Chapter 6:
(Desmond POV)
A week had passed since that day and once word got out that Amber was looking for a suitor they started flocking in second-born princes, dukes, knights, dignitaries, nobility, wealthy all came to take their shot at trying to end up with Princess Amber. They were braver than I was and their bravery was being rewarded. My cowardice had cost me anything as now Amber won't so much as look or speak to me and it was slowly killing me. They were paraded around the palace on Amber's arms walking through the hallways, in the gardens, some even staying for dinner. I gritted my teeth through those dinners and usually excused myself early.
In addition to all of that my mother started sending more letters calling me home. Calling me the worthless, idiot I knew I was and saying that I owed it to my parents to get control over our people. The truth was she was right with what she said about me, but she was wrong about our people and what they truly deserved. I started throwing her letters in the fire place ignoring their existence and ignoring her.
I thought back to that day at looked me right in the eye as she said, "Yes it is exactly what I want." I could see the hurt and anger behind her eyes and I knew that my worst fear had come true. I was going to have to watch her being happy and in love with some other prince only it was my fault. She left the table after saying that and I sat there, dumbstruck. I had messed everything up. It wasn't a matter that Amber would reject me or something like that but I now knew I didn't deserve her.
I went into my workshop and started trying to make more supplies for James but, I couldn't focus. I was reading something in one of the books when I heard laughing in the garden. I turned and saw Amber walking around with someone. Anger was boiling up in me. That should be me out there. She was laughing and smiling and was just so beautiful. I pushed everything off the table. I looked down and saw a few broken test tubes and empty vials and groaned looking up at the ceiling. The door then flew open from the garden, "Is everything alright?" I turned and saw Amber and some prince open the door. "Yeah, everything is fine." I quickly said picking up the books that were on the ground. "Come on Amber," the prince said moving his hand down from her shoulder and grabbing her arm, "let's go back to our walk." "Alright, bye Prince Desmond" she said closing the door. I looked at the book in my hand and tossed it to the side.
"What happened in here?" James asked coming in as he saw me sitting on the floor. "Nothing, I'll clean it up later" James then saw Amber out in the garden and sat down next to me. "Look, I love my sister and I am supporting her attempt to move on from you, because that is what all of this is but, you..." I looked over at him, "You are really starting to piss me off now." What? "I haven't done anything to Amber or to you since that night," I said. "Exactly you haven't done anything. Have you apologized to Amber? No. Have you tried talking to her? No. Have you told her how you felt? No. Have you tried to court her? NO. So stop sitting here feeling sorry for yourself and do something" He said getting up and leaving. "What should I do?" I asked. James had a hand on the doorframe as he turned to face me, "You are supposed to be the smart one, figure something out."
(Amber POV)
7 days. It had been 7 days since I said I would be interested in meeting suitors and word spread fast. I met with so many different princes, dukes, knights, etc. and I could usually tell within the first 5 minutes that they were not who I wanted. I tried taking them for walks around the castle, going into the gardens, dinner each one was more conceited and affluent than the next. Sometimes I didn't need to speak at all they filled their entire time on their own. Still at the end of each time I smiled, thanked them for coming and sent them on their ways saying I would write to them.
I saw Desmond in the hallways but, I refused to give him anymore satisfaction. He humiliated me and made it clear I wasn't his friend. I wasn't going to waist my time anymore. If he wants to talk to me he can apologize because I am done trying to support a friendship or anything beyond that with someone who wasn't willing to put the work in as well. That was one thing all these suitors had on him. They were all narcissist who I would never allow to become king but, they were trying. Trying to impress me but trying none the less.
I got dressed that morning in a teal ballgown that had a darker blue detailing on the skirt. I left my hair down and put on a silver tiara. I heard a knock on the door and saw James, "Hey big sis, excited for the suitors?" I sighed and turned to face the mirror. "I'll take that as a no." He said plopping down on my bed. I turned to face him, "It will just be another day of some prince telling me all about how rich and powerful they are and how their greatest achievement was being lucky enough to be born into this life." I moved a piece of hair out of my face as James laughed, "So why put yourself through this? I get that you are mad at Des, rightfully so, but isn't this a little too far for revenge?" He asked and I stood up and walked over to him, "This isn't about Desmond, this is about me. I wrote to him everyday the first year we were in different schools and never heard a word back. I tried to be nice and talk to him when he arrived and he ignored me. When he did finally talk to me he yelled at me and left me behind." I ran my hands through my hair seething, "He never even apologized James," I spoke again, "I need to move on. If I don't I'm only going to get hurt again." He stood up and gave me a hug, "I get it Amber. You didn't deserve that and if he can't see how amazing you are maybe one of these buffoons will." I laughed at that, "Thanks James, I better go. Don't want to leave them waiting."
I walked down and saw a prince waiting for me. How did I know he was a prince? He was wearing his crown and royal uniform. He was going to be one of those I thought. Dad was there, "Ah there she is, Princess Amber please meet Prince Arthur." I went down and a curtsey and he bowed. "It is a pleasure to meet you Prince Arthur," I said standing up. "The pleasure is mine Princess Amber, the rumors don't do you justice you are even more beautiful in person." I smiled, "Thank you. Why don't we walk through the gardens?" I asked and he nodded taking my arm as we walked outside.
He was talking about about a derby horse or winning some type of sporting event and had lost me a while ago but I continued to smile and nod as he spoke. "What about you Princess Amber, do you ride?" I let out a small laugh, "Only a little and not competitively. For that you would need my sister Princess Sofia," I said and as her name left my mouth I knew I made a grave error in judgement. "Wait you are Princess Sofia's sister. The Protector. The first Princess to fly in Flying Derby and won the Flying Crown." I let out a nervous laugh as he began listing off all of Sofia's accomplishments to me, "Yes that is the one."
Suddenly I heard a crash and the sound of a lot of things breaking. Without thinking I ran and opened the door where the noise was coming from behind and saw Desmond surrounded by broken equipment. What had happened? Did something go wrong in one of his experiments? Was he hurt?
"Is everything alright?" I asked looking for some kind of reassurance in his eyes. He looked at me emotionlessly, "Yeah, everything is fine." I could tell something was wrong and was about to speak again when Prince Arthur appeared next to me. He placed a hand on my shoulder and I immediately knew that I didn't like it. "Come on Amber," he said grabbing my arm, "let's go back to our walk." I turned to face him, "Alright..." I took one last look at Desmond, "bye Prince Desmond."
We walked back into the garden and sopped him, "Prince Arthur please refer to me as Princess Amber. I don't know you well enough to drop the formalities just yet." He nodded, "Very well, Princess Amber. So tell me about when Sofia defeated Vor." I inwardly groaned and continued to walk.