Melinas Men

Chapter Two.

Chapter Two.

“Melina, wake up!” Jessa, Jessabelle, my little sister jumped on my bed.

“What the hell, twerp,” I groaned, trying to roll away from her.

“Mum will chuck a fit if you don’t get up now, we need to be out on the lawn in an hour,” Jessa said, stopping the jumping and lying down next to me.

I turned in bed so I could see her, she was already made up with her hair and makeup with a light pink gown on.

“Since when did we have to meet on the lawn this morning?” I flicked her nose. Even though she was eighteen now, and a princess, she was still my little kid sister.

“As of 8am this morning,” she smirked.

“Gross, who was up at 8am this morning,” I scrunched my brow in defeat, sitting up.

“Everyone but you,” she got up out of the bed and flipped off the sheets, “now, come on.”

“Fine,” I yelled at her, getting up.

She left my room, closing the door behind her, that’s when I noticed the deep blue gown hanging up on it. When mum did that I did not know.

I had a quick shower then sat at my dresser and got ready. I brushed out my wavy dark hair putting it up in a bun and leaving my swooping fringe out and some fly aways cascading down my collarbones. I always had to keep my makeup natural, creamy skin, a touch of mascara and a nude pink lip. This morning routine had been instilled on me since I was thirteen.

I walked out of my room and down the great hall to the lawn. Mum and Jessa were standing on the pavement under parasols and dad and Carmichael were out on the lawn playing croquet as they always did in their spare time.

As I walked out the French doors a maid handed me a parasol.

I put my hand out to stop her, “it’s okay, thank you.”

“Just take it Melina,” my mother turned and called to me.

“I actually like the sun,” I walked down the steps towards her and Jessa.

“So, what are we doing here, I do love to watch dad and Michael play this game, but I don’t think there needs to be a strict time for it,” I kept going.

“When will you ever just follow orders without questioning them?” My mother had a smile on her face as she berated me.

“Never,” I laughed a wicked laugh, tickling my sister’s waist.

Jessa laughed, and mum scowled.

“Please act like a lady today Melina it is very important.”

“Please tell me why it’s important,” I pushed my mother to answer me once more.

“Oh Melina, you’re not going to like this, but it has to happen sooner or later. Well, sooner,” my mother began.

I groaned loudly, I knew where this was going, “no, mum! No, no, no.”

I punched Jessa in the arm, who was now laughing. She knew all along I bet.

Both my father and Michael looked at me, hearing my tantrum.

“You!” I pointed at Michael, “Prince Carmichael the one and only over there is still unwed.”

“That’s different Melina and you know that,” mum said sternly.

“That’s so sexist mum,” Jessa finally said something.

“Yes,” I pointed my hand to Jessa, “thank you.”

“It’s just the life we live, you both know that.”

“Yeah, but –,” before I could say any more the big gates opened, and three cars came through the gates.

My mums face lit up, “they’re here.”

Mum pushed Jessa and I into line, me in between the both of them and dad and Michael came up beside mum to greet our guests.

I sighed and slouched.

“Stand up straight,” mum hissed and slapped my arm.

“Carmichael, save me,” I leant behind mum and whispered to him.

He just snickered and shook his head. So much for sibling solidarity.

The cars rolled up as we stood there waiting.

There was two SUVs and a stretched-out SUV between them. One SUV rolled out past us and the stretched-out SUV stopped right in front of us. An assistant got out of the fist SUV and walked to the limo and opened the back door. A man a couple years older than me stepped out in a perfectly ironed navy-blue suit. I knew instantly who he was, I remembered him from when we were younger. It was Prince Eric from the East. He was much older now and had definitely grown into himself. His dark curly hair was a mop on top of his head and his beard was well groomed. He looked just like a gentleman should, his smile was bright when he saw me, his hazel eyes shone. He knew of this arrangement obviously. At least he wasn’t bad to look at, it was just what he represented that made me shudder.

“King Jeffery, Prince Carmichael, Queen Jane, Princess Melina, Princess Jessabelle,” he greeted us all by our title and bowed to the men and kissed the hands of the women.

After him stepped out his father, King Angus who did much the same.

Then all the staff stepped out of the cars, standing behind them.

“Welcome King Angus and Prince Eric to our home,” my father looked to the men and then back at our incredible home, “our staff will show you to your quarters then we will meet you in the courtyard once you are settled.”

“Thank you, Jeffery,” King Angus and my dad were old friends, they wouldn’t be using titles from now on.

The men walked off, along with their staff. And that’s when I noticed him walking beside Eric. The tattoos were a dead giveaway. He seemed to not notice me, but that would change with time. There was no way I could get out of this one.

“Are you alright, Melina?” Jessa broke my trance.

“What? Yeah,” I answered her.

“Go put on your casual wear and then we’ll reconvene in the courtyard,” my mother told me.

“What? I literally just put this on,” I looked down at my gown.

“Just do as your mother says, Melina,” dad said, walking back off to the lawn with Michael.

“Only if I can have a quick game with you two,” I called to him.

He laughed, shaking his head, “come on then.”

“You will be the death of me,” my mother said under her breath, but I heard it, “Come on, Jessabelle.”

Michael set us up a short game and we started playing.

“So, what do you think, Mel?” Michael asked me.

“Of what?” I asked, barely listening and taking my shot.

“Of the prince,” my dad answered for him.

I looked at them both, “do I even have to think about anything? I bet mum has already written my wedding vows.”

Michael laughed.

“It’s a good arrangement for the whole family Melina, at least he’s not sixty,” dad said, taking his turn.

“Sixty is closer to death at least,” I said deadpan.

Michael almost fell to the ground laughing, and it was a hard task for dad to compose himself.

I walked down the hall towards my room after once again losing the game to Carmichael, before I could get there I was pulled into a closet.

“What the –,” I couldn’t get the words out of my mouth before someone put their hand over my mouth.

“Shh,” it was Jack.

He let go of my face and I put my hands on my hips, he was no threat in this castle.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I said to him sternly in a hushed tone.

“What do you think you’re doing, Princess Melina?” his eyes were an electric blue in this dark closet, and he was angry as he emphasised my name, along with my title.

I had nothing to say.

“You lied to me,” he said.

“I did not lie to you,” I told him.

He laughed, “well you didn’t tell me who you were.”

“Do you think in a dank bar I could tell you I was the princess of this place?”

“You shouldn’t have been at that bar,” he countered.

“Precisely my point,” I had to stop myself from yelling, “and you could have told me you were a guard to Prince Eric.”

“Yeah, because that really wets girls’ panties,” he rolled his eyes.

“I can’t be seen here with you,” I grabbed the door handle to leave.

But Jack’s hand grabbed mine, “you can’t do what you did last night, and now do this.”

“What do you mean by this?” I asked.

“I don’t know, you just can’t.”

He let go of my hand and I walked out of the closet, confused and not knowing what to think. I walked to my bedroom and fell onto my bed; I didn’t realise I hadn’t taken a breath since I left that closet until I finally let a long breath out. This was disastrous. My mother would kill me, as well as my father, the King. I would damn my family if this got out and no eligible prince would want to be my husband. Not that that last part mattered to me. But it did my family.