Demetrise Carter

CHAPTER 8: YOUR HIGHNESS

"Edmund, why the actual fuck am I wearing a fedora with sunglasses?" she asked as she unbuckled her seatbelt and got up from her seat. Edmund had made her wear them before the jet landed gracefully on what she assumed was Gwenleria's airport.

"It'd be best if the media doesn't tell my everyone who you are before I do. What's your last name again?" He got up and walked towards her.

"Uhm... Carter"

"Well now it's Evergreen"

"Wait, you're changing my name now?"

"not legally, just a safety precaution"

"Whose safety are you worried about?" She asked but he either didn't hear her or completely ignored her.

He offered his hand to her."Come on, they're gonna be wondering what's taking me so long to get down."

"Who? your parents?" she held his hand and witheld a shiver as he led her to the ladder of the jet.

"The paparazi" He said just as the sunlight hit her shielded face and she almost thanked Edmund for the cover. She noticed the number of reporters who were being stopped by the bodyguards from jumping Edmund and her.

"Oh dang" She said in surprise

"Don't look in one direction for more than 5 seconds. You'd be surprised by the kind of stories these people make up, come on" He led her towards a black mercedes-maybach S600 where the driver ushered her in an Id Edmund let himself in at the other side of the car.

"Woah, this is sweet" She admired the inside of the car as it shone from great maintenance. She took off her last minute disguise just when the car rolled out of the airport and sighed."Do I even want to know where you got the fedora from?" She asked but he only chuckled and looked out of the window. He wasn't alright and somehow she could tell.

"If you're worried I'm gonna make a mess of things then you're right to worry. I'm worried I'm gonna be thrown into the dungeons in a few minutes of my arrival"

This time, he looked at her with an amused expression on his face.

"What? you don't have a dungeon?"

"I won't let that happen"

"So you do have a dungeon?" she asked intrigued

"Demetrise, you have to be wary of everyone in Gwenleria. They can be really manipulative and dare I say dangerous"

"Got it, everyones a fox and you're the only one I can trust"

"I mean it, try to stay out of trouble. I will not be with you all the time" He said with a slight frown on his face.

"For a moment there, you looked like you actually cared about me"

"If something happens to you, our plan fails"

"What plan?" a little voice asked and we were forced to focus our attention on the little boy we hadn't noticed before sitting shotgun.

"Eric?" Edmund called as he peered at the front seat to get a better look at him

"Hey Eddy"

"What are you doing here?" Edmund asked as Eric's gaze focused on Demetrise and I waved

"Hiding, duh"

"Hello, I'm Demetrise" she said to the little boy

"Demetrise, this is my little brother Eric" He paused and glared at his brother "Does your mother know that you are here?" He pulled out his phone from his pockets.

"She's your mother too" Eric pointed out. "And no"

"What did you hear?" Edmund asked

"I heard everything and understood absolutely nothing" He shook his head to himself "grownups"

"How old is he?" Dememtrise asked as she looked at the little replica of Edmund

"Seven"

"..and a half" Eric completed as a voice on the other end of Edmunds voice spoke up. "It's nice to meet you Demetrise" Eric drew her attention from the conversation Edmund was having on the phone "mother said we're not supposed to talk to you so I just wanted to get a quick hello in before you get to the palace. Speaking of the palace, you're going to love it there"

I highly doubt that  Demetrise thought to herself and wondered why the queen will prevent her children from speaking with her.

Edmund ended his call and gave Eric a pointed look "If you say anything about what you heard here, I'll tell Emily why she had no presents last christmas" Demetrise saw Eric visibly shrink in his seat and she felt a little pity for him.

"You didn't tell me you had siblings" Demetrise said lost in thoughts

"I am the first child of my parents. I have a sister Elena, she's 23 and another sister..."

"Emily" Demetrise completed and he nodded

"She just turned 18, then there's Edgar and Eric"

"Twins?"

"No, they're three years apart but honestly, those two are inseparable"

"Woah, you have a big family"

"Indeed" The rest of the ride was endured in silence that Demetrise was thankful for. she needed time to think and also to get herself together. She was gonna lie to what she realised was not only Edmunds parents but his entire family too and maybe the whole of Southern Gwenleria. Now the only thing she couldn't understand was how she got from homeless and depressed to lying to an entire freaking country and depressed. She took in a deep breath as the car came to a halt in the palace and the butler ushered her out of the vehicle. She walked out of the car to find what she assumed was the entire family and the palace workers all lined up in an order of importance.
Edmund came up to her side as he ushered her to his parents first to start the introductions.

"Okay, quick question, Do I curtsey?" Demetrise asked but it was too late for her to get a response.

"Mother, Father this is Demetrise, my wife to be" Edmund bowed slightly to his father who wore a well tailored suit but with a strange, elegant and elaborate design and matching suit pants. He had locks of curly brown hair like Edmund but with  a hint of grey in them. Matching Grey eyes unlike Edmunds blues but they were just as captivating and at the same time, intimidating. His mother who wore a matching outfit in the form of a dress had short blonde hair that was styled in the latest Paris woman fashion. She looked at Demetrise as she squinted at her and made no attempt to hide her displease with her sense of whatever it is she didn't like. Demetrise really didn't care about all the rich people nonesense.
Demetrise really didn't know where all her insecurities went but a new wave of determination hit her. She'd do whatever it took her to secure a better future for herself. She squared her shoulders and met the Queens eyes "My Lord, your highness, it is an honour to finally meet you" She broke into a curtsey and a small smile too for the king of course.