The Cerulean Kingdom

Chapter 3 - BETRAYAL

PRINCESS AVERY LANCASTER

I peeked around the corner to where I sneaked out from. Why are there so many guards out tonight?

My brother probably found out I left the castle . . . that can’t be possible . . .

I took a step back and bumped into something, ”You might want to watch where you’re stepping.” My face froze and I started to panic inside, “you could hurt someone, Princess.”

This can’t be happening . . . no . . .

I turned around and it was my brother, King Theodore. He took off my hood and he grabbed my wrist. “Brother, please…” I pleaded but he dragged me out from the shadow into where the lights are. “Please don’t do this,” tears were coming out and everything around me started to get blurry.

“Avery, how could you do this?!” He stopped and looked me in the eyes, and I could see flames coming out from it. He was in an uproar. Still holding my wrist, he tossed me, and I fell onto the ground. “TELL ME?! WHY?” I couldn’t get myself to talk.

There were several guards behind him, and I seemed to get a peek at the queen. “Brother, I just wanted to see him one last time, please I beg of you.” He didn’t answer back. The queen came up to him and she whispered something in his ear. He turned away from me and walked off, I knew he was frustrated and hurt. The queen ran to me and covered me with her cloak. “Queen Charlotte, I didn’t mean to cause any of this,” my voice was shaken.

“Princess Avery, please, don’t cry anymore,” her voice was serene,” get up, and I will take you to your room.” I stood up, still shaken. She gave me a warm hug and we walked into the castle.

KING THEODORE LANCASTER

There I stand, in the throne room. I was heated and terribly upset. It was dark with two candles lit up near the doors. I sat in the shadows, quiet and alone.

Why would she do this . . . does she not care about any of us . . . and her people . . .

The doors open and my wife walks through. She stood in front of me and the doors slams behind her, “She’s in her chambers. If you want to talk to her you can wait until tomorrow evening.” She touched my shoulder, “your sister needs to rest.”

Hearing the voice of my wife calms me down. “I don’t understand how this could have happen. I don’t even know how this all started.” I was so confused about what was happening. I took my crown off and set it on the left side of the throne chair. I ran both my hands through hair trying not to pull it out. I would never let a Rickhardt past me or my family, yet one did. “From now on, she is not to leave her room unless I say so.” I tell my wife.

“Is that what you see is best, my king?” She answers back in curiosity.

“Yes, and Prince Warren,” confidently I answer,” will not live to see another day if he sets foot onto our kingdom again.” I say with determination.

PRINCESS AVERY LANCASTER

I’m curled up on my bed and just sniffling; I stopped crying a while ago. I turn to lay on my back and I something sharp pokes my chest.

Ouch . . .

Then I remember that it’s the letter Warren had gave me. I take it out from my shirt and look around the room to make sure nobody is in here. I walk up from bed to lock the doors. I turn around and press my back against the door and I slide down, sitting on the floor. I open the envelope and take out the letter. Before opening it, I take a deep breath and read it:

“Dear Princess,

               I cannot spend another day away from you. I miss you more and more every time we part from each other. I want to be with you every day and every night. I want to hold and kiss you anytime I want. Come and runaway with me. I want to go where you go. We can runaway to wherever you want to go. Please. We can make it far if you just give me your hand.

               If you seek to be with me, please meet me under the tree where we first had our kiss. Early when the sun rises, in three days.  Only then can we be together forever. I hope to see you and hold you for the rest of my life.

                                                                                                                                                      Love,

                                                                                                                                                      Your Prince Warren”

Yes, I’ll run away with him. I want to be with him, and this might be the only choice we have to be with each other. I’m just not sure how to leave the castle. Knowing my brother, he’ll probably have several guards watching me every hour of the day. I have two days to figure out how to leave this castle.

KING THEODORE LANCASTER

It’s the next day and breakfast has been served. Avery did not join us and I’m not sure how things will be between us this evening. My wife takes my hand and holds it tight, “Everything well be fine, I’m sure.” She kisses it puts it down and continues her breakfast.

What would I do without her . . .

Time pass and it is now evening. I’m in the throne room waiting for Princess Avery and my wife is standing next to me. “Why does it take women so long to dress? I really don’t have the patience to wait right now.”

“Theodore, you are very irritable today and I don’t like it one bit,” She says with a strict tone, “she is your sister and you will not raise your voice at her when she walks through those doors.”

“Do you forget that I am King and that I can raise my voice at whoever I want, “ trying not shout, “She can betray us any moment now and I am not going to let that happen.”

BOOM!! The door flies open and startles me. I look up and Princess Avery is walking in. Once she is near us, she curtsies to me and my wife, “King Theodore,” she says to me and then my wife, ”Queen Charlotte”.

“Good morning, dear. How was your sleep?” I roll my eyes at her question. Why does my wife have to be so nice?

My sister seemed hesitant to answer but she did so anyways, “It was nice.” That’s it? Such a short and simple answer from my sister. 

It’s quiet for a moment but then I finally say something, “Avery, you know why you’re here. There will be consequences for your actions, but first I need answers.” Her face seemed restless and I know she didn’t get a good night sleep.

“What would you like to know?” she asks.

“When did you meet Prince Warren, and have you always known that he was a Rickhardt?”

“We met at Princess Clara’s 5th Royal Birthday Ball and yes he told me right away he was a Lancaster and that we could never see each other...”

I cut in before she could say anything else, “Never see each other? Princess Clara just turned 6 so that means it has been a year.” I was so disappointed at what I was hearing. “Avery, he could be using you, so that his brother overrules us and take over our kingdom. Have you not thought about that?” my voice rises, and my wife lays her hand on my shoulder. Anytime she does that it lets me know that I need to calm myself.

“I did, I thought long and hard about it, but Prince Warren was different from what you had describe about the Rickhardt’s,” her voice was shaking, “We couldn’t stop talking all night and then we had fallen in love.”

Fallen in love? Am I hearing her right? “Avery, fallen in love? He is a monster. A monster is not capable of loving others, especially falling in love with a soulmate,” My voice started to rise again, and my face starts to boil with blood, “Are you a fool, Avery? There is no sense in you, and you will never learn of any.”

“Theodore!” my wife shouts at me in disbelief, “be careful what you say, you’ll regret it.” I gave her a cold stare and she stared at me back.

“My brother, you can not do this to me. I have not cause physical harm to the kingdom, and you know that,” she was never going to agree with me.

“GUARDS!!!” I shouted. Six Guards walked in the throne room. “Take Princess Avery, to her chambers. She is not to leave unless I say, nobody else.”

Avery’s eyes grew big, “I don’t need their help, I can take myself.” Both her hands were in a first and she stormed out of the throne room followed by her six guards.

PRINCESS AVERYLANCASTER

I made it to my chambers. I was raging inside. I grabbed a pillow off my bed and put it to my face. I screamed my heart out as loud as I could.

How could he . . .

Then I remember, two days from now, I will be free and will no longer have to obliged by any rules.

Oh, brother Theodore, you have no idea what’s to come . . .