Here's the next chapter! I promise, there will be more Brakayla in the coming chapters!
Chapter 5: Engagement Day
"This is the last of it," I say to one of the palace guards. He carries the box out of the house and to the rickshaw holding the rest of my belongings. My house is not completely empty, but I packed most of my room into the boxes that are ready to head to the palace.
"You guys can go ahead, I'm going to stay here for a little. I'll be there in half an hour," I say to the guards outside my house. I watch them leave toward path to the castle. I walk to the back of my house and make my way to the beach. I sit on a nearby rock and look at the ocean. It is an unusually breezy day on Kinkow. The air is filled with the ocean's saltiness, which makes me feel at ease.
Kaira spent most of yesterday's meeting reciting my schedule. Today I move into the palace permanently. It is also the day the entire island finds about the engagement. I am supposed to be in the palace by noon to get ready, but I decide to take a few moments to enjoy the freedom I have.
"Didn't expect to see you here, Mickey," Says a recognizable voice. I immediately turn around and see Tristan.
"Tristan!" I stand up and wrap my arms around my friend and he hugs me back. We both sit down on the rocks and look to the sea. "What are you doing here?"
"You weren't in school yesterday. You never answered my texts. I thought you might have ran away or something." He laughs.
"That sounds very tempting right now. But, I had a meeting with the officials all of yesterday. I'm… I'm moving into the palace." I say with my head down. I turn around to see a shocked look on his face.
He blinks exaggeratedly. "That was quick."
"If you thought that was quick, the palace is making the engagement public this afternoon," I say listlessly. "The marriage is next week."
Tristan's jaw drops. He stares at me with disbelief. "You can't be serious, Mikayla. Everything is happening so fast. I can't believe they're making you do this." I stare off to the ocean, gazing aimlessly. The breezy air blows my light brown hair in my face, but I could care less. There is not much more I can control.
"I'm about to take that idea of yours and actually run off to another island." I joke.
"Then, let's do it." Tristan says with a straight face.
I shake my head. "Very funny."
Though the idea is alluring –leaving the island forever where nobody can find me. I can live my life freely with no responsibility as a country's queen or someone's wife. I stare at the ocean and I can feel it calling my name. What if I did leave now? I would not have to attend today's engagement announcement or go through the rest of my royal lessons or marry King Brady. Then I reexamine what Tristan said to me. Let's. He wanted to run away with me. Now my mind spins once again about his feelings toward me. I cringe at the thought. As much as I cared for Tristan, this was not the time to think of each other romantically.
He laughs too. I feel a little relieved to know he was joking around. "Shouldn't you be in the palace, then?"
"Yeah, but I wanted to stay here for a bit. They moved most of my things to the castle," I say.
"Guess I'll be visiting you there now, huh?" He says in reply. I nod with a small grin. Instinctively I check my watch and I feel a small panic attack inside of me. I said I would be in the castle fifteen minutes ago. I get up hastily and dust myself off.
"Oh gosh, Tris. I'm late, I have to go," I say quickly. I give him a quick hug as I start to pace towards the path from the beach. "I'll see you soon!"
I jog quickly through the sand and wave goodbye to my best friend. He stands up from the rock and waves back.
I run through the gates of the castle and through the plaza. I open the door to the inside of the castle and see pairs of eyes all staring at me with anger. The only good thing about this is that none of the eyes belong to the elders.
"Mikayla, where were you?" My father asks furiously. He is standing with his arms crossed. I walk in his direction avoiding the stern look on his face.
"I'm sorry daddy, I got caught up back home." I say under my breath. I know it is a lame excuse, but I would rather not bring up the real reason I was late. There was no room for complicating things further by mentioning that I had been spending time with Tristan. I take a look around the room and am surprised to see King Brady here and on time. If the king is allowed to be late, why can't the future queen be late as well? Our eyes meet and again, we blankly stare at each other.
