The Contest

Chapter 6

My maids were nowhere in sight when I left the dining room.
"Great. Don't know where I'm going." I muttered. I walked down the hallway, looking around. It was getting dark outside, and the lights in her castle were dim. I saw a few staircases, and went up one. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to, but I was willing to try anything at this point. I was terrible with directions. I would probably be getting lost around the castle pretty often, might as well get used to it.
There were lots of portraits around the castle. I ran across a small one of a man and a woman holding hands and smiling. The woman looked a lot like me, auburn hair, pale skin. Her eyes were the only thing that were different. They were a deep blue. She was smiling brightly. The man looked like the King, but younger. The small plaque read,
"Prince Soren and his Fiancé Allison."
Fiancé? My mom wasn't the Queen? She had never mentioned anything about this before.
"This is the most informal way to meet." Someone said behind me. I whirled around, my heart nearly leaping out of my chest. There was a boy standing behind me. He looked just like Prince Jaxon, but with freckles.
"Prince Archer!" I exclaimed, giving a deep curtsy.
"No no, please stand up. This is not the formal introduction I was hoping for, but it is an introduction. Your name?" He asked.
"Amberlyn Baylock." I said.
"Prince Archer." He told me.
"I-I know." I stuttered out. He laughed. I blushed. "10 seconds in and I've already said someone wrong." I said.
"No not at all! I never realized people already knew that. It's nice to meet you Amberlyn. What are you doing out of your room?" He asked.
"Am I not allowed to take a walk?" I asked.
"Well sure, but most girls are getting ready for tomorrow, although a walk isn't why you're out here I'm sure." He said.
"How can you be so sure?" I asked.
"There's no one with you. A maid probably would have come with you so you don't get lost, seeing as it's your first night. You also are wearing a very nice dress. I usually take walks in something...a bit more casual." He finished. I but my lip, and huffed.
"Fine. I'm lost. Something kept me after dinner, and m maids left without me." I confessed.
"Well seeing as you're on the third floor, and your room is on the first, yes, you're slightly lost. I'll take you back." He said.
"I'm sure I can find my way just fine." I defended.
"You've been walking around the castle for how long?" Archer asked. I didn't answer, but instead looked at the floor. "What were you looking at?" He asked changing the subject. I turned to see the portrait of my mother.
"This painting." I said, letting him see.
"This is beautiful. The two people look radiant." He said.
"This woman is my mother." I told him, pointing to her.
"Why you look just like her. I see where you get your smile." He said. "Your mother has been to the Palace before?"
"She was in your Fathers Contest, your highness." I said.
"Really? What a coincidence! Does my mother know her well?" He asked.
"I believe so. My mother says they were best friends."
"Interesting. My mother never mentions her."
"Neither did mine until I ended up here." I said. The Prince nodded, and looked at the plaque.
"Fiancé?" He muttered.
"I was curious about that too. Clearly my mom isn't the queen." I said. He nodded.
"Back to your room then?" He said, and took my hand. I wasn't prepared for that. Quickly I kicked him in the shin. He grabbed at it, falling onto the floor.
"Strong kick you got there." He spoke, looking at me from his spot on the floor. My hands flew to my mouth, a gasp escaping.
"I-I have to go." I said, and ran down the hallway. I found the stairs I had gone up, and flew down them. I ran past someone, and slowed down.
"Amberlyn, Miss!" The person called. I spun around to see Emma. "There you are! The girls will be so happy I found you!" She said. "Follow me."
"Emma?" I asked startled. This was the most and loudest I had heard the girl speak all day.
"Miss?" She asked, her big doe eyes wide.
"You...speak?" I hesitated before answering completely.
"Oh! Well...yes. Follow me." She said, in her normal whisper. I figured that's all I would get out of her after confronting her like that. I followed, and she lead me to my room. As she opens the door, my maids swarmed me.
"We thought you had gone without us!" Teony said.
"We were so worried when we found you weren't here either!" Amy said. Emma stood in the corner of the room. I looked around. My new bedroom was probably the size of my house. It had high vaulted ceilings, with light blue curtains and beautiful orange and navy blue bed spread. The canopy over the bed had curtains tied to the bedposts, and there was a small balcony.
"Oh my gosh." I whispered. My maids giggled at my astonishment. "Don't laugh! This is probably bigger than my house! I've never seen a bedroom this big, or beautiful!" I said.
"Well you'll be surprised by the bathroom then! Would you like me to draw your bath?" Amy asked.
"Absolutely!" I said, and she ran off through a door on the side of the room. I looked around, and ran to the balcony. There was a beautiful view of the garden. I wasn't sure how the first floor could be so far up, but it was. I looked down and saw beautiful flowers in the moonlight that would be even more beautiful when the sun rose the next morning. I saw shadowed shrubs in the dark that were cut into animals and other shapes. There was a huge willow tree in the garden that probably looked beautiful from the under.
"Miss, your bath is ready." Teony said. I turned and went into the bathroom. It was all white. The bath tub, the sink, the floor, the walls, it was white. My jaw dropped.
"Is everything here this beautiful?" I asked.
"Not everything but a lot of things." Amy said. I giggled and began to undress.
"No no we do that for you." Teony said.
"You do?" I asked.
"Yes. We also take your hair out. We can wash it for you too." Amy said.
"I can bathe myself, but thank you." I said. The girls nodded, and began to help me with my clothes and hair. I got into the bathtub and the girls closed the door. I saw a bag leaning against the wall. I grabbed it, and took my mothers journal out.