Rebel Lies

Chapter 2; first hour

I swallowed looking at my bag in the corner of the empty apartment, I had already said goodbye to everyone at HQ. Exhausting as it was, it was good practice. The boss went on for a while with this long unnecessary speech about Diane and Ophelia and how I was going to be better than them... honestly no one can be better than them when they work together. I had no energy to get into the conversation so I ignored him, as usual. My gaze turned up to the sky outside of the window, it's been a while since I was outside in the morning.
I was supposed to stay in the apartment until the landline rang. Yes, we still have landlines, pretty stupid but that's what makes it almost entirely impossible to get a number wrong. When the world went forward, the best secretive communications become with the old tech.  I looked at the clock, it was 10 a.m. and I had woken up at 6 to say goodbye and be here by eight so it would seem like I actually live in this piece of junk. They were supposed to be here already.
Ugh, I thought they had " impeccable timing" being royals or whatever but no, they are only on time when it's a meeting or dinner. I looked at my wristwatch and rolled my eyes at myself. What was I so impatient for? To spend the rest of the year in useless antiquated dresses and with a ton of powder on my face? I disgusted myself at times.
I jumped a I heard the forgotten sound of the landline. It is so obnoxious. As I went to it and picked it up I noticed the black limo parking outside.
"Hello?" I asked faking a sweet tone.
"Hello," a Guy on the other side said " the royal limousine is here, ready to take you to the ceremony"
"Oh okay, thanks!"
I looked at the cookie plate as I hung up. I had to act shy, sweet and innocent I reminded myself. No sass, talking back to annoying royals or punching them in the face. I sighed. I took the plate and my bag and ran downstairs as I sent HQ a QN, quick note, that the limo had arrived. They never respond to me, so the surprising ping at the corner of my vision almost made me jump. "Good, remember be as nice and sweet as possible, and don't forget the cookies" I rolled my eyes, do they think I'm stupid? Or are they dumb ?
As I got to the limo the chauffeur was already holding the door for me. I thanked him quietly and innocently as I went inside. I waited for a while after in silence. I was nervous, he didn't look quite friendly, and I didn't quite figure out yet how to give him a cookie to show him how "sweet" I am, while still being shy. I hated this already. I waited till the castle was in sight to extend my hand near his head with a cookie inside it. If I'm shy then I wouldn't speak or do anything till there's almost no time left right? Surprisingly, he smiled and asked " for me?" I nodded silently. I watched as he took it and ate it, good so far so good.
As we got to the castle, I was surprised at how quiet it was. Then I realized it was still 10:30 and people would probably be leaving their houses now. As I was heading for the door, I was surprised by him telling me to wait. I sat silently, wondering if I'd already ruined the mission but instead turned toward me and said
" no one has ever brought me anything before, so let me give you a tip as a thanks" this was going well already! I then had to remind myself that fooling just the chauffeur won't get me anywhere. " once you get in there, her highness Rarity might seem a bit scary and unwelcoming but she is only nervous because she hates how her son never listens to her and so wants to make sure that you won't be a bad influence on him, so don't worry just say the right things and you will be off the hook in two minutes"
"Okay thank you sir" I said as innocently as possible. Rarity, nervous?! That was the most ridiculous thing I heard all my life. She is literally the most dominating and fearful presence among the whole court. I headed for the door again this time to be taken off guard by someone opening it from the other side and extending their hand for me to take.
At first I thought it was the chauffeur, so I took it, but realized two seconds later that the chauffeur couldn't have possibly gotten* to the door that fast. I swallowed heavily as I looked up at who it was that opened my door. great my first mistake and I've barely been here  for more than a minute. It was the freaking prince. I thought about how much I just ruined everything. I stared at him in disbelief at how fast I can mess up everything. You NEVER get helped out by a Royal, it's all a matter of status this is literally like me saying I'm better than you to the prince. How can I mess up so bad in a matter of seconds?!
" I have been told that I'm handsome but I have never been gawked at so openly before," he said with a chuckle, " tell me, what's your name?"
