Chapter 2
The Royal Family

.:Nya:.

A happy sigh of relief came from her lips as her little blue car drove smoother than it ever had before. She really should have paid Jay but he insisted that Nya shouldn't. She parked her car in front of the palace's doors. Instantly, a maid was there to greet her with a warm smile.

"How was the park Miss Nya?"

"Oh, I didn't end up going to the park." She told the maid and quickly explained her car issue. She then walked into the palace while the maid went somewhere else. She would often go out of the palace and to the park to sort out of thoughts. Most of them got to do with her brother, Cole and his father. If she was honest, she didn't like Cole as a fiancé. She only saw him as a good friend but his father talked to her brother and he agreed!

She quickened her pace to her chambers. She was so lucky that she and Cole doesn't have to share a room yet until the wedding is over which would be in two months. Cole's nice and all but he just wasn't that type for her. He's great when it comes to protecting her; it's no wonder that her brother and Cole are best friends. Sure he's handsome, strong with a warming voice but… she didn't want that. She didn't care about the looks; she just wanted someone who would go to the end of the world with her and not for her. She didn't care about the expensive gifts that she would receive on events.

Nya really did hope that when she finds a guy, he would care about her and always be honest with her and be himself. He would be funny and not that strong as Cole because when she did receive hugs from him, he would squeeze her so tightly that she can't breathe. But because she's a princess, her brother and Lou expressed how important she was to marry someone who's likeable when it comes to the public and knows politics.

Even if she does marry Cole, all the other fan girls he have will keep flirting with him, not that she cares but it would make Cole look bad because reporters will follow him. They did promise not to follow her or Kai since their parent's death. She's not sure if the same applies with Cole.

She opened her bedroom door and she quickly walked to her bed before falling down into it. She wondered sometimes if her parents really did love each other or were they forced into a marriage. She knew Kai wouldn't know either since he was four when they did die. A long sigh escaped her lips and she rolled over so she could see her room.

It was a fairly big room with one wall that was made out of glass so natural light can come in. A crystal chandelier handing from the roof and the white marble floors didn't have a stain. Her queen sized bed was exactly in the middle of one wall with two elegant, white tables on either side. A piano was in a corner and some dresses on mannequins were in another corner. She personally hated dresses but her high status as princess she has to wear them.

She got off her bed and made her way to the piano. Her slender fingers were placed on cold, white keys. She position one of her feet on the pedals. She was deep in thought on what she should play. Since her parents died, Lou was placed as a caretaker for her and Kai. He taught her how to play the piano and how to write music. So far, she had only composed six so far and all of them she loved dearly. Probably 'Memories', 'Broken Wings' and 'Time to Let Go' are her absolute favourites.

She removed her fingers from the keys and she bend over to get the music sheets for 'Broken Wings' from the box that was next to the left feet. She quickly spread it on the long music stand and she played it. She remembered reading a book when she was young. It was about a girl who ran from her wedding and into forest covered in snow and then she turned into a raven. Her song was mostly inspired from that.

The melody was soft and flowing, none of the notes clashed with each other but in a way, it sounded sad. A slight frown made its way to her mouth when she hit the wrong key but her fingers kept playing. She managed to get halfway when she felt arms circling around her waist and she let a squeak out and she turned around. Her fingers stopped moving.

"Don't scare me like that!" She snapped at Cole. He laughed and sat next to her on the piano bench. She started to grow uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, you looked sad while playing."

"Well that's what music does to the soul. I thought you would know this since you're a musician."

"Yeah but why are you playing a sad song?"

"It's not really that sad; it's just a heart-moving piece." She told him and she placed her hands in her laps but she kept her eyes on them. She could feel his warm and tickling breath inching closer to her neck. She turned her head so the back faced him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"But there is something wrong." He told her and his large hand held her chin and he turned her face so she's was facing him. She felt a shiver go down her spine. Sure she and Cole are supposed to be engaged but she had known him for her entire life as a friend. This sudden romance didn't feel right.

"Trust me Cole, there's nothing wrong otherwise I would have told you by now." She told him and she tried to display a sweet smile but she's pretty sure it looked sad. She heard him sigh and his hands dropped and they picked up her hands. Her hands were completely tiny compared to his.

"I do trust you but I just think you're not telling me everything… Did something go wrong today?"

"Well… my car did break down but I got it fixed." She replied and she felt his thumb brush over the back of her hand. Goosebumps spread across her arms. He must have thought she was cold because he shuffled closer to her and gathered her into his arms. At this, she froze.

"You aren't hurt are you?"

