"Princess…..Princess."
I opened my eyes slowly. Paytah was over me, blushing.
I sat up with the covers around me. "Yes?"
"You are being waited upon."
"By who?"
"Queen Jasmine and her husband King Xavier. They wish to meet with you and their son, Prince Wyatt."
My eyes went wide. "Are you serious?"
He nodded his head while handing me my corset. "Extremely. They have been here for an hour or so waiting for you. They are not in the best of moods. Something about you refusing their son."
I snatched the corset. "Where were you last night?"
He tilted his head. "I was right outside your door. Why?"
I stood up and put on the plainest and most common looking dress I had. "Prince Wyatt came into my room and tried to bed with me."
His cheeks went red, but confusion was in his eyes. "I did not see him when he came to your door. Are you sure it wasn't a dream?"
"Paytah, there was reason you found my bare this morning."
He swallowed. "Then I must have been scouting the hallway when he came."
We walked outside and down the stairs. I shook my head. "You came in with him. I saw you."
"I'm sorry, but I can't remember. All I remember is feasting and then guarding your door. Would you like me to tell your father?"
"No," I said shortly, "I will be in trouble for refusing him."
"Not to be the bearer of bad news, Princess, but I'm afraid you already are."
We walked into the receiving room and I was met by the most horrible and cruelest woman I had ever met and her family.
"So this is the woman who refuses my son," she shrilled.
I stood straight and tall and stared right at her. Her eyes were a pale blue and her hair was deep black. It was pulled back into a tight bun, making her seem even more cruel. A large diamond crown set in gold lay on top of her head. She was adorned with many fine jewels and wore a dress that covered her neck and arms. She showed no skin, only her face. Her hands were covered by pure white gloves with lace trimmings. Her skin was pale and tight with wrinkles around her eyes and eyebrows.
"I am sure you are mistaken," my father said, looking at me with angry eyes, "she would never refuse a prince."
"Well, she did," Wyatt said, "and there is a witness."
"Who?" my father asked, terrified that I had brought shame upon my family.
"Her guard."
I looked at Paytah. He was shocked. "I did not see anything," he said defiantly.
Wyatt snorted. "Who said you were her guard."
I tilted my head at him. "He is my guard. Paytah. He was at my door the entire night."
Wyatt's eyes went wide. He was caught in his own trap. I smiled at him.
"Paytah, did you see this man enter my daughter's room?"
Paytah shook his head. "I did not, sir. I was standing guard all night and I saw no one enter or leave the room."
"There must be a mistake!" cried the Queen, "My son would never lie about such things."
"Perhaps your guard did not know about me entering because he was off with another woman," Prince Wyatt said, glaring at me.
Paytah was bewildered. "I would never leave my Princess unguarded."
"Then why did I enter my wife's room last night and be refused if you were there?" Wyatt had trapped him. He was not going to let me off the hook that easily. He was a spoiled brat.
"First of all," I finally said, "I am not, I repeat, not your wife. Second of all, we all know that you would have entered my room even if Paytah was there. You are just that pathetic to do so."
The Queen gasped in horror.
My father's face grew red with anger instantly.
My mother stared at me with guarded eyes and my little sister Faith giggled.
I stared at Wyatt, ready to challenge him once again if I needed too.
"Oh my," the Queen finally spoke, "I see that your daughter is more stubborn and hot headed than I assumed."
"She is dead set against this marriage," my father said, "but I think in time, she will get herself comfortable."
I snorted. "Please, why would I feel comfortable with a spoiled mama's boy? I'd feel more comfortable surrounded by thieves."
I wished I hadn't said that out loud to everyone. Paytah grabbed my arm as my father stormed over to me. His eyes were bulging out of his head in anger and hatred. He was breathing heavily, trying to control himself. What had I done to offend him this much?
"Dear…." My mother said coming next to him, "Maybe we should wait a few days before we let them marry."
"What!" my father exploded.
My mother flinched while I stood there staring at him. "This is too much for her. She comes back home from being kidnapped by thieves and all of a sudden she is married and thrown into another world. It is too much for her."
"Nonsense," my father said.
"It is too much for a woman," my mother's voice was as sharp as broken glass and my father knew that. He would not argue with her on womanly things.
He turned away from me. "Do you agree with my wife on this matter?"
The Queen nodded. "She is right and I do feel somewhat sorry for the poor girl. After all, thieves are not the right people for her to associate herself with. Let us go to our corridor. We shall dine later tonight and talk even more about this." She left quickly with her husband, son, and guards behind her. The doors closed silently. My mother sighed and looked at me.
"Guinevere, dear, is there anything you want to talk about?"
I sat down and folded my arms over my chest. "Like what?"
My mother sat next to me. "Did something happen to you while Youko kidnapped you?"
I shook my head. "Best time of my life, actually."
My mother's eyes went hard and cold, but before she could do anything, my father grabbed me by the hair and shook me. "Don't you cop an attitude with us now! You ungrateful child. Youko is nothing but trash, do you hear me?"
I wrenched away from him and cried, "You don't know anything about him! You know nothing about him or his clan! Nothing!"
My father slapped me and silence followed. My mother's mouth was open in horror and my father's eyes were wide with shock. "Guinevere….."
He tried to touch my cheek, but I slapped his hand away. "I hate you! I hate you and everyone else in the hellhole!" I ran out of that room and up the stairs, slamming my door. Tears were falling down my face as I cried and cried. I hated my father. He was such a son of a bitch to me because I knew more than him.
"Guinevere," my mother said sitting next to me.
I sniffed. "What?"
She rubbed my back soothingly. "I know, sweetheart. I know."
What she said only made me cry even harder. She knew that I loved someone; she knew that I loved him. She knew me like a book. I sat up and she rubbed the tears on my cheeks. "Can't you do something?"
She shook her head. "I can't do anything. You must be married to him. I have no power over it."
I wiped my tears. "What about him? Can't you do anything about him?"
She shook her head again. "He is also out of my power."
I looked at her confused, "What does that mean?"
She shook her head for the third time and suddenly she seemed old and tired. The wrinkles around her eyes seemed to become more noticeable and her eyes were no longer bright with life and energy. I suddenly felt sorry for my mother. She had a very rough life and I wasn't helping her at all. If I was going to marry Wyatt then it would be because of her. That was the only reason.
I sighed. "Alright, mother, I'll try and live with it."
She smiled and kissed me on the forehead. "Just know that I understand and I know."
I nodded. I knew that she knew what I was going through, but it didn't help in this situation. I had to try one last time for my freedom. I had too because if I didn't, then I would never have it again.
That's Chappie Eight. It is a short one, but the next one is longer. This is were it starts to get good. Please review. Please! Thanks for reading!
M. Neko