Kaira clears her throat. "Now that Mikayla has arrived, we can begin," I feel a pang of guilt in my chest when Kaira says my name. "The island officials will be arriving at around 2:30 to take their respective seats. The royal attendants will be setting up the plaza very soon. The media will be arriving around the same time as the officials, so we must be ready."
"The media?" I blurt out rashly. This engagement was going to be televised? Kaira said this would be a public announcement, but I did not expect this to be screened to the islander homes. My heart beats nervously.
"Yes. The announcement will be shown throughout the island and to our neighboring islands of the Kaluki chain as well," She says formally. "The itinerary will be as follows: King Brady will make his address. He will announce the engagement. He will then introduce, Mikayla. You two will hold hands…"
"Wait, hold hands?" Brady cuts Kaira off. "You guys never said anything about holding hands. I'm supposed to read the speech and announce her." I feel a lump in my throat. I can barely stand to look at Brady without so much as a frown and now I have to hold his hand lovingly?
Kaira keeps her composure. I still find it hard that she finds the time to manage Kinkow's health system while maintaining her secretarial duties.
"You two are getting married. We need to make it somewhat believable that the both of you approve this deal. If you two look distant, the press will have a field day," Kaira informs us. "After you two hold hands, I expect smiles from the both of you. I want you two to wave to the cameras. Finally, Boomer will come in and announce the end of the meeting and escort you both back inside. Does everyone understand?" I nod my head, as does Brady.
"My king, please follow me to your room. Boomer, please come as well. Mikayla, the royal attendant will be assisting you for now. I will be with you within the hour." Kaira says as she motions for the king and Boomer to follow.
I look at my dad who gives me an unexpected hug. "I'll see you soon, baby girl." I smile at him and begin to follow one of the palace attendants.
The mirror displays an image of myself that I have never seen before. I have spent the last hour getting dolled up for the public announcement. My wavy light brown hair has been styled into an intricate braided bun. I am wearing more makeup than I ever have in my life. The women tending to be have placed layers of shimmery gold shadow on my eyelids and false eyelashes to "enhance" my appearance. I have just as many layers of liquid and powder color on my face. My cheeks are flushed with an unnatural shimmer and my lips are tinted a pinkish color. So this is how Candace feels like on a regular basis. My eyes look down and I am wearing a much more flattering garb than the purple and gold one I had worn prior. I am dressed in a turquoise robe with long sleeves. This robe actually ends tastefully at my ankles. A gold floral design starts at the hem and ends at my neckline.
I hear the door knock and I take my eyes off of my reflection. "Come in!"
I see Kaira walk through the door. She wears a violet colored robe and has her hair in the same low bun. She gasps quietly before speaking. "Mikayla," She says. "You look absolutely beautiful."
I cannot help but smile at her compliment. She walks toward me and touches my shoulder. "You look nice too, Kaira." I say sweetly.
"Oh, stop. Everyone looks amazing today. My son even opted for the blue robes as opposed to his usual black ones," She says lightly.
I raise my slightly drawn-in eyebrow. "You have a son?"
"Oh dear. Excuse me for not telling you," Kaira says. "I thought you had assumed, but Lanny is my son."
Her statement takes me aback. How could someone as kind as Kaira have a son as cold as Lanny? I should have realized they were related. She shared the same blue-green eyes with her him. With Lanny as her son, that means he is the cousin of both Boomer and King Brady. I now understand why he works in the palace. He is of royal blood too.
"Anyways, you are going to turn a lot of heads when they see you. Now, just a few more things I want you to keep in mind," She starts. "I want to see a smile on your face. The islanders may not accept the king right off the bat, but they can instantly fall in love with you. If you see someone wave to you, I expect you to wave back. I want everyone to see you as genuine and kindhearted."
I nod my head obediently. She smiles at me and opens the door and motions for me to follow her. We walk through the long hallway toward the stairs. I take my steps down the stairs carefully, hoping I do not trip on my robe. I successfully reach the last step and walk into the living room. I look up and everyone in the room is staring at me –the attendants, the guards, and the officials, even King Brady who is sitting bored on his throne has his eyes focused on me. I grin sheepishly and walk to where my father is standing.
