Hi there! I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who was stuck by me and this story! Here is chapter four!
Chapter Four
Marlee
I am sitting at my desk, studying when I hear footsteps behind me. I turn around and see Carter standing there. I feel my heart lurch. After last night, I didn't think he would come back.
"Carter!" I say before running to him and crashing my lips against his. I expect him to fall into the kiss but his lips are stones under mine.
"Carter?"
"The ambassador has arrived with a gift for you. He also plans to talk to your mother about setting a date for the wedding," he says.
"The ambassador? Already?"
"I'm afraid so," he says. Instead of speaking I run towards the doors to the balcony and thrust them open, breathing in the fresh air. Once again, I feel trapped in life as a royal.
"Marlee?" Carter says.
"Yes?"
"You're going to need your cape."
As Carter and I are sitting in the carriage all I can do is stare out the window. I look out at the village and I am saddened by the fact that these people, my people, have so little. I begin to feel selfish and foolish. I have been so angry because of my marriage arrangements. I was absolutely heartbroken that I had to marry a king. A king that could give me so much. Whereas marriage was the least important thing on these people's mind.
Before I know it we are stopped and Carter has gotten out to help me get down from the carriage. I take his hand and step out of the carriage.
"Thank-you," I tell him
"Of course, your highness."
"Why the sudden formality, Carter?"
"I don't know," he says.
After a few minutes of silence and walking around I finally break the silence."Oh! Those smells wonderful!" I say, pointing out the cinnamon bun stand.
Carter then eyes the stand and gives me a sly look before speaking. "I'll be right back."
Of course I know what he is doing but I just reply, "Okay. Don't keep me waiting." I make sure so flash him a smile so that he knows I am kidding. He walks away and I look around at the village I am in. As I take in the scenery I hear the beautiful voice of a singing woman.
"Long live the pioneers
Rebels and mutineers
Go forth and have no fear
Come close and lend an ear
And I said hey
Hey, hey, hey
Living like we're renegades
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Living like we're renegades
Renegades, renegades..."
I follow the sound of her voice and am lead to what looks like the center of town. There is a small crowd gathered around the young woman. She is wearing a cloak like me so I can only see her face. I notice someone drop a coin into the small can next to her feet. Just as she starts singing the next verse, another woman in a very intricate outfit walks up to her and grabs the can of coins.
"What do you think you are doing? You should be working! Oh! And what is this we have here? More money for me?" the woman says to the singer as she dumps all the change into her hand.
"Hey! I earned that!" the singer says, reaching for the change.
"Ah, ah, ah. You owe me!" she says as she throws the can on the ground and starts walking away. I can tell the singer wants to have the last word but instead she keeps quiet and watches the small crowd walk away. I can see small tears well up in her eyes as she stands in the same spot. Before I realize, it I am walking towards her and taking out my coin pouch. I then dump all of my coins into the can by her feet.
"Oh my gosh!" the singer says through sniffles. "I couldn't take your money from you." She holds the can out to me.
"No, please. Its no trouble. Your singing was beautiful. I wish I had talent like that."
"You don't know how grateful I am. I'm America," she says, holding out her hand.
I am debating whether or not to tell her that I am the princess, or just tell her something untrue.
"I'm Princess Marlee," I whisper as I shake her hand. I lift up my hood so that she can see can clearly see my face.
"Oh, your highness, what a pleasure it is to make your acquaintance," America says before dropping into a rather poor curtsy.
"The pleasure is mine. And please, just call me Marlee. I am savoring a last taste of freedom before getting married, to a man I don't even know. I have just one question? Why are you singing out here? And who was that awful woman who took your earnings?"
"Oh, well I work at Madame Celeste's penitentiary, I mean dress emporium. I love to sing but I can't do it around her. So, while she is out I sneak out and sing right here. I usually don't get caught though. My parents had such a large debt with her...but they passed away and I was left to pay off their debt."
"Oh, I'm so sorry..." I say. We sit in silence for a few seconds before I speak again. "You know what? You should come sing at the palace sometime!"
"Really?!" America replies. But her happiness slowly fades. "Oh...well I don't think I could do that. You know- being an indentured servant and all."
"Of course you could. She would have to listen to the princess's orders," I say, giving her a wink.
"I would love to. Thank you so much, Marlee. And, may I ask? Who is it that you are marrying?"
"King Maxon of Illea..."
"Oh. Thats where my parents were from, but they immigrated here before my oldest sister was born. They didn't really like the way Illea was run."
I believe her. Most people in our kingdom were either born here, or they immigrated from Illea. The caste system is really what drove them all to leave. Illea is definitely bigger than Odosite though. We were a small land that used to be apart of The United States of America, but it was claimed by the Canadians while the Americans were vulnerable. When Gregory Illea conquered America and turned it into what Illea is now, Odosite was forgotten. The early citizens of Illea fled to the abandoned Odosite and started the earliest monarchy. Citizens of Odosite had a lot more freedom than citizens of Illea. Eventually more and more people immigrated and Odosite became what it is today. After hearing that I was engaged to King Maxon, I started thinking about ways that I could hopefully change Illea for the better, if the King agreed, that is.
"You seem...unhappy about marrying him. He is a king, and if you are marrying him, you must love him so!" America says.
"Thats is just the thing! I have never even met him...not yet at least. My mother, decided to marry me off to him to save the country. One day my sister will be Queen. The King was looking for a wife and Odosite is in debt. Which probably comes as no surprise. The mines have gone empty. So, in agreement to my marriage, Illea will help us."
"Oh..." Her smile fades. "I'm so sorry. Maybe you will come to love him in time."
"It's alright, I guess. It's my duty to my country."
"MARLEE!" I heart someone yell. I turn around to see Carter running towards me with two cinnamon buns in his hands. "There you are! I have been looking all over for you! I went to get these," he holds the cinnamon buns up, "and then you where gone! You had me worried sick."
"I'm sorry. I just heard this lovely young woman singing and then we started talking," I tell him. "America, this is Carter, my tutor."
"Nice to meet you," she says politely.
"I was just telling her that she should come and sing at the palace sometime."
"Ah! I'm sure the queen would enjoy that. Listen, your highness, I'm afraid we must be going. You don't want to be late for your afternoon lessons now do you?" Carter asks.
"I guess not."
"Yes. I must be going too. Madame Celeste will have a fit if I don't finish today's dresses," America says, getting up from the steps we were sitting on and picking up her can full of coins.
"If was very nice meeting you, America," I say as I take Carter's elbow and get ready to talk away.
"And I, you, your highness," she says before dropping into another curtsy.
I give a little wave and walk back to the carriage with Carter. As we are riding back to the palace I think about America's words. Could I come to love King Maxon? What about Carter? How could I ever forget about my first and only love that I am to leave behind?
