Thanks to everyone for all the love. I appreciate you all.
There will be a tinny little bit of non humor in this update. See, I made an outline for this story and my characters went and shit all over it so now I have to scrap it and start over. Better yet, to hell with it. What happens, happens.
Fic Rec: Masen Has Fallen by Other Root Vegetable. I have no idea who this is, but I would love to know. No lie, I even looked up root vegetables for clues but I got nothing.
As always, thanks to Sarcastic Bimbo for making this pretty, although I did much better this time around. I went from 326 suggestions to 41! Woot woot!
The American Princess
Chapter 3
We make our way down the hall of the 52nd floor to her suite where Emmett swipes the key card and we enter. Her room is twice the size of mine and I'm royalty. Maybe I should replace Marcus with Emmett.
She throws her shoes in a corner and curls up on the couch comfortably. She pats the place next to her and I hesitantly head toward her. I will keep enough space between us as to not appear too... what's the word… cozy. Besides, we do have three chaperones and she doesn't seem the sort to jump me.
I sit down and suddenly she is right there, examining my face. I back away at least twenty centimeters but she yanks me back softly.
"I'm trying to see the damage in better lighting," she explains.
"I wasn't aware that actresses have medical degrees."
She scoffs.
"I almost went into nursing but then I was discovered during my 6th grade school play and here I am."
"You were how old?" I ask.
"Eleven."
"Oh yes, you must have had so much nursing experience by then." I nod my head as if it all makes sense.
She rolls her eyes.
"Fine, we will wait for Angela," she concedes as she sits back into her place slightly away from me. I almost immediately miss her warmth.
"How long have you known her?"
"Practically since birth. Small town and all that. You get to know everyone that way. Anyway, she's one of the few friends I've retained from before."
"Before?"
She smiles softly to herself as she plays with her long fingers.
"I worked a few movies here and there after I was discovered but I didn't make it big until I was seventeen. So up until then I was still attending school regularly. I maintained a pretty normal life. But once that happened and I was all over the tabloids, movie screens and the such, most of my friends just kind of faded away."
"Except Angela."
"Except Angela," she nods.
"Sounds kind of isolating," I muse.
"It can be but I chose this life. I hate the paps but I love the work. I love being able to turn myself into so many different people and have the opportunity to do what I love to do. It's the best thing ever."
And herein lies the difference between us. I didn't choose this. I was born into it.
A knock on the door puts the Men in Black on alert. Emmett shoots them a side glance as he looks through the peephole then opens the door.
He escorts a pretty brunette with glasses and a kind smile further into the room.
Bella gets up and bounds over to her, then proceeds to hug her tightly.
"It's so good to see you!" she exclaims.
"You, too, but maybe next time you can look me up without maiming someone," Angela suggests with a giggle.
She puts her black bag on the table and sifts through it. She takes out gauze and tape.
"I'm sorry, but this may hurt a...," she pauses as her eyes widen.
She knows who I am.
"I told you he was pretty," Bella says with a laugh.
"Yeah, but you didn't tell me he was the Prince of England. Really, Bella? I would've changed out of my pajamas had I known," Angela admonished.
The smile wipes off Bella's face as she whips her head around to me. I can see the thoughts whirling through her head.
"There's not a prince named Masen," she informs Angela.
Angela rolls her eyes. "Really, Bella? Look up from your scripts sometime and read some magazines. His name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen," she laughs. She then turns to me. "Why does she think your name is Masen?"
She gently starts turning my face from side to side to get a better look as she awaits my answer.
"Because I told her it was," I reply.
She backs away a bit.
"Why?" She turns to get some gauze.
I look at Bella who is gazing at me evenly, her face devoid of any expression.
I feel a pang of guilt as she was so open with me and I was not with her.
"Because it was nice that someone wasn't fawning over me because of the role I was born into."
A weak answer, but an honest one.
