I'm mainly focusing on my other story Arranged for the moment so the updates in this chapter will be painfully slow.
I hope you guys enjoy it though!
And if you haven't read Arranged yet you should try it out!
CHAPTER 2
When Leighlani had gotten home her aunt had curtly informed her that her father had been caught up by the flood a few miles back and had been unable to come in time. Apparently he had a lot of merchandise with him which meant that he could not take the longer route to get here.
That wasn't the reason she was outside in the rain again however, it was her obnoxious cousin who had, the moment she had found out that her father wasn't home yet, rubbed in the fact that he was leaving her again instead of taking her on tour. She had of course ignored her, the first ten times she'd said it but then her aunt had joined in during dinner and she had left.
She hated it, living in that insufferable house with her pompous cousins and her aunt that clearly despised her.
She wished her father would let her return to Lorraine, but no, she felt like she would be stuck in Ajibad forever. It wasn't that she didn't like this place, in fact, she loved it. The people here were far less stuck up than the people at the Lorraine courts that she'd have to live in if she went there. It was just her aunt and her daughters, she detested them.
They were incredibly good at making her feel inadequate, and of course her vanity would not have that. She was sure that if she were more like her aunt, the nicer one, her father's actual sister then they would have been able to squish her like an ant.
Though, a part of her mind said that maybe they would like her more if she went along with their values but she couldn't. They weren't horrible to her, but it was the snide comments, the offhand ones that they made which made her blood boil.
So now, she was dancing again, the rain had stopped and the square was lit up. There were few people walking around but she knew this part of the city was safe. Anyways, nobody dared hurt her, she had made a name for being able to take care of herself. Her punches were surprisingly painful for someone so petite.
The children were watching her however, some were the shopkeeper's kids and some were the orphans from the orphanage next door;they were used to her coming here at least once a week. She ran away quite a bit and the loved imitating her dance when she came to the courtyard.
She spun around, repeatedly, first she spun quickly, then she slowed down so that they could copy her.
"No Ana, keep your shoulders up." she called winking at the girl. The little girl tried to listen but fell into a puddle.
"Leigh! This is hard!" The dancer laughed good naturedly.
"Of course it is. But you've gotten so much better." She went over to the girl, helping her up and straightening her back.
"Keep your heads up and..." Spinning once as a demo, "Spin." She said.
The girl tried again, looking much more balanced. "Good, see? It worked!"
The little girl spun again and again.
"Leigh! Help me!" Cried a boy who was attempting to spin. The girl moved around helping the kids whenever they asked her to. Soon enough she was humming aloud and conducting a mini dance, a giant proud smile on her face. She noticed that there was one little girl in the crowd that she had never seen before. The girl hadn't called to her but instead had been copying the moves that she had showed to the rest of the children.
She was doing them well, and she could see that the girl had potential. The closer Leigh looked at the girl however, the more she began to notice that the girl didn't seem to belong there. Her hair was to clean, and bright, her skin was fair. She had rosy cheeks that had not even a speck of dirt on them.
The children of the town didn't look like that, in fact she hadn't seen any child like that since her last trip with her father.
The girl's dress was frilly and pretty and Leighlani could tell that this was a noble's daughter. What she was doing dancing with a bunch of orphans she didn't know. No nobleman's child would do this, aside from herself.
She ignored the girl however, what she did was of no concern to Leighlani. Or, she ignored her until a herd of soldiers ran into the yard. Their swords were out and the dancing children all scattered in fright. Most of them went home but the rest hid behind her. She guarded them with her body, not understanding why soldiers would feel the need to have their swords out in the town. The place was completely safe.
Of course, unless... she looked at the only child that hadn't either scattered or hid behind her. The nobleman's daughter stood in the middle, her head held high and a proud expression in her face.
"Princess!" One of the soldiers exclaimed, sheathing his sword. The rest of the soldiers followed suit.
The girl just stared back, a frown on her face, then, from the alleyway a man appeared. She of course recognized him immediately.
The Prince.
The children all peeked out from behind her, she could see the awe in her faces. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she saw the snooty look on his face. His head was held high and his eyes sweeped past her like she was the wall.
