Everything I Could Never Want

Chapter Two

The soldier froze. He didn't even to even blink. I looked up at him, smug. Raising my eyebrows, I asked, "So are you going to help me up?" My words released the soldier from his trance. The only reaction I received was words bumbling in his throat. Could anyone be less useful. Hoping to draw a reaction out of him, I reached my arm out. He continued to gawk at me. Huffing, I wiggled my arm around. The useless clump of chain mail still couldn't figure out what to do. When a lady on the floor reaches up and wiggles her arm, it means she wants help up. To this idiot, it must have meant I wanted him to continue to stare at me. "Damnit help me up." This finally earned some reaction. He raised me to my feet.

"Thank you. Now leave. Don't return. Tell no one you saw me. Shoo. Bye bye." I turned back to the man who was to compensate me for the night. "Hello again gorgeous. Sorry for the interruption."

There was a shifting of metal behind me. I tried to ignore it. Hopefully, it was only the soldier leaving. "Ma'am?" More shifting. "If you really are Princess Danielle, I'm going to have to ask you to come with me." Ignoring him, I hung myself around the man's neck. The soldier needed to get out. If he wasn't paying me for anything, I didn't want him in here. "Ma'am." More forceful this time. I continued to star deeply into the man's eyes, feigning compassion. "Ma'am." I felt an arm grip my arm. "Time to go." Huffing, I allowed the soldier to lead me out of the room. When I get taken back home, I'll have this soldier's wages cut.

He brought me to stand in front of the tallest soldier. My eyes drifted to the tall soldier's distinct jawline. "Commander Davy," The soldier saluted. "This one claims to be Princess Danielle Mercer."

"Release her, Roland." The soldier, Roland apparently, allowed his hand to fall. "Young lady," Commander Davy's eyes shifted to me. "You understand impersonation is a treasonous crime punishable by death?"

Young lady? I was twenty-two. Had I been anyone else I would have already been married off. I would have children, three or four by this time. I was not someone you call a 'young lady.' Giving a prominent sigh, I mentally rolled my eyes. "Yes, I understand. But it you really don't think I am Princess Danielle, then let me go about my night." 

He shifted on his feet. "You claim to be Princess Danielle so I'll have to take you back to the castle. The king and queen mother will want to see if you truly are Princess Danielle." I opened my mouth to protest, but before I had a chance, Commander Davy turned out the tavern. "Move out." He ordered. All at once, his soldiers formed up into a line and marched out. One soldier stayed behind to guide me out. I almost wanted to argue that I could walk myself, but I was too exhausted.

There was only one horse, Commander Davy's. No, that would not work. I needed a horse. Sauntering up to the horse, I gave Commander Davy my most seductive smile. "My feet will hurt too much while walking to the castle. Do you want to dismount and give me your horses?"

Commander Davy didn't even look down at me. Instead he signaled to the nearest soldier. "Help the lady up onto my horse."

"That won't be necessary. I can get up my-" Someone hoisted me up from behind, setting me none too delicately on the horse. Right in front of Commander Davy. This would DEFINITELY be a comfortable ride.

The countryside ride back to the castle was rather boring. We were going so slow, giving me ample time to examine. Each And. Every. Tree. Leaf. The most exciting event was a rabbit rustling in a bush before jumping out in front of Roland. He jumped, muttering something obscene about how it could have been a ghost. Understandable, I guess, if one does believe in ghosts. It was dark.

We reached the castle just as the morning sun was peeking over the horizon. Just as I remembered, the drawbridge took forever to lower. It was very awkward standing there waiting for a bridge to creep down. Commander Davy was starting to sweat. I would need a hot bath by the time this was over. A hot bath. I missed that. It had been so long since I have had a hot bath.

There was no royal greeting line. No one to meet their princess. Their princess that had been gone five years. I wondered how many frauds had been brought in before me. Enough to have diminished a royal line.

The soldiers ushered me through the courtyard. I had just enough time to see the rose gardens were wilting. Most of the roses were dead. My mother would never let that happen. Her roses... They were what she lived for.

The hall to the throne room was in the better condition than the rose gardens. Gleaming vases lined the walls. Tapestries depicting angles bleeding out were kept in perfect condition. The stone tile contained not a speck of dust. The air, however, was different story. I felt musty, almost sick. My stomach flipped around. I would take a tavern filled with the reeking stench of alcohol, sweat, and cheap perfume to this.

Two guards, in perfect unison, heaved open two large wooden doors. The throne room, in all its magnificent glory opened up to me.

Two large, magnificent thrones stood resolute at the end of a long, purple rug. Two people, a man and a woman, stood in front of the thrones, locked deep in conversation. They did not notice the caravan of soldiers and me approach.

"Mother, I do not intend to venture north. My condition is not serious enough yet."

"My dear, you cannot allow it to worsen. You let it worsen and you let your whole kingdom down. We must do everything we can to preserve you."

Commander Davy fell to his knees. "King Andres Mercer." The rest of the soldiers followed him.

I bent my head down. "Hello brother."

A/N. Hey thanks for sticking with me through this. I know this chapter didn't have a lot going on but there was actually A LOT of important information in this. You'll be having an ahhhhh moment later ;) Thank you SO MUCH for reading. If you feel like this book deserves it, comment, vote, or leave it alone. Totally up to you. Again, THANK YOU!!!