Story of a Princess Unknown – Chapter 8
Thankyou once again my loyal reviewers. New people – I'm so glad to know that new people are reading my story! I love any sort of review, so please review whoever you are.
MysticMist – well it is sort of turning into a love square, if you add Alexandra into the mix! Who ends up with who is my decision – hehe! Umm I just wanted to make Cythera awful and Eric nice – we don't see a lot of him as he, I don't know, works a lot or something!
babyblueangel – Sorry for confusing you! It is so damned HARD having Luke etc call her one name, and having Jared, Cythera etc calling her another! Anything that's wrong is my fault – just a typo. Sorry bout that! Yes I live in NZ. We have hobbits and orcs running around all over the place. Yes, really. No, really!
I'm just kidding. Although my little bro is kinda short with huge hairy feet...
You should so come to NZ – it is really cool apart from no-one really famous comes here that much – well no-one that i get to see! I have no money to go to good concerts and stuff – I have a horse who costs too much!
ladygwen – I wanted to play the cello for a while, but I play the piano instead. I rock forever? Really? Thankyou.
Emma-J – yeah i did email u! Just to let you know the chapter was up. I only have 4 reviews for the last chapter. :( I may get Eve to slap Alexandra for you!
Now – people who haven't reviews – no L&P for you! Pippa! Emma! Taintedpromises! YOU ARE IN TROUBLE! Pippa and Emma I will tell you at school! C ya then.
Eve stayed up late that night, thinking. She didn't know how she felt about Jared. He seemed ... nice enough, but he was the prince who had replaced her, for god's sake! How could I even like him, after all he's done to our family?
Whenever she thought of Mordred, Jared's father, she felt a burning hatred. Even though she had never met the man, she was sure he was responsible for the deaths of her parents, and for the deaths of Luke's. He never paid any attention to us down in the south, she thought bitterly. Even though so many were dying of starvation and sickness, he NEVER once gave us medicine or help.
With the thought that she would do her job well and find out as much as she could the next day, Eve fell asleep.
She woke up the next day, again to the knocking of the maid who came to dress her. This time she refused point-blank to have the corset and both petticoats on, just one petticoat, a shift and a simple dark blue gown. The maid braided her hair back off her face. I wonder what Jared will think? Eve wondered. Then she mentally slapped herself. Stop it!
Breakfast was, er ... fun, as usual. Lady Cythera twittered on about the latest fashions and how she absolutely MUST get a new dress made of a wonderful new fabric. Eve caught Lord Eric rolling his eyes when he thought no-one was looking. Poor guy, she thought.
Then she heard the doorbell ringing. He's here!
She said farewell to Cythera and Eric, then ran, in a very unladylike way, she heard Cythera mutter, to the door. Outside she found Jared sitting on Vinny and Frankie beside them.
"Good morning, Enna. You look lovely." She blushed. "Looking forward to today?"
"Very much, your highness."
"Jared, how many times do I have to tell you?" He teased her.
Eve refused to look him in the face.
They set off at a trot, Frankie eagerly following Vinny.
When they arrived at the palace, Jared quickly hopped off Vinny, then helped Eve off Frankie. He didn't let go of her waist when he put her on the ground, but gently turned her to look into his face.
"Enna ..." he said softly, but Eve pulled away. Jared shook his head. I just want to apologize! Why is she so skittish?
What was he trying to do? Eve's mind raced. I can't handle this. My feelings about him so are so conflicting. The Prince who replaced me, the son of the man who replaced my parents, a boy who could be my friend? Who is he?
Jared cleared his throat. "Anyway, we should go but the horses in the stables, then I'll show you around."
He showed Eve to the huge stables, where they gave Frankie and Vinny to stablehands who would take care of them.
Then they walked up the long flight of steps into the castle's huge main entry hall. Jared showed her around all of the castle, including the kitchens, the rooms where the king met with his advisers – and the gallery dedicated to past rulers. Though it was now unkempt and dusty, there were portraits there of all the rulers of Kyrria, reaching back about five hundred years.