My eyes glance at King Brady. He actually looks kingly. He is dressed in dark blue blouse and pants with trimmings the same color as my outfit. He wears his gold crown properly on his neat, dark brown hair. Although he is staring at me, he still looks rather emotionless. There is something about his detachment that… is intriguing me. I do not want to admit it, but he actually looks handsome. I curse at myself. His attractiveness does not make up for his arrogance. I shake the thought out of my mind when I hear my father's voice.
"Baby girl, you look so pretty," He says with a big smile on his face.
Before I can thank him, Kaira calls the room to order. "If I could have all the officials step outside and take your seats. King Brady, Mikayla, can I speak to you two for a moment." Everyone clears the room until it is just Kaira, King Brady, and I. I can hear stirring from outside the palace doors. From the sounds of it, there are more people out there than I imagined.
"Now, I reminded the both of you of my expectations. You two are to smile and keep your composures. All eyes will be on the both of you. My king, I trust that you have practiced your speech?" She asks. I see Brady nod his head. I laugh at the thought of him taking his duties seriously. Of course, he did not practice.
"Good. Now here are your rings," Kaira says. She pulls two small velvet boxes from her robe pocket. She hands me one box and gives the other to King Brady. I open the box to reveal an extravagant diamond ring. I carefully take it out of its box and slip it on to my left ring finger. I glance at the king who has slipped on a surprisingly simple silver band, in contrast to the showy rock I wear.
"We will begin in a few moments. I will open the door to give you the signal to come out," Kaira states. She takes a small bow and walks out of the living room to the media circus in the plaza.
Now it is just King Brady and I in the empty living room. The butterflies in my stomach seem to multiply. I tap my index finger lightly by my side in response to my nervousness. In a few minutes, I will now be publicly recognized as the king's fiancé and future queen. Everyone in Kinkow and our neighboring islands will know who I am. I hear my heartbeat pounding in my head and I wish I could freeze time.
"You're not going to look like that, when we step out into the plaza, are you?" Brady asks haughtily. I narrow my eyes at his question, but he is right. I cannot come out looking like a nervous wreck.
"For your information, I don't make public appearances on a regular basis like you do," I retort. I fold my arms and turn away from him. I feel him put a hand on my shoulder and I almost jump up in surprise.
"I don't know why you're nervous, since all you'll be doing is sitting on a chair smiling. You're not the one who's delivering a speech." He states with a smug grin. I bite the side of my mouth to keep myself from raising a fist.
"Oh it must be hard reading off somebody's work," I say sarcastically. "I hope they used words you could pronounce." I turn around and am surprised by how close he is. Our bodies are only inches apart. I instinctively take a step back and return a glare at him, hoping my comment struck a nerve in his body.
"While I do that, try not to look like a deer caught in the headlines. You may look drop dead gorgeous now, but when you take a seat and see the cameras pointed all on you, make sure to keep your mouth closed. Unless you enjoy catching flies in your mouth, then by all means keep doing that Bambi look," He says flashing a confident smile. My jaw tightens and I am about to make an equally sarcastic comment in exchange, when the palace door opens. It is show time.
I feel my stomach twist into knots. My head turns to King Brady and he mockingly gives me an awestruck look on his face. We walk toward the door and I follow behind him. I am met with multiple flashes of light. I hear yelling and screaming from the audience but the glare of the lights blinds my view of the people sitting in the plaza. I look at King Brady and I see him waving happily with a large smile on his face. Immediately, I put on my biggest grin and start to wave as well. I see King Brady walk toward the podium to my left and it is my cue to take one of the ornate seats set in the middle of the stage. Like Kaira told me earlier, I sit down as gracefully as I can and keep the smile on my face. The camera flashes have subsided and the noise has decreased to a few murmurs. I try to find familiar faces in the crowd, but my attention becomes focused on King Brady, who stands back up to deliver his speech. I know it is wrong, but I secretly start hoping he messes up.
