Betrothed To The Prince. |✅

THIRTEEN:::His story.

I'm dreaming, aren't I?

No, this is a fucking nightmare.

"Mom," I breathed out a laugh. " Tell me you're kidding." I said, with a huge grin on my face so I could burst into laughter when she when she'd tell me that she is in fact kidding and I'll be like 'ha, good one! '

Instead...

She shook her head. "I'm not kidding, honey. We're very serious about this."

"But why!?" I snapped, flailing my arms in my pity attempt to make a point.

How could she make such a decision without my permission? I don't even get a say in my life anymore?

"Yeah, we're not even married." Elijah agreed, his cool, calm, collected aura never quivering.

"Yet." The king added. " You're not married, yet." he repeated making me roll my eyes.

"And you will be, sooner or later, and so we feel it's best if you get used to the idea now. "

Get used to the idea?

"What if I refuse?" I crossed my arms.

"You can't refuse your mother, Eiffel."

"I can." Said, Elijah. "I'm 19 and I can refuse to things that I don't approve of. "

"You can't defy a king's orders." The king said, making Elijah roll his eyes. "No matter what age you are."

"This is messed up." I started to back away. "This is so fucking messed up! " I yelled, walking out of the room.

"All your things are already at Elijah's!"  I could hear my mom yell after me.

"Great! I belong to him anyway!" I screamed.

I almost ran out of there. I pushed the doors to the balcony open and air blew onto my face, blowing my hair over my shoulder.

I gasped rapidly as I felt a tight pressure in my chest. I could feel all my bottled up emotions begging to be let loose. I was mad. Damn, I was furious. How dare they? How dare they just do whatever they want with my life!? It's my ife for God's sake!

I screamed. Then I hit the railing. Once, then twice, and before I knew it, I started banging on the railing. Ignoring the pain I was starting to feel in it, I continued but then I gasped when I felt someone grib my hand.

"Your highness," I looked up and Aiden through my wet eyelashes. "You'll hurt yourself. "

"Better than people hurting me." I said, pulling my hand away. He took it again and slowly started rubbing circles in it.

I flinched. "Ow."

"What's wrong, your highness? What happened?...  And, this is coming from an experienced man to a young girl not a staff to a princess." He said, letting me know it would be an informal conversation.

I nodded slowly then sighed. "I'm tired, Aiden. I'm tired of pretending everything's okay when it's not. I'm tired of pretending to be someone I'm not."

"Who are you then?"

"I'm Eiffel Brooks." I answered. "But here, I'm a princess. A future queen and a leader to a freaking nation. That's not me... It's not. "

"Are you not happy here?" He asked, and I gasped slowly when when applied pressure on my hand.

Isn't that obvious?

"No, Aiden, I am not happy here. But, I'm also not sad either. I'm just... Okay. "

"Why don't you just leave or something?" He asked, letting go of my hand.

I blinked at him. Then, busted out laughing. "Leave? You want me to leave?"

"I don't want you to. But, why can't you just refuse the betrothal?"

"I can't just refuse. My daddy was everything to me. He gave me everything I ever wanted. And when I say everything, I mean everything. If his wish was for me to get married to Elijah, before he died, what kind of daughter would I be if I didn't grant it?"

He nodded understandingly. "And the prince? "

"What about him? Elijah is just Elijah. He hates this as much as I do."

"What makes you think so? " He asked, his eyebrows knitting in confusion. "Did he say that himself? "

"Well, no. But, actions speak louder than words, you know. He doesn't have to say it."

"I can tell you one thing, princess, prince Elijah doesn't hate this. "

Yeah, and pigs fly.

I scoffed. "He wanted to bribe me to get out of his life. He insults me every chance he gets. "

He almost squeezed the life out of my arm...

He sighed. "I think it's time I tell you a little more about the prince."

"I'm listening."

Maybe I can finally figured out why he is what he is.

"Once upon a time, there was a bright little prince. He was the only child his parents ever had, so, of course they showered him with all the love they ever had. He was a little lonely, for he had no one to play with except his mom. So, he took to make activities of his own. He took joy in gardening and playing the piano. He often enjoyed gazing up at the stars. But, he often wished he had actual friends.

Then one day, a ray of sunshine seeped through. His dad brought home a friend. A friend who brought his daughter along with him. "

I blinked. "Was that friend my dad?"

"Yes. And his daughter was you, princess."

Why don't I remember that?

"You were very young then. Which explains why you may not recall. But, I remember how long you played. You played all day and spent half of the night together. The young prince was very happy that day. Happy he had found a friend, and, a very pretty one at that. As so he told me.

Then, the dreadful moment came when you had to leave. He was devastated to say the least. As so were you. But, you had to leave anyway. Later that night, the prince went to his mother and told her he liked the girl. He liked her so much he would love to spend the rest of his life with her."

What?

"He was the prince after all. The queen told her husband about what the prince said. The king thought it was also a fabulous idea to get both of you married. Your father was not exempted. And that, princess Eiffel, is how your betrothal came to be." He concluded.

I thought this could shed light in why Elijah is so mysterious, but, It only got me more confused.

"So, you're saying Elijah wanted this marriage. But he told me he was only getting married for his dad. Did he lie to me? Why would he lie? If he wanted this why does he treat me like garbage? Does he even remember all of this?"

"One at a time, princess... I don't think he remembers. At least, to the best of my knowledge. He's never mentioned anything to me."

Great. Another mystery.

"Wait, if Elijah was so bright and happy when he was little, what changed? Why is he so cold now?"

He sighed. "Tragedy struck."

Damn.
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