CHAPTER FIVE
Sunday, September 11
"Your Highness." A man bowed to me, kissing the back of my hand in the process.
"Your Highness, this is Lord Kale Hawthorne." Madison provided and I couldn't help but blush at him. He was older, at least ten years older than me. But, I wasn't exactly blind, I knew gorgeous when I saw it.
"If I might be so bold as to ask, would you like to dance, Princess?" Lord Kale Hawthorne requested and I blushed again and dumbly nodded. Forget that the extent of my dancing ability is dancing on stage or cheerleading. The current high temperature was shorting out my brain functions. I let him lead me to the dance floor and he seemed to hold me as if I was a fragile little doll. A new song started and he started stepping slowly to the music, I kept looking down at my feet to make sure I was following correctly and that I didn't step on him; they had me in stupid heels again (not quite so high as before, but still) and they looked painfull. "If you keep looking at your feet you're more likely to make a mistake." Lord Kale chuckled and I blushed again, forcing myself to look up, but that only made me blush more. Not even three seconds after I stopped looking at my feet I accidently stepped on one of his and he winced.
"Sorry." I mumbled, looking down again and he just chuckled again.
"May I have the next dance?" A voice behind me requested as the song came to a close a few blushing, stuttering minutes later. I turned around and blushed again. If Lord Kale Hawthorne was gorgeous then this guy was in a whole 'nother league of his own.
"Brother." Lord Kale said and I was surprised.
"Your Highness, I am Lord Marcus Hawthorne." He too kissed the back of my hand and I nodded dumbly again. "Might I request the next dance?" He requested and I just nodded again. This one was clearly the younger brother, at least five years, I'd say, and he had the prettiest blue eyes I'd ever seen.
"I should warn you, I have two left feet." I finally seemed to muster up a voice and he laughed.
"Well, I have two right feet, so we should be fine together." He replied and I giggled a little. "Not really my usual listening, but I don't think we could dance this close if it were." Lord Marcus stated and I laughed again.
"You think they know any Kelly Clarkson?" I asked, nodding to the classical orchestra that was playing.
"Probably not, but I do have this." He mused, pulling an I-Pod out of a pocket on this inside of his tuxedo jacket.
"Nice." I grinned and he laughed. "Wish I had somewhere for one, but I can barely breathe in this thing, let alone store my music." I shook my head.
"Well, even though you're suffocating, you still look beautiful, Princess." Lord Marcus said and I blushed again and looked down. "Should I be worried that the King is staring at us?" He asked a couple of minutes later and my head shot up and I turned in the direction he was looking.
"Give me a break." I muttered, turning back around and frowning.
"Tough time?" Lord Marcus guessed and I rolled my eyes.
"It's like every time I turn around there's someone watching me, I have a freaking four person guard outside my bedroom door, dang flabit." I said, feeling annoyed and he laughed.
"I guess I'd be pretty ticked too." He conceded, looking around for a second. "Want to get out of here?" He offered and I wanted so badly to agree.
"I would, except I have a series of permanant stalkers who I can't get a restraining order against because they're 'protecting me'." I rolled my eyes again. "Besides, I'm sure you'd have things you rather do than hang out with a fourteen-year-old kid." I shrugged.
"Are you kidding?" Lord Marcus scoffed. "Princess, if I could be so candid?" He requested and I rolled my eyes yet again. Why did everyone insist on calling me that? I get it, I'm a Princess, but I dod have a name, you know. "You're the only person here under thirty that I can actually stand to be around; I've had to grow up in the same circles as these people and they'll either bore you to death or annoy you into killing them. The way I see it; sure you're younger, but from three minutes with you you're more normal than any of those other idiots, and I figure you're probably going nuts with these people just as much as me." The young Lord reasoned and I stared at him with a half open mouth. Will you marry me? I was half tempted to ask him, if he was the only normal person on the list then he was number one choice.
"How old are you exactly?" I asked instead, furrowing my brow a little. Everyone knew my age, I'm freaking Princess, they know everything except the birth mark I have in a very private place. And even that I'm not so sure that they don't know.
"Eighteen." He shrugged carelessly.
"Your Highness." Someone came up behind me and I realized that Lord Marcus and I had stopped dancing quite a while ago and we were just standing in the middle of the dance floor talking. "The King requests that you take leave for the night." Madison told me and I frowned and turned my eyes to the King who was watching me.
"Excuse me." I whispered, walking over to King Altiyan. I stopped just far enough away that he would have to get up and come to me, but close enough that he knew what I wanted.
"It take it you are not too please with my request?" King Altiyan guessed, his voice mild. "It is ten o'clock and you have an early start tomorrow, it would be wise to be well rested."
"And this has nothing to do with that guy?" I nodded my head back a little at Lord Marcus.
"Though I would have hoped you would have chosen someone slightly more refined, if you are taken with Lord Hawthorne than I wish you the best." King Altiyan said and I rolled my eyes. "The evening, however, is coming to a close and you still need rest before your tutoring beings at eight thirty in the morning." I narrowed my eyes a little as I stared at him, trying to figure him out.
"I'm gonna go tell him." I said slowly, still not quite sure about the King. Did that mean that he didn't like the Lord? Did that mean I should like him more or less? He was confusing me. "Hi." I blushed for the millionth time when I aproached Lord Marcus and he grinned at me.
"Your Highness." He gave a small bow and I waited for him to straighten up.
"I'm gonna rule a country and yet I still have a bed time." I mused and he laughed with a small shrug.
