The Royal Trip

Seventeen

Ainsley walked through the castle on a mission. She stopped Blake in the hall, grabbing his arm, and pulling him away into the dining room. It was the closest room, and luck for Ainsley, it was empty. "If you wanted to get me alone, all you had to do was ask." Blake joked and Ainsley rolled her eyes.

"I need to talk to you." Ainsley stated and Blake nodded.

"Okay." Ainsley looked around the room nervously. With the extra people, she didn't want to get caught. "Wanna go to my room? It's private."

"Yes, yes I would." Ainsley followed Blake through the castle towards his bedroom.

Ainsley walked into his bedroom going straight towards the couch and sitting down. Blake went over to the coffee table filling up two glasses with the brown liquid in a glass container. Ainsley let out a deep breath and Blake handed one of the glasses over to her.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I have to guess?" Blake asked and Ainsley sighed.

"I'm about to do something and i'm not sure it's a good idea."

Blake went over sitting on a chair across from her. "Like it, but why didn't you go to Katie?"

"Because I don't think that will go over well." Ainsley looked down at the ground. Blake chuckled getting Ainsley's attention back. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I just never have people come to me with their problems."

Ainsley sighed. "That doesn't surprise me."

"Okay, we're friends, right?"

"I need your help, so I will say yes." Ainsley slightly nodded.

"Look, I know this has to do with my brother. It would take an idiot not to notice the way you both look at each other." Blake paused for a moment setting his glass on the coffee table. "What has you so bent out of shape when it comes to Richard?"

Ainsley sighed. "He's attractive and nice and he makes my heart feel like it's going to jump out of my chest." Ainsley paused for a moment looking down at her hand. "I feel like myself."

"Then why do you think Katie won't want you to be happy?" Ainsley looked back up at Blake. "Hey, I don't know Katie as well as you do, but she seems like a good person to me. She's not subtle, but that doesn't mean she won't understand."

Ainsley let out a deep breath. She knew that he had a point. She loves Katie. She couldn't lie to her forever. Especially if she can't stay away from him.

Ainsley walked along the back of the castle grounds. The sky was light gray and it was a little chilly. Not enough to make her walk back into the castle and grab her jacket. She didn't really know what she expected to gain by this walk, but it felt good to be left with her own thoughts. She knew she had a choice to make. She could either let her guard down and let Richard get close to her. Or she could push it down and fight wants she wants so much.

Ainsley stopped in her tracks looking around to see the castle in the distance. She let out a deep breath knowing it was going to be a long walk back. She started to actually feel tired at just the thought of walking back to the castle. Ainsley sighed looking over at the patch of wood on the castle grounds. She noticed something and walked closer to it, seeing a cabin hidden behind some trees and a light peer from the window. I shouldn't. I shouldn't snoop. It's wrong. Ainsley told herself right before she started walking over to the window looking through it to see Richard sitting at a desk writing something.

Ainsley walked away from the cabin praying he didn't see her in the window. Ainsley quietly spoke herself as she walked away. "Crap. Crap. Crap. C-"