Olive

Chapter 3

Chapter 3
Annora, Oh Annora

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Through the chaos of everyone scrambling about the first floor of the castle, Gerald stands calmly at the stop of the staircase. His parents look a mix of curiosity and boredom at the bottom. I had managed to work my way down the stairs with Collette's hand digging into my arm. She frantically looks for Annora amongst the crowd. My personal maid suddenly appears before me with worry clear on her face.

"Princess, your father has ordered you and Colette to your suites. Annora hasn't been seen since this morning by your mother. You will be updated with news immediately," Anika is quick to break Colette and I apart. I see that Colette's own maid has come to retrieve her. She grabs Colette's hand gently and begins to lead her to the staircase away from me.

     "Olive?", Colette's eyes are brimmed with tears," They're going to find Annora"

    "Of course they are Colette, they're over exaggerating. She probably took a walk and lost track of time", I reassure my younger sister as she goes up the stairs. Ultimately Anika and I leave the roar of the crowd behind us after I scan the crowd once more. Everyone clearly distraught their future Queen wasn't preset at her grand entrance. At the top of the stairs I meet Gerald face to face. He has a annoyed look clear on his features.

"Have either one of you seen Annora?  She knows this was going to happen today, I doubt she has cold feet now", his eyes slanted, looking me up and down," she knows our parents want to combine our trading routes"

"No, of course not. Not since this morning on the docks", I answer him as I urge Colette to move faster to her room. She was giving her maid a hard time, she glares up at Gerald for being so heartless to the situation,"ignore him. He's obviously upset, go pamper your dolls and I'll see you in a little bit"

Colette only nods at me and follows her maid to her own suite. I don't leave until her door closes behind her. Anika and I enter my room, and I nearly beg her to undo my corset.

"Of course Princess, leave it on incase they do find Annora rather quickly. Then it'll be easy to tighten back up", Anika goes to work immediately pulling on the corset making it loosen. I take a deep breath involuntary. As the corset loosens my lungs immediately gasps for air," I know, it was quite tight. I apologize Princess"

"Don't worry Anika. It was just fine, I just hadn't realized how much it was cutting off air," a light laugh escapes me," you're perfectly fine"

"Are you worried about Annora?", Anika seems hesitant to push the subject," I'm sorry if I'm treading on a sensitive subject. You don't have to answer"

"I honestly think she lost track of time somewhere. I over heard a conversation between my mother and Annora. Annora sounded very upset, she probably needed air", I explain to her as I sit softly onto my bed," Annora wouldn't have wondered off. Honestly, she didn't really care much about this ball. Not enough to leave last minute however. She'd do anything to please father, including marrying another Prince. Which she didn't have much of a choice to begin with"

     A knock on my door interrupts us and I quickly stand, flattening out my dress. Anika rushes to the door opening it to reveal a ravishing Cassian. With a quick bow she excuses herself from my suite and closes the door behind herself. He was always so calm, nearing me with a soft smile. No words were spoken between us, but his aura alone was inviting. Without hesitation I lay my forehead against his firm chest, he caresses me. His soft fingertips dragging lazily along my back.