Fall for Me

ten

~ l e o r a

A KNOCK WAS heard at my door a few minutes after lunch ended. I had been reading one of the books I had borrowed from the lounge at the desk sitting beside the bed when I was interrupted by the sound. Closing the book, I set it down and was about to head to the door, but Janne, carrying a basket of sewing equipment, ushered me back and told me to wait. I obeyed reluctantly, sitting myself back down in the chair I had occupied not long ago. Janne disappeared through the doorway leading out of my bedroom and hurried to greet whoever was on the other side. 

"How may I help you, My Lord?" Janne asked politely. There were numerous nobles who resided in the royal palace. I strained my neck to try and catch more of the conversation.

"I have been tasked with escorting Princess Leora to the king's office," a deep, male voice resonated around the room.

"Of course. I shall fetch her right away." Janne replied, followed by the swishing of her skirts.

I could hear her footsteps as she approached me, and I hastily grabbed the book on my desk before flipping through the pages. I looked up. Janne's face was twisted in a mix of confusion and surprise. She placed her basket down on the floor and glanced behind her shoulder.

"Princess, Lord Canterbury is here to see you," Janne informed me. I raised my eyebrows in astonishment. I hadn't seen him since Ashton's birthday celebration.

"Thank you, Janne. I will see him immediately," I thanked her. She nodded and heaved up her basket, continuing her sewing.

Rising, I smoothed down the slightly wrinkled skirts of my gown and inhaled. I slid out of the doorway of the bedroom and spotted Mason standing rigidly in the hallway. Something about him was different, unusual, almost. Having been unable to see him for some time, I did not quite know how to address him. My first impression of him was a relaxed young man who was care-free, but still had responsibilities. To my relief, it was him who spoke first.

"I hope you are doing well, Princess Leora." Mason bent down in a bow, gently taking and kissing it. 

When he tilted his head back to gaze at me, I suddenly noticed how tired he looked. Black circles streaked under his eyes and his cheekbones easily showed through the flesh. His disorderly hair made him seem dangerous and harmful in a way I couldn't put into words.

"I am, thank you, My Lord," I replied, straightening. "Is something the matter?" 

"As you may know, I am here to escort you to the king's office, where he will be holding a very important meeting he would like you to attend. The other princesses are waiting with him," Mason said. 

I hesitated. What was this about? Did the king have something to say to us? Was he driving us out of the palace? And more importantly, did Ashton have a part in this?

"Then we better not keep the king waiting." I forced a smile onto my face and linked my arm with Mason's.

After Janne had closed the door behind me, Mason and I strode down the hall, all the while keeping silent. I had snuck a peek at him through the corner of my eye once. He looked unfamiliar to me, like a whole new person I had never seen before. Although I had only spoken to him once or twice, it felt terrible for someone I knew to act so different toward me.

The hallway we were now passing through was unknown to me, and the architectural design of the walls and ceiling were unlike that of the rest of the castle. Idriss had once told us that we were forbidden to access the West Wing unless requested to, and judging by the fact that I had never glimpsed this place before in my days here in the palace, this had to be the West Wing.

As we entered the office through a set of grand, mahogany doors, the first thing I spotted was the desk. It stretched along the back of the entire room, piles and piles of books stacks neatly in shelves protruding from the table. A hideous face had been carved into the front of the desk, its mouth gaping at me, long jagged fangs curving about the lips. There was a deadly, ominous look in its eyes.

To the side of the desk sat Ashton, dressed immaculately like always, though his hair was slightly unruly and rumpled. He was perched in a chair opposite the princesses, who were sitting gracefully in their leather armchairs. They looked up when I arrived. 

"Princess Leora, welcome." From behind the desk, the king gestured for me to take a seat. He leaned nonchalantly in his chair, legs crossed, and fingers tangled in his lap. He looked casual enough, but I knew there was something more to this meeting than anyone else had in mind. "We have been awaiting your arrival."

"I apologize for keeping you waiting." I curtseyed before him, dipping my head down in respect. When I looked up, the king had his lips pressed in a line, his eyes trained on me.

"Please, Princess Leora, do take a seat." He gestured at one of the armchairs. 

I lowered myself into one of them, with an expressionless Mason sinking himself down next to Ashton, who looked anxious, a nervous gleam in his eyes. He, too, was wondering why the king had called everyone here. 

"I have called you all here today because of a serious matter I must discuss." Everyone in the room looked on expectantly. "You may know already that my son, the crown prince, must choose a bride before he reaches the age of eighteen, the age when he is to take the crown and the throne." The king turned his head to look at the princesses and me. "Your father and I have come to an agreement. His kingdom is falling apart due to the countless attacks from the Freedom Warriors, and he has begged me to send an army to protect the citizens of Rheane in exchange for one of his daughters, who is to become my sons bride and queen, but he somehow failed to mention he was to send not only one, but all five of his daughters over for my son.

