Fall for Me

four

~ l e o r a

"WHAT IN THE name of Rheane is going on?" The king bellowed, his eyes burning eyes flickering to the guards, and then to me. The guard holding me immediately let me go and I dropped to the floor, my palms pressing against the marble beneath me.

"Your Majesty, the princess was trying to leave. We were just making sure she didn't escape again," he explained, bowing. The king turned his head to give me a cold look.

"Very well, take her back to her room," the king ordered, spinning on his heel. "She is not to leave until dinner."

Until dinner? How long would that be?

My eyes brimmed with tears once again and I fought back the cry rising up my throat. I was trapped and no one was on my side. The sound of retreating footsteps resonated around the first floor. A pair of hands lifted me up and I tried to battle his hold, the back of my hand swatting at the guard's chest. He didn't budge, and instead, he flipped me into his arms and headed back up the staircase. Exhausted from the struggling, I could only close my eyes and listen to the sound of the hard soles of boots as they tapped against the floor.

When I felt the softness of a bed between my trembling fingers, my eyes blinked open and two pools of dark amber belonging to the eyes of the guard who had carried me bore down at me. They lingered on my face for a moment before the guard twisted away, following the others out the door. One of them whispered something to the shaking maid. She nodded quickly and shut the door behind them with a click.

"Princess, are you alright?" She seemed different from before, her voice softer. I ignored her and pitched my head back, my hair trailing down my back, tickling my skin. 

My head throbbed and the noise of my pulse drowned out that of the maid busying herself with filling a cup with boiling tea. A small sigh escaped my lips and my swollen eyes thrummed sorely in their sockets, scrutinizing the structure of the chandelier dangling above me. I hoped it would suddenly break and crush me. There was nothing for me here but loneliness and guilt, but the worst was the feeling as if I had betrayed someone.

As if I had betrayed my family. And Rylan.

As the maid gently handed me the cup of tea, voices drifted in from the hall. My attention focused onto the door. I could hear people arguing on the other side. Rapidly, I slid from the bed, laid the cup to the side and made my way to the door, turning the handle, but it had been locked from the outside, leaving me no way of trying to escape the room.

"Where is the key?" I looked to the maid, but she remained silent in the corner, her lips pressed together. I groaned in frustration. 

I hated everything here. The stupid rules I had to follow; the certain ways I had to act, and the ways I were to be treated.

The bickering on the other side of the door stopped and a second later, the door swung wide open, nearly striking my head. I tripped over my feet, trying to avoid the door, not realizing I was falling until a force pulled me forward, stabilizing me. I let go of the breath I didn't realize I was holding and watched as the guard from earlier stepped in, his hand grasping my arm. He instantly flinched away and wordlessly handed me an envelope sealed with smooth red wax. Before I could open my mouth to thank him, he slammed the door in my face. I frowned.

Shoving myself back under the covers of the bed, I ripped off the wax seal and tore open the envelope, a letter coming into view. My rough fingers fumbled with the crisp paper. From the texture, I could tell it was of high-quality material, contrasting from the thin, yellowed sheets used in the village. I winced at the thought of home but composed myself and concentrated on unfolding the letter.

Princess Leorane,

We would be delighted if you would grace us with your presence at the seventeenth birthday celebration for my son, the crown prince of Aecho. 

There is no reason to be worried about anything, for we have arranged everything. Your driver will arrive at dawn the next day, and he will ensure you and your family reach the airport safely. We have prepared everything you will need for your stay at the palace, so there is no need to bring anything with you, including clothes and jewelry.

We sincerely apologize for the late notice and hope you will understand. We will be expecting you shortly.

Safe travels,

His Majesty, King Jared of Aecho

I inhaled sharply and without a second though, I screwed the piece of paper up, chucking it carelessly to the floor. The maid bowed her head and bent to pick it up, but a glare from me caused her to change her mind. She stood rigidly by the door, her hands wrapped together before her.

I did not want to go. If I left, it would mean I would be further away from my family, and I couldn't bear to be thousands of miles away from them. Although they could most likely see me on the television, I would not be able to see them. The thought of being on screen send a tremor through my body. I could recollect when my mother had told me stories of her and my father's travels. It was Aecho they went to for their honeymoon. The memory sent another painful stab at my chest.