Jared stopped at a picture of a dark haired woman with blue eyes, and a brown haired man with green eyes. They were smiling at eachother. They look so in love, Eve thought.
"This is a portrait of the last rulers, King Char and Queen Ella."
Eve suddenly felt like she couldn't breath. My parents. Mum and Dad. It was the first time she had ever seen a picture of the two. She could definitely see the resemblance between herself and her parents. Without Eve knowing, silent tears began coursing down her face. It was at that moment that she realised that she hadn't even begun to deal with the pain of finding out who her parents were. With all the distractions of running away, dealing with Luke and Jared, she hadn't had time to think about it properly.
Jared noticed that she was crying. Did I do something to upset her? "Enna? What's wrong? I didn't think that you'd be so affected by a painting!" He tried to joke. She glared at him and angrily swiped her tears away. Oops. Wrong move, Jared thought regretfully.
"I'm fine! Just leave me alone!" Just when I think he's nice, he has to go and prove he's a jerk all over again.
"I'm sorry," Jared said quietly. She ignored him, and moved to look at the next painting. They spent the next few minutes in an uncomfortable silence. Then Jared spoke.
"Enna, there's a ball tomorrow night, being held here. I wondered if ... if you'd like to come?"
"You mean you wouldn't be embarrassed being seen with me in public? Even though I'm not good enough for you?"
"I never said that. It was Alexandra, remember? And no, I would love it if you came."
"Alright. I'll be there." They had come to the end of the tour of the castle.
"I've got a ... friend I'd like to visit in town. You don't need to come," she said quickly. "I can find my own way back to my aunt and uncle's house."
"Are you sure?" Jared asked worriedly. "I can show you to where they live, then meet you afterwards and take you home. I don't think that a young woman like you should be riding home by herself."
Eve's eyes flashed. "I am perfectly capable of finding my own way home!"
"I know, but you never know who will be out there, and since you're new around here ..."
Eve relented. "All right."
"Leave Frankie here – you can't leave him by himself in the city."
"Well how am I supposed to get there?" Eve retorted.
"We can both ride Vinny." Eve blushed at the thought.
"What? Scared to be too close to me?" Jared jeered.
"No!" Eve hurriedly replied. Scared to be close to me ... Who else had said that to her? Eve's heart gave a twinge of pain. Luke. I need to sort things out with him.
Jared helped her up onto Vinny, then settled himself behind her. His arms came loosely around her waist and Eve felt herself tense up. What is with me? I DON'T like him. He is a jerk.
"Relax, would you, Enna? I'm not going to hurt you!"
Eve stopped Jared a few houses away from the Rebels HQ.
"I can find my way from here." Her eyes dared him to object.
"Alright. I'll meet you back here in an hour. Farewell." He rode off into the crowd. For a second, Eve wanted to call him back, wanted the reassurance of Jared's calm presence as she reported to Callum – but then she kicked herself. He's the PRINCE! The one you're plotting AGAINST!
She walked over to HQ and, after checking that no-one was watching, slipped inside the door. Turning to close the door, she let herself relax, and let out a sigh of relief. A sudden movement made her jump and turn around.
Lucas was lounging against the wall on the other side of the hallway. "Did I frighten you, Eve?"
"N-no," she stammered. "Luke, look. We really need to sort things out ..."
"I don't have time right now, Eve. Besides," he said with a look of bitterness on his face. "I saw you cosying up to the prince out there. Don't pretend you didn't like it," he added.
"Luke – he's just an ASSIGNMENT! He's nothing -"
"I don't have time to listen to your excuses right now. Bye." And with that, Lucas opened the door and stepped outside, leaving Eve shaking and near to tears for the second time that day.
How can he think that I like Jared? He REPLACED me, for god's sake!
"You're here! Finally!" A voice startled Eve out of her thoughts. She turned to see Callum.
"Come through here and give me your report."
Eve told him all she had learned from Jared, including details about the castle. And about her invitation to the ball.