"Naturally, my son would have to pick which one of you he wants as his bride and as the next queen of Aecho, which means the four remaining princesses would be sent back home to Rheane. And of course, an army of a few thousand soldiers would accompany you on your journey. I have called you here to inform you of this, and to formally announce the beginning of it all." The king boomed, his voice being the only sound in the room.

Everyone was silent. Some of the faces of the princesses were of shock and dismay, but others', such as Aurorae's, was of pure delight. She radiated joy and excitement. Ashton, on the other hand, seemed displeased with the idea of having to choose a bride. His eyes caught mine and he sent me an apologetic smile. I shrugged a shoulder. There was nothing either of us could do. The king was still the king.

"But before all that, Princesses, I will give each of you a chance to drop out right now. You may never get another opportunity like this ever again." The king's words seemed to be aimed at me.

None of the princesses moved. I wanted to go home terribly, and I missed both my parents and my siblings, but even if I returned to Rheane, there was no option. They would keep me there and station guards around my room to prevent me from escaping, and it wasn't that I wanted to compete with any of them and not return home, it was just that I somehow could not bear the thought of Ashton spending time with another girl who was not me. I didn't move either.

"But just to be clear, all of you should know that this is still my country and my palace. If you are to step out of line..." The king directed his glare at me. "I will certainly make sure you will be punished for whatever trouble you have caused for anyone."

"Father!" Ashton warned, shooting up from his seat.

"Now, now, Ashton. You and I both know none of these princesses would ever dare to do such a thing, do we not?" The king's dark eyes drifted across the room, and sudden goosebumps crept inched their way across my arms. "But am I understood, Princesses?"

The princesses and I nodded rapidly, bobbing our heads up and down. Ashton had his face buried in his hands, fingers knotted in his hair. Mason was emotionless next to him, legs crossed, and arms folded across his chest. He looked almost like a robot.

"Thank you for your time. You are all dismissed." The king waved a hand at the door and the guards positioned in front of them pulled them open, allowing us to exit.

I filed out after the other girls, relieved that I would no longer have to be in the same room as the king. He somewhat terrified me. The memory of the way he always eyed me still sent chills trailing down my spine. Mason disappeared the moment I walked through the doors and into the hall. He had been acting extremely suspicious for the past few days, hurrying off when he thought no one noticed, but I always pushed those seemingly ridiculous thoughts away in a corner in my mind, marking them as foolish ideas. Mason would never do something like that.

As I was about to head back the way I came with the other princesses, Ashton emerged from within the office and grasped my elbow, causing me to stop in my tracks. He looked as if he desperately wanted to say something.

"Is something wrong?" I asked softly, spinning so my body completely faced his. He raked a hand through his already messy hair.

"Is it alright I could talk to you?" He jerked his head in the opposite direction, which was where Mason had vanished to. He spoke carefully, almost testing my reaction.

"Of course," I agreed, taking the arm Ashton offered me. His eyes lit up at my answer and I forced down the urge to laugh. The way he looked so genuinely happy made me want to smile.

Within a minute's time, we were strolling through a pair of enormous, golden gates leading into the magnificent garden of the palace. I had never entered the garden before due to spending most of my days locking myself in my bedroom and reading without any source of disturbance. I stepped onto the cobbled pathway, my eyes filling with the range of colors of the blooming flowers. The lawn had been groomed beautifully with topiary bushes lining the sides. Glimmering cherry blossom trees sprouted from the ground, most of the petals on the flowers floating to the grass beneath.

"This place is beautiful," I gasped, my eyes lifting to meet the cloudless, azure sky. The sun was blinding, rays of light streaming down and enveloping the place in brilliance.

"It is." Ashton had a dazed look in his eyes, seeming to be lost in thought. He held me to him as we ventured past the flowers and trees, enjoying the wonderful aroma of the flowers and the elegance and attractiveness of all the plants.

A few nobles were taking a morning walk around the garden, their quiet voices being the only noise in the peaceful area. Not far off, the princesses were relaxing on a blanket they had brought from inside, bathing under the sparkling sunlight. They were quick to recover from the frightening message the king had abruptly thrown at us.

"Have you ever thought about leaving your home to live somewhere else?" Ashton asked suddenly. I tipped my head back to look at him. I wonder what had made him want to ask me this question.

"Not really. I always thought my family was most important," I explained. Ashton registered my words and exhaled before twisting his head to look somewhere else.

Did I say something wrong? Did I say something he did not want to hear from me?

I was unable to come up with an answer for Aurorae had bounded over to us from where she sat with her sisters. She looked eager for some reason, almost like she wanted to try something, and wasn't afraid that she may fail.

"You Highness!" She curtseyed. Ashton hadn't told the other princesses to call him by his name, which was somehow a huge relief on my part.

"Princess Aurorae," Ashton greeted, dropping his head in a motion of respect. 

"Hello there, Leora." Aurorae beamed at me, her angelic face bright with enthusiasm. She had at least acknowledged my presence.

