Apricots - Ruel Van Dijk

Chapter 16 - I'm not here for you.

Ruel's POV

Will we ever learn?
We've been here before
It's just what we know

How the fuck did she get in?

I hurried down the spiral stairs as quickly as I could get away with, fumbling to get my jacket on. I hoped I wouldn't run into my father on the way, as he certainly wouldn't be happy to see I'd made no progress finding his jacket or the ring. I wished he'd see that all I had thought of these past few days. But of course not, he only thought of himself and his own concerns.

I continued my way from the quarters to the courtyard, walking briskly and quietly.

"Young sir!" a voice from behind me whined. Great.

"Not now Ed," I grumbled back, continuing to walk briskly through the castle. Ed was one of my father's advisors. He was rather annoying; short, stubby, whiny. And as of right now I was not in the mood to talk to him; I didn't care what he had to say. I just had to get my ass to the courtyard.

"But sir! Your father-" he started, to which just infuriated me even more.

"I said not now Ed!" I repeated, beginning to get frustrated. Why wouldn't he just leave me the fuck alone? I was clearly busy.

"Sir, please. Be reasonable-" he interjected once again. I stopped my walking and turned on my heels to face him.

"No Ed! I have clearly told you I do not want to speak right now so you be reasonable and leave me alone!" I snapped, turning back toward the place of which was my original goal. Stupid fucking advisors.

"Ruel please listen to Ed," a voice said softly, stopping me in my tracks. Mother. I whirled around to see her standing eloquently next to Ed. She wore a flowing white dress, pale against her skin. Her face looked tired, her eyes touched with heavy bags, her face dark, her smile weak. She was exhausted. I couldn't help but feel guilty. It was probably my fault she was so tired.

"Yes mother," I sighed. I'd lost her wedding ring, the least I could do was listen to her.

"Your father would like you to meet him in the throne room, in regards to your new fiancée. He suggested you clean up a bit..." Ed blabbered on but I did not listen to any more. My heart dropped to my feet. Fiancée? I felt like I'd been stabbed in the back, like someone had put a blanket over my head and it had been pulled away and now the light was blinding.

He'd arranged a marriage for me. I knew this day would come. The day he decided to wed me off to a princess because I had to be married to be fit for the throne. I'd supposed I'd be angry. But I wasn't. I was hurt.

The whole time I was missing he wasn't worried about me. He wasn't worried about his son. He was just worried about his reputation. And the second I got back, all he was worried about was still his reputation.

"No," I stated, shutting Ed up.

"What?" he replied blankly.

"No," I repeated, turning on my heels and sprinting in the opposite direction. I refused. I refused to get tangled up in another mess. I at least had to fix the other one before getting stuck into another. I had to find her.