Captured To Become A Vampire Prince's Bride {Book 2}

Captured To Become A Vampire Prince's Bride {Book 2}: Chapter 9

The following weeks were slow and unproductive. I wasn't allowed to leave the castle, not even to go into the garden, and the weather wasn't amazing; it rained a lot.

I was laying on my bed bored out of my mind. The tv was on but the connection wasn't very good, it kept freezing and jumping- not that I was even watching it anyway, but it didn't make very good ambience. I had slept so much these past few days too that I'd go insane if I had to close my eyes for that length of time again. I felt like I was wasting away in my room. Too scared to go out because of the Queen's presence, too proud to call for a guide, to bored to be bothered to do anything. I was stuck.

Yesterday I had to eat in my room because the Queen decided she wanted the chef to make a bunch of meals she had while she'd been travelling around the world for the King and herself to try. I couldn't go to the kitchen because I'd still have to walk near the dining room and I'd sure be smelled out.

My door flung open suddenly and I nearly screamed as it slammed against the wall. I jumped up, wide eyes and heart rate insanely fast. My vision went blurry for a couple of seconds while I tried to focus on who came in.

"Sorry," the voice said sheepishly, "misjudged the distance."

They came further in, my eyes finally settled on their messy brown hair and sharp blue eyes.

"What do you want, Jayden?" I questioned.

"I want you to come with me to pitch my idea about the ball to Father. The Queen is doing something elsewhere in the castle so we can go to his study and talk to him."

"Don't think I'm up for it," I responded simply, and I wasn't.

"Yes, yes you are," he came further into my room and dragged me out of the comfort of my bed.

I screamed as my feet struggled to balance themselves on the icy laminate flooring. Again, my eyes went blurry as I tried to adjust to suddenly being stood up. Jayden put his hands on both of my shoulders to balance me and keep me upright. His eyes searched mine for a sign signalling I was okay and I guess he found it as he stepped backwards and folded his arms.

"Go get dressed, and we'll go."

I figured he wasn't going to take no for an answer by the urgency in his tone, so I did as he said as much as I didn't want to. I managed to persuade myself that it was something to do, even though it required me to exert more energy than I would've preferred. I got washed and changed into some clothes that weren't pyjamas for a change. I then followed him to the King's study.

Jayden knocked and entered before there was even a response from inside. I followed behind sheepishly and quietly closed the door, which was difficult because of the sheer size of it. The King glanced up from his substantial amount of paperwork and over his glasses. He had bags and his eyes looked lustreless. Frankly, he looked worn down. This war really was taking its toll on him, even though he had no physical part in it.

"Good afternoon. Is there something I can help you two with?" He questioned. He put his glasses to the side and waited for one of us to talk.

I glanced over at Jayden waiting for him to say something. I could see Henrietta's eyes glued on the pair of us. It was impossible to not sense that stare.

"I had an idea for a way to gather funds for Nox Aterrima. I just wanted your opinion before we went through with it," began Jayden. The King nodded. Jayden and I took a seat on one of the sofas adjacent to his desk, "a charity ball. We invite some wealthy individuals, they invite their friends. We provide them with food and entertainment and they donate to us."

"You want to host a party, while my brother is somewhere being tortured?" Brusquely retorted an extremely irritated Henrietta across from us.

"It's to pass the time until we find out where he's being held, and we need funds to pay for the repairs here. It's a good idea." He answered.

Henrietta turned to her father and raised her eyebrows, an expression of 'you're just going to let him get away with this?'. He appeared on the fence about it.

He thought for a few moments, "considering the circumstances, it's not safe. Inviting a whole bunch of rich people to be in one location at once? The amount of negative coverage we'd get, on top of anything else going on right now would be immense if even one of them got hurt."

Jayden turned to me with almost the same look Henrietta gave her father. Why was he looking at me? Did he want Henrietta to kill me? She would if I came out with an opinion that was opposite to hers. I had to choose my words carefully: a comprise.

I adjusted myself in my seat, trying to find the right words, "we can still have the ball, but we don't have to have in Nox Aterrima. It could be in one of the large states, further away from this coast, and further away from danger. While it's going on, we can liaise with residents from other states, make friendships and they could maybe help to devise a plan to get Alexander back. On top of that, it could be an event to have the news focus on a happier event, as opposed to the chaos going on now." It wasn't until I finished talking, that I realised I had been looking at my fiddling fingers the whole time. I didn't even notice how sweaty they'd become in the process.

I looked up and Henrietta didn't look as angry as she did when Jayden first brought up the idea. She had less of a scowl on her face. The King was jotting the last of what I said down, I think.

"The idea is good, but it's not so simple. We cannot just disclose our ideas to other states like that. Although I rule them, and they should all be loyal to me, I know not all of them are. Don't worry about liaising, I have people who'll handle that. If this does go through, and even if it doesn't, you mustn't talk to anyone about rescuing Alexander," he then glanced at Henrietta and Jayden, "none of you can."

"So we can go through with it?" Asked Jayden eagerly.

The King smiled and nodded. "Here," he thrust the folded piece of paper he was writing on in the direction of Jayden, "take this to Charlotte or Leandra when you have time."

"Will do!" He took the envelope and disappeared from the room.

The door remained slightly ajar.

I turned awkwardly to face back in front of me, both the eyes of the King and Henrietta were locked on me. I mustered up the best smile I could. I didn't know what they wanted or what they were waiting for.

"Why is nothing being done to get Alexander back?" I finally asked. The uncomfortable atmosphere was killing me very slowly.

"A lot is being done behind the scenes, Arianne. I'm sorry it doesn't seem that way and I'm sorry I can't disclose everything. It's for your safety as well as ours." The King responded.

I sighed and leant back in my chair. I wished someone would fill me in on even the smallest detail. Everything was on a need to know basis these days. Again, even Leandra and Charlotte were keeping their distance from me, and I know it wasn't just simply because of the work they had to do.

"Well, if that's all," the King stretched and spun side to side in his chair, "you're free to go. I can call you maid to take you to your room if you'd like?" He offered.

My room. That's the only place I'd be. Either there or in the dining room. The libraries were off limits as they weren't under surveillance, even the one near my room couldn't be accessed because it was locked. Alexander had the key... but he wasn't here right now was he?

"Somewhere else, perhaps?" Suggested the king, "your facial expression tells me that's the last place you want to be right now. How about I get Leandra and Charlotte to take you out? You can leave the castle for a while, I'm sure you're incredibly bored being locked away. Humans are like birds: if you lock them away with no stimulation, they begin to lose their minds. We need you completely sane!" He joked.

I laughed a little, "yes, I'd like that."

"Very well."