Royal Runaway

Chapter Six

"What. The. Hell!" exclaimed Madeline, who started pacing behind the curtain. Pacing was her nervous habit and she seemed to be doing it quite often.

"Madeline!" her mother scolded, "Language please."

Madeline turned towards her mother. "Mom, don't start with me. I have a damn right to be angry and I can cuss all the hell I want!" shouted Madeline.

"Madeline!" her father demanded, raising his voice to her, which was something he rarely ever did. "First of all, calm down. Let us explain everything to you before you overreact. Secondly, do not raise your voice at your mother."

Madeline stopped pacing and turned to face her mother and father. A little behind them, she noticed Lord and Lady Waterstone exchanging looks of judgement. She didn't know them very well, but she was almost positive she wouldn't like them as in-laws. Gaining composure, she said, "Alright can you please explain to me why I have to give birth to a child by next year? Need I add, when I am seventeen years old."

Jeffrey sighed. "Sweetheart, please understand that all of this is for Osprey. We are in no means trying to destroy your happiness and chance at life or whatever you might be thinking. This is all to help our people, your people. Lord James would like you to produce an heir so if anything were to happen between you and Quinten, which we hope won't, but if so the Waterstone's still have a connection to the kingdom. A grandson."

"Or granddaughter," Madeline piped in. "Please don't tell me you'll make me have another kid if it turns out to be a girl. It is the 21st Century after all."

"Or a granddaughter," Jeffrey said. "Madeline, please just, think about what we've said. We really need to announce your engagement to Quinten."

Madeline definitely had a lot of thinking to do, but she knew how much parents needed some good publicity. "Okay, let's go." she said.

The group made their way back to the stage, where a microphone had been set up. The king made his way over to it, Lorelai following close behind. Lord James placed Madeline next to Lorelai and Quinten next to Madeline. Jeffrey started to speak. "Citizens of Osprey and honored guests, we hope you are all having a marvelous time." The king used his 'announcer voice' as Madeline liked to call it. It meant he had a big, booming cheery voice when he spoke in front of a crowd. "It is a pleasure for us to see you all dancing the night away. Now, I have some very exciting news. I would like to present to you my daughter, Princess Madeline and her fiance, Duke Quinten of Waterstone."

The crowd burst into cheers and claps, all congratulating Princess Madeline on her royal enchantment. The sounds from the crowd were of joy and happiness, but all Madeline felt was sadness and guilt.

~

It was 1:03 in the morning and Madeline had still not gone to bed. The ball had ended rather late, but that was an hour or so ago. Now, she sat in her bedroom, lights out, still wearing her ballgown. Her shoes we accused across the floor and her curly hair undone from its updo. Her dark ringlets fell down her back.

The rest of the evening was awful. She had to walk around, with Quinten at her arm, letting the guests congratulate them on the engagement. If she had hear one more person say, "Awe, you two make such an adorable couple," she was going to puke. Quinten was such the charmer, making all the guests, especially the ladies feel welcomed and loved. Madeline had to admire that it was a good quality to have, but not when it came from him.

During the night, when Quinten and Madeline had been making their rounds, Quinten had accidentally tripped causing a waiter to fall over with a tray of drinks. Quinten's face had turned beat red, but Madeline had found the whole scene rather amusing and had decided to nickname Quinten, "Twinkle Toes."

However, that was about the only thing that had made Madeline smile for real that night. Of course, she had to put on a smile for the guests and be the sweet, caring princess she was supposed to be. But deep down, Madeline felt awful. She felt awful because she should be feeling great about the whole situation. And she wasn't being sarcastic, she should. Her parents had raised her to be acceptable of every life changing event they threw at her. So far she had, like when they put her in public school in the middle of the school year. Or when they had gotten rid of her favorite nanny in the middle of the night, just because Madeline had spent more time with her then with her parents. Madeline had ended up adjusting just fine with those, but this was a real curve ball.

First of all, the marriage itself was an awful idea. She understood why it had to happen, but Lord James's reasoning was just half-witted. He wanted a connection to the family? Please. Madeline's father should have just written about a thousand I Owe Yous instead. Madeline was almost positive that Lord James had another reason behind the marriage. She just didn't know what.

Then there was Quinten himself. Why did he have to be such a contriving and conniving little son of bitch. He was trying to wrangle the crown right from under her! And doing it by hurting the people close to her. Well, that is blackmail, she thought, standing up and pacing the room. But who would have the outastity to blackmail a princess? Obviously, Duke Quinten of Waterstone! She was going to hate being married to that little jerk.

And then there were the people that threw this whole situation over the top: her parents. She knew they meant well, but they had always been pushing her to do thing she didn't want to do. She knew that part of that came along with the princess side of things, but sometimes she wished they would be her parents before the king and queen of Osprey. She hated the way they were making her do this.

She didn't want to get married. Especially at sixteen, there were so many other things she wanted to do with her life before she tied the knot. Madeline had hoped to travel a little after she finished school. She wanted to see the world and not just from behind a barricade of soldiers whenever the royal family visited. She wanted to go to school and study to become a lawyer, but she knew that was a hopeless dream. Madeline would have to become queen and she knew that. But she couldn't help but to dream.

Then there was the whole having to be married to Duke Quinten. And the new news about her having to produce an heir by next year. There was no way in hell that she wanted to have sexual intercourse with that spawn of satan. She also hated the fact that, just because she was a female she was expected to be the mother of the house and care for all the little children she had to produce. It wasn't that she didn't like kids, she loved them, but not when that was all she was expected to do.

Her whole life she had grown up knowing she was going to be queen. Her whole life. She had gotten used to the fact that she couldn't become a lawyer or marry who she wanted. She had come to terms with that a long time ago. But now that everything was falling into place, she hated it. She hated all of it. All of the rules, duties, restrictions, things she was expected to do. She was through with all of it.

Madeline stopped pacing and stared out toward her balcony. She could see the woods in the distance, and further beyond that lay the town. And beyond that, who knew what lay out there. So much and Madeline was confined to this palace. Or was she?

Suddenly, an idea hit. Sure, it was completely immature and reckless, but she didn't care. She wanted out. And perhaps she wouldn't stay out that long, only for a little bit. The seed had been planted. I'm going to run away, she thought.