The Broken Princess

21

Xavier

I did not expect to find my wife sprawled on a bed in one of the tiniest rooms I've ever seen a princess in.

I would have taken the time to observe her while her guard was down but she had already jolted awake at my loud entrance. It wouldn't have been as loud if I wasn't provoked by those puny guards. The idiots wouldn't let me in, telling me that Adelaide had told them to wait outside. It seems they became loyal to her in the short time that she spent with them.

Unfortunately for them, my head was about to explode with worry and I did not take no for an answer.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't taken aback by the ice princess's behavior. It was the most surprising thing to see a princess on her knees, let alone for a maid. She was nothing like the woman I had heard about.

Her soft chuckle and her bright eyes almost mesmerized me when she didn't bat an eye to having her intimates exposed and her sad, pleading eyes caused me to falter as she convinced me to let that slimy guard off the hook.

My anger at her complete disregard for her image dissipated and I almost smiled at her whining about my dismissal of the guards. I watched as she threw everything back into her case and hauled it up. Her small frame had no trouble pushing the huge case back to where it had been sitting before she went on her hunt for shoes.

"Why in the world did you pack a case? Or is that the unpacked one that you brought for this visit to your Aunt's little village?"

She scoffed, "It is not a little village. This is her territory, her kingdom." She said matter-of-factly. Her nose scrunched up and her eyes narrowed when she shot a look of distaste towards me. "I packed a few dresses. I have been wearing the same huge gown since the engagement, which was who knows how long ago, and there are no clothes in that room I woke up in."

I was shocked. She was packing? So she could stay in my room? She wasn't fighting?

She wrapped her arms over her abdomen and looked away before moving across the room to her dresser and fiddling with little bottles.

"Are you going to reply?" her voice was low but sharp. Annoyed even.

When did that happen?

"What is there to say?"

She simply scoffed again.

I racked my brain for what she could possibly be so pestered about.

"Oh my goodness! Can you please tell me what is going on? You haven't been very forthcoming with information, Prince Xavier. " She whipped around, voicing her frustration, "I have no idea what is happening. I've been sitting in that room, waiting for someone, anyone, to tell me what the plan is. Am I expected to leave with you? Are you–are we leaving soon? Where is your family and where are you and where am I in all of this? You must have some plan since you are the one who did all this."

"All this?" Her worry was overpowering the room but I couldn't help but tease her a bit. She looked enthralling and so very genuine.

"Our ma– this union. Could you please explain to me what's next?" Her eyes widened before she caught herself and redirected her words.

I chuckled before crossing the room and stopped right in front of her. She held her ground and I explained what she wanted to know, "We will be staying in that excuse of a guest wing for now. I must see to a few matters before we set out for Albion. I'll have a full wardrobe set up for you w—"

"I do not care about the dresses. What matters? Should I not be informed on what is happening? I will not be some dog on a leash that you can drag around. I want to know what is happening."

My eyes narrowed at her harsh cut off of my sentence and I lowered my face right above hers, "I want to be respected, however, we do not always get what we want." Alluding to both her interruption and her father's disrespect towards my family.

I heard her take a sharp inhale of air before I brushed against her and strode out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

I was finally seeing her true character. A spoiled brat who had no patience for things other than herself. Just when I was putting an effort to be nice.