Under the Water (Book 1)

sixteen

The next few weeks go fast with me getting ready for the wedding, going out into the outer piers to see Ansell every few days. Ansell dances with me, we do duets for the inner circle when he visits, he lets me draw him. I am perfectly happy. I am thrilled. Next week I am officially married to Ansell.

I spend the day helping Amelia outside and I go riding with her.

"You're happier than you used to be Scar." Amelia says when she mounds on her white horse, and I mount on my black one.

"I am happy. " I take a deep breath of air and don't recognize the scent of fake air. The one I used to realize.

"That's great. I'm happy for you. Have you kissed him yet?" She giggles and I roll my eyes at her childish behavior.

"Nope but he promised me he would make it perfect. " Amelia went through boys like clothes. She couldn't find the right one she always said.

"Well are you ready for it?"

"Ready for what?"

"Being the queen."

"Oh yeah I guess I am, I feel stronger when I'm with Ansell." I am so happy, practically eager for next week.

"He is amazing it almost makes me want to be queen." She sighs. Her hair is up in a ponytail for riding and she wears black riding pants and a white blouse. I wear basically the same thing except for my crown that sits on my head.

"I know you will find someone Amelia, but you are only 14 so stop worrying about it. Race to the edge of the Inner pier?" I say already leaving her in the dust.

We ride together all morning and when Kaidenn and Becca walk out to see us they smile and wait for us to finish. I won the race by a lot.

"I won!" I mounted off my horse grinning. The horse is taken to the stables by servants.

"You got a head start!" Amelia laughed at my grin.

"Well......" The 4 of us walk around the grounds enjoying ourselves. Becca looks so beautiful in the teal dress that goes down and is very simple for what she usually wears. Her dark hair back in a bun with one tiny hairs in the front sticking out. Amelia and I both wear riding clothes and Kaidenn wears a nice shirt and his jeans. Since he isn't usually at the palace he wears whatever he wants. Kaidenn has a rough side to him lately, but its nice.

"Do you feel that?" I ask looking up at the gray sky above. The clouds are forming together, as if its about to rain. Its almost never rains but when it does the Inner circle stays all inside until it goes away so not to get messy.

"Its just a few drops of rain. Or maybe our imagination?" Becca responds. The 4 of us walk away from the palace instead of towards it, not wanting to go back inside.

After a while the wind picks up and more drops fall on us. My hair turns damp and Amelia's leather pants have multiple droplets on them.

"Are you sure we shouldn't go back?" Kaidenn asks, hesitant to leave. The rain has picked up now, leaving us all rather wet.

"It will be over soon." Amelia and I both say at the same time, looking up to the sky and the rain. The droplets fall upon us like showers now. I laugh and stick out my tongue, waiting to catch droplets on it. The others follow suit and soon we are all dancing in the rain, sticking our tongues out like crazy people.

The rain hasn't stopped by the time we got bored and went inside. The staff took one look at us and gaped. Their mouths hung open.

"Go get 7 towels." I requested to a group of them.

"Yes your majesty. " They ran off quickly. I lead my siblings into the nearest room and we laugh for a long while, so long that when we finish the rain has stopped, the towels are set out for our personal use.

After a full afternoon of fun with my family, I take the rest of the day off, choosing to spend it in my room, alone.

"Let me at least take you to your rooms." Kaidenn pleads me, taking my arm. I accept it, letting him take me to my room.

"Scarlett." Kaidenn says, hesitantly and unsure.

"Yes?" I answer looking at him. He lowers his eyes quietly, as if sad.

"I am meeting my future bride soon and I wanted to know how it feels. How it feels to get married. I need to know, for the one sole reason, that I don't want to get married. " I take a long look at my brother.

"I know for me it makes me feel safe, stronger, and most of all, happy. I can only wish the same for you, brother." We walk together up the stairs, towards my quarters.

"Thank you for taking me here." I leave him at the door and walk into to see my room, the room that am leaving in a week to stay in a room with Ansell for the rest of my life. I am glad, but just a bit scared.

I change out of my sopping wet clothes and into the bath where I sit in there, alone, just me. I hate being alone. I hate it. I can't stand it.

With that thought in my head I go to see if any of the duchess' would like to do something. First I get ready in my black dress that I was going to wear to dinner. Ali can find me something for tonight. I braid my hair back since its wet and I don't want to dry it.

I smile at my reflection for a moment. I feel like the days have gone by faster with Ansell. That I won't have to endure the torture of arranged marriages, that I will get to see him every day.

I walk out my door and over to the kitchen, hungry from no lunch today, since its mid afternoon. Thats when something catches my eye.

Frankly I don't remember why I did what I did. Or why I never noticed in those weeks.

Out of the corner of my eyes I see a whole group of kitchen servants and other servants hurriedly walking into a room near the kitchen. I wait a few seconds until they are all inside and the door is closed to even think of walking over there. The hallway is eerily silent as if they are all in that one room. Then I walk to the room quietly. I peek in the door to see an empty room. All except one thing. A lever. Hidden but I can pick it out after searching for a few moments. On the edge of the painting of my parents , there for the reason that it might lead somewhere. The painting was deemed out dated a few years ago. I remember because my father wanted it destroyed. That it was from when the country was ill. When he hadn't of fixed things yet. That period of his life he was ill with a disease. He left the Aurum Imperium for a week, coming back perfectly normal. He was never conscious that week. This is what he said anyways.

I walk into to the room and close the door very quietly. I tiptoe in my gold flats to the lever and pull it. The doorway appears and opens to reveal a group of people in a dank cellar. The room is dimly lit but that isn't what acutely catches my eyes. Its not even the forbidden meeting of the servants that throws me off. Its the boy in the front of the room, talking to all of those people. That person with the black hair and faded blue eyes. The alley boy. In a servant uniform. Its Quinnson Seventh. Its the forgotten boy.