information.

"Do not nod," she said, sharply. "You are not a lizard. Use your mouth to answer. And, for Pete's sake, do stand straight."

I did ask she asked, my back as ramrod straight as hers.

She nodded, almost imperceptibly, in approval. The King chuckled, then coughed, covering it up.

"I see she is in very capable hands, Miss Johnson. I would not have it any other way."

"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty. It means a lot to me."

"Princess Rosa, you are dismissed. Miss Johnson will be taking you for classes from Monday to Saturday. You shall have Sundays to yourself," I curtseyed shakily, as I left. Miss Johnson's lips were pursed as I passed by her. She seemed displeased.

I walked out, still dazed from the conversation with the King about my betrothal. So much so that I wasn't paying much attention to my surroundings, and I crashed face-first into a warm body.

The person I crashed into let out a high pitched squeal.

"Oh my seaweed, I am so sorry--" I started, but she cut me off.

"You're sorry? You're just sorry? You're about to see just how sorry I can make you, you clumsy oaf. Do you know how much this dress cost? I'm pretty sure I could buy your house with it. You just wait till I get to my grandfather..."

She trailed off as she looked up into my face for the first time.

"Rose?" she breathed, staring directly at my face.