The Throne of Nightmares and Snow

Chapter One

The Throne of Nightmares and Snow

Chapter One

I sat on the throne for the first time in my childhood life, when I was five. I was exploring the castle even though I was told not to multiple times by my parents. They would kill me if they ever found out what I learned that day. After finding the throne room and climbing up to what felt like a chair made for a giant, I found the secret staircase. I never went down there, I heard something that really scared me at age five. But now being older, I’m always curious to see what is down there. Maybe one day, I’ll find out.

***

Unfortunately, even though you’re royalty, you still have to attend school. It was the start of my senior year at Graystone Prep. It was the only school in Vatican City. Most kids from Italy that live close to the border, go to Graystone as well. Graystone Prep was still a small school. In my class this year, there were 80 students.

Most students were a part of royal or semi-royal families. Duke and Duchesses, Lords and Ladies. If you lived with a royal family you also attended Graystone Prep, but we all had different classes, ones that would help us in the future. I would take Government Studies and literature, along with two different languages, while also taking a Home Economics class, as I was expected to bear children.

The servants take Home Economics, two languages, culinary studies, English and basic math. The servants still need to learn different languages to understand our guests from different parts of the country. Obviously, culinary and Home Economics were the most important for them. As they would be taking care of all of our needs, like cooking all of our meals, doing our laundry, taking care of our future children.

When I was younger, I spent most of my time with the servants and their children. For a while, my best friend was Katie, my royal nanny’s daughter. We were three months apart. As we grew, Katie and I grew further apart, her at her mother's side, learning the ways and me at my mothers side, learning her ways.

“Desi, I’m so happy to see you!” My best friend Georgia said. “I missed you this summer.”

This summer I had to “intern” with my father, the King. Georgia interned with her mother, the Duchess. We spent long days and nights doing everything they did, sitting in on meetings, greeting the people and hosting guests. Not going to lie, it was a grueling summer. I was counting down the days to my coronation, so I could run the city the way I wanted. My parents definitely won’t be happy when I take over.

“Georgia, you look amazing.” I said. “Summer wasn’t too bad for you, was it?”

“No, it wasn’t,” She paused, “Desi, I met someone.” Her face lit up with happiness. I returned her look.

Unlike most of the girls in our grade, I was not boy-crazed. Georgia, on the other hand, knew of nothing else, but boys. For a while she had her eye on my cousin, Phillip, but now he’s old news, I guess. My family said she had only liked Phillip because he was next in line for the throne after me.

“What’s his name? What’s he like? Where does he live?” I asked, feigning interest.

“I met him in Spain this summer.” She started. “His name is Ricardo. He’s super sweet and funny and we went on all sorts of adventures this summer.”

“Your mom just let you go with him?” I asked her.

She shook her head rapidly. “He’s the Prime Minister's son.”

“Woah,” I said. “Nice,” I high fived her and she was blushing.

“That’s not all, Desi.” She said.

“What else happened?” I asked.

“We had sex.” She said. “All summer long, everywhere we went. We couldn’t keep our hands off of each other. And I heard mum talking to his parents about us getting married.”

“Holy s**t, Georgia,” I said. “Is this something you actually want? Like you don’t wanna try out life first before just marrying someone you just met.”

“Way to ruin my moment, Desirée” She used my full name. She was pissed.

“I’m sorry, Georgie.” I said. “That’s not what I meant. Just like, there’s more to life than taking over the ‘Throne’ and marrying the first boy you have s*x with.” She rolled her eyes. “But if this is who you really love and what you really want, then you should definitely go for it. I support you no matter what.”

“Thank you,” She said, pouting. “I do really like him. I might even love him. Him and his family are coming here over winter break, so you get to meet him.”

“That’s exciting!” I said. “So… How was the ‘big S’?”

“Oh my god, Desi.” She said blushing some more. “All I have to say, is you have to try it.” Georgia winked at me. We turned into our first classroom of the day.

As soon as we walk in, something feels off. It was our first language class of the day, Spanish. For one, no one was there yet, besides a few students. People I knew, but no one in our friend group. For two, there was a new student. Graystone Prep did not get any new students in their senior year. All of us in this school have known each other our whole lives, or at least since pre school.

Georgia was tapping me on the arm. I had been too busy looking at the empty desks, than taking in the new boy. But his eyes never left my face. That’s how Georgia described it at lunch anyway, to all the girls on the rugby team. Which was just great. I disliked the girls rugby team, but they were our longest friends. There was Trish, Devin, Mary and Quinn—the stars of the team, and girls we’ve known since being born.

Alexander was the new boy's name. He had dark hair and very dark eyes. They seemed almost black. They said he moved from Transylvania, but that was just a rumor that I didn’t believe. The other kids were only saying that because of his eyes and his skin. There are stories our parents all used to tell us about Transylvania and who comes from there. Vampires. Alexander looked just like one. Well, that’s how our parents described Vampires, even though they had never seen one before.

