Oh. My. God.
I am so sorry! I totally forgot about this. I will try my hardest to update this as frequently as I can now. Again, I am so, so sorry.
No Shane in this chapter, but still, I hope you enjoy.
The book in Mitchie's lap sat unopened as the young woman stared into the distance, sitting at the table on her balcony. Her appearance was much healthier than it had been a few days ago when she had come across Shane again. She had started eating again and doing everything else almost like she had before. Though she was still saddened by his absence, his words had stuck with her.
"…I promise you, when the time comes…when you need me the most…I will be there. I will be there, and I will take you with me."
"When I need him the most…" Mitchie whispered quietly to herself. She sighed, picking her book up and setting it down on the table. She put her elbow on the table and leaned on her hand, closing her eyes to think. It was difficult to imagine a time when she would need him more than she did right now. She needed him to take her away from this place. She needed him to talk to when she had to vent. She needed to know him. She needed to have him with her, to keep her safe.
But, those needs could easily be replaced by want. What she really needed was freedom, and that was what Shane was to her. Freedom.
"Mitchie?"
Startled, Mitchie jumped at looked back at the doorway, smiling softly as she recognized her servant, Rivera, standing there. "Are you okay?" Rivera asked concernedly, walking to the table and sitting down on the chair besides her master. Mitchie wanted to lie, but found it futile after remembering how she had broken down to Rivera about her feelings towards Shane.
"No," Mitchie sighed, "I just…I don't want to be here. I love the people, and I consider you as my closest friend, but I…I've grown tired of all of this fighting. I don't want to see it anymore. I want it to end."
Rivera nodded, understanding where Mitchie was coming from. "I don't enjoy the violence either," she responded, "but you do know why your father is doing all this, don't you?"
Mitchie huffed, "I suppose. But still…this is just too much. Besides, I…I don't believe that lycan killed her…my mother. I remember its eyes…" Mitchie found herself in a short flashback, picturing the face and the sorrow-filled blue eyes. Snapping out of her thoughts, Mitchie turned to Rivera, "You didn't just come up here to chat with me, did you?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Rivera looked sheepish, "Well, I did want to know how you were feeling," she laughed quietly, "But um, well…Prince Augustine is on his way here. He wishes to court you."
Mitchie groaned, dropping her head down on the table. Rivera giggled at her master, putting a hand over her mouth to quiet herself, "That's five outings you've had with him now! He really likes you." The servant said after silencing her laughter.
"No, really?" Mitchie mumbled sarcastically, "I couldn't tell."
Rivera smiled knowingly, "You don't like him, do you?"
Lifting her head up, Mitchie rubbed the bridge of her nose, "I, well…he's a very nice gentleman," she answered, "But he has the same opinions as my father and I…I just…I could never love a man that's like my father. Never."
"I understand, but…does this also have anything to do with Shane?"
Mitchie froze at the name. Rivera sighed, "Mitchie, I really—"
"Even if I had never met Shane, I could never fall in love with Augustine," Mitchie interrupted strongly, then added quietly, "not truly, anyway."
Staring at her for a moment, Rivera sighed, standing up, "Well, you might as well get ready. There isn't much you can do here right now besides read—" Rivera glanced at the unopened book, "—which you are obviously not doing,—and watch over the village. Come now, I've brought another dress for you."
Deciding that her servant was right, Mitchie reluctantly stood up and followed her servant, leaving the Romeo and Juliet novel sitting on the smooth stone table, unopened and unread.
-xXx-
Mitchie followed the young prince around his fortress, her expression both bored and pained. The heels she'd been wearing for the past four hours were beginning to constrict her blood flow, or so it felt, and the corset she was wearing seemed even tighter than it had before. She suddenly regretted rejecting Augustine's suggestion from earlier before to have a servant bring her slippers and loosen her corset.