Would I ever be able to go home again?

~

The toll of a bell rang out and I jumped, nearly toppling down the stairs if it had not been for the amber-eyed guard who stood behind me, pulling me back by the waist, steadying me as I rebalanced myself. I had thought it was completely unnecessary for him to accompany me down the stairs to make sure I didn't pull any more stunts, but apparently, he had been following orders. He lowered his head and his arm yanked back, his hand resting on the hilt of his gun. 

The maid who had been assigned to get me ready for dinner really had outdone herself. The gown I wore was a champagne white with intricate floral designs swirling across the bodice. Nude heels had been strapped to my feet and ankle, which made it terribly difficult to walk, but the presence of one of the guards reassured me, knowing he would catch me if I were to fall, which had occurred numerous times already.

As we entered the magnificent dining hall, the guard headed in a different direction and I was left to face the royal family alone, which was slightly unnerving. They were all waiting for me, their eyes trained at the door. The girls who were meant to be my sisters sat elegantly in their seats like their mother, who had her head held high, her dark hair pinned up by jeweled pins. Beside the king was an empty seat which had been left for me. Carefully, I crossed the room and sank myself down, smoothing the lacy fabric of the dress.

Acknowledging me with a cold stare, the king raised his goblet to his lips and sipped the contents. Clearly, this gesture signaled the start of the meal. I observed the others and saw they had all reached for the napkins rolled up beside the cutlery. Copying their actions, I unrolled the cloth and spread it out onto my lap before lifting the smallest spoon and anxiously scooping some broth into my mouth like the other girls, desperately hoping the liquid would not drip down my chin and onto the gown.

Afterwards when everyone had finished their meal, the king stood and cleared his throat. We all shifted in our seats to face him as he spoke.

"As you may already know, a letter arrived for each of you today, and I hope all of you have read it." He paused, glancing down at his wife. She smiled and he continued. "You will be leaving first thing in the morning and make sure to dress appropriately. You need to make a good first impression on yourselves to not only the royal family, but also the staff members."

I felt a wave a shock smash against me. I must have made a face for the king shot me a look of daggers, the fierceness in his eyes allowing no room for protest. I swallowed, my eyes breaking away.

I had to go, and there was no way I could convince the king to let me stay here when his other daughters were thrilled to be invited to a birthday celebration.

"Now, my daughters, have a good night." He took another drink from his goblet and set it down before leading his wife back through the dining room doors. We all pushed back our chairs and followed them.

"What are you going to wear?" A girl in front of me asked her sister. Their heads bent down and they conversed together in hushed voices, occasionally giggling softly. Even their forms of laughter were elegant. 

The other two were beside me, their eyes looking forward as if there were no one else in the hall but themselves. Gliding up the staircase, I tried my best to look gracefully regal as I headed toward the room I had been locked in an hour before, which was now mine, with my back straight and chin slightly tilted up. When my eyes settled on the familiar face of the guard standing before my door, I froze for a moment. I had no idea why, but a tingling sensation ran down my spine. He had an unreadable expression on his face like the other guards, but there was a hint of something in his alert and observant eyes that I couldn't quite put a finger on.

Ignoring him, I brushed past that last set of the doors and entered the one leading to my room. All the while, I could feel his eyes watching me, penetrating holes into my head. I didn't dare look up at him as I unlocked the door to my room, sliding inside and shutting it behind me low tick.

Instantaneously, the maid hastened over and forcefully sat me down despite my protests of being able to get ready for bed myself. She ran a brush through my hair and stripped me of my gown, preparing a bath for me, which I was secretly thankful for. My feet were aching from the heels and I gladly wrested them off, splashing awkwardly into the bathtub. The water was sprinkled with rose petals and their sweet aroma cleared all the thoughts fogging my mind.

Minutes later, I stepped out and dried myself off, ignoring the maid's complaints of how it was her job to get me ready for bed. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes during what seemed to be her speech. After I clothed myself in the same silk robe I had worn when I first found myself in the palace, I crept into bed, writhing about under the covers to try and make myself comfortable. The maid had followed my request and exited my room to head back to the servants' quarters where her room was, but not before grumbling something to the guard stationed outside.

By the time the door reopened, and the tall figure of a man came in, my eyelids were already heavy with fatigue.