Alexander seemed to appear in the lunchroom, sitting by himself at a table in the corner, a peach in his hand, but he hadn’t taken a bite yet. Like he could hear my thoughts, he turned towards me and took a bite. We didn’t break eye contact.

“Desi, go talk to him.” Georgia said into my ear. I shook my head and continued eating my salad. “Desi, he’s still staring.”

“Oh my god,” I said. “If I go over there will you shut up about it?” I know I sounded rude, but boys were the last thing on my mind for this year. I got up and threw my plate away, and made my way over to Alexander's table.

“Hi, I’m Desirée.” I said, extending my hand over the lunch table. He took my hand gently and shook it.

“Alexander,” He said, giving me a quizzical look.

“When did you move here?” I asked him, taking a seat.

“A couple of weeks ago.” He replied, dryly.

“How do you like it?” I asked.

“It’s okay,”

“Okay, well, you seem like you don’t wanna talk so, I’ll go sit back down with my friends.” I said, starting to walk away.

“It was nice to meet you, Desirée.” He said, with a smirk on his face.

I sashayed away back to my lunch table. All the girls were giving me questioning looks.

“Well…” Devin said.

I just shrugged my shoulders. Every couple of minutes I would look over my shoulder towards Alexander. He was still staring, every time, with that same smirk on his face from before.

I felt a pull towards him. It was unexplainable. I knew we were going to be seeing a lot of each other.

***

Alexander was in my Home Economics class—the last class of the day. The only open seat was next to him, and it looked like everyone else had already been paired up. I slowly took the seat beside him and I saw him smirk.

“What are you laughing at?” I asked him. “I saw you with the same smirk all lunch period too.”

“It looks like the universe may want us together.” He said.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked, puzzled.

“Well, how did your best friend pick a different partner than you?” He asked me and pointed to where Georgia was sitting with Marco.

‘Well, in Home Economics, you have to pair up with the opposite sex.” I said, matter-of-factly. “To be honest, she probably forced us together, if anything.”

“What do you mean by that?” He asked.

“She thinks I need to spend more time with boys.” I stated, taking my seat, finally. No need to beat around the bush, when we’re clearly already partners.

God, Alexander, smells so good. I felt my face heating up because of the way he was looking at me, like he could read my thoughts again.

“Well, do you think you need to spend more time with boys?” He asked.

“Maybe a little.” I stated, shrugging. “But I don’t have time. I need to finish this year and take the throne. I’ll look for boys after.”

“You’re the Princess?” Alexander asked me.

I nodded my head. “Yup, in all my glory.”

Mrs. Dupaine started teaching at the front of the class. Alexander stopped looking at me, stopped smirking at me. It seemed like once he found out I was the Princess, he wanted nothing to do with me. I couldn’t help but feel sad. I don’t want anything to do with me half the time, either.

“Don’t think like that.” Alexander whispered to me.

“What did you just say?”

“Uh, nothing.” He said, bouncing his leg up and down.

I stared at him, trying to figure him out. Where did he come from? Who was he? And why did it feel like he could read my mind?

“You’ll never figure me out.” He whispered in my ear. I broke out into goosebumps. The way his breath felt on my neck gave me a tingly feeling in my stomach.

“How do you know what I’m thinking?” I whispered back.

“I don’t,” He said. “I can tell by your face.” He smirked at me.

“Alexander, Des, something to share with the rest of the class?” Mrs. Dupaine asked.

“No, Ma’am.” I said, my face heating up, for sure turning red.

“How about you remind us of the first assignment as partners?” She said, waiting, arms crossed over her chest.

“Our first assignment is to prepare life plans with our chosen partner.” Alexander said. “It’s due on Monday of next week.”

“Good, Alexander, I expect to see a wonderful presentation from you and Desi.” She said.

Great. Just great.

***

“Did you do that on purpose?” I asked Georgia in the car, after school.

“Des,’ She said. “We do have to partner with the opposite sex.”

“Okay, but you couldn’t have had James or Christian to pair with me?” I asked.

“Okay, fine, Alexander asked me if it was okay to pair with you.”

“Okay, but after he found out I was the princess, he, like, flipped a switch.” I told her

She giggled. “Don’t most boys who learn you’re the princess freak out a little bit?”

I shrugged, putting my forehead against the window, thinking about the day. Think about Alexander. He was so different than anyone I had met. Yet, almost the same as anyone I had ever met. Alexander was so strange in class, he was answering my thoughts. I knew he couldn’t tell with my face. I had perfected my poker face this summer with my father. You can never let the people you’re leading know what you're thinking. So how did Alexander know exactly what I was thinking? I thought about telling Georgia my thoughts, but she would just say I was crazy.

Speaking of Alexander, my phone pinged with a new text notification. Alexander.