A/N - NEXT CHAPTER UPDATED!!! Yeah! I actually sat down and typed this entire thing! Hope ya'll enjoy! A bit tired so forgive me for any mistakes!
Chapter 9
A week later Leopold woke an excruciating headache that was caused from yet again crying herself to sleep. Usually after the first day or so she warmed up to whatever new place she was living in and the headaches stopped, but the palace was something totally different than her aunt and uncles mansions. Even though the mansions are a busy bustling place, much like the palace itself, they were usually surrounded by calm soothing forests that Leopold could escape to whenever she needed to be alone. The palace had nothing like the forests to offer her and after the attack by the bandits her cousins decided that it wasn't a good idea for Leopold to leave the palace unattended, for her own safety they told her. Unfortunately for Leopold her cousins were always busy, the younger ones with practice and the older ones with fulfilling orders from the king. This left Leopold in the palace alone with nothing to do but talk to her aunt, which she dreaded, or reading in the palace's vast library. As much as Leopold loved reading there was nothing in the library that suited her taste. Unfortunately that was the one place her aunt hated going and didn't even know where it was located, so someone would most likely find Leopold spending her days there in order to escape her aunts endless nagging about lessons and fittings for more dresses, which were suppose to be preparing Leopold for her presentation to the public as a young woman.
None of this interested Leopold in any way, and as she had voiced to her aunt earlier, marriage wasn't something that was on her list of things to accomplish anytime soon. So if marriage was out of the question why did she still have to be presented to the public? This was something she argued with her aunt about every time they were in the same room. In order avoid more fights and more headaches, from all the screaming, Leopold frequently visited the library and sat in the chairs facing the large open window. She sat there for hours doing nothing but thinking about her future and counting the hours until she gets to leave the palace for another aunts house.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I'll be quick!" a voice said walking into the library and finding Leopold curled up on the couch about to fall asleep from the lack of it the night before. Leopold sat straight up when the stranger had opened the door, and she stood now staring at the handsome face of the stranger. She ran her fingers quickly through her hair while gaping at the boy as he walked towards the far wall and started running his fingers along the spine of the books, searching for a particular one.
"No need to! Take all the time you want!" Leopold said turning and watching him. The boy had to be her age or older. He was built like a soldier with broad shoulders and was a good six inches taller than Leopold and as the sun shone on his sandy brown hair it made him look like a god from Leopold's perspective. He was one of the cutest boys she had ever seen and her heart starting beating so fast she thought it was going to burst from her chest. She must have been staring at his for a while when he turned back around with a book in his hand and smiled at her. Embarrassed, Leopold turned a few shades of red and started rubbing her neck while looking at he floor and starting to stammer words. The boy seemed to figure out her embarrassment and started laughing, which made Leopold turn an even darker shade.
"I'm sorry," Leopold managed to say as she started twirling a piece of hair between her fingers and stare at him.
"It's quite all right," the boy replied tucking the book under his left arm and walking towards Leopold. When he was a foot or two away from her he stuck out his hand. "I'm Reid of Harps Creek." Leopold was too lost in his eyes to reply. They were the lightest color of green Leopold had ever seen, and she seemed to melt when she looked into them. After a moment of awkward silence, in which Reid stood with his hand outstretched and biting his lower lip, Leopold seemed to come to her senses and reply to Reid.
"I'm terribly sorry! I'm Leopold. Of Wessex." Leopold responded shaking his hand. Leopold's small hands seemed to disappear in his and she felt his strong grip. Suddenly her knees gave way and she fell towards Reid, who dropped the book and caught her in his arms. Leopold blushed even deeper and started murmuring her apologies and making up lies about having weak ankles. Reid gave a few laughs, which he immediately turned into coughs when he saw the look on Leopold's face. Grinding her teeth together from embarrassment Leopold stood with Reid's help and was able to talk to him again.
"So which Wessex are you from? The last I heard there hadn't been any girls your age descendant from the families of Wessex." Reid asked picking up his book again and crossing his arms over his chest. Leopold found all the strength she could muster in order to not stare at his bulging chest of muscles and concentrate on what he was saying.
"All of them." Leopold replied tearing her eyes away from his chest and looking at her palms, which were sweating. She couldn't wipe them on her dress because that would be un-lady like as her aunt informed her. Leopold instead crossed her arms over her chest as well and waited for Reid to reply.
"That's a bit confusing." Reid replied looking away from her.
