Secrets of the Heart

Chapter 9

The sunlight creeps through my window, causing me to wake from my dreamless slumber.

I crawl out of bed, and head to my closet, choosing a dark purple, flowy dress. It is fairly light, and doesn't require a corset.

I slip it on, and choose a pair of matching shoes. I brush my hair out, and pull it into a neat bun on top of my head. Looking through my jewelry box, I choose a simple silver, heart shaped locket, and clip it onto my neck.

Once I'm dressed, I head down to the dining hall. Breakfast should be being served now, and I'm famished.

All eyes are on me when I enter the room. I'm not sure if it's because they haven't seen me in days, or because they all heard the fight yesterday.

I quietly seat myself beside Alice, instead of my usual seat by my parents, thinking nothing of it.

Soon, a waiter brings out my tray, and I quietly eat my meal.

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"You can't be serious," Mother scoffs. I just told her that I'm going to the barn again today with Leonardo. "After that fight with Pier? Do you really want to risk your whole relationship over some silly street rat?"

"No- but I would risk my relationship with Pier over my horse, Mother," I retort. She rolls her eyes, and stomps out of my room. She really is like a child when she doesn't get her way.

I glance at myself in a mirror before heading out to the garden.

Right on time, Leonardo is leaning against a tree, facing away from me.

"Eh-hem," I say, causing him to turn his head.

"Oh, sorry Princess."

"I told you to call me Clarabelle," I chuckle.

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And for the next month, every day is almost the same. I get up, put on a beautiful yet simple dress, fix my hair, and head out to the garden just after breakfast. And every day, Leonardo is there, leaning against the same tree.

He always greets me as 'Princess' even though I've told him a thousand times to call me Clarabelle.

Every day, we go to the barn, and see my horse. Most days, I'll stay down there for a while, admiring all of the horses, or watching the barn hands work. Sometimes, I spend the whole day there.

Much to Pier's dismay. Our fights have been getting much worse. He'll throw things, and I'll do the same. We yell, scream and it always ends with one of us storming out. I really think it's getting out of hand.

I've been getting closer with Leonardo- and that might be getting out of hand too. But he's so much fun to be around. We can talk for hours about things, like horses, that Pier finds silly and insignificant.

Alice continues to warn me about not letting myself fall for Leonardo... And I won't. Despite his flaws, I love Pier- at least, that's what I keep telling myself.

And as I stand here in the courtyard, fighting with Pier for the umpteenth time, I have to keep reminding myself of just that- I am with Pier.

"You know how much I hate you going off with that street rat, and you keep continuing to do it anyway! Do you have no care for anyone but yourself?"

"Pier," I sigh tiredly. "He is the only one to take me to see my horse. You won't do it, Mother won't do it, and no one else will do it. Nothing is going on between us. I love you. Don't you trust me at all?"

He looks completely flabbergasted, and at a loss for words. He opens his mouth and then closes it again. Finally, his face softens.

"Of course I trust you dear. It just feels like I'm losing you. Ever since you were attacked," he trails off, before continuing. "The point is, I just worry that you'll leave me for that stable hand."

"How could you even think that? First of all, I love you. I'm only friends with him, believe me. Second, I'm a princess he's a peasant. Anything between is would be the talk of the kingdom. Which is proof that nothing is going on between us- you would have heard about it by now," I reply, offended.

He nods thoughtfully, before speaking. "If you say that there is nothing going on, then I believe you."

"I promise that we're just friends. He's just the only person I can talk to about horses," I chuckle. 'And everything else,' I mentally add.

Pier lightly kisses my forehead, and I wrap my arms around him in a hug.

"I'm sorry we've been arguing so much lately," he whispers into my hair.

"Me too," I reply. Those two words were the only things I feel that I said truthfully in this whole conversation. Why is everything I want to be true a horrible, deceitful lie?