THE HANDMAID

CHAPTER TEN

I walked with princess Oliver to the dinner hall, it was just Audrey and the queen that was present, the table was filled with different kind of delicacies as usual, the aroma of the food filled everywhere, I felt my stomach rumble, I couldn't help but salivate. They waited for others to sit before they started eating.

After breakfast, I went with princess Oliver and princess Audrey to the garden. Audrey had invited Oliver to help her pick the color of the day. I and Elie, Audrey's handmaid walked behind the two princess's as they found their way to the garden chitchatting.

"I am so happy Samuel is back" Oliver said.

"I was expecting him to return with a woman. Do you think father arranged someone for him too?" Audrey asked as they walked the path to the garden.

"I don't think so. Father never mentioned arranging any woman for him. Besides, I don't think he is ready to marry" Oliver stated.

"I wasn't ready to marry either until father arranged this marriage between I and Arthur. And you, are you ready for marriage? But father arranged marriage between you and prince Albert" Audrey said.

Oliver sighed "how did you feel when father told you that you were going to get married to prince Arthur?" She asked.

"I was surprised at first....I felt like I wasn't ready.....I always wanted to choose a man for myself......I kept worrying if he will be the right man for me" Audrey said catching a breath in between her words.

"Is he?" Oliver asked.

"He is, Arthur is nice, caring and a prince. Everything every woman would want in a man but....... maybe not everything I would want" Audrey said whispering at the end of her sentence.

"What do you mean?" Oliver whispered back.

"I need someone I have a connection with. Someone I love and he would love me back" Audrey whispered.

"You don't love him?" Oliver asked.

"Hell no, I don't, I just....I just don't know okay. It just doesn't feel right when I am with him, I feel nothing" Audrey said.

"...but you are all over him and excited about the engagement" Oliver stated.

"That is what I want everyone to see....but really that is not how I feel. I am excited about the engagement that is a fact but I am just 19, what do I know about marriage?" Audrey asked no one in particular, she directed the question more to herself.

"You are scared of being married to him?" Oliver asked.

"I am not scared of getting married to him. I am scared of the responsibilities that comes with being married to him" Audrey said.

"I never knew you felt this way. I don't think father knows either" Oliver said sadly.

"He never asked" Audrey said. We were finally in the garden "I don't know anything about being a queen and ruling beside my husband, the king. That is a whole responsibility, I don't know if I can do it. A queen is more like a mother figure to the kingdom. I don't think I can handle that" she said as they sat on the swing waiting for the designer. I and Ellie stood a little far from them to give them space to talk. We could still hear their discussion.

"Why don't you speak to father?" Oliver asked.

"I can't do that. We have a come a long way for me to back down now" Audrey said.

"You didn't speak to me about all these" Oliver said.

"I guess I am good at hiding my true feelings then" Audrey said as they watched the designer approach them.

Oliver hugged her "I know you can do this. You have always been a motivation to me, I look up to you. If you can do this, then I definitely will" she said, Audrey hugged her back briefly. They disengaged, shifting their attention to the designer who stood surprised for a moment before he regained sanity.

He showed them the designs he had and they kept debating between gold and grey.

I left them to get the cup of coffee they ordered while Elie stayed.

Walking down the halls, my mind kept drifting back to Audrey and Oliver's discussion.

Who knew the hyperactive princess could be so vulnerable, she was just putting up her happy mood, the acts for her parents to be pleased. The marriage isn't really what she wants.

I wondered what she actually wanted.

A marriage with prince Albert.

Could it be she wanted Oliver's arranged husband to be?

I was still lost in thoughts when I bumped into a hard thing, I fell backwards, I closed my eyes awaiting the pain from hitting the floor but the pain didn't come.

I opened my eyes when I didn't feel the pain, only for my eyes to meet a pair of hazel eyes. Luckily I didn't hit the ground, I was caught by him.

My expression turned into that of shock when I saw who I noticed whose hands I was in.

The prince.

Oh my, oh my.

I immediately wiggled myself out from his arms that caught me and shifted backwards.

"I'm sorry my prince, I am so sorry. I wasn't looking" I apologized as I bowed and looked down.

He didn't say anything.

"I am sorry my prince. Please I beg to take my leave" I said politely before he could say anything else, I left, walking quickly towards the kitchen.

I got to the kitchen, my heart pounding in my chest, I told the kitchen maids that I wanted two cups of coffee for the princesses.

I took the tray of coffee and walked back to the garden.

LIKE THIS CHAPTER, LET'S GIVE IT A VOTE AND COMMENT ❤️