"Well, my parents were murdered years ago, and I've been living with my aunts and uncles ever since." Leopold replied glancing at the floor as her heartbeat started slowing down to the normal speed again as the conversation became a bit more relaxed and she stopped embarrassing herself.
"Your Scott's daughter!" Reid replied pointing a finger towards her and taking a step closer. Leopold was tempted to stay where she was and let him move closer but reflexes made her take two steps back.
"Yes, why?" she asked
"My father knew him! I knew him!" Reid responded laughing. "He did business with my father when I was younger and would visit us regularly."
"Oh," Leopold said not really caring that he had known her father when he was young.
"That means you're related to Ace and Xavier, right?" Reid said taking yet another step forward as Leopold took two back.
"Yes, they're my cousins." Leopold replied
"Xavier's engaged to my sister" Reid responded stopping Leopold in her tracks. She stared at him with her mouth open, fighting to find the right words to say. She didn't have time to reply when the door flew open and Xavier walked in, holding onto the hand of a gorgeous girl that followed him. The girl looked exactly like Reid, with some differences. As he was tall and had broad shoulders, she was of the typical noble stature with a petite body. Her eyes weren't the dazzling color that Reid's were and instead they were a dull color of blue, her hair was so blonde Leopold thought she had bleached it. Other than those few details she and her brother could have been twins. Leopold hoped they weren't.
"Leopold!" Xavier said stopping next to Reid and pulling the girl up beside him. "I thought we'd find you here. This is Eliza of Silver Wing. I told you about her."
"Of course!" Leopold replied quite confused as she glanced between Eliza and Reid. "It's a pleasure to meet you and congratulations. Xavier is a very lucky person."
"The pleasures all mine Leopold. I've been waiting forever to meet you. Xavier's told me so much about you, I feel as if I've know you my entire life! I hope we become fast friends. It's nice to have another girl around that isn't all about marriage and embroidering like the others are. Well I wasn't about marriage until I met Xavier here." Eliza said very quickly as she starred between Leopold and Xavier before finally resting on Reid. "Reid brother, what are you doing here? You hate reading!"
"I know that." Reid replied smiling at his sister. "I had to get a book for Sir Gareth the younger."
Leopold blushed further and cursed herself for thinking he actually liked reading and they shared something in common. Eliza seemed notice this and looked from Leopold to Reid, who stood grinning towards his sister and cocking his eyebrows when she stared at him.
"Well, enough of all this nonsense." Eliza said breaking the silence and grabbing Leopold's hand. "I'm going to steal your cousin for a few hours and introduce her to the other girls. They should be embroidering in the gardens about this time. So if you two gentlemen will excuse us." she winked at Xavier before dropping his hand and pulling Leopold towards the door and dropping her hand once the two had left. Leopold started feeling awkward with her new found friend as she followed her down the hall, but Eliza seemed to make her feel right at home. She started talking about things that were going on in the palace and what parties she wanted to be sure to attend and which gentlemen were more important than others and who she should avoid all together. Leopold was sure her eyes were glazed over from producing so much information at one time. When Eliza paused to breath Leopold stole a chance to ask her a question that was digging at the back of her mind.
"How are you and Reid related?" she asked "He told me he was from Harps Creek."
"He is," Eliza replied slowing her pace as they finally neared the gardens after taking so many detours as to avoid it. "We're only related on our mothers side. Reid's father died in battle when he was three or so, and in order to feed the two of them our mother married my father, who is a wealthy duke, and I came along soon after."
"Oh," Leopold said letting out her breath after she realized she had been holding it "That explains it"
"It explains a lot." Eliza said with a small laugh. "Like how different we are. Reid is the worst troublemaker you'll ever meet. It's something he got from his father thank Mithros! I on the other hand graduated from the convent with high marks and was told I would make a very lucky man a wonderful wife someday."
"That day is sooner than you think" Leopold replied with a smile getting use to the company of Eliza.
"I know!" Eliza said grinning from ear to ear with excitement "I can't wait! There's so much to do!" Eliza took a quick glance at the door next to her. Behind it held the gardens where thirteen girls sat embroidering and waiting for their friend to return and join them. Eliza frowned and guessed she had better get this interview over with quickly. Hopefully the other girls will like Leopold just as much as she does. "Ready?" Eliza asked nodding towards the door.
Leopold hadn't realized it was already time for her to meet the other girls. Butterflies appeared in her stomach and she became very nervous. Her face paled and she liked her lips with her dry mouth.
"Don't worry." Eliza said squeezing her hand. "They don't bite…much!"