"Hello," I said in return, the corners of my lips pulling upward in a smile.

"If Your Highness does not mind, I would like to have a few words," Aurorae glanced at me warily before looking at Ashton. He raised a brow and lowered his head to search my eyes, asking silently if it was alright with me.

"I will wait," I assured him, unhooking our arms. He gave me a look of uncertainty, but I brushed it away and guided myself to where the other princesses were. When I sat myself down on the blanket, they all turned their heads. 

"How was your little walk with the prince?" Brielle questioned, a grin making its way onto her face. I must have made a face for she gave a gentle laugh.

"It was...good," I responded, inclining my head so that the warmth caused by the light of the sun washed over my face and hair. I could feel Brielle moving beside me.

"So, then, do you like him?" Brielle motioned with her hand at Ashton who looked to be in deep conversation with Aurorae.

"Isn't it slightly too early for that?" I avoided Brielle's eyes, fiddling with the fabric of my gown.

"Leora, it is never too early for love." Brielle shuffled closer to me, spreading the skirts of her dress out over her long legs.

"Love?" I shifted my gaze to her.

"Yes, love." She was watching me with careful eyes. "Have you ever been in love before?"

"Well, no, I guess not," I replied, frowning. I never recalled being in love before. My mother and father had told me that love was when you cared deeply for someone, and it would hurt you terribly if you ever lost them.

"That is a pity. I was certain there was a connection between you and the duke's son a few years back." Brielle shrugged, breathing in.

"There was?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Oh, never mind. You might just be too young to truly understand the concept of love," Brielle joked, shaking her head with a dramatic sigh.

"Maybe." I inhaled. "To tell the truth, I have just never thought about love. I have always just wanted to stay by my family's side forever."

"Oh, Leora, that is very sweet, but in the end, you are bound to fall in love with someone, and you are bound to leave your family for them." The corners of Brielle's eyes crinkled with her tender smile.

"I guess that is true." My eyes flickered over to Ashton. Aurorae was almost pressing herself against him, but he didn't seem to have noticed. A second later, his eyes met mine and a small grin formed on his lips. His eyes glinted entrancingly under the sunlight. I turned back to Brielle. "What about you?"

"What about me?" She looked interested at my question.

"Do you not want the crown?" I jabbed my head in Ashton's direction. Her eyes widened and a grin bloomed on her face.

"Leora, of course I want to be queen, but there is so much more to it that the crown! I cannot marry a man I do not know, let alone love!" Brielle hurled her arms in air above her. 

"How do you know you do not love the prince?" My eyes pried into hers.

"I do not feel this instant eruption of butterflies in my stomach when I see His Highness, if that makes sense to you." She paused her lips, waiting for my reaction.

I nodded slowly, recalling the feel of my stomach lifting, almost, as if bursting with fireworks. Was that what Brielle was talking about? Did that really only happen when I was with Ashton?

"Well, here comes your Prince Charming!" Brielle nudged me in the side. Just as she had said, Ashton was jogging over to me, dragging his fingers through his brown hair. The conversation from the last few minutes faded away as his eyes sought mine, piercing silver orbs slicing into my own.

"Shall we?" He extended a hand. I gripped it without a moment's hesitation.

"Of course." I stood and wrapped my arm around the crook of Ashton's elbow. 

His tall frame pushed against mine and just like many times before, my stomach rotated in a full circle, my body going numb. Being with him made me feel free, as if I could do as I pleased with no one stopping me, and no one reverting me from launching out of the cage that trapped me, holding me captive. As we continued on our way through the garden, the voice of one of the princesses filtered over to me.

"Well, what did he say?" I struggled to find out who the voice belonged to. The princess sounded urgent, impatient for an answer.

"He said that he could not," a response came. This time, I had no trouble recognizing who had spoken. It was Aurorae. "He said that he was here with Leora, and Leora alone."

My heart thrummed in my chest and my ears rang with her words. Ashton was here with me. He was here with me, and me alone.

Maybe letting go of my past and striving for a future I did not know existed until now didn't seem appealing to me back then, but now it was all I desired. I wanted to forget the terrible things that still tortured me constantly and treasure the memories that made me who I was today. My life was about to change, and I knew it. 

~*~

~ a s h t o n

April 28th, 2020, 10:29 pm

My dearest Leora,

You must hate me for this. My father has forced me to choose a bride within only a few months' time, which is impossible even for me. Time keeps flying past, and I can never understand the true meaning behind all of this. 

The walk with you today helped refresh my mind, and with your presence, I felt soothed and cared for. Your smile widened with every word of mine and I felt my heart nearly burst from within my chest. It is hard for me to forget the way you made me feel.

I cannot be certain, but since the time after the birthday celebration, you seemed more approachable and easier to converse with. I do not know what happened, but it made me feel whole. It made me feel happy, and that is all I ever feel when I am with you.

Happy.

Yours truly,

Ashton