Royal Pain//Max Mills

Chapter IV

I sat down on my bed and bit into a slice of bacon i had snatched from the kitchen... Well I say snatched but actually Anya and Chanelle saw me and promised not to tell my mum so I guess it's the same thing?

I had a container hidden in my room in a gap between my cupboard and desk where i hid my stash of bacon bits. Mum says bacon isn't for royalty but it's so good! Riley had a slice of buttered olive bread as she stared out of my huge full length window reaching from the floor to the ceiling.

She licked her lips and squinted in the sunlight. When the sun was at it's peak like it was, it made everything in my room glow golden but as i watched Riley's eyes in the shimmering sun, they seemed to sparkle and twinkle with the rays that shone through. "You're lucky to have such a beautiful view." She smiled almost dazed by it.

Our castle overlooked a huge forest that we looked upon and stretched out for miles on end. Harvey and I used to love playing out there, getting muddy and staying out late, running and doing what normal boys would do, but Queen mum decided we were too old for that when we were seven and we haven't been out there since.

" you're so lucky to have this view and to be able to go out. " she gushed.

"Except the go out part. We're not allowed to leave the sanctuary of our home under any circumstance unless it's official royal business." I sighed.

Riley half smiled. "Yeah but I'm not even allowed to have a window because it could lead to falling in love with random people walking innocently by, I could fall out, it could shatter." She sighed.

I bit my lip and nodded. "Rough. But, I have to ask you Riley and I want you to answer me truthfully."

She looked at me with those shimmering eyes that lifted my heart. "Yes?" She asked in a half whisper.

I gulped on my words suddenly not wanting them to leave my lips. "Do you even like me?" I wondered.

She looked down at her fidgeting fingers and looked as though she didn't want to answer. My heart plummeted and my head went foggy. I stood up and turned to walk out when she took my hand and pulled me back. She was standing now, "Max, I know we haven't even known each other for very long but I do like you. I just don't know if I love you." She answered truthfully.

I smiled at her honesty and nodded. "Same here. Love is very strong and I want to make sure I'm making the right decision before doing anything." I smirked eyeing the bed behind us.

She looked back and laughed a musical laugh. "Yeah Max because that's all that goes on in a relationship." She sniggered.

I leant over and took her hand. "Wanna help me figure it out?" I asked in a sort of whisper .

She takes at me with the slightest smile. "Prince Max Luca Mills you are such a damned flirt!" She said slapping my to playfully.

I recoiled and laughed along awkwardly. I hadn't been flirting? All I did was ask if she would help me to make her feel as though I could out everything into our future relationship. I don't even know how to flirt... She's the one flirting with all the seductive giggling and just generally looking hot in a tight dress that hugs her around the waist.

"Do you want to go outside? I'm the forest? Whilst it's still sunny?" I asked hopefully.

She nodded thankfully.

We crept out of my room, making sure no one was around. They were all so busy tending to Dylan's dad and Riley's mum that I hoped to get at least an hour outside with her before we both for grounded for life until our wedding. We slink down the steps not bothering to bring Dylan and Harvey. To be honest with you Riley probably thought that but actually, I didn't want to go into my twins room because when I went to see how he was doing when I went to get a snack I pushed his door open and he was sitting in the bed with Dylan next to him and they were making out. I have to admit I am jealous, I still haven't had my first kiss.

We slunk out into the kitchen pantry which luckily had a back door because mum hated it when it got too hot thanks to our aga.

Anya and Chanelle were still in there. They shot weird looks at us and I immediately froze.

"What are you doing?" Chanelle asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "None of your business." Then to Anya, " please don't tell anyone. "

She nodded. I looked at Harvey's servant girl who was staring down at the ground looking kind of upset. Maybe she had seen Harvey with Dylan and for upset. She totally had a crush on him.

I pushed the back door open and pulled Riley out behind and slowly pushed the door shut again. We both shared a sigh of relief as no one came barging out after us.

She turned away from me and took in a deep inhale of fresh air. I walked over to get and looked at the expression on her face. She had her eyes closed and a sweet smile playing on her lips which her face look like that of a small excited child, it was adorable. My arm moved by itself and soon my hand made contact with hers. She looked at me with the same expression but it was different with her icy blue eyes starting straight at me, she didn't look as innocent and vulnerable.

"You want me to show my favourite part?" I asked hoping she would say yes.

She nodded and smiled a toothy smile at me. I lead her asking the tree line and just as the trees made the smallest gap i pulled her deeply inside,delving as far as i dared with a princess. It was just as i remembered except the fact that i was eighteen instead of seven and i had a girl with me, not Harvey. The trees had posted for a small lake in the middle covered by the trees and I'm the tallest tree on one of the highest branches sat the treehouse of the infamous Prince Harvey Kitt Mills and Prince Max Luca Mills. It had our names carved into the wood, I didn't know if our names were still there, I  only hoped that hadn't been so heartless as to destroy that too. The only reason she left the house there was because i was so torn when mum banned us from going outside again Harvey being the big brother he is kicked up a huge fuss on my behalf and threatened to not agree to marry Dylan so my parents had hearts and thought, if they're not going to go outside ever again then what's the harm in keeping it?

The trees sheltered us from the scorching sun as I sat down on my butt in the grass, Riley following as suite. Her fingers played in the grass with a huge grin on her face.

"It's beautiful Max." She breathed out. "And that it's adorable." She gushed.

I flushed and scratched the back of my head awkwardly. "Yeah,the decorating could use some work but seeing as we had it built for us when we were kids it's alright."

She ran a hand through her jet black hair. "Can I ask you something?" She asked me.

"Sure." I nodded. I didn't want her to think I want easy flight then I didn't want to be too easy going or else she may think I'm a push over which I most certainly am not.

She bit her lip and looked at me with accusing eyes. "Why do you let your mum take away everything that ever meant anything to you? You let her take your music, your voice, your childhood, now your brother, your choice and pretty soon your virginity."

Pretty soon your virginity? What did she mean by that?!