Royalty? It's Not What You Think. (ON HOLD)

Chapter 30: Mutual Understanding

Here's the new chapter! I tried hard not to take 2 weeks like the last two chapters :) Haha. I haven't really thought much about the ending of this story, and it seems that it is nearing, so I apologize in advance if I'm late, or if the chapter isn't as good. I'll try my best though!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Prince Auden bolted from his position and stared at me with wide eyes. “What?” He breathed.

I nodded slowly, watching him. The Prince paced a couple of steps away with small, sharps movements while keeping his body incredibly tense. He raised a fist. He clenched and unclenched it until he ran it through his hair with an expression that was perplexed, astonished, and disbelieving. He spun on me quickly and wagged a finger.

“You…” He sighed. “You are lying. You have to be!” He spread his arms out by his side and looked pleadingly at me to deny this accusation. “My uncle maybe a terrible person…but…but he cannot be a murderer!”

When I averted my eyes from him, he stomped over to the washstand and kicked it over with a growl. The pitcher clattered onto the floor causing me to flinch. The water spread out over the stones.

“P-Prince Auden..?”

“YOU ARE LYING!” He came back to my and grabbed me by my shoulders. “How do you know…” He shook me forcefully. “HOW DO YOU KNOW?”

I turned my face away from his unable to take his raging anger. “He told me!” I blurted out.

Prince Auden stopped abruptly, but tightened his hold on me.

“Ah!” I cried out softly as a bit of pain shot up my shoulders. I squeezed my eyes shut as I waited for the sensation to subside. When I opened them, I noticed the Prince had loosened his grip a bit on my left shoulder, but his face showed no sign of registering the movement at all.

“Who told you?” His voice came out dangerously menacing.

“Lord Percy, himself.” My eyes turned slowly until they were staring into his unmoving green ones. The light in them was duller and more saddened then they always are. “And it was Lord Percy who forced me to be engaged to him. He switched the rings and told a warped fabrication in front of you and The Queen. Lord Erin and Lady Amelia were in on the secret as well! That was why they voted for Lord Percy to be the next king.”

The Prince winced at the mention of his friends, but his face contorted in to a scowl just as quickly. “You did it too.”

“I-I was forced to!” I stuttered craning my face out towards his with my brows knit together.

I saw something flash across his eyes. Prince Auden released me and backed away casting his face down in fear of softening.

With a breath, I continued, “He threatened to kill my brother! If it was just me who was involved, I would not have hesitated to reveal him. I promise you, I would not have minded to suffer his consequences if it was me alone, but I cannot put my brother in harm’s way—I just cannot! The future of my country resides on his shoulders.”

“What about the future of my country?”

My shoulders dropped at his tone, and I swallowed a lump in my throat. “That is why I am telling you all this—so you can make things better. Like you always do.” I spoke softly hoping my concern was evident in my voice. “Prince Auden, I really do care about this place. I care about what happens here, and I care about you, but I also care about my brother and my country. That was why I did not come to you from the start.” I paused and let my hand fall to my side.