"Hmmm. This might…" is all Angela murmured as she smiles at me. I should've paid more attention to the look in her eyes because all of a sudden, I am in agony as she snaps my nose back straight.
"Bloody fucking hell!" I yell because I don't care who you are, that hurts.
"… hurt just a little," she finishes.
"The bleeding has stopped but don't blow your nose for a day or so. Also, only take Tylenol. No Advil or Aleve as it might make you bleed. It should heal fine but you will have a couple of black eyes for a week, or so. Bella, may I speak with you for a second?"
Her voice never wavers. She is professional in her work but Angela's eyes are what you must pay attention to.
Bella unfolds herself from the couch we are occupying and follows Angela to the door. I try not to act like I am paying attention but the look Emmett gives me lets me know I am failing miserably.
I see Angela wave her hands around a little and Bella just shaking or nodding her head at what she is saying. They hug and Angela leaves. Bella turns back to me.
Now, Bella may be a master at blank expressions but she needs to work on her body language; and what it is telling me is that she is on the defensive.
My own body posture weakens and I slump into the couch.
"I'm sorry for deceiving you, Bella. There is no excuse for what I did."
"Is what you told Angela true?"
"Yes, but I see now that I have done more harm than good. I've been struggling lately. With my birthright and all that entails. Not that that is an excuse," I hasten to add.
"You're right. That's not an excuse. I could've lied to you. You didn't know who I was, either. But I didn't. I was honest with you. That room was full of famous, rich people. You are one of hundreds down in that room. Just because you are a British royal, doesn't make you special. Maybe in England; but not here and not to me."
I blink up at her. She is spectacular in her anger- all red faced and chest heaving. I stand up and she glances at me warily.
"I'm very sorry, Bella. And you are right. I am no more important than you."
"That's not what I mean, Masen… Edward… Your Highness. Ugh. Whoever you are. Obviously, you are someone important, I just meant…"
"That I made you feel less important than myself when I was dishonest with you."
"Yeah. That." She wraps her arms around herself.
"Well, that won't do." I gently grasp her hands and unfold them from her body.
She gasps.
"It was never my intention to make you feel inferior."
She laughs and tugs her hands from mine. "You haven't. I'll have you know I am very secure in who I am but I don't like liars and I certainly don't trust them. I also don't have them in my hotel room so I think it is best that you leave, now. I'm very sorry for your injury and if you incur any medical bills from it, please forward the bill to me."
It takes me a minute to process that she is telling me politely to leave. I feel something akin to panic at the thought but I nod and motion to my security.
She follows me to the door and I turn around and bow slightly to her. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Miss Swan."
She looks me in my eyes, allowing me for just a minute to see the emotions in her expressive eyes.
"I really wish I could say the same," she says quietly.
I force a smile and then, with a nod of my head, I am gone. I return to my own hotel and my security bids me a farewell with instructions to call them if I leave my room. Then they are gone.
Leaving me alone with all these thoughts and feelings; feelings I shouldn't be having for a woman I just met and one who broke my nose, at that. She is completely unsuitable for me. She is brash and has a mouth like a sailor on leave. She is also an actress, an American and tattooed.
She wasn't like Kate at all.
She… wasn't Kate.
Anyone but Kate, my father said.
While I know that was code for find another lady in waiting or someone with a title in England, he didn't specifically say that. He said anyone but Kate.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and realize that I missed a text.
'Sorry, was at dinner with Mummy. I wish I were there, too. I could make things much more interesting.'
Sorry, Kate, but I highly doubt that.
I get ready for bed, still mulling over this tentative plan in my mind. I have this leaden feeling in my stomach which I realize is guilt.
Guilt for deceiving Bella. Guilt for thinking about exploiting her, though with her permission, if she will hear me out. And guilt for feeling something for her at all while I am trying to make Kate my wife.
A king has no room for second guessing or guilt.
I can remember my father saying this time and time again.
That just proves I am nowhere ready to be king then.
See you one day soon.