Summary

Aria is princess and she wants nothing more out of her life than to be able to decide what to do with it. But fate (and her mother) have another plan. What will our headstrong heroine do when she finds out she is betrothed to the prince of another land? And what happens when sparks fly between them and she finds herself falling hopelessly in love with him?

Responses

Lulai: I love Aria too, I fashioned her after my best friend, so I know how to write her character. (Especially her possessiveness angle.) I hope you like Rigel in this chapter. I know I do.

:-D

enjoy the chappie.

All right so there I was looking all trampy walking down the hall in that mess, when Marcus came out of his room. He took one look at me sat on the floor and laughed.

When he got himself somewhat under control I asked him "Marcus why are you laughing at me?" He started to chortle again. "Aria why..." he laughed again, "Why on gods green earth are you dressed like that?"

I sighed (yet again) "Marcus, Mother ordered me to dress like this." He started laughing again. When he finally stopped after five minutes of laughing, he got back up on his feet.

"Aria since when do you listen to her? You know what don't answer that, I don't want to know." He took my arm and dragged me back to my room, opened the door dragged me to my bathroom and started the bath.

"Get in." My mouth almost hit the floor. "Marcus I can't 'get in', I still have to apologize to Rigel before supper." I said.

He laughed at me again, "Aria that's precisely why I want you to get in, if you want him to laugh in your face then by all means wear that mess, but if you want to be serious about it you'll get in and wash that crap off. And you can apologize after."

I had him help him take down my hair and untie the back of that evil dress. He was walking out of the door when he said, "Aria, don't take more than a half hour, I'll be back at 6:30. Make sure you're out of the bath by then."

I was surprised why he would want me out but not dressed and ready to go. "Why don't you want me ready?" "Aria I have a... a ... a friend that will help you get ready."

Oh Marcus has a friend, "Marcus is this friend A girl?" "Yes Aria she is a girl, and she is very good with hair. Now get out in thirty minutes we'll be here by then."

I trusted Marcus; he hasn't done me wrong yet. I finished getting out of my dress and slipped into the now steaming bath. I gave my hair & face a good scrubbing. When it was all off I got out and dried myself with a warm towel.

I put on my dressing gown and went out to meet Marcus and his new girlfriend. Marcus hasn't had many girlfriends since he was 18. He was in love with a girl named Castoria and we all thought he would marry her but she died of small pox, before he could propose.

Marcus was heart broken; he stayed in his rooms and wouldn't let anyone in there for weeks. Slowly he got over it on the outside but I knew on the inside that he still was hurting. So this was a big thing Marcus bringing a girl to meet me.

Come to think of it he introduced Castoria to me first too. Anyway, I walked out to meet them. She was pretty, but anyone who courted my brother had better be pretty, Marcus only deserves the best. She had long red hair and lovely green eyes; she was taller than me, but not too tall.

But the best thing of all was when they saw me come out he put his arm around her waist and smiled at her. I understood it then, he was in love with her.

That's what that look in his eyes was all about at lunch. He had a dopey dreamy look on his face, I thought he was just hung over, but he is in love. AWWWW, that's so sweet.

I felt a small pang of jealousy in my heart when I saw him whisper something into her ear; I wished that I could marry someone for love instead of politics, although when I really thought about it Rigel wasn't that bad.

I walked over to them and Marcus smiled at me then introduced us "Aria this is Isabelle, Izzy, this is Aria." She smiled at me her smile was pretty. "It's so nice to meet you Aria, Marcus tells me so much about you. I knew what a good man he was when all he talked about his was his little sister."

She turned back to look up at him and gave him, what I can only describe as a secret smile that only lovers can share. I was very happy for Marcus, really I was, I was just a bit jealous. I was lonely and I wanted to love someone like that I could have already had him and acted like an ass towards him.

"Aria" Marcus said "this is the surprise I wanted you to see after supper, I have asked Izzy to marry me and she said yes!"

He had the biggest dopiest smile on his face that I've ever seen in my life, well maybe I've seen that look on my father before when he looks at my mother, but other than that, this was my first time seeing a man in love.

"Marcus, Isabel, I'm so happy for you both." I said happier than I felt.

"Aria" Isabel said "You needn't call me Isabel, call me Izzy, were going to be family after all."

I walked over to her and gave her a hug , I think I'm going to like her. I looked up at Marcus "Marcus how did Mother & Father take it?"

