Erin (book 1 of Erin Series)

thirty-eight

I hear the door open and turn to see the queen, my mother walk in, holding something in her hand. She is wearing a different dress, and has her hair braided and wrapped around her head beautifully. She walks up to me, ignoring the servants that have greeted her.
"You look stunning." She tells me. "But I believe it's missing something." She lifts her hands, letting a gold chain with a green stone, placing it around my neck. She smiles when she steps back to look at me.
"Come, we are already late. Everyone is waiting for us." She says and grabs my hands. I start to walk out of the room, but she stops and turns to face me. "You're not wearing shoes, are you?" She asks.
I shake my head, and she looks at the servants who have already brought a pair of yellow shoes with a small heel to me. Izabella bends down and takes my leg, putting a shoe on for me. They're a bit small, and very uncomfortable. She puts the other on for me as well, and my mother looks at me once more nodding her head, and walks out the door and down the bright hall. We get to a point where to my left there is no wall anymore, and we can see the people below, talking, drinking and having fun. Large posts hold the ceiling up, and there is a wooden railing I place my hand on as we walk. We turn to the left and walk to the center where it opens up, and there is a very wide staircase leading down. Slowly the room begins to go quiet, as every eye in the room is on us. I feel my face turn pink from all the unwanted attention.
"Today, we have finally reunited with our daughter after sixteen years!" My mother announces. "We have missed her much! And she will be a fine princess! No matter how she was raised!" She looks at me with a sincere smile. She then turns back to the crowd. "Tonight we celebrate her return!" To our left there is a Butler holding a plate with glasses full of liquid on it, and she takes one picking it up. "To Erin!" She shouts.
Everyone in the room lifts their glasses, shouting "to erin!" In return. Mother drinks and so does everyone else, then a roar of claps and shouts fill the room as mother leads me down the stairs, where the king meets us. He smiles placing a hand on my shoulder then grabs mother and walks with her talking.
I turn forward once more only to see Damek has found his way to me. He is dressed well, his face cleanly shaven. He looks rather nice, I must admit.
"You're a frigging princess!!" He shouts, his words a bit slurred from the alcohol.
I roll my eyes, "Yeah, I'm not liking the title."
He chuckles, "Well hey, I was wondering. They said that you had been gone for sixteen years, but you are sixteen. Does that mean you were taken as an infant?"
I think about his remark, "Well no, they said I was taken when I was just eighteen months old."
His eyes widen, "It's no wonder you act so mature for your age! You're almost eighteen years old!" His hands go up, spilling the liquids from his drink.
I bring my eye brows together and look over at my parents. It makes sense.
"Erin! That means you are almost of age to find yourself a suitor! All kinds of princes will be asking for your hand!" Damek catches my attention.
"Uh, no. I could care less about some dumb prince. Or knight in shining armor." I say bluntly.
"Oh, that's right, you've got your heart saved for that little Rune guy, don't you?" He teases me.
I roll my eyes, and see Keir walking toward us. When he approaches us, he grabs Dameks elbow, making him wince in pain. "Grow up a little, why don't you?"
I hear him growl in his ear. "You're talking to a princess now, not just a friend anymore. That kind of behavior is unacceptable in public."
Damek immediately hangs his head, looking foolish. "Go drink some water, or eat something." Keir commands him, and turns to me once Damek has walked away.
He wraps one arm around his torso, and the other behind his back, bowing his body from the waist up.
He stands up straight holding out his hand that was once on his torso, the other still behind his back.
"May I ask for a dance, with the lovely princess?" He asks formally.
I look at him, my eyes a bit wide from shock. I did not expect him to be so formal, I wonder how he knows how to act.
I blink realizing he's still waiting for an answer. "Don't call me that." I say and take his hand, as an acceptance.
He leads me to where people are dancing to music that a small ensemble plays. He places his hands on my hips, and I place my hands on his shoulders. "So I'm not allowed to call you lovely? Or princess?" He asks with a bit of a smirk on his face.
"Both." I respond.
"Well both are facts. Maybe not so much lovely, you have a lot to learn before you become lovely. But you do look lovely, just don't act it." He says.
I give him a glare.
"You really should watch how you act now. Giving those looks are quite unattractive for a princess, and looked down upon. At least when in public."
"How do you know all of this?" I ask.
"You are very young, my dear. There is still a lot about me you have yet to learn. You'd be surprised to know, that I was a noble at one point. Long before the Pandareos attacked mine, and a few of my friends' homes."
I look at him for a moment then look down, a bit embarressed for thinking so low of him.
"That's much better." He lifts my chin with his finger. "Play the role of submissive. I know it's not you, but those out here don't have to know that."
"That's stupid. Why can't a princess be strong and stand up for herself?" I ask pulling my face away from his touch.
"Because that's how things work. A king controls his kingdom, and is believed to over say anything of his wife, or wives. That's how things remain. Even if the wife has a suggestion that the king takes, he will say it was his. His wife is just there to help hold him up. Give him strength when he has none." Keir explains to me.
I am not sure how to respond for a moment. I feel abashed by this form of thinking. "Well, I won't be marrying a king anyways. When Rune comes back-"
"Erin, my dear, it doesn't matter who it is you marry, he will become a king if you are a queen. And you need to let the idea of Rune go, because it will never happen."
I furrow my eye brows, "You do not know what will and will not happen. If I am queen, I will have say so in who I can and can not marry."
I can tell Keir is getting frustrated with me, and I don't understand why. Before he can say anything more, Godrik walks up to him, tapping him on the shoulder asking if he could dance with me. Keir nods letting go of me, and walks away.
I turn my attention to Godrik who had a wide grin on his face.
"Didn't think it was really possible, but you do clean up nice." He chuckles.
I roll my eyes. "Well I already can't wait to get out of it. It's the most uncomfortable thing I've ever worn."
He smirks and leans his face closer to mine, "I can help you get rid of it."
My eyes widen, and I shove him away, "You will do no such thing."
He just chuckles. "Oh, of course, my Lady." Walking back to me, offering his hand again to continue our dance.
I hesitantly take it, and he grabs my waist pulling me into him, a bit forcefully. It surprises me, but before I can even react he already has us circling around the people in the ball room.
"There is much to learn about being a princess. How to dance properly, how to act toward others. You may clean up well, but you certainly don't act like one." He chuckles.
I glare at him.
"Just like that. Princesses hardly glare, and when they do its in private. Don't worry, I'll help you out."
"I really dislike the term princess. I don't feel like one, nor do I think I'll ever feel like one."
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it eventually."
"I highly doubt that." I sigh.

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So just for you all to know, the picture I have posted for this chapter is exactly how I imagine Erin looks during this chapter. Also I apologize for taking so long on this chapter! I'll try to post sooner! Love you guys! Thank you for all the reads!
J