Court of love or hatred

Chapter 6

The past week and a half has gone by so fast as if in the blink of any eye. It's the day before my 16th birthday and the castle is in chaos. People running around trying to get everything prepared for the wedding tomorrow.

I am not ready.

I have spent the last week mostly with my mum as she prepares me for all the duties that will come my way being princess in Arcadia. I have not truly forgiven her for keeping this marriage a secret but with the limited time I have left I have chosen to put my anger aside and make it as pleasant a time as possible. In the last week we have become so much closer we have laughed and cried multiple times and I am going to miss her so much.

I have seen Prince Keaton a handful of times in the past week but not as much as I would like. I feel like I don't even know the man I am going to marry. Will he be kind? Honourable? Will he learn to love me and I him? These questions have been plaguing my mind to the point I feel ill. Not long now until I find out the answers.

I am currently wearing my wedding dress in my chambers getting the final adjustments in place. It is a beautiful gown with the finest lace attached to the bodice and an intricate lace design on the back. The dress flows to just below my ankles showing off my gorgeous white shoes to match with little gems detailed in. Even though I have the dress to make me look like a bride I certainly don't feel like one.

I feel like I am suffocating that the walls are caving in and I have nowhere to run to. Mary glances at me and suggests to the seamstress that we should take a break. She agrees and allows me to take the dress off. I chuck on my previous dress and head towards the patio, I need air.

As I stand against the railing watching the sun set I feel myself begin to calm. I relax to the point that I don't even notice that Prince Keaton has appeared beside me and has been talking the whole time. I look at him chatting away to me not hearing a word he says he truly is a handsome man and seems nice enough but how can I trust him when a few weeks ago him, his father and his kingdom was my kingdoms biggest threat.

"Princess" …… "Evangeline" ……. I snap out of my thoughts like a deer caught in the headlights I begin to feel myself blush. "Sorry Prince Keaton I was lost in my own world I am afraid I didn't hear a word you said".

He looks at me for a moment I feel his eyes scanning my face the blush now turning to what I can only assume as a flame a beacon to my embarrassment. He clears his throat then say's "Princess I have brought you a gift that is very special to me and I hope it will one day be special to you. It was my mothers a silver locket that she wore everyday and inside she had a picture of my father".

"My mother and father were also an arranged marriage he gave my mother this necklace the day before they married. Though I have never been keen on the idea of arranged marriages but the way they adored each other makes me believe that it is possible that we will be able to love each other one day, living a happy life together.

"So I would like you to wear this necklace tomorrow if you don't mind I know my mother would have wanted my wife to have it she would have loved to have met you but life happens". "Princess I know tomorrow lot's of thing are going to change and I am nervous and I know it seems scary but I believe if we stick together we will get through".

I am lost for words from the emotion in Keaton's voice so I simply nod my head. To which he gathers my hair on one side of my neck and places the delicate necklace around me fumbling with the clasp causing me to chuckle slightly. Once he has secured it I feel his lips on my neck a soft and delicate touch then it's gone so fast as if I imagined it.

I turn to the Prince to see him staring at my lips before I subtle coughs catching his eyes. He speaks up "It's getting late Princess I hope you have a good rest and I will see you tomorrow." I smile in response and watch as he enters the palace once he is out of sight dread fills me to my very core.

I have been so focused on leaving home that I have not thought about what will happen once we are wed. I am not ready to have children I am not ready to have s*x. I have not even had my first kiss. As these new worries invade my thoughts I return to my chambers to which I fall into another restless sleep uncertain about my future.