He laughed and kissed the top of my head, "Aria sweet, I haven't told them yet, I wanted you to be the first to know, but now since you know I suppose I could announce at dinner."

He gave Izzy another kiss and kissed my forehead before he left and told us he would be back at 7:30 because dinner would be served at eight.

I turned to Izzy and smiled at her, "Well Marcus told me you could help me with getting ready tonight, I don't trust my maid anymore, she made me look like a clown, no wonder, mother is the one who pays her salary."

She laughed. "You know Aria your funny, Marcus told me you would be." Then she got all serious and took me to her rooms after seeing all I had was blue dresses and a few green ones, but they weren't fit for a royal dinner.

We spent the next half hour laughing getting to know each other and trying dresses on me. She finally settled on a pretty pastel yellow one, it was low enough that it showed my curves off, but didn't make me feel like a tramp.

I had those horrendous butterfly sleeves, but the way the dress was made wasn't too bad. It went all the way down to the floor as per usual with most dresses. I liked everything about it, the only thing I didn't like was that she tightened my corset.

I don't mind wearing them but I do mind it when there tight, it hurts. She called in her hairdresser, and we talked while the woman did my hair. I found out that she was the oldest of six children, she had four brothers and one sister, all the brothers save one wanted to be knights, the other one wanted to be a mage, like me.

Her sister was the baby and she didn't know what she wanted to do with her life yet, but she was only six so she was afforded some leeway.

Izzy, as she insisted on being called, told me that she always wanted a sister her age that she could talk to and that she was so happy that she was going to get to be mine.

Alright after she said that I was on her side lock stock and barrel. When the maid finished my hair I was allowed to look, it wasn't bad, surprisingly. Actually, it looked good; it was in a bunch of little curls pinned up at the bottom of my neck. I liked it alot it looked very good.

I gave Izzy a huge hug and told her that I was glad I was getting a sister too. "Aria you already have a sister."

"Yes I know but I can't talk with her like I can with you, she isn't a bad sister, she's just too perfect. I feel inferior around her."

"I'm sure she has her faults, I know I do, you'll find I'm not perfect at all, but I like it that way it makes me interesting." she laughed and it wasn't a fake annoying court laugh, it was a real one.

I smiled back at her and then I saw the clock it was seven forty, Marcus must be out of his mind with worry. I borrowed a pair of her shoes, and yes, they actually had heels. They weren't slim ones but they were chunky so I could walk in them.

We went down the stair and down the corridor to where my rooms were and we saw Rigel, of all people, walking down the hall. I told her about what happened between us and she grabbed my arm.

He saw me smirked playfully before bellowing, "Marcus I fond them they're down here!" He leaned against the wall as I heard something thudding down the hall.

The top of Marcus's doublet was un buttoned and his tunic was a bit crumpled, when he got to us I thought he was going to scream at us. I had latched onto Izzy's arm (or rather she had latched onto mine) when I saw Rigel, and I wasn't about to let her go.

Marcus sighed and swept the tow of us into a bone-crushing hug. Then he started to yell at us, after he deprived us of oxygen. Evil Marcus.

"Where were the two of you, I as so worried, I had to go get Rigel to help me look for you. Why weren't you where you were you supposed to be?" He still had us in that hug and I thought we were going to die.

Suddenly he let out a yelp and let us go. I looked at Izzy and she had a devious smirk on her face, I look at Marcus and he looked like he was in pain, then I heard Rigel laughing, and I decided I didn't want to know.

Izzy gave Marcus a kiss on the cheek looked at me then at Rigel then looked at me again and nodded he head towards him. I scowled at her, crossed my arms and shook my head defiantly. I was not going to walk to dinner with him, I would apologize but I wouldn't walk with him.

Rigel still laughing his ass off was oblivious to our little antics. Marcus looked at me sternly and I knew our silent argument was done; I had to apologize to Rigel and walk to dinner with him.

I love my life. NOT!

Marcus and Izzy walked off and his laughter died down. I sighed walked up to Rigel and asked him in the sweetest voice possible "Rigel would you be my escort to dinner?"

He raised his brows at me "Aria why would you want a 'stupid prick like me' to escort you to dinner, besides you might try to scratch me again."

My face fell he wasn't making this easy, and I deserved it. "Rigel, I'm so very sorry about that, please believe me, I don't know what I was thinking, I wasn't thinking."

He looked at me sternly before continuing, "Aria I tried to be kind to you and I tried to make this mess easy on us both, but you would have none of it. I don't think I can accept your apology, and your right you weren't thinking."

