Chapter Five
1015 Words
There is a brief moment of silence in the carriage. The carriage pulls up at Camille's place.
Camille: Thank you for the lift.
Frederick: See you at the ball.
They get down and Amelia quickly enters the house. Camille enters and shuts the door behind her. Amelia runs to her bedroom and closed the door. She sinks to the floor and buries her face in her hands. Amelia goes to the mirror and examines the mark on her shoulder.
Amelia: What could this mark mean?
Camille enters the room
Camille: Amelia, is everything alright?
Amelia: Yeah, yeah. Everything is fine.
Amelia lets down her hair and begins brushing it.
Camille: Did something happen between you and Zac?
Amelia: I don't wanna talk about it.
Amelia stops and puts down her brush. Camille sits next to her.
Amelia: I don't know why... but whenever I'm around him, I feel... warm. Ever since he saved my life from that man, I've seen him in a different light... I thought he was one of those folks that will seduce you and next thing you know, they're flirting with other girls the next minute. But he's not like that...
Camille looks at Amelia and smiles.
Camille: You're in love with Zac.
Amelia looks at Camille with her eyes open wide as she covers her mouth with her hand.
Amelia: N-no I'm not!
Camille: Oh, please; You swoon at the sight of him and you couldn't stop blushing when he saw you in the lobby this morning.
Amelia shakes her head in denial and paces around the room.
Amelia: I-It's impossible. I-I barely know anything about him except his name and the fact that he loves Shakespeare and the fact that he loves the Tempest just as much as I do... and a smile that can light up a room, beautiful blue...
She snaps back to reality.
Amelia: That does not mean I love him, okay?! I'm sure he likes some other girl. There's no way he will like a peasant of my type.
Camille grabs Amelia's shoulders.
Camille: Don't talk about yourself like that! You're a beautiful, young woman. If he doesn't like you, you can find someone better. Why don't you rest up? You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow and you've stressed enough for today.
Amelia breathes deeply and nods her head.
AT LAURAINE'S PLACE
Liza: Mother, she's been gone for two days already!
Lauraine: Don't you think I already know that?! Let me think.
Lauraine paces back and forthwith her fan in hand. She looks over at the fire pit and smiles.
Liza: (gasps) What is it? You found something?
Lauraine: I just remembered sending a letter to the king saying that she'll work at the ball.
Liza: What do we do, then?
Lauraine: Oh, don't worry, dear. I have just the perfect plan.
She smiles as she looks at the pistol above the fireplace.
AT THE ROYAL PALACE
The Royal Family is having dinner.
Alexander: (To Octavia) How was your day, dear?
Octavia: Oh, it was amazing. The girls and I were trying on dresses for the ball.
Sophia: They were so gorgeous!
Olivia: So many choices.
Alexander chuckles.
Alexander: As long as they're comfortable to dance in.
Olivia: Will Prince Rowan be attending the ball?
Alexander: I'm afraid not, dear. Prince Rowan and his family are celebrating Lyana's eighteenth anniversary.
Sophia: Who's Lyana?
Alexander: She was the princess of the Preyilia kingdom.
Zac: Was?
Alexander: King Gavriel and Queen Blyana had a daughter four years after Rowan was born; They named her Lyana. One night as they were asleep, a woman came along with her sons and kidn*pped the infant. They ran away and set sail for another country. Unfortunately that night, there was a storm and the sea was violent. It crashed their ship and they drowned. They still believe that their daughter is alive somewhere.
Octavia: That was truly devastating.
Alexander: We tried to help them the best way we could, but all that to no avail. We're not even sure she's still alive.
Zac looks at Frederick and the table falls silent. Adeline clears her throat before speaking.
Adeline: I hurt my leg today.
Alexander looks up at his mother.
Alexander: Are you okay , mother?
Adeline: I am now. A very beautiful young lady helped me get up and escorted me to my room.
Octavia: It's a relief to see you are alright, mother.
Alexander: And who was this beautiful young woman.
Adeline: I think her name is... Amelia.
Zac quietly chokes on his drink. His sisters look at him.
Octavia: Are you alright, son?
Zac wipes his mouth.
Zac: Yes... I am.
Adeline: I hope to see her at the ball.
Zac sips his drink.
Zac: (In mind) So do I, grandmother... So do I.
Alexander stands up.
Alexander: Well, I bid you all goodnight. (To Octavia) Let's go, darling.
Octavia places her hand in Alexander's and they leave; Olivia and Sophia escort Adeline to her bedroom, leaving Zac and Frederick alone in the dining room.
Frederick: Well, you haven't said much since we came back. Normally, you're the one striking up conversations of that type.
Zac stays quiet and drops the fork.
Frederick: Did something happen with Amelia?
Zac looks up and in a flat voice, he speaks.
Zac: I almost kissed her.
Frederick spits out the wine and stares at Zac with wide eyes.
Frederick: What were you thinking?!
Zac: I don't think I was thinking at all.
They leave the dining room.
Frederick: You barely even know her!
Zac: Amelia Fieldsman; Daughter of Henry and Lauraine Fieldsman and has a sister. Her father was assassinated and her mother and sister treat her like a slave.
Frederick: How do you...?
Zac: When I look into her eyes, I can see that she is hurting every day and it hurts to see her that way; She tries not to show it but I can see it. Just before you told me about her, I did some research in the archives and I saved her life that very morning from a man that tried to r*pe her. I also noticed the whip bruises on her hands. She pushed me away because she was afraid of what was going to happen to her... I don't know what it is about her, but I'm ready to give her everything I can give. I feel like I knew her from since I was a child. I... love her.
Frederick: That explains a lot. Why don't you tell her how you feel?
Zac: She won't attend the ball.
Frederick: Don't be so sure of that.
Frederick heads to his bedroom. Zac lands his eyes on a vase full of roses and he takes a rose out and sniffs its sweet smell.
ZAC'S P.O.V
What would she think of me now? Probably that I'm a first class i***t!
He looks around and sighs before heading to his chamber.
- Writer