Augustine was giving her a grand tour of his large estate, seeming proud of each room he showed her, including the lavatories, oddly enough. Just as they entered what seemed to be the fortieth guest room, she choked out, "Prince Augustine,"
Augustine turned around to look at her, and smiled sympathetically, "Would you like to take up my offer now?" he asked. Mitchie blushed and nodded meekly, causing the prince to chuckle lightly. "It's no burden Michelle, if that's what you think," he assured as he caught her almost guilty expression, "My servants treat me well, so I make sure that I do the same. They do not mind caring for a guest," Augustine scanned Mitchie with a smile, "especially one as beautiful and kind as you."
Blushing still, Mitchie watched as Augustine notified a guard for a few of his servants. Two females walked in barely a few minutes later, one carrying the soft slippers Mitchie's feet were almost screaming for and the other one to loosen her corset. As the two servants did their work, Augustine spoke, "This is, I believe, our fifth outing together now, am I correct?"
Mitchie looked up and blinked, "Um, yes. This is our fifth outing. Why do you ask?"
Augustine smiled, almost shyly, his green eyes sparkling, "I'm just trying to keep up with everything. It's been, I suppose, a short time that I've known you, and yet it seems like longer."
Mitchie smiled, "Yes, it seems like that," she responded, watching as the servants finished their work and left the room. By now, if she had been any other village woman, she would've been head-over-heels in love with this man. He was wealthy, charming, handsome, and not to mention kind, which seemed rare amongst other princes she had met before. If his opinions had been different, and maybe…if she had not met Shane, she would've been smitten just as other women were. But she wasn't, and she felt guilty for it, like she was leading him on.
"Mitchie?"
The young princess looked up, startled that he had used her nickname. Noticing this, Augustine bit his lip, "Sorry, I hope you don't mind me using that name. I thought it might make you feel more comfortable." He explained.
Mitchie shook her head, "No, it's quite alright. I just wasn't expecting it is all," she reassured, "Were you speaking to me? I apologize for dazing out; I was just thinking about other things."
Augustine smiled, "It's alright. What I was saying was that I…I've grown to like you very much, Mitchie." He said steadily, "I mean, I was attracted to you from the start, but combined with your personality it…it just…" he sighed, looking up at her with admiring eyes, "you're a true beauty, my princess, a true, rare beauty."
Mitchie blushed, "Oh Augustine, that's…that's very kind of you to say, thank you." She stammered. Whether or not she could love him, she still found the words touching.
"No need to thank me, Mitchie," Augustine responded, still smiling, "You've been raised in royalty, and yet you stay grounded and modest. You show kindness to people who normally don't receive it." Augustine looked down at her slipper-clad feet, his smile growing wider, "and here you stand, as a guest in this royal palace, wearing slippers and a corset-less dress in front of her courter."
Mitchie's face remained red, not knowing exactly what the prince was getting at but was nervous nonetheless. He took her hand gently, "I said before that I've grown to like you very much," he began again, "However, I believe I must rephrase that sentence."
Taking a breath, Augustine looked up and captured her eyes once more, "I have fallen in love with you, Mitchie."
Mitchie felt her breath hitch. She suddenly felt as if she couldn't breathe, even without the corset. Her eyes widened as he dropped down to a knee.
"You have captured my mind and heart in your web of kindness and reserve, and normally, I would have many people be here to witness this. Normally, I would have an orchestra here, playing a wondrous tune to emphasize my love, but I know that you would not want that." He stated, still smiling with that joyous smile of his, "So what I am asking for, Mitchie, in this one little, secluded room, with just the two of us, is for your courtship. What I am asking for is for our hearts to unite in the sacred ceremony of love. My love, my princess, my lady…will you marry me?"
Mitchie's mouth was dry. Her hands were shaking. She felt the sweat that had begun to form beneath her gloves and under her hairline. Her lips trembled as she tried to reply, "I…I-I…"
R & R! Oh, and Happy New Year! 2011!
Note: I know Romeo & Juliet may not have been written in medieval times, but humor me, will you? ;)