I blanched, "Rigel if you can't accept my apology, then at least let's keep this, fight between us." I was about to cry, I didn't want my mother to know, she would have my head on a platter if she found out I jeopardized international peace with my childish temper.

He saw my face too; I am really bad at keeping my emotions hidden. "Aria, I won't tell our parents, it would make alot of hard work pointless. I'll keep this between us, but you'll have to earn my forgiveness, it isn't given easily, and you threw away the little trust I had in you away."

That's when the tears came, I didn't sob but I cried. I felt the tears trickle down my cheek and I closed my eyes I wanted to get away. I felt Rigel put his hand around my waist and wiped my tears off with the other.

"Aria please don't cry your making this harder than it has to be, and besides you wouldn't want to ruin your face by making all puffy and red by crying, you look nice tonight." I took a deep breath and his handsome blue eyes were staring into mine. I tried to smile but I couldn't, I had hurt this man so much inside and out and he still was good to me.

"Rigel I really am sorry, what can I do to earn your forgiveness?" He thought about it for a moment still holding onto my waist. It was funny, I thought he was a prick and how I can think I don't like him when I'm with other people but when we're alone it's just so nice.

He makes me feel safe, still after I hurt him inside and out. "Aria, you have said that you're sorry and you could say it a million more times, but those are just words dear, show me you're sorry, make me trust you again. Just make an effort to actually get to know me; I'm not a bad person."

I had to close my eyes again and take another deep breath or I would have burst out in tears. I had to earn his trust back, I know I can do that, I'll be married to him in a few weeks, and I'd like to actually say that I loved my husband or that I was falling in love with him.

But love takes two people trusting each other, and I won't love someone that I don't trust. I refuse to. That's why I was surprised when I felt his lips brush mine.

My eyes popped back open and I pulled back but he still wouldn't let me go. "Rigel if you can't trust me you can't kiss me." He looked like he thought that's what I would say.

"I know, I know I shouldn't do that, but I don't want you to cry again."

"Well" I said in a playful tone, "forgive me and you can kiss me all you want." He chuckled and took my arm as we started towards the dining room.

"Nice try, Aria, you wont get forgiven that easily." We stopped walking he took my hands put one over his heart and told me something that broke my poor little heart into pieces.

"You hurt me, not so much on the outside, with a little potion it healed quickly, but on the inside, that's what hurt the most. I think I'm falling in love with you, I know what your going to say 'I've only know you two day's' but I've met you before."

I stared at my hand that was still over his heart then at his eyes, "When?"

He smiled and kissed my cheek quickly. "Do you remember your sister's engagement ball two years ago to Prince Leuce?" I rolled my eyes.

"How could I forget that? Mother was up my ass night to find a suitor."

He smiled at my sarcasm, "Well my grandfather pointed you out to me and told me that I would be marrying you. We were engaged official for three months, but our parents had this plan cooked up since you were sixteen."

Typical of mother to do that. "So what did you do?"

"I asked you to dance; you couldn't wait to get out of that ball and away from all the potential suitors, even me." I laughed at that. He was right I left early I really didn't want to be there. I think he was the last man I danced with.

"I wanted to tell you that we were supposed to get married but I didn't know for sure, and our parents still had to work out the agreement, your mothers very stubborn, that's why it took so long. Your father wanted to tell you but she wouldn't let him."

"That's very typical of my mother, that's one of the things I inherit from her." He laughed and we started down the hall again.

"I've noticed," he said as we reached the dining hall. I just wished that we stayed in the hallway and made out. But no, we both had too much integrity. Damn our integrity.

When we walked in the dining room, King Devion was there as well as my family and a crying Izzy.

Marcus was screaming his head off at my father and my father was screaming back. I walked quickly over to Izzy and took the seat next to her. "Izzy what's wrong, why's Marcus screaming?"

She was hiccoughing and trying to hold the tears in to no avail. "They won't let... let ...let me marry Marcus. They said I was too poor. They said he needed to marry someone whose father was more prominent in court."

That's all I got out of her before she started crying again. Marcus was still screaming at father and he was still screaming back, Aijia was sitting there trying hold a conversation with the king and mother, but it was somewhat difficult over Marcus and fathers screaming contest.

I leaned over to Rigel who was sitting next to me "Lets take Izzy back to her room; she'll just get more upset here. I'll have the maids bring dinner up for her." He nodded agreeing with me.

I leaned over to Izzy and told her we were taking her back to her rooms, she babbled something I took as a yes because she went to stand up.

