Keira was still seated beside Jack on the lone stump in his field even as the day began to draw to a close. She was resting her head on his shoulder while her hand was placed on top of his chest. She had just told him about the argument she had with her mother the other day and the small amount of tears sliding down her face seemed to indicate she was still upset about it.
He felt as she shook her head against his shoulder. "I don't know what to do Jack." She told him. "All I know is that my parents are never going to allow our relationship to happen now."
He slowly rubbed her side to try and calm her down. "It'll be alright Keira, we'll figure this out." He told her to calm her down. "I know there has to be something we can do that'll make your dream come true."
She sighed. "I know and I haven't given up hope yet it's just…" She shook her head again. "I don't know… maybe I'm too impatient… I… I guess I feel like everything should be happening immediately, like I should already be a commoner and not a princess anymore."
Jack placed his hand on Keira's chin and directed her eyes up to his. "Keira, I know you want to be a commoner and I know you probably want it to happen soon but I just don't think that's going to happen. It'll probably take time for us to figure out how to make this work." He gripped her hand that was still on his chest. "But I promise you that I'll always be here to help you along the way."
Her lips began to form a smile as she began to hug him. "I know your right. I know that someday I'll be able to escape my life of royalty and be forever united with you. And for now I'm more than willing to wait for that day to come."
He smiled. "And I'll be more than willing to help you." He told her. "But what are you going to do about your mother?"
She pulled away from Jack and looked over at the ground as she sighed. "I don't know. Hopefully if I just talk to her she'll be able to forgive me, but we've never argued like this before so I really don't know what will happen…"
Jack wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her side again. "It'll be alright, you'll both get past it eventually."
"Yeah… you're right…" She said in a way that seemed to indicate that she didn't fully believe him. She then remained quiet for a moment before standing up. "I should probably get going now…"
"You sure?" Jack asked as he stood up. "You know you're always welcome to spend the night here if you want."
"I know but after what happened yesterday I'm sure my parents aren't going to appreciate it if I don't return before tomorrow." She replied.
"You're probably right." Jack remarked. "I wouldn't want you to get in any trouble."
She gave him a quick hug. "Thank you Jack." She kissed his cheek. "I'll be sure to visit you again as soon as I can."
He placed his hand up on the spot she had just kissed as he watched her quickly walk out into the forest. "I look forward to it as usual." He shouted out to her as she disappeared in the shadows of the trees.
A strange and unsettling feeling lingered in town air as Keira once again walked through the town in order to return to the castle. There was just something about the evening that felt unwelcoming and she almost felt as if she was being told to stop and turn around with each gust of wind that blew back out towards the forest. But being as determined as she was to go and try to make amends with her mother she paid no heed to this possible warning and continued onward to the castle.
As usual when she arrived at the castle's gate the guards that were stationed there gave her their standard bow but as they came back up she noticed something different about them.
"Good evening Princess Keira." One of guards greeted in an uneasy manner.
"Good evening..." She greeted questioningly.
"Y-Your father wishes to speak with you." The other guard told her sounding nervous but possibly a little happy. "He says he has some important news for you."
Confused, Keira nodded her head. "Where might my father be?"
"Up in the throne room." The first guard answered. "Your mother and Edwin are always with him."
Keira nodded her head once more. "Thank you."
A little uneasy, Keira left the castle entryway and began to head up to main staircase and down the halls leading to the throne room. As she did all the servants she passed would stop what they were doing and smile at her, some of them even saying things like 'congratulations,' or 'I'm so happy for you,' confusing her even more.
What had she done to deserve such attention from them?
With that question in her mind Keira opened the door leading into the throne room to find her mother and her father both seated in their respective seats with Edwin standing beside her father. She stood in front of the doorway and silently stared at them for a moment but as soon as the sound of the door slamming shut behind her filled the room she began to slowly advance towards them. As she got closer and closer that strange and unsettling feeling from before began to slowly return to her as she noticed how upset, yet possibly happy, they were.
"Keira…" Her mother greeted somewhat coldly once she stopped in front of her and her father.
Keira gave a quick bow. "Hello father, mother… Edwin."
"Keira…" Her father began as he stood up and walked over to her. "Your mother and I have been talking about your recent… behavior."
"My recent behavior?" She asked.
"Leaving the castle grounds to go out to who knows where… causing scenes at public events… fighting with your own mother…" He answered. "Where did we go wrong with you?"
"W-Where d-did you go w-wrong with me?" She questioned nervously. She knew arguing with her father could have very different results.
