Chapter Five:

"Princess Bella is still yet to be seen in public since private photographs of her were leaked to the press, almost three weeks ago. There also still hasn't been a statement made about this by either the Princess herself, or from Kensington Palace… Now today's top headlines."

"Yes, please talk about something else! There must be something else to talk about!" I turn the television off and fling the remote down onto my bed.

"You know… talking to yourself is the first sign of madness." Riley walks into the room carrying a selection of outfits.

"Yeah, well, all the best people usually are," I say sarcastically.

He lays the outfits down on the bed and I start looking through them. "Why exactly am I going to need…" I pick up a gown from the selection. "An evening gown?" I look at Riley with a raised eyebrow.

He shrugs. "You never know."

I blink at him. "I'm going to America to basically be on house arrest, the same as I am here… I don't think I'm going to be going to many white tie events."

"Someone got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning, Princess."

"Piss off." I storm out of the bedroom towards the en-suite to sort through toiletries.

Riley comes and leans against the doorframe. "You know it's not going to be the same, right? You can leave here, you've just been choosing not too. No-one is making you stay inside, Bella."

I scoff. "Because going outside right now is even an option." I unzip my makeup bag and start stuffing things inside.

"Bella…"

"Just don't. Not right now, okay? Let me have this little pity party. I'll be fine."

He nods. "We have to go in an hour. Your father will be here soon."

"Okay." I sniff. "Hey, can you just… leave me on my own for a bit?"

"I'll come back when your father is here." He leaves the room.

I walk back out of the bathroom holding the bag I've just filled up, and place it in my suitcase. I then lay down on the bed next to my suitcase, roll over so I'm face down on the pillow, and let the tears fall.

I cry because of the stupid mistakes I've made, and that I've let my father down, that I've let my country down. I cry because I'm having to leave my home and go to a place I've not been to before.

But mostly, I cry for the way I was betrayed.

xoxoxo

I stay on my bed and cry for what feels like hours, but most only be about ten minutes. I get up and walk back into the bathroom and splash my face with water and blow my nose. I then walk back to the outfits that Riley laid out earlier and start searching through them. He's completely clueless when it comes to this sort of thing, it's a good thing that he's my private secretary and not my stylist. I do find a couple of things worth packing, so I put those in the suitcase and finish up the rest of the packing. I'm zipping up the suitcase when there's a knock on the door.

I try and pull the zip, but it won't move. "Ugh!" I try moving it again, when the knock comes again. "Oh, come in."

The door opens and my dad walks in. "Having trouble?" he laughs.

"Yes! I can't get this zip to move and the last thing I need right now is a broken suitcase!" I tug the zip again but to no avail.

Dad walks over and removes my hand from the zip, he moves it back and finds something sticking out of the side. He tucks it back into the suitcase and the zip moves freely. He closes it up all the way and then picks up the suitcase and puts it on the floor. "There."

I roll my eyes. "Smart arse." I grab my bag for hand luggage and check to make sure I've got everything in there that I need.

"Bella." Dad touches my arm, and I look up from the inside of my bag. "You've been crying."

"No." I go back to looking through my bag.

"You'll never be a good liar, Bella." He sits down on the end of the bed and pats the space next to him. "Tell me."

I sit down next to him and sigh deeply. "I just… I've been letting this all bottle up and I guess it just came out." I look down at my feet. "I'm sad 'cause I'm having to leave for a while, and I just thought about how much I've been betrayed…" A couple of tears run down my cheeks again.

"He'll pay for this. Somehow. We will find a way." Dad wraps his arm around my shoulders and I lean my head on him. "I'd have him beheaded if I still could."

I laugh. "Just put him in the Tower anyway. I'm sure there's a dungeon somewhere where the public wouldn't ever see him."

"The ghosts could have him then." He laughs and then squeezes my shoulders and I sit up.

"Thank you."

Riley comes up to the bedroom door. "Princess." He bows. "Sir."

I stand up. "It's time to go?"

He nods. "I'll be downstairs." He grabs hold of the suitcase and takes it downstairs with him.

I turn back to face my dad. "You'll have people come to look after everything while I'm gone?"

He nods. "Don't worry. It's all taken care of."

I pick up the other bag from the bed, and put it on my shoulder. "I'll let you know when we arrive."

He pulls me into a hug, and I wrap my arms around his waist. "Carlisle will be there when you land, and there's some security coming with you -" I pull back and go to speak. "Just because you are the heir to the throne, and I can't send you to another country without some sort of security." He sighs. "Just be careful."

I smile. "I will."

"I meant what I said the other day, Bella. I am extremely proud of you. Your mother would be too."

I kiss his cheek. "Thank you." I hug him again. "I'll see you soon."

He leans forward and kisses my forehead. "See you soon, Isabella."

I walk out of the bedroom and down the stairs to where Riley is waiting with the bags.

"Ready?"

I nod, taking a quick look around the home I'm not going to see for a while, and sigh. "The quicker we go, the sooner I can come back I guess. Let's go."