FAKING ROYALTY [l.zvhal]

chapter eleven

I roll my eyes, "Just give it up already, please."

"I wish I could," he whispers, and a small patch of guilt forms within me. "I'm going to find a way around this."

He leaves me behind stunned. What could he possibly mean 'find a way around this'?

"You can't do this!" I yell, even though he is already out of hearing distance.

Now I'm alone, and there's no other way around.

I sigh and begin to make my way towards the grande staircase where I will be walking down to showing my arrival. Even if I've been here all along.

"Introducing Princess Y/N Zvahl of Meteli."

I look down the staircase and hope to see Leo down there to escort me into the heart of the ball. And just to my luck, Leo is standing down below waiting for me. One hand is behind his back, and his other hand is out ready for me to take.

I smile as I walk down the stairs careful of not falling. I finally reach Leo, and he offers me a kind smile as I take his hand in mine.

I'm wisked into the center of the ballroom, and we dance to the sound of classical music. I catch the sight of Laurance, and he stares at me like a love sight puppy. Once I look back at Leo, however, he appears confused.

"What's the matter?" Leo asks.

"Nothing much," I sigh. "Laurance just seems distraught. I'm worried."

He begins to drag me away from the ballroom and instead into the empty halls.

"What are you doing?"

"I'd perfer to dance here. It's less crowded, and now you'll be able to ease your mind," Leo begins to twirl me around and a simple watlz between us is made. I'm still attendung my princess classes, so I have increased my skills for dancing. "I must admit I was a little shocked to hear about who I would be marrying in the near future, as well as the date changing. Care to explain why?"

"It's simply no big deal," I say. The more that I think about it, they can't get rid of me now, even if Alex or somebody announces it out to the world. "They had found somebody else for Alex to marry."

"I see," he sighs. "It appears we're all just being thrown around like a bunch of ragdolls. Sadly, if we fall, it doesn't matter anymore."

I look in his eyes, "We're just a bunch of useless pawns that will quickly be taken away from a game of chess. There's no changing it. Our hearts are molded from glass, and when they break, they're shards of something once beautiful."

"You understand this, and you haven't been here that long," he stares up at a portrait of the true Zvahl family: Hayden, Cadenza, Laurance, and Alex. "Sometimes the people you except the least, they shader you the most."

I look up with him, and my eyes glance over Laurance's panited figure.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper.

When I whisper my apologie, I know exactly what for. All the lies, and the things I've done. For falling for both Leo and Laurance. For when the truth is up, everything comes crashing down in flames.

Suddenly people begin to run out into the halls, and I look over to see Cadenza run over to us. With her running, it must be important.

"Prince Leonardo, come quick! Your sister, she-she, she fainted! Nobody can wake her up!" Cadenza exclaims.

"I'll be back," Leo says, and he kisses my cheek. He runs off to the ballroom, and at the same time, people are fleeing out.

I begin to chase after him as I pick up my dress messily from being in a hurry.

I stop a little distance away, and I release my dress. The dress falls back down into its originally position. A large circle giving off well needed space is formed around us, and people are checking a now unconscious Nicole. The King of Scaleswind stands next to the people checking her, and he begins to ramble off questions. Leo sits on his knees holding onto her hand. I walk over to him and place my hand on his shoulder. He looks up at me pained.

The people look up at the King with a saddened expression on their faces. On shakes his head, and the king walks forward.

"The wedding of my daughter, Princess Nicole, and Prince Garroth is called off," he says, and suddenly Nicole is being picked up.

Garroth runs to the center of the circle after Nicole begins to be carried out of the ballroom.

"Excuse me!" Garroth yells out rushed to get everyone's attention. "I want to announce that I am passing down the crown to my youngest brother, Vylad Romeave."

Garte runs up to him yelling he's out of his mind. Taryn goes up to defend him, and just as she's about to be lashed at by Garte's hand, Garroth moves in front of her taking the impact.

As if more chaos is needed, Alex grabs onto Vylad's hand and runs to the middle of the circle.

"And I'm bareing Vylad's child!"

Hayden runs up and slaps her as he insults her.

"You're a disgrace!" Hayden yells.

I begin go turn towards Hayden, but Leo grabs onto my wrist. I look back to see Leo's head down.

"Don't," he says deeply.

I said before when the truth comes out, everything will come down in flames. But, this is only the start of it. Something big.