He sighed. "Let's not have the same argument you and your mother had. I'd hate to see how it turns out this time."
Keira took a deep breath as she clenched her hands into fists and gave her father a determined look.
"I might as well get to the point Keira." Her father said. "I've become rather concerned with the way you've been acting recently and fear that if it continues you might end up causing harm to the family legacy I've worked so hard on building up." He paused for a moment. "And that is why I've decided... to have you be married to Edwin."
Keira's eyes widened. "W-W-What?"
"I've made my decision Keira." He told her.
"What?" She asked in an angry and upset tone. "Mother! You can't possibly agree with this!"
"Your father and I talked this through, Keira." Her mother began. "Edwin seems to be a nice enough gentleman and is just what you need in order to stop your reckless behavior."
"My reckless behavior?" Keira asked angrily. "Just what is so reckless about my behavior?"
Edwin stepped forward. "Keira my dear, please calm down."
She shot him an angrily look causing him to step back before looking back at her father.
"We've been discussing this all day Keira, from this day forth you are no longer allowed to leave the castle grounds." Her father told her.
"What?" She shouted angrily.
"You and Edwin's wedding will take place a week and a half from today." Her father told her.
"You, you can't do this!" Keira shouted. "This is an outrage!"
"Keira, calm yourself down." Her mother said as she partially stood up from her seat.
"No!" Keira yelled before looking back at her father. "You're not doing this so you can help me, no! You're doing this for yourself!"
"What?" Her father asked. "That's not it at all. I'm doing this so that one day you'll be able to rule this kingdom the right way, like me and your mother have."
"But what if I don't want to rule this kingdom? What if I want to do something else with my life?" Keira asked. She didn't care that she was letting her hidden desires slip out a bit in front of her parents, the news about her forced marriage were angering her so much that she couldn't even think straight.
"What on earth are you talking about Keira?" Her mother asked.
"Not rule the kingdom?" Her father asked. "That's what you were raised to do Keira. There's nothing else you can do."
"No…! No!" Keira shouted. "This isn't fair!" She stared angrily at her father. "This is my life! You have no right to go around and control!"
"No right?" He asked. "Why you have no right to be shouting at me, your own father."
Keira's anger only kept growing. "My father? Why you shouldn't even be considered my father! You were nowhere to be seen when I was being raised! Just like mother!"
Her father raised his hand up as if he was about to strike her with the back of his hand for a moment before lowering it as he took a deep breath. "Now Keira, I know you're upset about receiving this news so soon but your mother and I both agreed it's for the best."
"No!" Keira shouted. "This isn't for the best…" She shook her head. "Not for me… I don't care about growing up to rule your kingdom when the time comes… I have my own dreams… and ruling this damn pitiful kingdom of yours isn't…"
Her thought was cut short as her father's anger seemed to reach its peak as he finally struck her, knocking her down to the ground.
"Enough!" He shouted at her, almost ignoring the fact that he had just struck her. "The marriage is final!"
Keira slowly placed her hand on the red mark on the side of her face, feeling a few tears form in her eyes from the sting it caused. Quickly, she got up to her feet and stared at her father.
"A-As you wish…" She whispered.
Slowly she turned around and left the room.
"Your almost there Keira!" Jack shouted down to her.
Keira was having that same dream she had just a few days ago later that night where she was attempting to scale the wall that separated her from her dreams. Picking up almost where it had left off, she was just a few inches away from Jack with nothing holding her back.
"I… I almost have it Jack!" She shouted back referring to the distance between her hand and his.
Suddenly she felt again as a hand gripped down on her leg and began to pull her down.
"Get her down from there at once!" Her father ordered.
Ignoring him, Keira continued to reach up towards Jack only to feel more hands grab onto her legs and pull down causing her to lose her grip on the brick wall.
"Jack!" She shouted tearfully as she fell down into the crowd of guards below.
"Keira!" He shouted back to her with his arm still extended out.
"Jack! Help!" She screamed as she was passed along the crowd of guards.
He silently stared down at her from the top of the brick wall seeing that there was nothing he could do.
Her eyes brimming with tears, Keira looked down at herself to see she was no longer wearing her commoner clothes but now in her festive green dress from the other day, her wedding dress. Hesitantly she looked back to see that she was being passed back towards the town's chapel with her father, mother, and Edwin standing in the doorway. She looked back up at the top of the wall in the distance to see that Jack was no longer there.
"Jack!"