Royalty? It's Not What You Think. (ON HOLD)

Chapter 4: Afterwards

After I returned to my bedchamber, I collapsed. So much anger left me drained. Just when I was on the brink of sleep, my mother rushed into the room her eyes wide and curious.

“What did he want?” Mother asked.

There is no way I can tell them that I thoroughly insulted my “husband-to-be”. Just the thought of it made me cringe. I had to conjure up some lie.

“Nothing, Mother. I said exasperated. “He just wanted to get to know me better.”

“Well, how sweet of him.” She smiled.

“Yes, it was.” I forced out suppressing my smile at the irony.

My mother left my room beaming. I sighed.

I got up and changed into my night gown. I climbed under the covers of my large bed and slid into the center of the bed. As soon as I closed my eyes, sleep claimed me.

I was woken by a clap of thunder that resounded off the stone walls of my room. I rubbed my eyes sleepily and sat up in bed hearing the faint pitter-patter of rain. I slid off of the mattress and stepped into slippers which were placed at the foot of my bed. Yawning, I sauntered to the window and pulled aside the heavy, velvet curtains.

To my dismay, it was still dark outside, but it was indeed raining. It fell non-stop accompanied by thunder. I cracked my window open a bit and took a deep breath of outside air. It smelled fresh and clean. Resting my elbows on the window sill, I just stared out into the darkness feeling at ease for the first time in a week.

Finally, I decided to go outside. I closed and locked the window, then walked across my chamber to the armoire. I pulled out a thick shawl and draped it over my shoulders.  The doors opened soundlessly as I pulled them, and I sighed a breath of relief. I didn’t want anyone to hear me leaving, much less follow me around.

The halls of the castle were empty as I had hoped, and not a sound could be heard. I turned left and walked down the corridor being as quiet as possibly. Luckily the torches were still ablaze, so I had plenty of light to use. There was a draft in the hall, so I tugged the shawl closer around me. I came to the spiral stair case that led up to the terrace. I ascended the steps while holding the railing. Each stair was long and steep. I could not bring a torch with me for I risk being found out by someone. Although, no one really went up to the terrace for any reason. I might be the only one.

I came to the top of the stairs and the door that led outside. I opened them and they let out a long groan. I winced and peeped behind me, and then I realized that no one could have found me that quickly. I stepped through the doors and shut them behind me.

As I turned back around, I was met with a breeze that carried tiny droplets of water that spattered onto me with a chill. I crossed my arms across my chest holding the shawl as close as possible to ward off the early morning air.

The rain had slowed and the sky was beginning to lighten. The clouds began to part. Cracks between the gray clouds showed slivers of the sky. It was later that I had thought.

Our terrace was furnished in the style of a patio with a couple of chairs and a table. It was covered with a tent to keep rain and snow away. I strolled to the tent and grabbed a seat to adjust it to where it faced the walls and the open sky. I curled up in the chair and stared out into the pink and orange hues of the sky.

My thoughts raced in my head so quickly that it was hard to make any sense of it, but there was one that kept surfacing. I’m getting married to the man I hate.

I closed my eyes and sighed.

Suddenly, I heard noises coming from beyond the door, muffled voices that sounded in a hurry. The door swung open and out came two maidservants. They whispered to each other and upon seeing me, a look of relief crossed their faces, and they ambled toward me and sank into a low curtsy.

“Milady, we have been searching for you.” The one on the left said. She was a girl my age with blonde hair and a pretty face. She stood shorter than me, but was as slender. Her hair was done up in a messy bun.

“Her Highness requests that we help you prepare for your departure to Tyron this morning.” The other said. She was an old woman of about 40. Her hair had begun to grey and she was as dishevelled as the younger girl.

“Why am I going to Tyron?” I inquired. Mother didn’t speak a word of this yesterday.

“Her Highness said that you are to go there for preparations for your wedding.” The older one said as the two women rose from their curtsies.

I stifled an annoyed sigh and rose from my place and followed the maids back to my bedchamber to get ready for a boring day.