Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters. Just the plot :D
Chapter 7: Royal Gifts
She looked at him with hope flooded eyes.
He turned away as the sight of it.
Finally, she broke the silence.
"Do you believe that I am your one true love?" She asked.
He didn't answer, just starred at the ground.
"Please reply." She softly murmured, prepared for the worst as she squeezed her eyes shut.
Taking a peak at her, he saw the needy look in her eyes.
"Yes,"He said sighing, not wanting to shatter her heart once again. "Yes, you are my one true love."
Too bad he did not mean a single word he said.
"Hello, dear Ginerva, what a pleasure it is to see you." Draco silkily said, as he bowed down before Ginny and kissed the hand her maid had made her reach out.
Ginny didn't know how to reply, her brain was still overcoming the idea of her a princess and Draco a…prince. Yet when she felt her maid elbow her, Ginny struggled to stay straight and not bend over with pain while still trying to grasp the correct words to say.
"Well, um…it's very nice to see you too." Ginny stuttered, taking her hand back. Draco was eye levelled to her once again and he turned to pull her chair out for her; right next to him.
Still shocked, Ginny found her way to the chair and sat down.
"Now, darling, your father and I are going off to Vrierlande with King Charles and Queen Quarintin due to some unattended royal business," The queen-Ginny's 'mother'- started in a royal manner, softly gesturing her hand to the other couple of royalty. "Seeing as you also must make a visit to Corineland yourself-home of Prince Draco- we've decided it best for him to accompany you back in several days, we will be less worried if he escorts you there, due to your…special gift." The queen finished announcing.
"Que-" Ginny started, only to have Draco elbow her this time. "Mother," Ginny quickly corrected herself. "What gift?" She asked, uncertain.
"Ginerva! Stop posing all these incompetent questions that you know the answer to!" The queen scolded, giving Ginny a dirty look that even her own mother would never do.
"But Que-" Ginny started, only to have Draco give her a slight nudge again to shut her up.
"What happened?" Ginny asked Draco in a confused and irritated manner out in the garden where Ginny and Draco were supposed to take a walk.
Draco sighed, and looked at her with uncertainty and a hint of knowledge. "Well, according to me, Weasley, we're somewhere in the renaissance period, and well, you're a princess and I'm a prince." Draco recited for her.
Ginny cocked an eyebrow suspiciously. "You sound like you know everything…"
"Well, of course I know everything! After all, I am a Slytherine, and Slytherine's are naturally brighter than Gryffindors!" Draco explained cheekily.
"Hmph!" Ginny said, crossing her arms and stomping away.
"Now, that's no way for a princess to be. What will the queen say?" Draco intimidated, causing Ginny to ignore him for the rest of the day.
"Your highness, you're forbidden to leave the tower." A servant told Ginny for the millionth time.
"Why not! Why can I not leave! I've been here all day! I'm sick of being here! I'll jump out the window if I have to!" Ginny explodes, her Weasley temper finally unbottling itself.
The maid was startled at Ginny's proclamation, and rushed to leave, clicking the lock on the door locked behind her as she fled down the hallway.
"What is the problem with these people! Locking their future ruler up! What kinda dumb regulation is that!" Ginny muttered angrily, kicking the stonewall with her dainty heels. Not only was she locked up all day, but she had a corset crushing her rib cages, layers of dresses that weight a pound on her, and a fancy up-do to balance on her head along with a tiara.
"Did the people in the old days even have any fashion sense! Besides torturing women with their clothes!" Ginny muttered again, frustrated because of everything, and mostly because she knew Draco Malfoy knew something she didn't.
The door burst open just as Ginny was about to die from boredom, but this time, several other servants came back with rolls of lace.
"Your highness, pardon us, but we are ordered to do this." A maid said, as the bunch walked over to Ginny.
"Do wha-" Ginny started, but before she could finish her sentence, she was carefully hauled to the huge bed and her hands and feet bonded to the bedpost with lace. "What are you guys doing!" Ginny screamed, frantically kicking at whoever was trying to tie the finishing knot.
"This is the wish from the queen so you will not 'jump out the window,' she is worried about your safety and your forgetfulness. How can you not remember you're…gift?" A maid kindly and curiously asked while gesturing for the other to leave to their other duties.
"I was just over exaggerating! Haven't you heard of it before? And no, I don't remember my 'gift'! Is it some sort of jewellery!" Ginny asked, appalled that a queen would tie her own daughter to the bed.
"You honestly do not remember, your highness?" The maid asked, her eyes worrisome.
"No! Now will you let me go! I was only exaggerating!" Ginny protested, her eyes about to erupt into flames.
"The queen has her orders. We are not allowed to disobey, but you claim you forgot you're gift, I can, perhaps tell you it." The maid timidly replied.
"Then tell! Don't just stand there!"
"Your highness, you are not allowed to love, for if you do return the love, your lover will perish into the mists of hell. That is the 'gift' you have forgotten."
"G-g-gift?" Ginny stuttered, hardly able to believe this incredulous lie until she said the serious expression of the maid.
"Why, of course, your highness, do you not remember the Death Chamber?" The maid asked, her expression casual.
"D-death chamber?" Ginny stammered.