Leopold gave a small laugh as Eliza opened the door and walked out into the bright sunlight. After a moments hesitation Leopold followed.
Chapter 9
A week later Leopold woke an excruciating headache that was caused from yet again crying herself to sleep. Usually after the first day or so she warmed up to whatever new place she was living in and the headaches stopped, but the palace was something totally different than her aunt and uncles mansions. Even though the mansions are a busy bustling place, much like the palace itself, they were usually surrounded by calm soothing forests that Leopold could escape to whenever she needed to be alone. The palace had nothing like the forests to offer her and after the attack by the bandits her cousins decided that it wasn't a good idea for Leopold to leave the palace unattended, for her own safety they told her. Unfortunately for Leopold her cousins were always busy, the younger ones with practice and the older ones with fulfilling orders from the king. This left Leopold in the palace alone with nothing to do but talk to her aunt, which she dreaded, or reading in the palace's vast library. As much as Leopold loved reading there was nothing in the library that suited her taste. Unfortunately that was the one place her aunt hated going and didn't even know where it was located, so someone would most likely find Leopold spending her days there in order to escape her aunts endless nagging about lessons and fittings for more dresses, which were suppose to be preparing Leopold for her presentation to the public as a young woman.
None of this interested Leopold in any way, and as she had voiced to her aunt earlier, marriage wasn't something that was on her list of things to accomplish anytime soon. So if marriage was out of the question why did she still have to be presented to the public? This was something she argued with her aunt about every time they were in the same room. In order avoid more fights and more headaches, from all the screaming, Leopold frequently visited the library and sat in the chairs facing the large open window. She sat there for hours doing nothing but thinking about her future and counting the hours until she gets to leave the palace for another aunts house.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I'll be quick!" a voice said walking into the library and finding Leopold curled up on the couch about to fall asleep from the lack of it the night before. Leopold sat straight up when the stranger had opened the door, and she stood now staring at the handsome face of the stranger. She ran her fingers quickly through her hair while gaping at the boy as he walked towards the far wall and started running his fingers along the spine of the books, searching for a particular one.
"No need to! Take all the time you want!" Leopold said turning and watching him. The boy had to be her age or older. He was built like a soldier with broad shoulders and was a good six inches taller than Leopold and as the sun shone on his sandy brown hair it made him look like a god from Leopold's perspective. He was one of the cutest boys she had ever seen and her heart starting beating so fast she thought it was going to burst from her chest. She must have been staring at his for a while when he turned back around with a book in his hand and smiled at her. Embarrassed, Leopold turned a few shades of red and started rubbing her neck while looking at he floor and starting to stammer words. The boy seemed to figure out her embarrassment and started laughing, which made Leopold turn an even darker shade.
"I'm sorry," Leopold managed to say as she started twirling a piece of hair between her fingers and stare at him.
"It's quite all right," the boy replied tucking the book under his left arm and walking towards Leopold. When he was a foot or two away from her he stuck out his hand. "I'm Reid of Harps Creek." Leopold was too lost in his eyes to reply. They were the lightest color of green Leopold had ever seen, and she seemed to melt when she looked into them. After a moment of awkward silence, in which Reid stood with his hand outstretched and biting his lower lip, Leopold seemed to come to her senses and reply to Reid.
"I'm terribly sorry! I'm Leopold. Of Wessex." Leopold responded shaking his hand. Leopold's small hands seemed to disappear in his and she felt his strong grip. Suddenly her knees gave way and she fell towards Reid, who dropped the book and caught her in his arms. Leopold blushed even deeper and started murmuring her apologies and making up lies about having weak ankles. Reid gave a few laughs, which he immediately turned into coughs when he saw the look on Leopold's face. Grinding her teeth together from embarrassment Leopold stood with Reid's help and was able to talk to him again.
"So which Wessex are you from? The last I heard there hadn't been any girls your age descendant from the families of Wessex." Reid asked picking up his book again and crossing his arms over his chest. Leopold found all the strength she could muster in order to not stare at his bulging chest of muscles and concentrate on what he was saying.
"All of them." Leopold replied tearing her eyes away from his chest and looking at her palms, which were sweating. She couldn't wipe them on her dress because that would be un-lady like as her aunt informed her. Leopold instead crossed her arms over her chest as well and waited for Reid to reply.
"That's a bit confusing." Reid replied looking away from her.
"Well, my parents were murdered years ago, and I've been living with my aunts and uncles ever since." Leopold replied glancing at the floor as her heartbeat started slowing down to the normal speed again as the conversation became a bit more relaxed and she stopped embarrassing herself.