"People of Kinkow. I want to extend a warm welcome to you all. I would like to take the time to offer my sincerest thanks for your viewership, attendance, and support. Today, I have gathered you all to make a very important announcement. I am pleased to share that I, King Brady Parker, have some exciting news," He says in a clear, charismatic voice. I am taken aback by his delivery. Sure, I have heard him speak in previous televised speeches, but this was the first time hearing him live. The entire plaza is silent with the exception of the camera clicks and flashes going off in the background.
"Before I share this news, I want to share a personal story with you all first. Kinkow is a wonderful island nation, filled with colorful people, culture, and spirit. As the reigning king of Kinkow, I hold the important role of being this island's faithful leader. My fathers before have all ruled with passion –passion for their work, their country, and most importantly for their people. The kings of Kinkow have a long history of dignity and honor. I only hope to continue upholding the traditions set forth by them," I almost believe that King Brady has written the speech himself, but then I remember he probably got the royal speech writer to create it for him. However, the way he delivers his words sounds so sincere and from the heart. I continue to listen on, as does everyone else.
"However, what is a king, without his queen? I ask that because a king cannot rule Kinkow without the support of his wife. A queen is representative of love and devotion. She is the foundation of the king's moral character. A queen is somebody the island needs. More importantly, it has been eighteen years without a queen. It is only right to uphold Kinkowan law. Therefore, I would like to formally introduce Kinkow's future queen and my beautiful fiancé, Mikayla Makoola!"
My mind almost goes blank at the sounds of his voice calling my name. I see King Brady turn toward me and extend his arm out. I stand up mechanically as a sea of camera lights blind me. I stand up and walk towards the king. I remember to flash a big smile and wave. The applause and cheers dull to a white noise. I cannot believe this is happening. The feeling of having everyone watch you is so surreal. Suddenly, I feel a hand grasp mine. My fingers are interlocked between King Brady's and I inadvertently look down at our clasped hands. His hand feels soft against mine. I have never held a boy's hand the way Brady is holding mine. I nervously hope that my palms do not get sweaty. I then look up at Brady who gives me a forced smile. It is my cue to keep my eyes on the audience. Our hands remained held together as we continue to wave and smile for the cameras.
Boomer finally walks to the podium and announces that the meeting is over and leads us back into the palace living room. King Brady and I still stroll hand in hand. We walk into the living room and he immediately lets go of my hand. The smile disappears from my face and I scowl at the jerk of a king.
"You did alright, Bambi," He says with a smirk on his face. "You're lucky I remembered to hold you hand. But next time, keep your eyes on the audience."
"You know what, I don't care if you're king. I am sick and tired of…" I snap back fiercely but I am interrupted by the sound of Kaira's voice.
"Excellent job, your highness. Mikayla, you looked stunning. Everyone cannot stop talking about how you stunning you are!" She says as she claps her hands enthusiastically. My dad and Boomer join Kaira in her applause as they walk into the castle. I force a grin on my face trying to mask any sign of confrontation between Brady and I. I look at King Brady and he too looks happy. Kaira walks over to us and gives us a hug.
"That was a great conference!" Boomer says. He high fives his brother and looks at me with a friendly smile. "You did awesome, bro!"
My dad walks over to my side and gives me a side hug. We all stand in the living room as we await Kaira's new statement.
"Now that we have announced the engagement, we must prepare for next week's wedding. Tonight I want the both of you to stay inside the palace to avoid the media frenzy. Tomorrow I will have a full agenda for the both of you, but for now take this time to relax. Good job, everyone." Kaira says. She bows and leaves the room.