"Well, I'd hate to keep you and get a Princess grounded." He picked up my left hand and kissed the back of it. "I wish you a peacefull sleep, your Highness."
"Thank-you." I blushed, "for being the only normal person I've met since I got here."
"Having a stick up your ass is over rated." I felt my eyes widen at his chohice of words, but I really didn't want to look like a little kid in front of him. I think he's cool, which is a giant step from how most of these people act. "So... I guess I'll be seeing you around, at these stuck-up people things?" He asked, actually seeming kind of shy.
"Hopefully my bed time won't be so early next time." I half smiled and he did as well.
"Speaking of which, don't want to get the Princess grounded." He kissed my hand for a third time and bowed slightly. "Goodnight, Princess."
"Goodnight, Lord Hawthorne." I smiled at him one last time before I let Madison lead me away. My hand was tingling where his lips had touched when I was up in the Crown quarters. I couldn't help but giggle like I was love-sick as I grabbed my cell phone and fell onto the bed. I dialled my Dad and had to wait a couple of minutes until my giggles and the hot flush all over me receded enough that I would feel comfortable talking to my Dad.
Princess Miley
Monday, September 12
"Select correctly and your meal will be brought to you." Miss Caltone told me. I was literally tied to a chair with a fancy table setting in front of me. She'd been talking non-stop about the correct eating etiquette and which fork to use for what sort of meal. There were, like, a hundred different forks in front of me, how the Hell was I supposed to know which one to choose? She hadn't even told me what I was supposed to be choosing for. I looked at Miss Caltone - more like glared - before I looked at the forks.
"That one." I decided carelessly, pointing at the fork that looked most like a normal fork and she sighed disapointedly. "You know, I'm pretty sure tieing people up against their will is against the law."
"Your Highness, if you do not already know the menu it is correct to inquire as to what the menu is." She instructed and I rolled my eyes. "Now try again."
"Fine; what's the menu?" I asked forcedly.
"With manners, please." Miss Caltone ordered and I glared at her.
"May I please enquire as to this dinings menu?" I said through a clenched smile, glaring at her as hard as I could. It wasn't that I was particularly hungry, but I just wanted this stupid 'lesson' to be over and for someone to untie me, dang flabit.
"Much better." Miss Caltone praised and called for someone to come in with lunch on a silver platter. "Though, do try to pleasent next time."
"Are you gonna untie me now?" I demanded, struggling against the silk ties that were around me.
"It's to help you learn propper posture." Miss Caltone dismissed.
"When do I go to a real school where I don't get tied up for lunch?"
"Select the corect fork and you will be allowed to dine." She ordered, she still hadn't freaking told me I was choosing the stupid fork for.
"I would, but you still didn't tell me what I'm choosing for." I pointed out and she sighed. "And I'm not asking again." I denied before she could even say it.
"This meal consists of a light salad with grilled chicken." I turned my glare from Miss Caltone to the set of at least a dozen forks in the setting in front of me. How the Hell was I supposed to know which one to choose? Okay, what had I actually paid attention to when Miss Caltone was talking?
Not the normal fork, not the really small one, and I don't even know why there was that really big one twice the size of a normal fork.
"This one?" I guessed, gesturing as best as I could to a fork somewhere between the normal fork and the tiny fork on the left.
"Please, pay attention, your Highness, we've been over this three times." Miss Caltone rubbed her temple, and that gave me an odd sense of satisfaction. I think I was well on my way to giving her a migrane.
"Well, one was too many. Who really cares which fork is used for which meal? They're utensils." I pointed out.
"All rise!" Someone entered the dining room rather abruptly and started playing that trumpet thing. "His Royal Majesty, King Altiyan." I drummed my fingers on the arm of the chair as Miss Caltone and the trumpet guy curtsied and bowed respectively.
"What have you done to my granddaughter?" I would have jumped in shock - and a little fright - at the sudden shout from the King. Miss Caltone started to stutter and do fish impersonation. "Untie her this instant." He demanded and a security guy at the door came over and made quick work of the knot at the back of the silky fabric. "Miss Caltone, I am not sure if you are aware, but this child is not only my granddaughter, but also the future of this country and I will not have my granddaughter tied up like a rodeo steer." The Kings voice was deadly quiet as he spoke.
"Sir." I spoke up, honestly, Miss Caltone looked like she was about to cry. "Don't be so hard on her, please?" I turned on my best puppy dog look that always got to Daddy. "It was supposed to be to correct my posture or whatever, she was just doing what she was hired to do." I shrugged a little, but the King shook his head.
"Regardless, I will not have you tied up, you are to have etiquette tuition, not be subjected hostage scenarios." He dismissed before he turned back to Miss Caltone. "Miss Caltone, you are dismissed, Princess Miley will be recieving other tuition for the rest of the week."
So, who do you guys think Lord Marcus and Kale Hawthorne are? Hint, not connected to Shane/Joe.
Speaking of whom; Shane will hopefully make his first appearence next chapter. And, no, he will not be Royalty in any way. The CRS mention in the summary is actually a hint as to what he is; I dare you to guess.
Also, I am distinctly depressed by the lack of reviews I'm getting :( Please remedy that in a timely fashion :P
Also; if anyone should feel the need to entertain me, I've suddenly fallen in love with the idea of Puckleberry (Noah Puckerman/zrachel Berry) from Glee and I've legit read every story on the first five pages in the last twenty-four hours.
Again, please REVIEW!
XOXO
Miley-Girl