I will never forgive you

“I can’t believe Sharon went to the masquerade!” “It's so scandalous!” “Did you know she's been... You know with the duke's son.” “NO WAY! I tried flirting with him once but he just walked past me.” “Tammy, stop acting like everyone thinks you're the most beautiful person who lives on this entire planet.” “You know what Kalyn, at least I can get a man!” Each girl gasps in surprise except for me. “Ha Ha Ha Ha!” The girls turn their heads towards me with ugly glares. The most stuck-up leans closer to me with a scrunched nose. “What’s so funny Ellanore?” Kalyn’s warning is clear. I tilt my head to the side with a smile accepting the battle. “You all sound ridiculous. It has indeed exceeded my mood, Excuse me before I piss you all off any more than I have already.” Kalyn puffs out a groan as I walk away. “I don’t know why she comes and eats with us anyway.” Tammy says loud enough for me to hear. I stop mid-step to turn around with my arms crossed. “You seriously think I want to sit here with you heedless children!” “No, you just have to sit and listen as your owner told you to, criminal.” Before I get the chance to pounce on every single snobby little brat at that table the King's daughter Page walks to my side with a frown of disapproval towards the other girls. They all bow their heads with shame sitting down like cowards as Page slides her arm through my arm. We walk away from the girls as their voices become more subtle the further we get. “Saved again.” “You don’t have to rub it in. It's not like everything I do is a crime or anything.” We both roll our eyes in unison. “El, I need your help.” The plea makes me worry. “Don’t tell me that it involves a certain boy that we know extremely well?” I huff crossing my fingers. She squeezes my arm and pouches her lip out like a little kid begging for candy. “PLEASE El.” I groan aloud. Why does she have to make me feel so bad? “Ok fine what is it?” Page jumps with excitement and yanks me towards the castle. I dig my heels into the ground almost causing Page to trip and fall. Anger and confusion flash on her face. “I'm sorry-I-” I fumble over my words. “My father isn't there today.” I shake my head. “I'm sorry Page it's just….” My throat closes up. “I can't.” My face turns bright red and my heart quickens just thinking about going inside the castle. Page nods her head “We don’t have to go.” I give her a slight smile that makes Page grin. “I can tell you on our way to the bakery.” This settles both of our nerves. “The Grand Ball is almost on its way and that means every single elite that is close to royalty from the end of the seas is going to be coming here for three months. That means Markus isn’t going to notice me. How am I supposed to make him notice me?” Page pouts in defeat. Page has been in love with Markus Hugh a prince since she was a child and this year she finally is old enough to attend the Grand Ball. Markus, on the other hand, is two years senior to Page and has attended the ball twice and because of it, Page has been left to the side since then. Unfortunately, because I am a prisoner to her father I can’t exactly attend the Grand Ball in the first place. Not that I want to go to the castle. “El, are you even listening to me?” “Uhh yeah.” She gives me a sideways glance as she continues her rant. “What should I wear?” I think for a minute. “You look good in navy blue…. But if you want him to see you…. You have to start wearing dresses that don’t make you look like” I pause unsure if I should be so blunt with her. Markus doesn’t like Page that way and it's obvious to everyone but her. “Look like what?” I grin. “Stop looking like a little girl with big puffy dresses and wear something sexy! You have the curves for it stop hiding that amazing body of yours.” Page playfully slaps me in the arm. “You asked for my help. He isn’t going to fall for you if you aren’t willing to be a real woman.” She huffs sliding the door open to the bakery. The fresh smell of sweet bread washes over our faces. “I wish you could come.” I try to agree with her but don’t want anything to do with that god-awful castle. “Why don’t you wear dresses other than the same few that you always wear?” My face turns red and I look at the ground. The only person in the whole world I wish I could show her the welts of scars plastered on my body. “I mean don’t you get tired of wearing black or gray all the time?” I take a deep breath before responding. “I have a given dress code Page. You know since I am a criminal and all. And to be honest with you I don’t want to go to the Grand Ball. I would love to spend time with you but when it comes to events like this I would rather stay in my small room with men standing guard at my door.” Page nods her head in understanding. “I'll be leaving for my finals before the Ball.” I wasn’t sure what Page was searching for. “I'm going to miss you saving me during lunch.” Coming up with a quick response that would make her happy. Page hugs me tightly and I notice my guards take a step forward from the corner of my eye. I push Page back and squeeze her hand in return. “I'm going to miss saving you as well.” “I should go.” I stand slowly not to upset Page as I shove the last bite of cinnamon stick in my mouth and begin my journey outside. “I'll see you later!” I smile and walk past the door into the hot sun. I shove my hands into the pockets of my dress as I closely listen to my guard's footsteps following close behind me. A loud reminder that I am not as free as I wish to be. The closer I come to get to my room the more footsteps I hear. I take a moment to visualize who it might be following. I make an abrupt stop purposefully knowing that my guards are the least likely to run into me. As expected, the third person who followed suit with my guard's skids to a stop nearly running right over me if I hadn’t taken a step to the side. “It's not wise to follow me like that.” I yawn and begin my stride towards nothing. “You know I had no clue that criminals were allowed to wander the streets freely.” I fist my hands but form a not-so-friendly grin. “Why you brilliant mortal, how extremely wrong I am for walking my own streets but fear not Markus I am not walking freely.” Markus’s smile fades away. “If you haven't noticed I have two guards just fifteen feet away making sure I stay in line.” Markus straightens his posture following suit with my strides. “What do you want Markus?” I roll my eyes. “I was just wondering if you were attending the Grand Ball this year.” Markus waves a finger in my face before I can respond. “Ah ah ah don’t say it's because you are forbidden like you say all the time because I believe that you are not.” I scoff and look at him wearily as he folds his arms across his chest and shakes his head. “Markus I’m not allowed in fact if I can recall the last words the King said to me last year were…” I tap my chin annoyingly. “Last year… the king's words were quite simple, you see Markus.” I pause for a more dramatic effect. “NEVER!” “That's not what I heard. Let's see, who went to a council meeting today about the Grand Ball.” He steps in front of me. “Because I don’t believe I saw you there so that must mean I know something you don’t” “Ok hold on.” My heart begins to pound against my chest. “What do I not know?” The grin on Markus’s face makes my hands twitch and my lip quiver. “Well, I don’t know the full details only because I was half asleep.” I roll my eyes groaning and pushing Markus out of the way and begin walking faster than I was earlier. Markus catches my pace quickly and continues. “The councilmen along with the King said that it might be possible you are going to be attending the Grand Ball this year but only for veig reasons such as you not being such a pain in the ass.” I scrunch my nose. “I don’t trust your judgment because you see Markus. These reasons like not being a pain in the ass don’t change that I am still a prisoner. I'm positive that the King doesn’t want a prisoner at his Grand Ball, especially one where I am the rightful ruler.” I walk across the porch and open and close the door behind me. I stop just for a second hoping that Markus will leave me alone but as usual he knocks on the door. I stomp over to swing it open fired and ready to yell at him until I realize it's not Markus.