The Forgotten Princess

Chapter Three

    I wake up the next morning feeling as if I spent the last six hours on a cloud. I don't remember the last time I've ever slept as good as I did this night.  I roll over on the enormous bed and look at the paintings on the ceiling, and the gold encrusted pillars that sit on each corner. 

    Sleeping use to consist of a blanket on the dirt floor, as close to the first as possible, if we could even afford a fire big enough for a whole night. Sticks and leaves will only burn for so long before they simmer out, and decent wood costs money.

    I think about the mornings I would wake up stiff and in pain, hearing James grunt as he would wake up as well.

    James!

   I jump out of bed and look for a dress, anxious to talk to Ashton. When I cannot find a suitable outfit to wear, I pull a long dark robe from the bathroom and wrap it around myself. I exit my chambers, realizing that I don't know exactly where Ashton's room is. I walk down a hallway and find myself facing two guards. 

    "Excuse me," I say, getting their attention.

    The guards turn around look at me shocked. "My lady?" one of them asks me.

    "Can you tell me how to get to Lord Ashton's room?"

    A small smile forms on the lips of the shorter guard. "Lord Ashton?"

    I narrow my eyes at him. "Not for the reason you are thinking."

    The other guard straightens up and clears his throat. "Last door on the right," he points. 

    "Knock before entering, my lady," the shorter guard says. "Lord Ashton got in very late last night, and he rarely sleeps alone."

    I turn my back on them and walk down the long hallway towards Ash's room. I don't know why my stomach is in knots after what the smaller guard said, why I should feel any way at all.  When I reach his door, I look back down the hallway and notice the guards are gone.

    I knock and hold my ear to the door, waiting to hear something. I reach for the handle and give it a twist, noticing its open. I crack it slightly and notice it is still very dark in the room. "Ash," I whisper.

    "Ash," I call out a little louder and push the door open. I look quickly down the hallway one more time before quietly slipping inside. 

    The room is painted a darker color, the windows covered by a dark fabric. I can barely see with the little light shining in through the window. 

    I approach the bed and notice how peaceful he looks while sleeping. His dark blond hair is ruffled at the top, his eyes are fluttering in his dreams. I feel myself blush while silently thanking a higher power that he is alone in his bed.  His top is bare, his impressive shoulders are showing from just atop the blanket.

    "Ashton," I say, a little louder, gently nudging his arm under the blanket.

    His eyebrows furrow at the sudden intrusion, his eyes blinking a couple of times before finding mine.

    "Kennah?!" he gasps, sitting up quickly. "What are you doing in my room?"

    The blanket falls and piles around his waist, uncovering his entire torso. Part of me starts to wonder if he sleeps in any clothes at all. 

    "James," I breathe. "What of James."

    "He is safe, he is on the grounds," he says, rubbing his eyes and running a hand through his hair. 

    "I wish to see him," I demand.

    "I wish to sleep for longer than three hours," he snaps.

    "Why was he not brought into the castle?"

    "He refused," he tells me. "He told me he would be of more use if he was not restrained inside the castle walls. I believe he knows more about your past than you think."

    I am about to reprimand him when a slight knock comes from the door. 

    "My Lord," a voice calls, and before I can react, Ashton reaches for me pulls me into the bed with him. He throws the blanket over me and turns his back to the door, wrapping me tightly into his arms so that my head is resting on his chest. 

    "Be quiet," he whispers harshly as the door opens. 

    "Lord Ashton," a small voice comes from the door.  "I've come to change your bedding."    

    Ash groans as if he is just waking up, pulling me closer to him. It's getting warmer by the second being in this close proximity to Ash.  "I've just woken, Arabella. Give me a little time to get up."

    "Of course, My Lord," Arabella says, a smile can be heard on her voice.  "Is there anything else I can help you with this morning?"

    I stiffen at her voice asking that question, Ash shifts as well. 

    "No."

    I hear a sharp intake before finally, "as you wish, my lord."

    The door clicks shut and Ash's grip on me loosens. 

    "It's clear," he says, lifting the blanket from my head. 

    "It's so warm," I pant, feeling the cold air from the room on my face.

    "Do me a favor," Ash says, his face very close to mine.

    "What?"

    "Next time you come into my room to wake me up in the morning, either lock the door when you come in or wear something different."

    "It is not revealing!" I snap, unraveling myself from him and pushing myself off the bed. 

    "While that may be true, it is definitely not thick enough for me not to feel everything under it, especially with your entire body pushed up against mine."

    I'm blushing furiously at this point, walking over to the door. 

    "You pulled me under the blanket, I didn't have a choice!"

    "Wait," he calls, getting out of bed. His body looks even better standing up. His pants hanging low on his hips, leaving my mind wandering. "At least let me check to see if the hallway is clear."

    "Why does it matter if I am in here anyways?" I ask. "Apparently I am a princess."

    "Yes you are," he smiles. "The princess of Sierra Verona was promised to the prince of Arcadia, not the Kings brothers second son.  If you are in my room, as down dressed as you are, in the wee hours of the morning, people are going to start talking. Rumors ruin royalty."

    "Oh," I mumble. "How bad would it be if I asked some guards how to get here this morning?"

    "Dressed like that?"

    "I couldn't find a dress!"

    He groans, running his hand through his arms again.  "Damnit Kennah," he whispers. "We have to tell Kayden what I did yesterday. He needs to know why you were running about the castle in your night wear searching for my room."

    "What will come of James when they realize he does not belong here?"

    "If you don't belong at Court, you are not permitted to stay.  He could be punished," he tells me.

