Another year, another summer... another time with Prince Derek.
Urgh... great.
This is what Odette thought as she was getting off the ship and back into the royal lands of Prince Derek and his queen mother.
She was only sixteen now. He was only sixteen. You'd think there would be some sort of spark.
And there would be!
Just, in the far-off future... but not this summer, not this time.
When Derek caught sight of Odette stepping off the ship onto his land, he felt conflicted.
First thing first. Odette looked different to him. And not in an ugly way.
He'd hate to admit it... but she... she was becoming prettier the older she got.
But that did not change the way he felt about her. Which was, she was an annoying nuisance he just couldn't seem to shake his hatred off from.
He had literally known this princess for nearly all his life. He remembered standing over her royal crib and handing her that golden locket necklace.
Little did he know that he was going to be arranged to marry this girl one day, with no other options allowed... and the same with Odette as well.
Derek to her was such an annoying inconvenience. It was always either his way or the highway.
WHY did her father insist she keep giving him chances when he ruined the moment every time she did.
Plus, she was still salty over the last visit – Derek and his friend sling-shotting a tomato into her face.
This holiday, this time, she was going to get him back.
This time, he was going to completely diss her.
This time the two of them would outdo the other in any way possible.
At least that's what the two of them thought... 'thought' being the main difference here... sometimes the ones we're closest to are the ones that tick us off the most.
"Oh," Odette said this, as she stepped onto the pier and Derek with his mother Uberta waited for her and her king father, "Nice to see you again, Derek."
"Yeah, whatever..." He replied sarcastically with a roll of his eyes and his arms folded up tight. However, he fell into a more welcoming position when Uberta nudged him hard in the side of his arm.
"I mean..." Derek said in a grumble, looking Odette in the eyes, "You've changed... I guess?"
"Yeah! Yeah!" Bromley added on. He had been standing next to his best friend, Prince Derek and couldn't keep his mouth shut as he proclaimed loudly in a shout, "YOU'RE HOT NOW!"
"Ha ha," Uberta only laughed awkwardly, glaring down at Bromley and then to her son, "Derek, you should teach your friend some chivalry and manners,"
"But then he wouldn't be MY friend anymore, Mother," Derek said with a small laugh, and he and Bromley both fell into hysterics. Uberta only sighed heavily, shaking her head in embarrassment.
"Ah!" said King William, amused by everything and looked at Uberta with a small wink, "Uberta, you just get lovelier every year."
"Why don't YOU TWO just get married," Derek snapped then, folding his arms tighter and Odette only chuckled quietly to herself, covering her mouth over with her petite hand.
"Clever, Derek," She said to him, which surprised even the prince, "Clever,"
"Whatever..." He grumbled again and his mother, the king and Odette began to slowly board the horse and carraige that was waiting for them just at the road beside the pier.
Odette got on in such a calm soft royal manner, sitting opposite her father, and Derek was forced beside her by his mother.
Odette slowly crossed her legs, her long violet dress draping over her in such an appealing way.
But it wasn't appealing AT ALL to Derek... great... he was going to be stuck with her for months.
This would not be fun.
This would not be fun at all.
The kingdom seemed full of life as the peasants went about their business and duties, picking and farming for fruit and vegetables, building their houses and thatching their roofs.
Odette observed it all quietly. Her clear blue eyes watched as the people of the kingdom seemed hard at work... something she had never experienced in her privileged life.
Something she never would have to either... luck of the draw where and to whom you are born.
But even with all she had... she was secretly miserable.
Because she had no choice in what she could want and do in her life...
She was expected to be queen one day... and to wed.
To wed who?
The young teenage boy who sat down at the other end of her side of the carriage. She sighed heavily as she looked over to Derek, and thought to herself quite sadly.
Another summer... another year... stuck here with Derek.
Stuck here with him...
Whereas as Derek sat, he kept glancing over to Odette, thinking in bitter thoughts to himself.
I hate her so much... SO why am I attracted to this witch?!
When she caught his gaze, his eyes quickly dashed down and Odette skewed her lips to the side, staring at him for a few seconds before turning her gaze back to the commoners.
Uberta and William, however, were analysing the two and were getting quite excited as they watched them.
They glanced at each other, giving a wink each as Uberta finally turned to look over to Odette and claimed.
"Oh, Odette! Derek has been so anxious to see you again!"
"WHA-?" Derek began to spurt out and Odette looked over at him, seeing his shocked face.
"Really?" She responded back to the queen, trying to be as mannerly as possible, "Um... me too,"
"Really?!" Uberta and William spat out in delighted glee and Odette pulled a strained smile as she said with clenched teeth.
"Of course..."
"Mother," Derek butted in then, not liking all this nonsense of a talk, "Can Bromley come over today?"
"You were JUST with him?!" Uberta yelled in shock, and Derek only rolled his eyes, adding back.
"YEAH. Because HE'S COOL."
"Much cooler than you, anyway..." Odette uttered under her breath but said her words just loud enough to be heard because she wanted him to hear and Derek did.
He frowned heavily at her, folding his arms again in defiance and swinging himself away to face the other side of the carriage. Odette watched him slowly for a moment, before grinning and turning away from him as well.
"Well," King William said with a laugh as he looked at his daughter and Prince Derek, "You two are becoming more and more alike every time we come together,"
"Oh Gosh..." Derek said in worry, gulping heavily as he responded, "Please don't say that... just don't."
