Apricots - Ruel Van Dijk

Chapter 15 - I was stubborn and I was doing this

Teliah's POV

I write about her thighs in my latest lines
I remember her eyes when I asked her why

I waddled nervously up to the castle gates, the jacket laying on my arm and the ring in a box in my bag. I had come to return the jacket and the ring, just as I said I would. But I was nervous. I was about to walk into a castle and talk to the king and queen. Maybe this is a bad idea. I stopped about a metre in front of the gate, biting harshly down on my bottom lip. What if they think I stole it? I panicked, waving my hands frantically around. Some tourists around me were giving me some strange looks, but I didn't take too much notice. What if they lock me up in a dungeon and never let me out? Okay, maybe that was ridiculous, nobody uses dungeons any more, but still. If they believed I had stolen the ring, I could get in some serious legal trouble. Legal trouble I did not have the money for.

However, keeping the ring and someone eventually finding it and reporting me would be a whole lot worse. I took a deep breath. It's okay. I had to do this. I clenched my fists in determination and strided somewhat confidently towards one of the guards.

"Hi um I'm here to return the queen's wedding ring?" I stammered awkwardly. I stood there for a moment, watching him stare at me in utter confusion before bursting into laughter. I just stood there idiotically while he laughed and laughed.

"And I'm a popstar here on my next tour!" he laughed. "Okay I'll give it to you that was one of the best ones I've ever heard."

"What?" I asked, dumbfoundedly. Best ones? What the fuck was this guy talking about?

"Don't play dumb, I know that was a lie you came up with to sneak in and flirt with the prince. But believe me young lady I have heard it all," he smirked in my face. I just stood there, my features scrunched up in frustration. I came to the castle to do the right thing and now he thought I came to flirt with the asshole prince.

"But I have-" I started, reaching into my bag to grab the ring. But he stopped me before I could.

"Ma'am, I'm gonna need to get out of my face before I escort you off the premises," he said, a more serious tone. But I was determined.

"Will you just listen-" I started again, more forcefully this time. But yet again, he stopped me.

"Ma'am, please leave," he instructed, looking me directly in the eyes. I flipped him off before angrily stomping away.

"Bitch," I huffed angrily, sitting down against a nearby brick wall. I buried my head in my hands, unsure of what I was going to do. This is what someone gets for trying to be helpful? I was sure that the queen losing her wedding ring was an issue. And if the public found out, there would be even more drama than there already is.

I did some research the previous night and found out Ruel had run away from the castle. Which had made me wonder why. Within that place you could get absolutely anything you wanted, like ever. You could ask for anything and someone would find a way to get it to you. So why would you come to the rundown streets of London, when you had everything within the castle?

I knew I couldn't just give up. I had to get this ring back. I didn't want to create any drama, and if I did not return the ring, that is exactly what I would do. But how? There were guards everywhere and the castle walls were huge. So I didn't have many options.

I blinked open my eyes, taking in the area around me. I needed a way to get into the castle. I looked around for something, anything that would help me but all I could see was the road, cars, trees, a sewer pipe. Hold on. I eyed the hole in the ground, moss seeping out of it. No Teliah that's disgusting. I sighed. It was sewer pipe or go home. If I went home, I could take a shower, curl up and read Pride and Prejudice. Problem was I'd still have that goddamn ring. But if I wanted to return said ring, I'd have to climb into a sewer, which wasn't exactly my cup of tea either.

I groaned, leaning my head back against the wall. I knew I had to do it. I just really really wished there was some way that wasn't so...gross. No matter how fancy these royals were, poop is poop. And poop is gross.

"Fuck me," I mumbled, dragging my body off the floor. I trudged over to the drain and after checking 1000 times to make sure that nobody was around, I lifted the drain slate and slid onto the ladder. Feeling for the cool metal in the dark, I slowly climbed down onto the small path of concrete next to the sewer water. The first thing I noticed when I got down there was the smell. Frankly, it smelt like shit. Literally. I was almost gagging after 2 minutes.

But I plugged my nose and pounded onwards. I was stubborn and I was doing this. I looked around the sewer pipe, the dark brown water rushing down. It was safe to say this was definitely not how I envisioned returning the ring looking like. 

In a few minutes I ended up at another metal ladder with another metal slate on the top. Hopefully this one pops out in the castle courtyard. And so, with absolutely nothing to lose, I clambered up the bars, the bitter coolness munching away at my already-cold-fingers. 

a/n

hello loves:)

im back after a much needed break. i took some time off for myself because i was really struggling mentally, but im doing so much better now and im going to try to get back into writing more. 

this chapter is probably a huge mess because its just a recollection of random sentences ive been writing when ive had little sparks of motivation, but i promise i will try my best to write more now that i am feeling okay. 

i hope you are all well and as always remember to eat and drink (even if it is hard) and get some sleep! your body needs it to function:)

- bri<3

28/2/22