[BOOK ONE] Training Prince Arrogant (INTENSE EDITING)

Chapter Twenty-Eight | New Home

"I never understood the purpose of side straddle." Talia blurted while nibbling on a piece of her lemon slice.

"Father always told me to ride like a lady." I mumbled, feeling guilty of what I had said.

"Your Father is an insolent man who won't do anything unless it is his way." Talia spat, placing her lemon slice back onto her glass plate.

"I agree with you. Riding a horse is meant for riding a horse. What is the point of riding a horse if you are not going to ride the horse properly?"

"My darling girl, you are a Demori. You can do whatever you want; whenever you want. Don't you ever bring yourself to the standard of this society, we may not be the Royal family but we are above the sophisticated status." Talia waved her hand around, voicing her loud opinions while sitting in the middle of her overly large garden.

I giggled, "How can you say something like that without the fear of getting caught?"

"It is nothing but the truth." She told me, taking my hand and encasing it with hers. "We are the only family that has had the privilege of being close confidants of the Royal family. Five generations, Lyra. Five generations of friendship and hopefully something more."

"Something more?" I repeated, thinking I heard Talia wrong.

"Lyra!" I turned around to see Alex running towards Talia and I.

It had been two weeks since I left Mamma, Father in the Royal house. No one could object Talia, seeing as she was the oldest and wisest Lady of the century. Prince Brendan did come down to see me off but I sat in the carriage and avoided him, waiting for Talia to say her final farewells. The boys kept their distance from me, seeing as I was remaining silent and I couldn't speak from all the screaming I did on the cliff. Now I am here, on the journey to recovery and can finally speak with a clear voice and without drowning myself in a puddle of tears. I suppose that I may have been overreacting, but how am I supposed to feel when I find that I've been left in the dark.

Julian was my only brother and in many ways my Father. I love my Father but I grew up with nothing but high expectations from him and no support. And I realised that you are going to lose people in your life but I also realised that no matter how much time you spent with them or how much you appreciate them and told them so, it will never seem like it was enough. It wasn't enough and I could not come to terms with a life without Julian now, Talia has slowly taught me how to deal with such emotion and how to channel that into something else.

"I did not know that boy was here." Talia smiled with appreciation.

"Is that alright, Talia?"

"It is quite alright. You need to speak with someone close to your age. You've been here two weeks, I'm sure you have grown tired of me."

"I have not, Talia. I promise you." I assured, drinking the last of my tea.

"My sweet girl, I'd rather you tell me the truth then lie to me." She teased, as her servant assisted her into her chateau.

I leaned back into my brass garden chair and waited for Alex to reach me, "Good evening, Lyra."

"Alex, why are you being so formal with me?"

"I don't want to-"

"You don't want me to explode?" I jumped in before he could rephrase his sentence.

Alex rubbed the back of his neck, "Yes."

"Well you need not worry." I motioned him to take a seat, "I'm dealing with this in my own way. Talia's showing me how."