Okay guys. I realized that in my last chapter it may have seemed that Ria's mother already had the baby but she didn't. I meant her belly is getting very large and she is already craving foods though it has only been a month since she conceived it. I didn't want to write it that way in the letter. It seemed really brutal that way. I am trying to keep the slang on the d.l. So now that that is cleared up. Review time!
Flamingirl- if you go into my story it has the review number in blue or purple letters. You click on it and the reviews should come up. There might be more than one page so you might have to look on another page to find your review. I hope that helps. I only found out myself recently! I agree. Would have been boring to read and write! You think that was too much frill? Well I guess. It would have been really plain without the lace though ;) oh and who else is waiting? Just random people or your friends? Tell them to review if it is your friends!
Flyinghigh808- I know it was kind of boring but it was sorta a filler chapter. I couldn't just skip a month without telling y'all! Where did you get confused? Maybe I can fix it.
Elyse Bennet- Well I can assure you he is back. But that is a good idea. I could have made it someone else. Oh well I already had it planned this way. I don't know if Walt is for sure. I have to decide that yet. I will try! Thanks for sticking with me! You review almost immediately after an update. I like that in my readers.
Belle Quest- I am sorry for the mix-up. I can assure you there will be no 'romantic reality' in my story. I agree. It is gross! At least right now it is ;)
Shadowed Ambience- thank you. I aim to please. I try to keep it a priority to update quickly but I am late sometimes. I think I know who you mean ;) You know the jist of everything. Maybe I should make a few changes to keep you in suspense. Lol. Oh and I will be updating this one more than the others so don't worry! I hope you still like the other one anyway.
Shards of Dawn- that explanation was for you. When I read my chapter over I can see where you thought she already had the baby. I don't blame you. There will DEFINITELY be more romance coming up. I am glad you like them so much. They will get time together. I am not sure if it should be romantic yet though. We shall see…
SnitchWitch123- yes I believe there shall be a song in this chap. It will be dedicated to you since you like them so much. I am glad you don't think the dress has too much frill ;)
HottStuffMelv-911! Get an ambulance here pronto! Or at least bring a computer so that she/he can read this next chap!I hope you haven't died yet! I am glad I satisfied you! I just love reading reviews but I will start typing! Sorry bout the dorkiness!
Jyska- Aww…I got a tear ' right there. Lol! You are too kind. I know when some people wait three weeks I have to go and reread their last chapter cause I forgot what happened! I am glad people think my story is funny even in parts that I don't try to make funny! That chapter was kind of blah but it was a good way to pass a month. I keep coming up with new things to put in but they go by so slowly! At this rate my story is going to be 50 chapters long at least! I mean how many interesting things can I put into 9 months? Quite a few months might just be journal entries and letters. At the end of nine months things will get more interesting. It is getting there that is boring. He is kind of dur but things with him will change. I know this little kid always tickles me. I mean the first few times it is cute but after that errr! Lol. I can be quite dorky sometimes. But very intelligent at others. Please review. Now you have to! I said please! Lol. Thanks for the review. Keep'um coming. I am done now.
Ladeportista4- Thanks. You finally read it! Lol. Yea as I said before I don't know how many people read my A/N but I will keep writing them unless someone doesn't like them.
Okay I have like one and a half pages of an A/N so I will get to the story.
Dum-dum-dum lol
Italics mean a song or journal entry.
A Homecoming
I ran down the stairs to see Derek. Why am I in such a hurry? If I run I will look horrible when he sees me. I slowed down to a pace walk. My cheeks were warm and I knew they were flushed with red. There was no time to stop to put powder on it so I just kept walking.
When I got down to the entrance hall I saw maids and butlers crowding around the windows to see the prince and his knights. I kept going to the doors. When I opened them I was partly blinded by the light that came into my eyes after being in the darker castle.
I saw Paige. She was running toward Kyle. When she got to him he picked her up and twirled her around him. She laughed like a girl in love. It was very sweet. Nicole and Walt were already down here as well. Nicole was over by Derek, kissing him like usual. I could hear her voice saying in- what she must have thought- a loving voice. It looked like she was scaring Derek more than anything. When I saw the look of panic on his face I felt this unholy wanting to laugh. It was too funny. I started walking over by him but I was cut off by Walt.
He stood there blocking my view of Derek. It was slightly annoying.
"Well poor Derek looks like he has been caught by Nicole. You might want to wait to talk to him. She could hurt you if you go over there now." Walt said to me.