"Auriella, what were you thinking running away from the picnic?" His voice was stern and intimidating.
Leighlani felt a surge of understanding toward's the little girl as she spoke up, "I'm sorry dear brother but I didn't much feel like being surrounded by a bunch of snobby women that treated me like a two year old." She wondered if it would be appropriate for her to applaud.
The prince raised his eyebrows. "You aren't much older than two."
She heard herself scoff. The prince looked up at her briefly, as if to silence her. She really did roll her eyes this time, good thing he didn't know who she actually was.
"I am eight." She said proudly.
She agin felt the urge to laugh. The little princess was witty.
"Come on Auri, we have to go to the palace now." The prince demanded but the little girl stood there pouting.
"No, I want to keep dancing." She said.
"Dancing?" The prince looked confused, "you despise dancing."
"No, No I love it. Its just Madame Charmot, she's mean." The prince rolled his eyes.
"You've hated dancing since before Madame Charmot."
"No, I've hated the teachers. I like her!" She pointed straight at Leigh. The prince raised his eyebrows.
"Will you agree to leave now if she becomes your teacher?" He asked. Leighlani looked affronted. Shouldn't he have been asking her first?
"Yes." The prince looked at her.
"You start tomorrow." She raised her eyebrows.
"Start what your highness?" She cocked her head innocently.
"Don't act stupid girl. Your new job, you'll be the dance tutor starting tomorrow." She sighed, wondering how much more spoilt a man could be. Did he truly expect her to do whatever he asked?
Then again, she did look like a beggar and anyone else in this town would easily agree to go work in the palace. It was in fact the highest of honors. Anyone but her, she had no desire to work in the palace, the whole reason she was living with her evil aunt was so that she wouldn't have to be near any sort of politics.
"And what if I refuse this job?" She asked.
"You? Refuse this job? Why in the world would you ever do that?" He scoffed. She wondered how anyone could be so rude. Was this how prince's spoke to their people? No, her uncle had once been a prince and she couldn't imagine him being so rude.
"I do not want to work in the palace." She answered simply.
"You do not want to? You're just a beggar! How could you not want to?" She wondered if her eyebrows would jump out of her face from her raising them too much.
"Because, your highness, I have no need to work for the palace."
"Do you not want to be fed everyday? Or to wake up in a soft bed?" She laughed.
"Your highness, I am no beggar. I am fed everyday, and I am quite happy as I am." The Prince looked shocked.
"Rowe! I'm not leaving unless she can teach me to dance!" The little girl cried. Leigh laughed internally, like brother like sister.
"Well," The prince asked. "Will you teach her or what?" His tone was still arrogant and she wondred if she should humor him more.
"No." She decided that this was a prince and it probably wouldn't be the safest thing to embarrass him.
"No?" The little girl asked. "B-but... you're so good." She looked at the little girl in shock. Her eyes were pleading and she looked like she was about to cry.
"Thank you princess, but I do not want to live in the palace. I have never been a dance instructor and I'm afraid I would not be able to teach you properly." She replied politely. The little girl at least deserved a kind reply.
"But I want you to teach, you make it so much more fun!" The girl pleaded. She shook her head apologetically.
"I'm sorry, I cannot."
"But you can!" The little girl exclaimed, "You just did!"
"This was once, if I was to be your actual instructor it would not be as fun." The little girl just pouted and crossed her arms.
"Please?" Leighlani just looked at the girl, unable to answer in the negative. She looked so desperate so Leigh said the first thing she could think of.
"Maybe. Is that okay princess? I'll think about it." The girl gave her a giant smile and ran over and hugged her.
"Thank you!" She cried.
Leighlani just nodded uncomfortably, knowing that she would never go to the palace, being a dance instructor didn't sound too bad but to have to return to court was terrible. She had better thingss to do.
"Good then." The prince spoke, "you can start tomorrow morning."
"Unless I decide not to." She said.
"No, Rowe, she can start whenever she wants." The little princess said with so much authority that even the prince didn't reply.
"Fine. We expect you there tomorrow morning."
R-E-V-I-E-W! I know... The Prince is a douche...