The New Royal Blood (Book 1)

Chapter 6

        I lie in bed not being able to fine sleep. I think about my family. This is my first night, ever, that I've not slept in my own bed. It's strange. This bed is large and comfy and seems to swallow me, while my bed at home is familiar and small.

         After tossing and turning for an hour, I decide to get up and explore the palace. I pull my straightened hair into my signature messy bun and grab the purple head band to hold my bangs back. Opening the door, I peek my head out. No one's in the hallway; I slip out the door and silently close it behind me. Hoping this isn't against the rules, I pad down the soft carpeted hallway.

        Once I get to the first floor, I start to look around. There are dresser type things that hold tall vases with intricate designs on them. I pick one up and inspect it. It starts off blue with purple highlights and fades into a greenish color. The vase seems to have weird ripples on it that make it look like scales. I'm about to set it down when I hear someone.

        "Miss!" I hear someone say. I turn around and see a guard. I'm about to tell him not to call me miss, when he roughly grabs my arm and starts pulling me away from the vases pedestal.

        "Let me go," I jerk my arm from his grasp and quickly put the vase back in it's place.

        "There are no commoners allowed in the palace," the guard says and grabs my arm again.

        "Commoner? What are you talking about?" I say, struggling to get my arm out of his hand. He stops and turns to me.

        "Miss, it's palace rules that everyone who doesn't live in the palace is supposed to leave at 5:00. Do you live in the palace?" he asks. I don't know what to answer. I technically do live in the palace but at the same time my home is South Carolina.

        "I'm not sure," I say.

        "Yeah, that's what I thought," he says and grabs my arm again. I jerk it out of his grasp. I'm about to run up to my room when he spins me around and throws me over his shoulder.

        "Put me down! Put me down!" I shriek. I struggle against his hold on my legs and beat on his back.

        "Stop!" I hear a deep voice say. James! The guard stops and puts me down.

        "Oh thank goodness," I say.

        "James, I-," I turn around but it's not James. The man, or boy, is standing on the second floor balcony. He has dark brown hair and brilliant blue eyes. He stands tall, like he's important.

        "You're not James," I say and he chuckles.

        "No, I am not," he replies with very formal speech. He comes down the stairs to where the guard and I stand.

        "Who are ya, then?" I wonder and his face turns from amusement to confusion.

        "You don't  know who I am?" he asks.

        "Not a clue," I reply.

        "Your majesty," I hear the guard say behind me.

        "Oh, so you're the prince," I say sheepishly.

        "Yes, I might be the prince. And because you know the name of my dearest friend, I'm guessing you are not a commoner?" he guesses.

        "Nope," I say, shooting the guard a look.

        "Sorry, miss," the guard says.