"I suppose…" I replied. Then Walt took my arm and led me underneath some shade. The next thing he did caught me off guard. Walt leant down to kiss me! I leant back my head so he couldn't until I fell and hit my head on the tree. A dizzying sensation came over me. I heard everything become quiet. I tried to open my eyes to see what was going on but it hurt too much. Instead I let myself slip into darkness.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I felt warmness around me. I found myself wrapped in a nice warm blanket. I blinked. I couldn't leave my eyes open too long. The light hurt my head. My eyes were open long enough, however, to see that I was not in my room.
I heard a click. It was the door opening. Someone came in. I heard hushed voices. It sounded like a male and female. I do not usually eavesdrop but what they don't know can't hurt them.
"Is she alright?" the male voice asked.
"She will be fine. I gave her some of my special soup. You know what kind." the female voice replied.
"Yes I know. That kind is so horrible tasting. Can't you make it better, for her sake?" the male asked.
"I am afraid not. That would change the whole potion. It wouldn't have any effect. Also it keeps people who shouldn't have it from drinking it." The female responded.
"Well please inform me when she wakes up. I have to get ready for the ball." The male said.
"Alright dear, I will. Go get ready. You are the life of the party."
"Yea, bye." He said.
"Goodbye." She said.
The door clicked again but this time the man left. I knew the woman was still in here because I could hear her clattering around with something. The voices sounded very familiar. I was going to wait to get up so I wouldn't seem suspicious but the lady said, "Get up child. I knew you were awake all along. I saw your eyes flutter when we came in."
Needless to say, I got up. I guess I have to be more discreet when I blink. It wasn't the smartest move to go flying up right after you knocked your head. My head pounded again. Just the same as the night when I had too much champagne.
"Oh, dear, I didn't mean literally. Here drink this. It will help." She a.k.a. Mandy said. She handed me a bowl of soup. I drank it. It was horrible. Though it was uncanny how much it tasted like Clara's soup. And my headache slowly went away.
"Aren't you supposed to tell that man that I am awake?" I asked. Since she knew I was awake the whole time it can't hurt to ask.
"We will just wait until the ball tonight. He will be too excited to get ready if we told him now. It will be a surprise."
That woman has a sneaky side. When she helped me get all better she took me back to my room so that Clarisse could fix me up for the ball. It turns out I was in Mandy's room since it was nearest to the kitchen and she needed to go there for supplies.
I took a bath. Rose scent. Clarisse helped me into my blue gown. She started on my hair. She decided not to put it up just in case there was a bruise or something on my neck. Maybe something good came out of my fall. My hair was just pulled out of my face with several light blue flowers that were twisted into my hair. I slipped on my light blue shoes and I was ready to go.
Paige stopped to walk with me to the doors that we would enter from. She started jabbering right away.
"Ohmigosh! Are you alright? That was quite a fall.I am gladyou are alright but if looks could kill Walt would be dead right now. Derek glared at him the moment you fell. Nicole tried to stop him from coming by you but he picked you up and carried you inside to Mandy. He always was a quick thinker in dreadful situations. I swear, Derek would have had Walt locked up for hurting you. Mother wouldn't allow it of course. She supposed it was an accident. She always believes people are innocent until proven guilty. A good theory but was it really an accident? Or did Walt push you? Walt didn't say anything. He just stood there looking stunned about what happened." She finally stopped to take several deep breaths. I never knew how much of a talker she was until now.
"Okay, I am fine. Are you? It was a little of both." I replied.
"How could it be a little of both? That is just strange." She said.
"Well, he lent in to kiss me, which caught me off guard. Also I didn't really want to kiss him so I fell trying to keep him from kissing me."
"I see. So he forced you down with his lips. That is so tragic." Paige said.
"I guess you could say that. Now where is everyone?" I asked.
"Well, Mother and Father are over there. Guess who I am entering with?" She asked excitedly. I decided to humor her.
"An elf?" I guessed, I had a good feeling who it was but I think she would get more satisfaction if she told me.
"No silly, Kyle." She said.
"That is wonderful. Do you know who I am entering with?" I asked.
"Well not Walt. I think he is too frightened to see what might happen if he does. He is entering with some foreign princess. Nicole is going in with a knight. I think you are entering with Derek because otherwise Nicole would be." She told me.
That thought sickened me. Nicole entering with Derek? With people thinking THEY were to be married? No that is too yucky for me. Fortunately I didn't need to ponder this much longer because Derek walked into the hall.
