The Protector (Slow Updates For Now)

Chapter 12

I wake up in the morning feeling pretty awful. I barely slept last night because I spent the late hours dancing with a boy I promised myself I was over. Crap. Someone remind me of why I do this to myself.

I know I need to get ready for the day. Today could very easily be the most important day of my life. Coronation day.

Mother laid everything out for me. A hairdresser, a makeup artist, a beautiful dress that I am not allowed to see until I get dressed, brand new sparkly silver heels that I could easily break my neck in. I'm really excited to do this. 

I roll out of bed and instantly feel like I'm freezing to death. I grab my robe off the hook that is next to my bed and head for the bathroom. 

I turn the shower on. I run my fingers through my long curls and wait for my shower to be ready. 

~~.~~

My room is buzzing with people surrounding me in a semi-circle. Some trying to tame my hair, others trying to change my appearance with makeup for the cameras. It was quiet but loud. The white noise drove me crazy. 

Rose, Gwen, and Lucy are going to be over in a few minutes to get ready. I decided since I didn't have a formal date, why not share this moment with a friend. 

Gwen and Lucy walk in ten minutes earlier than planned. All decked out in gem covered dresses and dolled up hair. They both look great and super happy. They're glowing. 

"Hey, you guys are early. What's up?" I smile at them. 

"Not a whole lot, we got ready faster than expected so we just decided to head over," Gwen tells me. 

"I'm glad you're here, maybe we can watch a movie before we have to go," I suggest hoping to be able to decompress. 

About 5 minutes later all of the hairdressers and makeup artists retreat from the room and leave us to our movie and to wait for Rose. 

Halfway through the first scene, I hear a knock on the door. It was Rose, but she wasn't alone. Why does he always have to butt in? 

Ryan opens the door and looks straight at me. 

"Can I speak with you Cosmina?" He looks me dead in the eye and I can't help but shrink into myself out of habit.

He walks out of the room and into the hall, expecting me to follow.

"Do you know Rose?"

"Yeah. Do you," I retort back.

"Yeah. Remember the girl who found me when I was barely conscious? Yeah, that's her."

"Oh, I didn't know. Well, it's all starting to make sense. She is a good person then," I smile at him, unfazed. 

"Yeah, she is. I'm glad you have a loyal friend, I never knew with those other ones. They seem like gold diggers." I roll my eyes and scoff at this.

I walk back towards the door and almost turn the knob when I decide to turn around.

"I thought you would never stoop as low as that. Thought maybe you were better than that," I say before re-entering my room.

"Ladies, what did I miss?" I smile.

~~.~~

The trumpets sound and so it begins. The strutting down the aisle, the millions of cameras and paparazzi. All the glitz and glamour that comes with being a princess and soon to be heir to the throne.

I follow the carpet side by side with Rose. It's very clear on the carpet, but with people packed it the sides. We follow the carpet up a steep set of stairs, and into the grand room. The room was decorated with gold wrapped around the banister, red velvet chairs filling up most of the room, with separators keeping all of the guests out of the way.

My parents stand at the end of the aisle smiling proudly. Guards stood with them, stern looks on their face.  Butterflies are fluttering in my stomach as we continue what has to be the longest walk for a coronation ever. Soft piano music is filling the room. 

Click

  Clack

     Click

         Clack

I smile as I reach the very front of the room and step up onto the top floor of the room. Even though I cannot technically be a queen until I'm 18, but I get to accept the position at 16 and learn from my mother and father what I need to do. 

The priest hands me the scepter but holds the crown.

"Do you swear to protect this scared kingdom and all of the people that stay here," He asks me

"I do."

"If anyone wishes to object, speak now or forever hold your peace." 

The silence is deafening as the crown is being placed on my head. 

A crack shot through the air, a bullet shot through the air towards me. Time slowed down to a near crawl. It was a perfect shot, it was going to hit me and I couldn't do anything about it. 

Before I can move a single muscle, a tall guard jumps in front of me. He blocks the bullet and the room erupts in chatter.

I look down and see the last person I ever expected to see covered in blood. 

"Someone get an ambulance! Now!" It was Ryan. It hit him right in the stomach. 

"Ryan look at me, stay with me. I can't lose you," I nearly cry at him. I put my hands on the wound and press on it. It's not looking so great, he is starting to zone.

"I.... I..... I.... love you," He chokes out. 

"Shh shh, don't talk. Save your strength." I try to push out a smile.

Five minutes felt like five hours as we waited for an ambulance to arrive. The paramedics roll in a stretcher and lift him onto it. They roll it back down the aisle and I follow them. 

When we reach the ambulance I try to get in.

"Sorry ma'am,  only family," he looks back at me.

"Please, he's one of my best friends," I lie, hoping they will let me on.

"Fine, just get in," he says and walks away.

I hop in and sit on the bench to the right. I set my hand on the stretcher and lean in towards him. A gentle hand brushes mine, I smile down at him. 

"You're going to be okay. You can't leave me now." 

~~~~~ 

Hiya. I'm currently coming to you guys from my school computer for this chapter because my computer charger is currently broken so my computer can't even turn on until I get a new one... Also its the first day of November, and I thought about NaNoWriMo, but like I don't have a ton of time this month since I'm away for like three weekends of the month.

Anyway I wrote this twice now and I can't seem to actually like this chapter, but I will be rewriting nearly the entire book with a new cast and changing entire characters... So this is super short compared to what I aim for, but it will be different when I do the rewriting.