The Royal Arrangement

Chapter 10

28/1/2020
I HAVE COMPLETELY RE-WRITTEN THIS CHAPTER, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU READ THIS IN ORDER TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON XXX

Lorenzo's POV
I flung open the door to my room and dumped by bags on the bed. I had no idea why, but for some reason I was suddenly hit with a feeling of disappointment, similar to the feeling of this morning when Ariana had walked out of the bedroom. Ariana was in my room, without me. I sat down on the bed and just let all my thoughts and emotions from the past few days that had been bubbling up inside of me boil over and invade my mind.                                                                                                               
I remembered the morning of the wedding. I had woken up after a restless night of tossing and turning over all the different possibilities on how the marriage could go. I just went through the motions that morning and brainlessly made my way down to the hall when I was summoned. I had endured another sexist speech given to me by my father without listening to a word of it, then went to sit in a small side room near the altar where they were setting up the table where we would sign the marriage certificate. I sat down in the corner of the room with my head in my hands, just waiting. A while later, I was told that everyone had taken their seats in the grand hall and it was time. I walked back into the hall and smiled at everyone as I took my place at the bottom of the steps that led up to the altar. I remember how the trumpets sounded and my heart had started to race as a girl in white came into view, clutching tightly at her father’s arm. She had kept her head bowed, avoiding my gaze until the very last second. The feeling from when I had taken her hand in mine would forever stay with me, warmth had filled up my body, and for some reason, I felt safe and comfortable by her side. I grew impatient though, the mystery of what she looked like was becoming too much. When the priest told us to turn to each other, I was nearly knocked off of my feet. She was a stunning, flaming beauty. The rest of the ceremony passed slowly with the vows, mandatory hymns and Bible verses, but when we got to the end and it was time for our first kiss, I saw panic fill her eyes so I had kissed her beside her lips. Once we got through the signing of the marriage certificate and another round of ignoring a rant from my father, we left for the reception. I remembered walking around and greeting people, I remembered how perfectly Ariana fit against my body during our first dance. But I also remembered how quickly she left my arms to join her friends by the side of the room for the rest of the day. I had kept an eye on her while countless people came up to me with false and forced congratulations, unable to drag my gaze from her.
I was pulled from my reminiscing thoughts when a bell rang in the corner of my room. Dinner.
I made my way down the stairs slowly, not particularly wanting to face my wife after what had happened in her room/ my now old room. As I made my way down the stairs I heard voices coming through from the dining room.
‘I promise, if you give him a chance he will prove you wrong. He seems cold and distant, but that comes from the walls he has built around himself. I have known him since he was ten and he first came to this house ragazza dolce (sweet girl). He is a good man.’
‘How can I do that Carmelita? How can I give the prince a chance when I was forced into this marriage? Because of them I can’t follow my dreams, I can’t have a career. I got into my dream school, then had to tell them that I couldn’t go because I had to get married. I may sound like a brat, but I lost my life yesterday, and no one can give that back.’ I was taken aback at the tears I could hear in Ariana’s voice. I had no idea about the affect this had had on her life. As I thought over her words, I felt anger rising in my chest. My father had forced her into this. These marriages have always had to be approved by both the bride and groom, and if not, they then find someone else. I don’t know what took over me, but I vowed to myself then and there, I would do my best to make this situation better for her. There was no way an annulment would be possible, but I would try and make sure she was as comfortable as she could be, maybe then I would get the chance to hold her in my arms again and feel that sense of everything being right.
I shook the thought from my head and turned away and made my way back up the stairs before Carmelita and Ariana noticed me.                                                                                                                   When I reached my room I grabbed my phone and quickly dialled my mum, and thankfully, she didn't take long to answer.                                                                                                                                'Hello darling, how are you? How's Ariana?'                                                                                                  'I'm good mum, but I need your help. Has Ariana ever mentioned the school she got into before the wedding, but never got to go to?'                                                                                                                      'Uh, I think she mentioned something about the Royal Academy of Music and Performing Arts in the city centre. Why did you want to know?' I raised my eyebrows in shock, Ariana must have an amazing voice if she got in there. My mum was obviously intrigued into why I was asking, but now that I had the information I needed, I said a quick goodbye and hung up before grabbing my laptop and bringing up the Academy's contact information. Once I had that I wrote them an email briefly explaining the circumstances around Ariana rejecting her place. After I decided I was happy with the message, I sent it and fell back on to my bed. I wondered how she would react when I told her she was going to go to her dream school, after all, I had no doubt the school would tell the Crown Prince that his wife and their Princess could attend their institution. An hour later my laptop dinged and I jumped up from my bed and speed-walked over to the desk. As I read their reply a smile graced my face.                                                                                                                                                                      Ariana was going to school.