Kidnapped by a Prince

Chapter 12

--Samuel's POV-- 

I know I should be in the yard practicing my swordplay, but I can't help but stare at the girl who turned my brother down. She is so... what's the word? Honestly, I think that's what I find most intriguing about her. She's indescribable. I can say with great certainty that I have never met a girl quite like Melody. She is so unapologetically her and doesn't even let the crown tell her what to do. She rejects the life that other girls dream of. She rejects her role as princess and, even more vehemently, her role as queen.

The thing is, Melody is just like me. We both grew up in the poorer parts of the kingdom and know the suffering people go through everyday. As grateful as I am to the royal family for everything they've done for me, I know that they can never truly understand the plight of poverty. They live in their bubble of surplus and splendor while thousands of their citizens starve just miles away.

Melody would be a tremendous queen. Despite the cold exterior she has put on since entering the castle, I've seen the kindness in her heart. When I kidnapped Melody, she could have easily retreated back into the house to escape my grasp. The only reason I was able to grab her was because she wouldn't leave her boyfriend outside. She sacrificed her own freedom for her boyfriend's safety. Also, I know Melody would never forget her past. She clings so tightly to her old life that I know she could never forget the people she left behind. Unlike most of the village girls Xander met, Melody would never abandon the people like her. God I admire her, her strength.

I continue to observe Melody through the thick walls of shrubbery that protect the garden. I laugh to myself as I watch her face light up at the sight of the huge array of breakfast foods. She skips over excitedly before remembering where she is and returning to her exaggerated trudge. Despite her show of displeasure, I can still see the wonder in her eyes as she carefully picks a few pastries. She's so cute. I mean not cute in an 'I like her' kind of way, but more like baby cute. Obviously, I could never be interested in Melody like that. I mean how could I do that to the family that has done so much for me? Thanks for giving me a home, in return I'll steal your son's bride. I can't imagine that that would go over well. Besides, after a little reflection, I realized that all that I feel for Melody is sympathy. I feel a connection to her because we grew up in the same area and I remember how hard it was for me to transition to the castle.

Anyway, during her stay here her attitude has been a lot to deal with. Her anger cannot be contained and she has a tendency to get carried away with her rants against the royal family. If Xander were not wrapped around her finger, Melody would have surely been executed by now for her tongue.

Melody clearly has a long and hard road ahead of her on her way to queenship, and I just hope to help her to the best of my abilities. Like I said, Melody would be the perfect queen if she could just accept that this is what the kingdom needs. She needs to learn to put the happiness of others above her own. This is the only thing that we can do. 

-- Xander's POV --

I know I can't just expect Melody to just accept her situation seeing as she was kidnapped and all, but sometimes I wish she would be nicer to me. I know that I'm the reason that she is in this mess, but I wasn't a part of this scheme at all. I respected her decision and left her alone. It was my father who ordered the kidnapping. I'm trying my best to make her happy, but she has not smiled at me once. I just want her to look at me with something other than burning hatred. 

After sulking in my room a little longer, I decide that it's time to go grab breakfast. I walk briskly down the hall with Melody still on my mind. As I turn the corner, I bump into something, or rather someone, and hear a small yelp. The small figure crashes to the ground with a loud "fück" as I scramble to try and help her up. 

"Melody! I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" I ask extending my hand to help her up. She looks up at me from the ground and, for a second, I swear I can see some vulnerability in her eyes. But it fades just as quickly as it appeared and a stony glare replaces it. She slaps my waiting hand away before mumbling a quick "leave me alone" and getting up on her own. She brushes her dress off and gives an indignant humph before pushing past me towards her room. 

Before I even know what I'm doing, I grab the brunette's hand and push her forcefully against the wall of the hallway using my arms to trap her. I lock eyes with her and see that Melody is just as shocked as I am by my bold move. I see Melody's small frame stiffen and am immediately overcome with a sense of dread. I've made a grave mistake. I turn my gaze to the marble floor. What was I thinking. I know Melody will give me hell for this one. When I don't hear any sharp witted remark from the brunette, I look up inquisitively. What I see surprises me. Melody  is blushing furiously and for once I seem to have her speechless. I figure now's as good a time as ever. "Melody, you can't treat me like this" I say softly as not to scare her. "I know how unpleasant this whole situation has been for you and I'm sorry that I've brought such hardship upon you,  but I was not involved in kidnapping you. That was all my father's plan. I didn't even know about it. I swear to you, if I had known about this scheme, I would have stopped it. I didn't do this to you, Melody, and it really hurts me when you treat me like a criminal. I know I don't deserve your kindness, but I don't deserve your constant hostility either.  I respected your decision when you turned me down. I knew from the moment I met you that I wanted you, but because the idea of living as my queen made you unhappy, my feelings became irrelevant. At the end of the day, I care about you and only you. I know you find this hard to believe, but in the one day that I got to know you, I fell for you. I don't want any ambiguity, so I'm putting all of my cards on the table. I care for you deeply, Melody, and so, while I know you don't share my affections, I will stay by your side and try to make this endeavor as painless as possible for you until I can get you home. You have my word," I conclude still wringing my hands to keep my nerves at bay. God that was nerve-wracking. I'd never had the experience of truly wearing my heart on my sleeve like this and the threat of rejection loomed over me. 

The initial look of shock disappeared from Melody's face a while ago, and luckily nothing terribly scary has replaced it yet. While I am still a bit on edge, I have the feeling that my little rant did the trick. Even if it didn't completely repair my relationship with Melody, it was a start at least. I breathe a sigh of relief when Melody nods curtly to me implying that she understands my message and gives a small curtsy before rushing to her quarters. She scurries away without a biting remark or even a scowl  to express her discontent. Guess I gave her a lot to think about. I can only hope that Melody will come around eventually and realize that I am just as much a piece in my father's game as she is.

Speaking of my father, I've been acting coldly towards him all week. I only speak to him to confront him about Melody's abduction. I've asked him hundreds of times to just send her back, but always get the same response, "she's yours son, what you want will always matter more than what she wants" as if Melody is an object rather than a HUMAN BEING. God he can be infuriating sometimes! His constant coolness about the whole thing is also annoying. The way he laughs off my steely gaze as if my anger is a passing phase. He won't take me seriously or respect me enough as a man to follow through with my request. He probably saw me moping around after having my proposal rejected and decided that I was hopeless in love. I have to prove to him that I am so much more than he thinks. I will show him that I can find a wife myself and maybe, just maybe, he will finally release Melody. 

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Okay here we go. This chapter is dedicated to @KayeDianneBrionez. I'm always happy to see new readers. Thank you so much for voting! Another shoutout to @user736063235845. Thank you so much for your continued support of my story! It's super encouraging to see that I have a consistent reader. And finally, a huge thank you to @Sapphire_Riddle for your continued support and feedback. I always look forward to reading your lovely comments, and your support has really inspired me to keep working on this story.

Please vote and comment on my story. I love hearing from you guys! I always appreciate suggestions, and friendly hellos are just as welcomed. Let me know what you're thinking.

I know this chapter is short, so I will be updating it again with something else, but it's late where I am, so I thought I would just get something out and finish it later.