    "Can we trust Kayden?" I ask.

    "There was a point in time where Kayden would just about do anything for you," Ash mumbles. "I believe that is still his intentions."

    I notice the change in his demeanor when he talks about what I mean to Kayden. It is similar to how he sounded when he was explaining that I was promised to the Prince earlier.

    "Then we will tell him," I say. "After we go down and talk to James."

    "After you get out of that indecent attire," he tells me, cracking the door and looking out. 

    "Indecent," I scoff. 

    He opens the door and pulls my arm, placing me right outside his door before slipping back inside.

    "You are a princess now, Kennah. I understand you do not know the formalities of royalty, but it is not dressing like that of a common street w***e and waking a man of my stature up," he hisses.

    "Well forgive me for growing up in poverty," I snap. "While you are at it, forgive me for not knowing about your "stature" as a man. I promise I will not wake you up in the morning anymore, I wouldn't want to risk finding someone else in your bed with you. I hear I am not the only woman you pull into your bed."

    He narrows his eyes at me. "You insult me."

    "Rumors ruin royalty," I mock. "There are quite a few about you."

    "Half-hour," he whispers, furiously. "You're welcome, by the way." 

    He slams the door closed, leaving me gawking like a child. I turn on my heels and start walking back to my room. 

    The moment I reach my door handle, the door across from me, and Kayden emerges. "Kennah," he says, wide eyed. "What are you doing in the hallway in your night attire?"

    I roll my eyes, opening my door. "What is wrong with what I am wearing?" I ask.

    "N-nothing," Kayden stutters. "It's just not decent for a princess to walk around the castle-,"

    "Enough," I snap."I am completely covered, nothing shows, and I've grown up wearing more tattered and revealing clothing during the harshest winters. Forgive me if I have yet to master how to dress in gowns that are worth more than my entire village in a mere twelve hours."

    "I apologize," he says, holding his hands up.

    I sigh, realizing I am taking out my frustrations with Ashton out on Kayden.

    "I do not know what to wear," I confess. "Or where I can find it."

    Kayden smiles. "Back doors are closets. The dresser has your garments. Everything is clean."    

    "Thank you," I tell him. "I also would like to speak to you, privately, if you would give me a moment?" I ask, gesturing to my room.    

    "I don't believe that is appropriate," he warns me, smiling.

    "I will change in the lavatory," I inform him. "This is an urgent matter."

    "Urgent, huh?" His eyebrow raises as he looks me up and down, grinning.

    "Kayden Westerton, you are a prince," I mock. "You should not think such things about me."

    He takes a look around before slipping into my room. He walks over to my closet and opens it up, pulling out a simple blue gown and tossing it onto my bed. "This one is easy."

    "Thank you," I say, opening the dresser and seeing a plethora of under garments. I choose the first couple I can reach, and the dress and head to the lavatory. 

    "So you said urgent?" Kayden calls from behind closed doors.

    "Yes," I tell him. "Before you get angry at him, know that I asked Ashton to help me with something."  I pull on the dress and realize the zipper is on the back side, where I cannot reach. I pull it up to my lower back as far as I can before emerging from the lavatory. "Can you assist me please?"

    Kayden nods, walking over and reaches for the zipper on the back. His fingers brush my lower back, causing me to shiver.

    "Cold?" Kayden whispers in my ear, slowly zipping the dress up, causing me to blush.

    "Thank you," I state, feeling the dress secure, before turning around and facing him. Focus, I think.

    "You asked Ashton for help," he continues.

    "Yes, I asked him to retrieve James from the village last night, and bring him to court."

    "James?" Kayden tilts his head slightly. 

    "My brother," I say. "Or the person I grew up calling my brother."

    "Did Ashton succeed?"

    "He did," I confirm. "James is at the stables. We go to speak to him in a bit. I wish for you to join us, Ashton seems to think that James has more information than I was aware of." At this point I do not wish to be with Ashton alone, my anger towards him still there.

    Kayden looks around the room, sighing deeply. "Are you aware that if he would be caught at Court uninvited, he could be punished?"

    "I am," I tell him. "Which is why I am asking you for assistance."

    "You want me to vouch for him."

    "Yes," I state.

    He nods, grinning at me. "He is my welcomed guest."

    "Thank you," I breathe. "Will you take me to him?"    

    "One question," he says first. "When did you talk to Ashton?"

    I blush, looking around. "This morning, as the sun started to rise."

    Kayden raises an eyebrow.

    "Before I knew where my clothes were, I went down the hallway and asked a couple of guards where I could find his room."

    "In your night wear?"

    "Yes," I groan. "I did not realize how big of a scandal it would cause. I am sure that the guards are talking to the others about my sudden interest of Ashton's room wearing a nightgown."

    Kayden grins. "Thank you for being honest with me."

    "I am embarrassed by my lack of knowledge in the matter."

    "You are still learning," Kayden says, softly. He reaches for my hand, giving it a squeeze. "I do not expect you to understand everything right away. I also know you are eager to talk to James. I do not fault you for the rumors of others."

    "Rumors ruin royalty," I quote Ash. "I am not here to cause problems."

    "Oh my Kennah," Kayden laughs. "We will engage the rumor if and when it surfaces. Nothing can be done of that."

    "Okay," I whisper. 

    "Smile, my Kennah. Let's go talk to your brother." He pulls me towards the door and I feel my heart start to flutter. He did not reprimand me, he did not exemplify my mistake, and he did not correct me on James not being a blood relative. His support and understanding of the situation, for the first time since being here, has made me feel safe.