Gawked at?! He mistook my disbelief for me gawking at him?! How bad can he be at reading facial expressions? I realized I was staring at him in disbelief again, okay maybe it can be easily mistook for gawking. I swallowed, he asked a question, I hadn't answered yet. I just secretly wondered how much more I could mess up leaving him waiting like that.
" Athena" I said looking quickly at the ground, I swallowed heavily. I'm supposed to act shy I reminded myself. But it was hard not to freak out about how I messed this mission before I even started.
"Athena? Like the Greek goddess?"
I nodded. Blush I thought I needed to blush to cover up, but realized I already was at my sad failure.
" well I'm prince Sebastian " he said with a bow " but you can just call me bass"
My eyes widened at his now, I quickly bowed, realizing how I lost all sense of etiquette and said " I'm Athena ..." then realized he had already asked me for my name. I mentally facepalmed myself as he gave a low chuckle. I couldn't believe how much I just messed up in a few minutes.
" yes, I know that . So are you the lottery winner ?" He asked and slightly tilted his head studying me probably.
I nodded quickly. It was like I am just messing up a thing after another. I again almost jumped when I got a QN from HQ, asking me how the mission was going so far. I willed it out of my vision as I swallowed and decided to try and regain my footing. I can't keep messing up like this.
" cool!" He said " come one let's go inside before people start rolling in" he was already walking inside by the end of the sentence. So I quickly grabbed my bag and the cookies and ran after him, sheesh he had big strides....
I was out of breath by the time I caught up to him and he apparently heard my wheezing because he slowed down and apologized
" sorry, I completely forgot that you probably had stuff in the car"
I swallowed and widened my eyes as I said " it's fine your majesty , you don't have to apologize for anything" nailed it. I almost puked at myself for saying that so it must have sounded sincere.
" No" he said furrowing his brows " everyone has to apologize when they do something wrong, I'm no different. Here let me hold that for you" and he took my duffle bag from my hands faster than I could say
"No it's fine your highness"
" nonsense, this thing is heavy and you have been running after me with it. Now let's take you to my mom so she can give you a room and you can get ready"
"Get ready for what?!" It came out of my mouth before I could think better of it. Ugh I need to keep these mistakes in check.
" for the public announcement of course, you didn't think you would go wearing that, did you?"
I stayed silent, I had no idea how to reply to that. I wanted to say what's wrong with what I'm wearing, but I can't sass the prince of Amal and expect to be accepted into court and succeed in the mission. I was supposed to act like a shy girl but I had no idea what she would say in this situation.
" umm... not that there's anything wrong with what your wearing, it's just a bit...umm...worn, not that it doesn't look good, it's just...umm... people usually wear fancy stuff and... umm-"
"It's fine your highness " I said faking a laugh. Sounds about right, I had no idea why he turned into a stuttering mess but I kinda relished the fact that I made him doubt himself. It was like a mini revenge for hating on my clothes. He seemed relieved and said "no need to say your highness, just call me bass"
I looked down, I absolutely refused to call him bass, because a) it will annoy him but he can't do anything about it b) Shy Girl would be too scared and c) i hated the guy.
Literally every girl in the world fawns over his pictures, except the girls in the rebellion, we hate him. Some of us hate everything about him including his looks, others had to confess that he looks handsome. I was from the former group of people, but he kind of looks better in real life than pictures, which just makes me hate him even more. The fact that he fooled girls with his looks was absolutely horrendous.
Moments later we got to the throne room, and as I was about to knock on the huge French doors, I jumped again at how the prince literally just barged in, still holding my bag and yelling " she's here" at the queen. I swallowed and looked down as followed him.
God I hated him. He was ruining every step of my plan, how am I supposed to get on the queen's good side now that her son barged in holding MY bag and opening his own door.
I could already tell this wasn't going to end well because she almost immediately scowled at me, or us, I'm not sure honestly. Her Icy glare however fixed on me.
" do you not know how to knock miss?"she said standing up
" I'm sorry" I swallowed this was not going well already.
