Our Forbidden Love

Chapter One

Princess Jesma stood behind the curtains, her pounding against her ribcage.  The world blurred around her.  She saw him everywhere.  The sun could've been playing tricks on her eyes, but it didn't matter.  He was everywhere. The blonde hair, forest colored eyes, crooked smirk. She saw his mom, dad, and siblings out in the crowd.  Her heart caught in her throat, threatening the tears, as she swallowed hard, sucking in a deep breath

    "Princess Jesma!" a voice announced.  The curtains flung open, snapping Jesma back to reality, her eyes blinking quickly.  With every sparks from the cameras, her breath quickened, as she tried to find air.  The crowd was quiet.  She saw their glaring eyes, their judgemental whispers.  She glared at the king.  His smile was all too pleased.  Jesma swallowed her tears, and stepped up to the podium.

    "Hello... um... good morning subje-everyone.  Today, I am here to discuss the subject o-of... Roland M-Markskins," she stuttered, taking another hard swallow.  She saw Mrs. Markskins clutch her husband's hand, and the tears threatened to break through. Jesma took a deep breath.

No tears. Keep it buried.

    "We—the knights—have yet to find him... but are still looking.  Everyone is trying to find out where he is.  We have the best of the best.  We will—they—will find him.  T-thank you."  Jesma stood there like she was supposed to.  She could hear Mrs. Markskins sobs, but barely above the crowd of screaming, and cursing. Cursing her name, even though she did nothing wrong.  She shielded her face at the hundreds of fiery flashes from the cameras.

Jesma couldn't take it anymore and ran behind the curtain, the hot tears streaming down her face.  She heard her father continue with announcements, the yells of the crowd protesting.  Jesma sobbed, and hurrying up the spiral staircase, to the main part of the castle.

She rushed past all the guards, all the maids, ignoring their questions of concern.  Jesma flung open her bedroom door, and fell into her bed.   She shook uncontrollably with sobs, barely able to handle the pain. She wanted to scream, she wanted to curse her father... she wanted him dead.

Jesma knew the truth.  She knew everything.  She was at the center of it all. It... it was all her fault...

    But she couldn't say.

    She couldn't tell the truth.

    "Jesma!" a girl with auburn curls cried, coming to Jesma's side. Callie quickly sat down next to Jesma, pulling her head into her lap, as Jesma sobbed into her skirt.

    "Shhh.  It's all over.  Shhh," Callie soothed, stroking Jesma's caramel waves..

    "But it's not!  H-he's m-making me lie to them!" she cried, the shaking getting worse.  Callie gulped down her own tears... and fear.

Callie heaved a sigh, as Jesma sat up, wiping her tears with the heel of her hand. Jesma and Callie shared a whole conversation just with their eyes.

"Please?" she said. Callie again heaved a huge sigh, and Jesma took Callie's hands in hers.

"Cal please... I-I... just an hour," she begs. Callie sucks on her teeth, not meeting Jesma's eyes. Callie sniffles, before looking up.

"Fine," she sighs. Jesma gives a small smile, wiping her tears, and jumping into Callie's arms.

"Thank you Cal."

"Anything for you Jes."

***

Jesma tiptoed quietly down the drippy corridor.  She breathed in the coppery, wet smell, barely noticing it.  Being here so many times, she had become immune to the smell. Jesma made sure not to step on any pebbles, worried she would slip.