Caspian

3

In the days following the news that the prince needed to be married, the whole kingdom went into frenzy, trying to sell off their daughters, giving in to money offers and begs just to get an invitation and a seat at the table.

I took matters into my own hands; there was no way that I was going to auction myself off for some riches. My dad taught me that confidence is the most important trait that someone who commands attention has, and it's important to see it through.

I stepped down from the horse and carriage that I had managed to borrow from the neighbours; well, borrowed is the wrong term for what I actually did. I quickly made my way into the carriage to get changed into what I could only wish my mother could see me in: a Lettie Lovett original dress made for the only daughter she had, made for revenge.

After no more than 10 minutes, I scurried out of the carriage quickly, smoothing down my dress and giving my blonde-dyed hair a scrunch and a shake. The curls had not completely dropped yet, but the moving about to try and get the dress I was currently wearing on made it look like I had gone to war.

Before I turned the corner where the castle of Prothabia was, I took a few deep breaths and practiced my version of a warm smile for a few moments.

I was ready. 

-------

I turned the corner and was met by two palace guards, guns pointed towards the sky with stern looks on their faces, staring into the distance.

"Gentlemen," I nodded my head as they nodded back as I held onto my breath as I walked past them, hoping they didn't smell the destruction oozing off of me.

I made my way up to the castle's massive doors, where another two guards stood, and they greeted me with "hello, ma'am's," as curtsied.

"I am awfully sorry, boys, I seem to have lost my invitation to the ball; I must have left it at home, Would there be a way of letting me in without?" I asked, batting my eyelashes innocently, swaying a little side to side for added effect as they looked at each other, then back at me.

"No can do , ma'am apologies," the guard to my right answered, his voice a little rusty and damaged as if he had been smoking all his life.

I nodded and turned my back towards them, admitting defeat, until I saw a carriage ride up, laughter and giggles emulating from the carriage. I watched as a bunch of girls piled out. I quickly as possible slipped between the two girls that were hanging to the back; they all had invitations in their hands, so it was quite easy to pull one from their silk gloved hands and make my way through both guards who were now occupied with the others.

I made my way quickly through the hall that was on the other side of the door, and before the scream of shock, horror, and realisation kicked in, I quickly slipped into one of the study rooms that I had known was always on the lower floor of the palace.

It was told that that specific study room was where the king was to have supposedly had the affair of the century all those years ago, I remember my mum talking to my dad about it briefly when I was about 6, It was told that the King had been having an affair with one of the maids daughters. Scandalous.

But the same thing that happened to my mum happened to that maid and her daughter; within a week of the news going around, they disappeared. Rumours went around about how they were possibly paid off by the queen to just move to another place; some other rumours say they were "taken care of.". It really just depended on where in the kingdom you lived. 

As I let go of the breath I was holding onto and adjusted the very uncomfortable corset that my dress had sown in, a movement from behind me startled me, spinning me on my feet.

"Oh my, you startled me. Apologies; I thought I was alone in here." I spoke up as I faced the back of some man who was staring outside the big painted window. The only thing worth noting was that his shoulders were the broadest and widest I had ever seen, and you could also slightly make out how massive his arms were. "I apologise too; I am meant to be out there with the ladies," he said, turning to face me.

I watched his eyes on mine, but just for a second before they travelled down my body, making me feel as if I were standing in his presence naked, I cleared my throat, a little uncomfortable, and he instantly snapped his eyes back onto mine and gave me a warm smile.

"You look stunning; the green really compliments your glowing skin, if that isn't too forward of me to say." His compliment brushed the ego that had been pushed so far down that it was almost not there. A smile that could be mistaken for a smirk played on my face as I looked down at my hands that were clasped together, and my eyes flickered back up at his.

I'm in.

He started to make his way towards me ever so slowly with his hands behind his back. The last time I saw this man, he was an immature 26-year-old who had caught me in one of the guest room closets just before he probably was going to fuck one of his many conquests.

He had obviously gotten older since then, at the very mature age of 40 years old, and he was looking damn good for that age; his hair had little scatters of grey woven into his black gelled back hair, and his eyes had wrinkles on either side of them. He had a life of pleasure and luxury, which meant plenty of laughter and joy, which is lucky for some of us.

I let my eyes run over his body from his black hair to his very broad and built chest, even under all that royal clothing, right down to his aged well hands, his hands looked rough, as if in his life he has had to do some kind of manual labour.

It was his turn to clear his throat as my eyes traveled back to his as a smile danced on his face. "I take it; you are here for the ball?" he asked as I slightly nodded.

He nodded back, and we stood there staring at each other for a few seconds before he gestured for us to head to where the rest of the girls were.

------

We walked through the corridors in silence every so often, exchanging looks. It didn't take us long until we were both standing in front of the closed doors, giving him one final look. I opened my mouth to speak. "I should probably go in before you; I wouldn't want them to think I had an added advantage," I joked with a warm smile towards him as he simply gave me a nod.

As I reached for the door, I felt his presence slightly press up against me, his breath suddenly lingering next to my ear. My breath hitched in my throat as my grip on the door loosened.

"How about the next time we meet, you greet me with a charming bow? can you do that for me?" He whispered lowly, sending chills down my spine, and I let out the breath I had been holding in, shaking at the thoughts that had raced through my mind. 

He stepped away from me, and I took in another breath before twisting the door handle and stepping into the packed ballroom, refusing to look back. 

Here we go.