"Your highness, are you feeling alright? You look a bit pale." The maid asked concerned.
"Y-yes, I'm fine. Just tell me about the 'Death Chamber.'" Ginny instructed, her voice shaky.
"The Death Chamber is where your past lovers are well…stored. There is quite a collection, say, perhaps 85?" The maid explained, unsure.
"Stored!" Ginny asked in shock. "As in mummified!"
The maid laughed at that, but covered her mouth abruptly. "Sorry, your highness, I just-"
"It's ok, but do continue."
"No, your highness, not mummified, but just kept in coffins," The maid clarified. "And don't worry, they're in perfectly good condition, nothing gruesome." The maid added seeing the disgusted expression on Ginny's face.
"I see…"Ginny trailed off, her thoughts mingling with themselves in her head. "Can I go visit them, perhaps…?"
"Well…I'm not sure, after all, the queen has her orders of not letting you leave the tower unless it's absolute, you know, because of your gift. She doesn't want anyone else dying…"The maid explained.
Ginny rethought all this in her head. "That means if I don't get married, then…" She broke off. "Then, there will be no new heir to the throne." Ginny concluded.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. The king and queen have been bothered by this for quite some time…"
"But-" Ginny stopped herself. "Is there anything I can do? Anything that can break this spell thing?"
"Your highness, have you not noticed, all the princes have feared you ever since word of your gift spread out. Even if there was a way to break the curse, there'd be no prince to break it with." The maid said bluntly. "I'm sorry you're highness for my bluntness."
"It's quite alright. But what about Prince D-Draco?" Ginny asked, willing herself not to think of the possibilities.
"Prince Draco, well, you two are sworn enemies ever since birth. Your parents have been trying to get you two to just be friends, but…" She trailed off.
"But?" Ginny asked.
"But the last 'get together' resulted in you and him throwing food at each other at the royal table while guests from England were here…"
"Ah…"Ginny said, comprehending the situation. "I see."
"I'm sorry, I've said too much already, I must leave now, your highness." The maid said looking apologetic.
"It's quite alright. You can go." Ginny said. "But before you go, can you um…untie me?" Ginny almost pleaded.
"I'm sorry, your highness, no can do." The maid said before retreating out of the room.
"Oh bloody hell! What are with these renaissance rules?" Ginny moaned, as her hands ached a bit from the lace.
Ginny Weasley lay tied up on her bed for hours, she had lost count, and it was already way past night fall. Everything she did, no matter what, she could not free herself! The lace was biting into her arms and her feet, she felt like she was banded up for sale. Maids hurried in and out for her convenience, untying her for meals(which she had in her room) or going to the restroom, she simply had to ring the bell she had beside her.
"Your highness, is there anything else I can get for you?" A maid asked, yawning.
"Well…"Ginny started, thinking. "What is the time now?"
"Ten o'clock, your highness." The maid replied.
"Is Prince Draco and his family still here?" Ginny asked.
"Why, yes, they are residing here until the king and queen departs. And of course, after, you and Prince Draco are leaving together."
"Right," Ginny thought this over, maybe he was a Malfoy, and maybe he did have some rivalries with her, but maybe he was different now, and more gentlemen like, and maybe he'd untie her. "Can you send for him, please?"
"Yes, your highness." The maid replied as she disappeared through the door.
'Please let Draco be different, please let him be kind hearted, please let him untie me.' Ginny prayed.
Moments later, Draco arrived and the maid left them to talk.
"Malf-" Ginny started, but corrected herself. "Draco, can you please untie me?" She asked.
"And why should I help you, Weasley?" Draco questioned, looking down at her as she continuously squirmed about.
"Because, well-"Ginny thought about it for a second. "Well, because you're a prince! You're supposed to help people!"
"Well…" Draco pretended to think this over.
"Com'on! I mean, this is insane! Which mother ties their own daughter up!" Ginny protested, twisting her abdomen about, trying to free herself.
"Oh, alright!" Draco said, as he reached over to untie her. He pulled at the knots and the moment a piece of lace came loose, Draco felt a whoosh of air sweep him onto the bed and before he knew what had happened, he too, was bonded by lace on the arms and feet.
"What the…" Draco asked, shaking his head to clear his mind.
"Um…well…I guess it's magical…" Ginny suggested.
"Thanks a lot, Weasley! I bet you dreamed of being in the same bed as me for ages!" Draco retorted, smirking.
"I did not!" Ginny protested, trying to kick Draco, yet not succeeding with her hands and feet bonded.
"Sure you didn-"Draco started, but stopped to the sound of light footsteps from heels, ascending the old stone steps towards the tower.
"Someone untied her! My spell worked! Someone untied her! And that someone is going to be hung and his remains burnt for breaking my rules! I'll see that this traitor vanish from the all of Royaland!"
Yes, I know, I haven't updated in quite a forever, but I was busy, and if you think this chapter is a bit queer, well I'm sorry, but that's just the way things are and will be:( Anyways, thanks fo all that read and review:D and well...reluctant thanks to those who read and don't, but anyhow, I'm not sure when my next chappy will be up, but I can assure you, review and I'll update faster! Cheers;) Special thanks so Shayndel, Hyper-Moody-Book-Worm, Malfoyfan1, and Vivi575;)