Father noticed some movement and stopped screaming at Marcus, "Aria what do you think you're doing young lady? You just got here and late nonetheless."

I was still pretty pissed at my father for lying to me, I expected it form mother, but I never thought he would.

"Papa, I'm taking Izzy to her room, and don't I care to hear you're screaming contests over dinner with Marcus I have enough of them with mother. I'll eat later in a more peaceful place."

He stared at me he was surprised that I used such a sharp tone. "Aria you will sit down and eat dinner with us or you wont eat at all."

"Fine Papa I won't I'm not hungry." I stood up and walked out dragging Izzy & Rigel behind me.

When I reached the hallway I heard my father screaming at Marcus "You get back here, or I'll... I'll... I'll disown you."

"Fine Papa do that, I don't care, I love her and I would gladly leave you if it meant I could have her, oh and I'm taking Aria with me." I chuckled at that. We heard him come around the corner and run straight to Izzys waiting arms.

They cried silently for a moment into each others arms. It hurt me to see my brother in so much pain. I suppose Rigel sensed that and he put his arm around my waist and held me close.

When Marcus stopped crying He looked up at me and smiled. He turned back to Izzy "Izzy dearest, I love you, you know this, and I want no other woman for my wife or my Queen. No other woman could compare to you. I wouldn't care if you were the poorest of the poor. I still would love you" She sniffled, smiled at him and kissed him.

All right at this point I was beside myself, I couldn't help them and I hate it when I can't help. "Marcus what will we do we can't get married, they won't allow it and I wont let you give up your throne for me. I would feel that guilt for the rest of my life and it would destroy me."

I couldn't control myself anymore, not like I was trying anyways, "Why don't you two elope, they can't do anything then, you'd already be married."

Marcus looked up at me with hope in his eyes, "Aria that's a perfect idea. That is if you don't mind marrying me in a small ceremony Izzy. "

She was elated at the thought of that, and hit him upside the head, "Of course I wouldn't mind, I was so scared at the thought of everyone watching me.I was afraid I would trip and they would all laugh at me."

They both looked at me for suggestions, I had none but fortunately Rigel did, "Why don't you got to a chapel outside the palace, it would be the easiest way to do that, Aria and I can take the things you need on horseback to the chapel, saying we were going on a picnic and meet you there. The only thing you have to worry about is getting out without being seen."

That was a perfect plan, I could have kissed him, remind me later to do that. "Rigel that's perfect no one would suspect us if we said we were going on a picnic. Izzy Marcus do you like the plan?"

Izzy was about to burst from joy, and Marcus carried himself a little taller, they had hope. They nodded their heads eagerly, "Aria" Marcus said, " we love the plan, but lets work the details out tomorrow, come to my chambers tomorrow morning, no one will question you if you are going to your brothers for breakfast, Rigel, your going to of course."

It was a statement not a question. My brother smiled at him I suppose they had a unspoken agreement between them because Rigel smiled back. Marcus and Izzy thanked Rigel again, and then went to bed.

When they were out of sight I dragged Rigel over to a corner threw my arms around him and kissed him with fervor. He was a bit surprised at that at first but he kissed me back with the same passion.

When we came up for air I buried my head in his shoulder. I was content to just let him hold me for a while. "You're not supposed to do that." he whispered.

I pulled my head up to his ear so I was breathing on it a bit, "I know but that was a thank you, for helping my brother and Izzy, and wanting to help with the plan."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, but could you thank me again." he said playfully.

I nibbled on his ear and then I trailed my way to his mouth but I stopped short of his lips, "Oh remember," I said coyly, "I'm not supposed to do that." I gave him an overly sweet smile before I kissed him again.

"That was mean Aria that was very mean." I laughed grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the corner.

I sighed dramatically and leaned into him, "Oh Rigel, I'm so tired, I'm going to collapse, oh catch me." I said in a dramatic voice.

I was kidding, really, I was, (ok maybe I just liked having him hold me) but he knew I was kidding too. Still he humored me, picked me up and carried me, like the night before, to my room.

The only difference was he left me at my door and kissed my cheek good night, I sighed it was a verrrry long day.

And tomorrow would be twice as long. I walked in got into my nightgown and fell into a peaceful slumber with dreams of Rigel dancing in my head. No really dancing, actually I think it was the Macarena. Nonetheless, I fell into a deeper sleep and I stopped dreaming, thankfully.

Well that was it please R&R.