FAKING ROYALTY [rewrite]

chapter one

It's like being thrown out into the wild all on your own. This palace is like a large forest, and I'll never be able to make my way around it. At least in a forest I can be who I truly am instead of hiding behind a mask.

I don't know how to be a princess so why did I agree? I must have not been thinking correctly when I had made the decision of portraying this character as my own as it will be a challenge. If I mess up, Meteli could be in trouble. Why didn't I notice the cons to this agreement beforehand? Meteli is now in my hands as much as it would be for either Prince Laurance or Princess Cadenza. I understand now why Princess Alexandra has disappeared. The thought of one wrong move destroying Meteli is a lot to handle.

But why would she leave other than that? She's a princess. She's adored by many, and every girl in the kingdom wishes to be her. Of course there's Princess Cadenza, but she's about to be married. Most people care more about her marriage rather than wishing to be her. Not to mention that Princess Alexandra disappeared when she was sixteen, and her seventeenth birthday was only a little bit of time ago. She's been gone for around six months. How does any person know if she's alive or not?

"You must be Y/N. I'll be your guide as you learn your rounds around the palace."

I look up at the voice and nearly go into shock. I gather up the front of my skirt sloppily and force myself into a curtsy. I look unprofessional and am showing large amounts of disrespect towards Prince Laurance with my actions.

"Prince Laurance, my deepest apologies!" I begin to hear soft chuckles, and he shakes his head in amusement towards me and my actions. I've never quite seen him this close, nor have I seen him so unprofessional before, and I'm not sure of how to feel about it. "I didn't realize that you had been standing in front of me."

"No need for titles. You shall call me by just Laurance from now on. You may stop bowing to me. As of right now, we both have the title of royal children." I stand back up flustered. I have just made a fool out of myself in front of the Prince, not to mention the future heir of Meteli, and I cannot take this embarrassing moment but yet he finds it enjoyable. Does he find my embarrassment funny? He places his arm out in front of me, and I stare down at it. He gives me a strange look and is about to pull it away until I realize that I must place my hand on top of it. "It looks like it's time to guide you around our humble home." Humble, how funny. The palace could swallow up the orphanage and then some and continue to be hungry.

Just like I had thought before, I would get lost here on my own if it weren't for Laurance to help me find my way. The hallways are large and every detail seems to be done with caution and a purpose.

All the portraits around us consists of old ruling Zvahl families, and the amount of them is overwhelming. All my life I have only known of the current ruling one, and soon I will see how Laurance will rule with his future wife by his side.

I must've confused Laurance when I had decided to stop because when he looks back at me his eyebrows are furrowed. That's until his eyes follow where mine have travelled up to, and he sighs.

"I see you've found our portrait," he tells me, smiling fondly at the memory and walks to stand by my side. "We must've passed by on my father's portrait with the late queen. They were madly in love, even in an arranged marriage, but she had passed away during the birthing of their only child. But with her death, the child wasn't able to make it a full three days until he was discovered dead as well. My father hasn't found a new love since, but I don't think that he's been trying to. He waited a few years and thought of how to continue the Zvahl royalty or else the Zvahl dynasty would come to a halt with it being his fault, and he had thought of the idea of adoption."