ONYX

Chapter Six

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                        S I X
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"Believe you can and you're halfway there."

—T. Roosevelt
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"His Royal Highness, Prince Daniel Culbreth,”

Queen Elizabeth curtsied with Alessandra mimicking the same form of greeting as the Prince entered the grand foyer of the castle. She’d heard many stories about him from her cousin, Greer, but those didn’t do him justice. He was a dashing young Prince with a wide, toothy grin and chestnut brown hair sleeked back and forest green eyes. Greer had mentioned he was only three years older than Alessandra, but already he’d travelled the world, met with the most prominent people in ever kingdom of the continent, and basically established himself as a future King.

Meanwhile, Alessandra had barely left the castle grounds. She wondered why would someone as prestigious as him agree to marry her? She’d barely seen the world and she was far from other women. Other women could touch and kiss a man; she wasn’t experienced with dining or interacting with the opposite sex on an intimate level.

She tried to make an effort in her outfit that way he would see that she wasn’t the woman she’d known people had whispered about. She worn black, the same color her mother wore, to signify their time of mourning.

Prince Daniel took note of this as he smiled at his future wife. He worried before today that she would be a horrid sickly woman he heard tales about. Instead she was nothing but pure beauty. He took note of the pale of her skin; she didn’t spend time in the sun very often, and her soft white tendrils tumbled down her back in waves. Her flushed cheeks brought out the crystal blue of her eyes.

Her eyes.

They were so sad. He’d been informed just before he walked through the palace doors that the King had passed just that morning. It’d been unfortunate and spontaneous that it perplexed the young Prince. He saw it as a time to comfort his would-be queen as it was more fitting to focus on the funeral that would undoubtedly come soon.

Daniel bowed deeply in front of the Queen and Princess. “Queen Elizabeth, Princess Alessandra,”

Alessandra’s heart flipped within her chest when he addressed her. Never had a man given her attention or said her name in the way he did. There was promise behind his tone, and something beyond a friendship there that she wanted to explore.

The Queen stepped forward, the situation in regards to her husband’s murder still weighting heavily on her mind. “Prince Daniel, I am pleased that you made it to court. Forgive us as we’ve recently received news that the King passed away in the night.”

“Yes. The news is baffling, but I have no doubt that the perpetrator will be found and dealt with accordingly.” Daniel responded.

Elizabeth stiffened. She’d acted without a thought for what would happen after they found his body. Surely there would be an investigation, but she hadn’t thought of what would happen to her if she got caught. She’d die for high treason and if that happened . . .

Alessandra would be alone.

The Queen suddenly felt lightheaded, swaying slightly on her feet. Alessandra took note of her mother’s condition and faced her. “Mother?”

“Lady Alessandra,” Daniel addressed.

Alessandra straightened her spine and faced the Prince, forgetting that her mother was standing beside her. “Your Grace,”