Enchantingly Different

Chapter 3

"Robert!"

I jerk awake to the intrusive noise, jolting me from sleep and causing me to feel disorientated. What the...?

"Robert! Get out here now!"

A pounding on the door shakes me to my senses and I jump from the bed, pulling on the first clothes I find, which happen to be the same ones from yesterday. I have no time for anything else. The pounding continues and I swing the door open to see my father, red in the face and looking angry. What have I done now?

"Robert, Juliette is gone. Get downstairs. Valancia is a mad woman. I just can't..."

"She's gone?"

"Yes boy! Gone!"

He stomps away and I follow him down the stairs, pulling on my jacket and hopping as I slip shoes on my feet. As we enter the breakfast room, I see my step-mother, Valancia, is pacing around on the stone floor yelling at the surprised maids as they scuttle around doing their morning chores.

"Does nobody care that my little baby is missing? She's out there god knows where. Where is Thomas?"

"I'm right here my dear wife. I'm sure she's fine. She might have just gone for a walk," he offers, reaching for her hands. "We will send some men out to look for her. She can't have gotten far. Everybody in the valley knows what she looks like so someone is bound to know where she is."

"Gone for a walk? I think not!" She snatches her hands away from him and turns to me, her eyes narrowed and her face livid. "The last anyone saw, she was with that wretched son of yours! He did something to her, I know it!"

"I didn't do anything. She was talking a lot about not wanting to be queen and how she wanted a normal life. Perhaps she ran away?" As soon as I say it, I know I have made a grave mistake. She turns slowly on the spot with clenched fists towards me and her breathing coming out in snarls.

"She wants to be queen! How dare you suggest that she ran away from her duty. She acts more royal than you. All you do is bed whores in the city and drink wine. When are you going to step up and be a man? When are you going to act like a King?"

I try to keep my face as passive as possible to avoid blowing up on her, but it takes all of my will power. I take a small step back from her to avoid combustion from her fiery glare.

"I will start acting like a King when the honor is bestowed upon me. I do not act like a King because we have a King and he stands before you now, so you are best to mind your tongue when you are talking to his son."

"Thomas, are you going to let your son continue to have a smart mouth and show me a lack of respect?"

My father rubs his thumb and forefinger against his eyes, pinching his nose and sighing deeply.

"Valancia, that's enough! Robert has never been disrespectful to you," he says with finality. "He will lead the group of men to find your daughter and bring her home."

"Father-"

"You will go," he snaps before turning on his heel, heading towards his privy chamber. "Good god almighty..."

My step-mother comes close to me and jabs a finger into my chest.

"If you come back without her, so help me ..."

"You'll do what?" I mutter in a harsh tone. "What can you do?"

"Whatever I must," she growls through her teeth as I push past her and back up to my room to ready myself for the journey ahead.

I look out of my window whilst I pull on some thicker breaches, wondering where it is she might have gone. My father is right; everyone will know her at once for a Princess and would return her to us if she were to get in any danger.