"Ball, eh? Well, we have a few of our other spies going to the ball as servants and such for the noble's they've been secretly placed with. Lucas, Morgan, Blake, and a few others. But you ... you'll be there as part of the nobility ..."
He suddenly leaned forward, thrusting his face close to Eve's. She tried not to retch at his repulsive breath. "You, girl, don't give ANY sign that you know ANY of our other agents! And you'd better keep spying well – you don't pull your weight, you're out."
"I know." Eve muttered resentfully. She would have SO loved to yell and scream at this man. Unfortunately, yelling and screaming at Callum would probably get her killed.
"Go! And remember what I said!"
Eve left the room to Callum muttering to himself, "Hmm, ball, an alliance between the Prince's family and Alexandra of Greenhedge?"
Doesn't he know that the first sign of madness is talking to yourself? Eve smirked inwardly at her thought.
Eve stepped outside and made her way back to where she was going to meet Jared. He came after a few minutes, riding Vinny and leading Frankie. She got up onto Vinny after thanking him for coming to meet her. Eve couldn't help feeling a bit of resentment towards Jared – he was part of the reason her relationship with Luke wasn't going well.
"Did you have a good time at your friend's?" Jared asked politely.
"It was ... alright." Eve shivered as she remembered Luke's angry, hurt words.
"Are you alright?" Jared asked, his eyes betraying his concern. "You seem a bit – shaken."
"I'm fine," she smiled at Jared, trying to reassure him.
Unknown to Prince and Lady, a figure was watching them from the shadows of an alleyway. He scowled when he saw Eve smile at Jared. "I'll get them both back for this ..." he muttered resentfully.
When Eve got back to the manor, Jared invited her to come down to the village again for the remainder of the day. Eve really wanted to just go up to her room and be by herself for a while, but she forced a smile.
"Of course. I just need to go get changed out of this dress. You're welcome to come in and wait in my room while I'm getting changed."
He nodded, and they gave the horses to a stablehand to hold.
"Enna? Are you back?"
"I'm going out with Jared in a minute, I just need to change my dress." Eve replied to Lady Cythera.
"Just don't lose any dresses this time!"
Eve blushed and made the mistake of looking into Jared's face. His eyes twinkled with silent laughter, and she blushed again.
When they reached her room, she left Jared to explore while she got changed in the dressing room. He wandered about the room.
Eve quickly got changed into a loose green dress with just a shift underneath. Even the petticoats were too much!
When she came out, Jared was doing something stupid. Very, very stupid. He was holding her blanket – the one thing she had left of her mother. Eve took one look at him and went dangerously quiet.
He smiled mockingly. "Does little Enna still sleep with her blankie?"
"Give it BACK!" She screamed.
Instead, Jared held it out of her reach and ran out the doorway. Eve followed him, still screaming.
"You JERK! Give it BACK to me or I'll ..."
"What?" He called back to her. "Beat me up?"
"Yes! I will, you arrogant jerk!"
Then Jared tripped and went flying, halfway down the stairs. Eve nearly tripped on top of him, but recovered in time. She bent down and snatched her blanket from Jared.
"You are a horrible, stupid IDIOT! And I NEVER want to see you again!" And, still shaking with anger, Eve stormed back to her room.
"Enna! I didn't mean it – I didn't know it meant that much to you! I – I'm sorry! Enna?"
But common sense told Jared not to follow her – he had witnessed enough of "Enna's" temper to know he would get blasted if he walked in there right now.
So instead, he picked himself up, and sheepishly went out the front door. Then he got onto Vinny, and galloped off down the driveway.
Eve was lying on her bed, tears streaming down her face. It had all been too much – seeing her parents, seeing Luke, then Jared taking her most treasured possession. She heard him gallop away.
Maybe I was too harsh on him? Eve thought. Then, NO! I HATE HIM! I can't believe I ever thought he was decent. I NEVER want to see him again.
Oooh – I bet no-one's liking Jared after that one! Please review and tell me what you think! Next chapter is gonna be great for me to write – will Eve go to the ball or not? And what about Lucas?
Review please!