The look on his face was priceless. It was a mixture of shock, happiness, and anger from thinking about what Walt did I think. Though he is very good at masking his feelings, as a future king should be, I saw through his eyes. I am also very good at reading people by their looks. Though with some people it is easier to do than with others. I like a challenge.
Derek walked over and offered me his arm and I took it. He has very good timing because Ella and Char came over to say it was time to enter. Though that might be because a royal can never be late but oh well.
We were announced. Everyone went in before us. I saw Nicole glaring at me as she walked by. I was tempted to stick my tongue out at her but I didn't because that is no way a princess should act. Though since when have I acted like a princess? I stuck my tongue at her the moment this thought came to me. She whipped her head forward. I hope she doesn't come near me the rest of the night. I don't think Derek saw. When I looked out of the corner of my eye he was just staring at me or the wall. We are so conversational!
When we got on the dance floor Derek put one hand on the small of my back and grabbed my other hand. I took it and put my other hand on his shoulder. It was strange because when I did I felt him flinch. But he never showed any sign of weakness after that.
How do I, get through one night without you?
We danced pretty close together but with enough room between us to be respectable.
If I had to live without you.
When we got close enough to the crowd I heard little comments like 'they dance so gracefully together' from women. But from the girls it was more like 'why should she get to dance with the prince? She isn't even from here.'
What kind of life would that be?
I didn't worry about it. It was just nice to be held in Derek's muscular (did I just think that) arms.
Oh I, I need you in my arms, Need you to hold…
I felt Derek's gaze on me. I looked up and we locked eyes…
You're my world, my heart, my soul…
We started to slow down while we were dancing…
If you ever leave, baby you would take away everything good in my life…
The crowd seemed farther away…
And tell me now. How do I live without you? I want to know…
My heartbeat sped up a little…
How do I breathe without you? If you ever go…
Everything but Derek got hazy…
How do I ever, ever survive? How do I, how do I, oh how do I live?
And the song ended. Then Derek's admirers came charging onto the dance floor. It overwhelmed me. I started to leave but Derek was still holding onto my hand. I gave it a tug but he wouldn't let go so I pulled him out with me.
We walked out onto the gardens. I was surprised that none of his admirers followed. Now that we were alone I realized I was awfully thirsty. He must have been thinking along the same lines because he walked ahead as if showing me where this fountain was. He pushed up his sleeves to dip his hands into the water for a drink. When I looked at them I was horrorstruck.
They were all scratched up. There were bruises and the beginning of scars forming. It wasn't pleasant. I think Derek tried to cover them up quickly but he looked up and realized that I had already seen.
While still looking at the ground he said, "That is why we were so late and that I hadn't written to you for several days. They were waiting until I was healed." He sounded so ashamed like it was his fault that he got attacked by the ogres.
"Is it the same all over?" I asked.
"Pretty much. It is mostly the middle part of my body with the most damage. Luckily my face was hardly touched." That explains why he winced when I touched his shoulder. He probably has a big scratch there.
"It wouldn't matter to me that your face would be all scratched up." I sat next to him. He had sat on a bench when he was talking. He looked up.
"Alright maybe it would matter a little but not so much unless I was Nicole." I said. He laughed at that. He stopped right away though. I rubbed his back though not too hard since I knew he had bruises and all that.
"You know, when you do that it feels nice compared to when someone else did." I was about to ask him who that was when I heard a loud blast of music.
"We better go back. They will be expecting me to dance." He said while rolling his eyes.
I laughed. "Alright. Let's go." I stuck out my elbow for him like a man would usually do for a woman. He looked bewildered but took it anyways. I laughed again. "Oh I was just kidding." And I put our arms the right way. He looked a bit more comfortable. Then when we were ready we walked back into the castle.
Alright. To be continued in the next chapter. Song was "How Do I Live" by Faith Hill. Wasn't it awesome! I thought it fit perfectly in some parts. I hope you like it SnitchWitch123! I do not own any part of the song and I hope they don't sue me for writing it here. I took off My Dream the prequel to this story. I have decided to hold out until this is almost complete or when you find out about what My Dream is about at least! I don't think many of you read it so oh well. If any of you really want to read it then…you will have to wait! I am evil aren't I? thanks to those of you who did review for it though. Isn't the story better with Derek? I just love him! I hate Walt though! Yuck! Bad Walt! Bad! You hurt Ria I hurt you! Lol. I can't believe I am yelling at my characters! Shows you how 'plagued with dorkiness' I am! Well read and review as always! I almost got eight pages!
Peace Out :-)
whiskeygirl