Odette chuckled at this though, again covering her mouth and Derek glared over at her, before sighing heavily and turning away once more.
When they got to the castle, Uberta led William and Odette to their quarters, but Odette was surprised to see her new room was right beside Derek's.
And this was not good.
Why you ask? She would be bumping into him incessantly, that's why.
She waved her maids over to her, as the two women carried her huge luggage bag into the room and placed it daintily on her bed for her to go through everything she owned and brought with her.
Just as she was putting away some dresses, there was a knock on the door and she called out softly.
"Who's there?"
She turned to see her father was there and she only stared at him, her face blank and empty.
"C'mon, Odette," He said to her, coming over and holding her two hands in his, "Just give Derek a chance,"
"No."
Her father blinked his eyes hard at hearing her reply.
"But... but why?!"
"Oh father..." She went on to lament, sitting down on an armchair and continuing, "Me and Derek... we just don't get along."
"But you WILL get along someday,"
"Ha!" She laughed at this, and settled more back on her seat, "When that happens, I'll kill myself,"
"Oh, Odette," King William only said in despair as he shook his head at it all, "Please don't be so dramatic." Odette cocked an eyebrow up as he begged her, "Just please be polite and spend some time with him."
"Uh-huh..." She uttered, picking up a book that rested on a stand next to her chair. She opened it to its front page and began to read, ignoring her father.
He looked at her sadly, feeling so despondent at this moment. He slowly walked to the door, saying one last thing to his daughter before he left her, "Dinner will be in half an hour."
"Yes, Father..." She uttered again, reading her book now and the king left the room... leaving her to her own self.
To her own deep-down misery...
Meanwhile, Derek and Bromley were outside in the gardens, arrows and bows on them as they practised their shots, trying to get the bull's eye.
Derek wasn't the absolute best at archery yet, but he knew he would be one day.
Because that was the one thing he was truly great at. Shooting arrows and hitting targets nearly every time. One day, he would be so precise he'd be able to split an apple in half.
That day however hadn't come yet.
But it would... it would.
"Derek!" Bromley said to his best friend, as he panted heavily to himself, "We've been shooting arrows for AN HOUR NOW!"
"I know, I know..." Derek admitted and Bromley pointed his finger back at the castle.
"Let's go in for dinner already!"
"And have to sit and converse WITH HER?" Derek spat out in disgust.
"C'mon, Derek," Bromley continued, trying to be there for his friend, "If you want, I'll be there and you can just talk to me!"
Derek thought this over for a moment, before finally agreeing to this plan in his head.
The two arrived five minutes late to the meal, and his mother gave him an angry glare as he sat in his usual place at the table.
"Mum," He asked her with puppy dog eyes, "Can Bromley stay for dinner too?"
"WHAT?!" Uberta yelped, seeing Bromley standing a little away as he gave her a shy wave, "No. Heaven's to bits, NO!"
Both Derek's and Bromley's faces fell into glum expressions.
"You two can hang out together tomorrow. Now, Derek." She said, hinting over to Odette who sat quietly down the opposite side to him, "Please entertain Princess Odette tonight and tomorrow and every day to come." She leant forward towards her son with a strict glimmer in her eyes, "And I mean it, young man."
Derek only sighed exasperated at this all, before turning to look over at Odette with spite and she only smiled back at him.
This... is going to be fun, she thought to herself, as she looked at Derek, but when he saw her, he grumbled heavily and turned away.
This is going to be a nightmare, he thought only to himself and when dinner was over the two went their separate ways for an hour before bumping into one another in the hallway.
"Excuse me, Prince Derek," Odette said to him politely, but also cold and withdrawn.
"Yeah, YOU should excuse yourself." He said back to her and she frowned at this, stopping him at his door before he could leave her and go in.
"Let's stop all this pettiness," She told him, her own eyes sharp and the young teenage princess so astute, "All we have to do is pretend to be getting along and our parents won't push us into situations of great awkwardness or romantic leanings,"
"Wow," Derek only said back, amazed at her articulation and the way she held herself, "So what you're saying is just... pretend?"
"That is what I am saying Derek."
He held out his hand to her then, and she looked at it before shaking it with her own hand back.
"Deal?"
"Deal." She confirmed and before either of the two left, Derek floated out to her.
"Do you like playing card games..."
"Depends," Odette said simply, "What's the game?"
Derek gave a wide grin, looking at her with a spark in his eyes as he confirmed, "Poker."
She cocked an eyebrow up, asking, "Is it hard to win at?"
"Well, maybe for you, yes... but me." Derek said proudly placing his hand on his chest, "I win every time."
"We'll see..." Odette only replied, finding this new information interesting... as something inside of her said – He has NO chance at beating ME.
"We'll play in an hour," She told him then and he nodded his head cockily as he replied.
"An hour it is then, princess."
"I guess so, Prince Derek."
He gave a force bow to her, as she gave a tense curtsy and the two departed from one another, each entering their rooms.
Derek grinned to himself as he said, "This is going to be-"
"-a piece of cake," Odette said to herself as well, and the two prepared themselves for tonight.
For this summer...
The courtship was on... even if neither desired it... but one day they would.
They would...
This is just a story about their summer together at sixteen...
The summer a spark lit ... even if the two would never admit.