the stone princess ~completed~

chapter 8

so far I've been waiting for 3 hours it is almost 7 p.m. and the liquid I drank hasn't worked yet. I get up, I have to tell my father it isn't working, I am dreading it, he doesn't want to lose me too. 

"Dad," I say coming in, he looks up at me expectantly.

"I drank the liquid." 

"You did?," he asks happily,

"Yes but I'm afraid it's not going to work I feel nothing different." 

He looks down at his feet "oh" he says sadly. 

I say nothing I just walk over and throw my arms around him and that's when he starts crying. It happens every year he tells me he already lost mom and he couldn't live if he lost me too, I tell him he won't lose me, but I've started wondering if that's true.

I walk back to my room slouched over not even trying to be princess-like.

 "Hey," a voice behind me says.

 I straighten and turn around "eric hi".

 "you seem upset normally you never slouch."

 "I know I'm just not feeling princess like today I guess," I tell him. 

"how is your father?"

 "he's as good as he will ever be," I tell Eric with other things on my mind.

 "permission to speak freely?" Eric asks cautiously.

 "of course."

 "are you really going to marry some guy you don't know?"

 "I know Alexander."

 "yes, but do you really want to marry him?" 

" Honestly no, I actually hate him" 

"really," Eric says surprised 

"I actually like another person,"I tell Eric 

"I like someone too," Eric says.

 we both look at each other wondering when we hear a piercing scream echo through the halls.  

"come on we have to go see whats wrong," I tell Eric picking up my dress and sprinting.

"Ella was that you" I ask her once I find her. 

"ye-s-s" she stammers.

 "whats wrong?" 

" rebels are breaking into the castle!"

 I look out the window to where she is pointing and I see men in red and black uniforms with swords and guns breaking through the gate. I run to the door and open a hidden hatch in a wall and press the red button. alarms start blaring throughout the building. I pull open the bookshelf.

 "Ella follow this passage all the way to the end there is a secret safe there" I tell her seriously.

"what about you?"

 I stare at my best friend she is frightened above imagination all she knows is safety. "I will be fine I will be down there in a minute I need to contact my maid," I tell her as I close the bookshelf.

I called my maid and told her not to come back to the castle until it is safe. I open safes for the maids and butlers and cooks leading them into small rooms built just for them I finish closing one when I hear the first gunshots, guards are shooting past me paying no attention to me. Eric, I think I have to make sure he is safe. 

someone grabs my arm and pulls me I turn around anger in my eyes "let go of me I have to find Eric" I tell Alexander,  

" I am not letting my future bride go especially when you are trying to save some worthless guy," Alexander tells me smirking, 

Alexander is very good at getting people to want to punch him. "Eric is not worthless and I don't plan on marrying you"

 "why not everyone expects it"

 Out of anger, I get mad and I forget the railing behind me is short I push away from him and fall back over the railing. I see Alexander gasp as I start falling three stories down i scream as hard as I can.