As I open my eyes, I feel myself panic. I shoot straight up from my bed and scan the unfamiliar surroundings. I am still need to get used to waking up in a new bedroom. I rub my eyes and check the time on the ringing alarm clock next to my bed. I groggily shut it off and take note of the time. 6:30 AM. I get up from my bed and walk towards my window –actually it's an open door leading to my personal balcony. I look through the clear screen and see the ocean. Although my new room is much larger, it still cannot compare to my old room's view of the sea. My room has my own personal bathroom, a walk-in closet, and more than enough ornate furnishings. The belongings I had packed from my old room still could not fill the large space. So this was palace life.
After I finished getting ready, I head downstairs to the palace kitchen for breakfast. Laid out in front of me is a selection of fruits, breads, and juices. Even though I had been to the dining table a couple times already, I am still in awe by all of these meal choices. A palace attendant hands me a plate and I thank her kindly. I am still a bit uncomfortable having so many people tend to me. I choose a few pieces of fruit and pastry and sit down at the large table. With the exception of the attendants watching me eat, I am alone. Kaira has planned "lessons" for today in the castle library, promptly starting at 8:00 AM. My father is most likely already working elsewhere in the castle and Kaira is already in the library, waiting. I do not care about King Brady's presence, since he is probably still asleep in his room. I feel irritated again, thinking about his rude remarks from yesterday. The guy was insufferable. I have never met anyone so arrogant. Now I have to marry this jerk.
I finish my breakfast and before I can get up to put my dish away, an attendant quickly takes it from the table. I thank her and leave the kitchen towards the library. Being so large, I had to ask one of the attendants how to get to the library. I go through two long hallways before finding the large doors to the room. I open the doors to reveal a huge space filled with shelves and shelves of books. Toward the end of the room is a large open window with a view of another castle plaza. Plush red chairs are positioned next to the window and long rectangular tables are scattered throughout the room. I seek Kaira sitting in a table with stacks of books and papers next to her. I walk in her direction and take a seat.
"Good morning, Kaira," I say.
"Good morning, Mikayla," She says cheerfully. "You are quite the early bird."
I smile and let out a small laugh. "This is a really nice library."
"It is, isn't it? I spent a majority of my time here studying for exams," She says. "So, from what Mason has told me you're looking to study in the medical field."
"Oh," I say bashfully. I am talking to the head of all Kinkowan health aspects. "It's something I'm interested in, but I'm still kind of unsure."
"That's okay, you've got a lot of time figure it all out. Even when you are queen, you can still pursue a career!" She says cheerfully. I smile at her statement, feeling a little better about this whole situation.
"If you don't mine me asking," I say to Kaira. "If the king is facing so much turmoil, why can't you just take the throne? I mean to solve all of this."
"Once you have turned down the throne, you are no longer eligible to rule. Because I rejected it years ago, I am no longer in the standings," Kaira tells me. "Besides, I trust my nephew. It may be difficult to believe, but I believe he is the best fit candidate for the job."
I sit there clearly in disbelief at her statement. King Brady was so careless, rude, and unprofessional to be the best-fit ruler. He is young and inexperienced and clearly disconnected from the Kinkowan culture. I had only wished Kaira had accepted her role as the new ruler, this all would have never happened.
"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but isn't there anyone else more qualified to rule Kinkow?" I feel almost guilty for asking the question. After all, I was blatantly offending her nephew.
"There is much you and King Brady need to learn about the royal family," She laughs. "Many of the opposition groups are actually relatives of ours, very distant relatives. A long time ago Kinkow had twin kings. But long story short, one king was removed from the throne and distanced himself from his family forever. Now his descendants have tried year after year to take back the throne, but were always unsuccessful. It doesn't help that they also have ties to the Dark Side."
"Oh," I say simply. I am pretty surprised at the information she told me. These are definitely things I do not learn at my Kinkowan History classes.
"You'll learn more about the family in an upcoming date. But for now, it's time to begin with the first lesson," She says smiling as she turns to the door. King Brady is still in sweats and a t-shirt as he hastily makes his way to our table. I look at the clock and can tell he woke up no more than five minutes ago. He takes the seat across from me and sits in his chair. We begin our first lesson as fiancés.
Reviews appreciated, thanks for the support :)