"Of course not." She told him. "If I was, I would be in the hospital if it was serious or I would be crying to you." She exaggerated this but she needed to reassure Cole otherwise he wouldn't stop bothering her. She looked back to the music sheets and she realised that this song applied to her… Only if she could just run away from this and fly away and be free.

But she a pair of lips touched her neck and she froze. Cole's hand moved from her's and to her waist. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to stop him but she didn't want to hurt her feelings. She quickly put her hand between her neck and his lips just as he pulled back for a second so he could catch his breath.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, she felt him shuffle back and she moved her hand back down.

"I-I… I just… can't." She sighed and looked but down at her fingers.

"Is it me?"

"O-Of course not… it's not you, it's just… me." She said softly and she felt his hand cup her cheek he forced her to look at him. Worry and concern was written all over his face. She hated making people worry when something was her fault.

"Nothing's wrong with you."

"N-No, what I m-mean is." Nya struggled to get the words out. Her lips open but then close. She shook her head and looked down. But his face suddenly appeared again and his lips captured her's. She wanted to scream, push him away and run but she felt frozen on the spot. Doesn't matter how hard she wanted to move, she couldn't.

Cole took advantage of this and picked her up and placed her on the bed. She wanted to struggle and climb out of his arms and get out of this horrible situation but she couldn't. His lips hungrily left her lips and to her jaw before trailing down to her neck then her collarbone. Finally, her voice returned and she could feel herself taking over her limps.

"C-Cole, stop please!" She exclaimed and pushed his lips away with both of her hands. He looked down at her puzzlingly.

"Okay, what did I do wrong this time?" He asked her but she got out of his arms and stood up on the floor. It seemed like he wasn't going to leave unless he got his answer. She quickly walked to the door and placed her hand on the handle.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going out."

"But I thought you just got back. Nya wait!" She heard him yell and she quickly ran out of the door and down the stairs. It was hard since her heels were starting to painfully dig into her feet. She turned around to see Cole gaining on her. "Nya, tell me what's wrong. Is it me?"

"I said it's not you, it's me. And nothing's wrong. If you keep bothering than it would be something to worry about." She snapped and she ran down quicker, taking three steps at a time. She ran to the front of the palace. She turned around again to still see Cole jogging after her. She was about to open the doors to go out when she felt Cole's body on her.

"I can see you're hurting love-"

"Don't call me that please…" She said in a voice that was barely audible but he heard her. His arms squeezed around her waist and his head rested on her shoulder and she could feel the six-packs from underneath his shirt on her back. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Be honest with me and tell me, do you really love me? Not as a close friend but as a fiancée?" She asked him. He nodded his head eagerly.

"Of course… What, do you think I don't love you?" He asked her but she didn't answer. She didn't want to break the fact on him that she didn't love him as a fiancé. It'll be cruel for him.

"J-Just let me go please."

"Please answer me Nya; I need to what's wrong so I can fix this."

"Do you need to know or want to know? And this isn't something you can fix. Only I alone can do that." She said so lowly that she felt his arms loosen so she slipped out. She looked back at him and saw hurt written on his face. She felt her heart clench painfully. "Just give me some time to sort out my thoughts."

She then walked out of the palace's doors and into the setting sun's light. She quickly made her way to her car and drove off to the national park. Once she parked, she got out of the car and entered the gardens.

The sweet scent of flowers drifted to her nose but it didn't help the tears that started to leak. She quickly strayed away from the path and deep into the meadow of bushes and trees. She then sat down against one of the trees and brought her knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees. She buried her face into her arms.

What did she deserve to have a life like this? Where everyone looks up to you and one wrong mistake means war. Where she's forced to do things she doesn't want to do so a war doesn't spread out.

A soft sob escaped her lips and she felt hot tears coming down her eyes. She heard a shuffle from the bushes and a twig snap but it didn't scare her. The squirrels always came whenever she was in this spot. She closed her eyes and she felt her chest tremble. She didn't want this to happen. She then felt something on her arm and her head shot up and she saw a pair of Caribbean blue eyes staring at her with concern. Not the concern that Cole displayed, this was different.

"Princess…?"

"Jay..?"

She couldn't hold it back anymore and she flung herself at Jay and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and buried her head into the crook of his neck. She needed comfort right now. She didn't care if she was being inappropriate but she needed this. More hot tears fell and she could fell Jay's arms closing around her and he pulled her in closer. Warmth started to seep out from his body and she found herself getting sleepier by the second. She closed her eyes and let his slow but steady and calm breaths lure her to sleep.

What do you think? And thanks to everyone who reviewed! Means a lot and I'm so happy that everyone already loved it! Big thanks again ;)