Timeless - Max Verstappen

Chapter 1

1776

Anna's POV

I disregard all of the rules my mother has instilled in me since I could walk by slamming the door behind me as I angrily make my way down the corridor. Leaving my mother and brother behind in what is now my brothers office, it used to belong to my father but he passed away 5 years ago and my brother is finally of age to take over the kingdom of the Netherlands and all of its colonies.

I hear my mother yelling after me but I disregard her orders for me to return at once. I make my way down a secluded staircase used only by servants, and me. I shrug the brown cape over my shoulders and tie the string around my neck before carefully placing the hood over my head. It is big enough to cover my face from onlookers as I open the small, hidden door and sneak into the night, leaving the castle behind me.

Feint lights illuminate the cobbled street as I make my way through the streets of Amsterdam. I have no idea how long I walk for but eventually I find myself at the coast. I slip the thin shoes off of my feet, feeling the sand between my toes as the rush of the waves fill my ears. My floor length dress catches the sand in its hem as I walk. The sand cools my blistering feet as I sit down in the sand, watching the waves as they ebb and flow along the coast. I loose myself in the calmness, my thoughts running at a mile a minute. I hate being trapped in that castle, the only way out is for me to sneak out as mother barely even lets me in the garden. I wish to explore the world but unfortunately as a princess, my world is the castle and I am trapped within its four walls.

My thoughts are interrupted my a soft whistle. My head snaps towards the source of the sound and I spot a shadow walking in my direction. My heart rate speeds up and the fear of what could happen. The moonlight illuminates the shadow and I find a boy, no a man, who seems around my age. His eyes find mine and he stops. His face softens and I wipe the stray tear from my face, turning back to the ocean. I feel him move closer to me, sitting next to me in the sand.

"Are you alright miss?" He asks, placing his hand on my shoulder. My head lifts to face him and I see the realization flash across his face. His hand snaps away from me. "My apologies, Princess. I did not mean to touch you." He says looking down. "It is alright. Do not worry." I say to him. My voice shaky from crying. "If I may ask, what is upsetting you?" He softly asks. "I do not wish to bore you with palace drama. It is way less interesting than the papers make it out to be." I sigh. "Really, so the Prince really doesn't worship the deer that run in the Forrest?" He questions, bringing up a story that one of the papers decided to run a few weeks ago, claiming that my brother believes that deer are the almighty. "No he doesn't." I say with a laugh and his laugh makes its way to my ears and warmth spreads through my body. He turns to face the ocean, hopefully dropping the subject. "If I may ask, what is your name? It's only fair since you know mine." I ask him. "It is Max, Princess. My name is max." He smiles at me, the breeze blowing through his hair.

A shiver crawls up my spine as the breeze makes its way through my cloak. "Are you cold? Here take my coat." Max says, shrugging off his coat and wrapping it around my shoulders before I can protest. The smell of wood and oil surrounds me and I don't hate it at all. "Thank you." I say softly. "If I may ask, what brings you out here." I ask him and he sighs. "I repair carriages with my Father. It's his business that he started and it is struggling. I use this time while he is asleep to get away from him and his wrath." He says, his face full of pain. I place my hand on his hand, what feels like fire flows through my veins but I don't move my hand. His eyes snap to mine and I can tell he feels the same fire. "I'm really sorry to hear that. Parents can be rough even if they claim to have your best interests at heart. If it's any consolation, I heard from the servants that they are looking for a young carriage repair man at the castle. The current repair man is nearing the end of his service years and wishes to train a young mind. You would live in the castle and earn money to send here to your father, three meals a day as well." I say to him.

"I am aware and have long since put my name in the hat for that apprenticeship. However I have a feeling if I accept that job that I won't be able to stay away from you, now that I know you will be so close to me." He says, lifting his hand to my face but halting before he makes contact. I lean into his palm and the same fire spreads through my face, tingling it's way down my spine. "What if I don't want you to stay away." I say honestly, my honesty surprising me as his eyes bore into mine, our hands tighten around eachothers at the same time. "Then I will definitely consider it." He says, his thumb running along my cheekbone as I relax into his touch. I get lost in his blue eyes for a while as the sky begins to change color and the colors grow lighter. "I should go." I say to him, taking his coat off of my shoulders and handing it back to him. He graciously takes it. "I will see you soon, Princess." He says, dipping his head as he walks back in the direction he came from. The feeling of warmth in my stomach and my chest remains as I make my way back to the castle.