" I didn't give her the chance to knock," Sebastian said " I am the one who barged in, she just followed"
Ugh just shut up already ur not helping! Being shy was so not working in my favour, I quickly looked up at him, then looked down again, keeping up this act was starting to annoy me.
" are you carrying HER bag?!" She said as she narrowed her eyes
" yes, so?" Ugh can't he just shut up?!
" so?!" She glared at him " guards! Take the young woman's bag to the east wing, Sebastian leave! Ms. Devon stay!" She ordered. Yes thank goodness maybe I can fix this if he just leaves. But of course he doesn't.
" no! I'm not leaving!" He says in dead calm " I'm not going t-"
" I said leave Sebastian" she looks him in the eye until he huffs and leaves slamming the door behind while refusing to let the guard have the bag.
Rarity sits down exhaustedly in the throne again,
" that boy" she sighs rolling her eyes, she then focuses on me and I remember that I'm supposed to cower at her look, I hate cowering. Ugh how I hate this.
" Athena Devon" she said looking me up and down " how old are you?" She asks
I swallow, did I mention I hate this act?, " eigh-eighteen" I fake stuttered. I hate stuttering.
" ah very young I see, and your parents are?"
This time I swallowed for real all the hate dissipated for a moment as i tried to hold back the emotions, tears were forming in my eyes, and I couldn't have been happier to be looking at the floor. I struggled with myself for a few moments before I muttered with a thick voice " I don't know" I swallowed the lump in my throat, strong, no weakness, I can not fail this, for Diane, for Ophelia. With new resolve I reigned my tears in and let out a shaky breath. I didn't mind that they heard it, I had intended them to so i would seem weak, a bit at least like how this persona I'm taking is supposed to be.
" oh" she just said . Oh? That's it ?! I was curious to look at her expression, even though I knew I probably wouldn't find anything in her icy gaze. I couldn't though, it would be too out of character. Luckily, she spared me the suspense,
" look at me child" child?! Is she kidding me?! I am absolutely no child, but I looked up still. I was surprised at how warm her gaze had become. I was a bit taken aback. Queen Rarity all dressed in white and icy blue, with her sharp angled features, her thunderous blue eyes, pointed chin and striking black hair, was looking at me with a warm gaze. How was this possible?!
" I'm sorry" she said "I didn't mean to scare you, I also apologize for your parents how thoughtless of me"
I couldn't help but stare at the warmth of her expression, she was sincere I could tell that much but it baffled me. How?! She is literally the ice queen, she NEVER glances at anyone with more than a mere I am better than you look. Suddenly she got off the throne, walked down the steps, held my hand and bowed. To which I immediately responded with a bow, how could I forgot the freaking etiquette five been learning for this ?! But then how could she just come and give me a bow? How could she smile?!
" sorry again for being so careless," she interrupted my thoughts, " sorry for Sebastian too, I know he is usually more chivalrous than that, I can never understand why he acts that way around me." She smiled again l but don't tell him that" she said with a tired look.
What on earth was happening ?! Since when did she apologize and smile? I barely understood a thing , which led to me stuttering something that was a mixture of it's fine and no need to apologize, as well as me turning red as a tomato out of embarrassment at how much I was messing up. She finally put an end to the mess that is me when she chuckled.
" you must be tired, let the guards take you to your room, the girls should have probably laid your dress out for you, if you need any help just knock at your door and they'll be there, guards!" She told the guards what to do and bowed as they led me off.
I barely understood what just happened, I completely lost composure in there. But it's not my fault! I realized the cookie plate wasn't in my hands anymore, oh yes she took it when she bowed. I did not understand how she smiled, how?! My mind couldn't wrap around any of this. I reminded myself to focus on my goal, I can not fail this , whatever happens can not distract me, and I definitely can't lose my composure like that again.
It was only barely my first hour here after all.
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*A/N: is gotten a word 🤔 plz tell me
Also I know it's a much longer chapter, I'd initially wanted to make it the entire first day but so much stuff happen that I realized one chapter wasn't enough, which is also why you won't find a description of Sebastian, it's coming in the next chapter though.