Bona Fide Queen

Fourteen

Feeling slightly dejected, I decide to find something to occupy the time while Adrian holds the meeting. Without me.

There was no use being sour over it now, but I couldn't help it.

Sighing, I begin to wander aimlessly, the clinking of iron following every step I made. They weren't my foot steps. They couldn't have been, I decided to go bare foot again today.

It was just a guard Adrian ordered to 'watch over me'. Either to keep me safe, or make sure I didn't ease drop on the meeting, I didn't know, although I sincerely hoped it wasn't the latter.

The guard kept a polite distance, probably gleaming I wasn't about to get into trouble. 

I think he thought that too soon.

The moment I'm about to round a corner, my dress weighing down every movement, I was suddenly, roughly pulled forward into the shadow of a dark corner, a curtain draping right before my eyes, but not before I saw the panicked guard fly right by, the urgent clink of metal shifting with every hurried step.

As the clinking of the metal disappeared with the distance, my heart picked up it's pace into a racing frenzy.

The hand covering my lips and preventing me from screaming was warm, and rough, and freaking huge.

My back was pressed against buttons and chains of some obnoxious attire that my stupid captor must be wearing.

The moment I turned around, I was going to show this creep a piece of my mind.

Who would do this? Why would they?

Before my thoughts could press for more space, I got my answers.

"I heard there was a human girl roaming the halls of King Adrian's castle, I just didn't think she'd be so adorable!"

Adorable? Oh, now they were going to get it!

"MMM hmmm wwmmmmppp!" My muffled voice argues.

My captor's voice appears right at my ear.

"I'm Richard, what's your name?"

That was sudden. It was unexpected. It was as if the guy holding me wanted to be friends or something!

"MMMM HHHMMM!" I raged, my voice sounding a tiny bit whiny.

"Ah, that's right! You can't talk with your mouth all covered! Silly me!"

In a flash, we were out from under the curtain and back into the hall, clear from the view of my guard.

Not only were we no longer hiding, but now I could see my captor better.

With dark blonde locks that fell to his shoulders, and ice blue eyes, Richard and his chiseled jaw smiled at me. 

I wasn't wrong about his outfit. It looked like some foreign sort of military style clothing, adorned with metals and large buttons going through the center of the dark coat he wore, gold layered upon a navy blue.

Seeing me examine him, Richard offers me the same courtesy, his ice blue eyes sending me a chill as they coldly examined me with a detached scan.

"My father is in trouble because of you," Richard said.

Blinking in incredulity, I just stare at the man.

My fault? How can anything be my fault? I just got here! I a mother fudging fudge cake....

About to say just as much, Richard held up a hand to stop me.

"If he hadn't found you, we wouldn't be here, and I wouldn't have to see him cower like some pathetic whimpering waste," his voice was a growl, but instead of the sound inflicting fear like it should have, I found my temper boiling up to meet his.