"Your Scott's daughter!" Reid replied pointing a finger towards her and taking a step closer. Leopold was tempted to stay where she was and let him move closer but reflexes made her take two steps back.
"Yes, why?" she asked
"My father knew him! I knew him!" Reid responded laughing. "He did business with my father when I was younger and would visit us regularly."
"Oh," Leopold said not really caring that he had known her father when he was young.
"That means you're related to Ace and Xavier, right?" Reid said taking yet another step forward as Leopold took two back.
"Yes, they're my cousins." Leopold replied
"Xavier's engaged to my sister" Reid responded stopping Leopold in her tracks. She stared at him with her mouth open, fighting to find the right words to say. She didn't have time to reply when the door flew open and Xavier walked in, holding onto the hand of a gorgeous girl that followed him. The girl looked exactly like Reid, with some differences. As he was tall and had broad shoulders, she was of the typical noble stature with a petite body. Her eyes weren't the dazzling color that Reid's were and instead they were a dull color of blue, her hair was so blonde Leopold thought she had bleached it. Other than those few details she and her brother could have been twins. Leopold hoped they weren't.
"Leopold!" Xavier said stopping next to Reid and pulling the girl up beside him. "I thought we'd find you here. This is Eliza of Silver Wing. I told you about her."
"Of course!" Leopold replied quite confused as she glanced between Eliza and Reid. "It's a pleasure to meet you and congratulations. Xavier is a very lucky person."
"The pleasures all mine Leopold. I've been waiting forever to meet you. Xavier's told me so much about you, I feel as if I've know you my entire life! I hope we become fast friends. It's nice to have another girl around that isn't all about marriage and embroidering like the others are. Well I wasn't about marriage until I met Xavier here." Eliza said very quickly as she starred between Leopold and Xavier before finally resting on Reid. "Reid brother, what are you doing here? You hate reading!"
"I know that." Reid replied smiling at his sister. "I had to get a book for Sir Gareth the younger."
Leopold blushed further and cursed herself for thinking he actually liked reading and they shared something in common. Eliza seemed notice this and looked from Leopold to Reid, who stood grinning towards his sister and cocking his eyebrows when she stared at him.
"Well, enough of all this nonsense." Eliza said breaking the silence and grabbing Leopold's hand. "I'm going to steal your cousin for a few hours and introduce her to the other girls. They should be embroidering in the gardens about this time. So if you two gentlemen will excuse us." she winked at Xavier before dropping his hand and pulling Leopold towards the door and dropping her hand once the two had left. Leopold started feeling awkward with her new found friend as she followed her down the hall, but Eliza seemed to make her feel right at home. She started talking about things that were going on in the palace and what parties she wanted to be sure to attend and which gentlemen were more important than others and who she should avoid all together. Leopold was sure her eyes were glazed over from producing so much information at one time. When Eliza paused to breath Leopold stole a chance to ask her a question that was digging at the back of her mind.
"How are you and Reid related?" she asked "He told me he was from Harps Creek."
"He is," Eliza replied slowing her pace as they finally neared the gardens after taking so many detours as to avoid it. "We're only related on our mothers side. Reid's father died in battle when he was three or so, and in order to feed the two of them our mother married my father, who is a wealthy duke, and I came along soon after."
"Oh," Leopold said letting out her breath after she realized she had been holding it "That explains it"
"It explains a lot." Eliza said with a small laugh. "Like how different we are. Reid is the worst troublemaker you'll ever meet. It's something he got from his father thank Mithros! I on the other hand graduated from the convent with high marks and was told I would make a very lucky man a wonderful wife someday."
"That day is sooner than you think" Leopold replied with a smile getting use to the company of Eliza.
"I know!" Eliza said grinning from ear to ear with excitement "I can't wait! There's so much to do!" Eliza took a quick glance at the door next to her. Behind it held the gardens where thirteen girls sat embroidering and waiting for their friend to return and join them. Eliza frowned and guessed she had better get this interview over with quickly. Hopefully the other girls will like Leopold just as much as she does. "Ready?" Eliza asked nodding towards the door.
Leopold hadn't realized it was already time for her to meet the other girls. Butterflies appeared in her stomach and she became very nervous. Her face paled and she liked her lips with her dry mouth.
"Don't worry." Eliza said squeezing her hand. "They don't bite…much!"
Leopold gave a small laugh as Eliza opened the door and walked out into the bright sunlight. After a moments hesitation Leopold followed.