The Princess (Available in paperback & eBook-SAMPLE)

Chapter 2

Thank you all for your support. I appreciate you. :)

(Nicholas)

I was sitting in the palace kitchen, the next morning, eating breakfast when Lucas showed up. He was looking at his cell phone, shaking his head, and muttering under his breath. I set my coffee cup down and asked him, "Is something the matter?"

"She's going to be in a bad mood," was his answer.

I frowned at him. "Who's going to be in a bad mood?"

"Evangeline." Lucas sighed and put his phone in his pocket. He turned his head and glanced at Grace, his girlfriend of three months. She was standing at one of the long tables in the center of the room, kneading bread dough. She had flour on her cheek and in her shoulder length black hair "Good morning, beautiful."

She looked up and smiled at him. "Good morning, Luke. Are you hungry?"

"For your cooking always." He pulled out a chair and sat down across from me.

"You said the princess is going to be in a bad mood." I picked up my fork. "Would you care to explain that to me?"

"Evangeline will be spending the morning with Prince Edward. A museum Edward helped build, and by build I mean give money, is having it's grand opening today. They invited the prince and princess to a ribbon cutting ceremony." Lucas scratched his jaw. "I don't have to tell you that our princess gets in a bad mood when she has to spend time with the prince."

"Can you blame her?" Grace placed a plate of food and a cup of coffee in front of Lucas. "She's being made to marry him. How can you have anything other than dislike for someone who's being forced on you?"

"Hold on a second." I frowned up at her. "Are you saying they have an arranged marriage?"

"Yes," she said. "From the moment they were born they were promised to each other."

A feeling of disgust washed over me. The princess, who was a beautiful and kind woman, was being forced to spend the rest of her life with a man she didn't choose - didn't love. My appetite suddenly gone, I dropped my fork onto my plate.

"It's wrong," Grace told me, "but there is nothing anyone can do about it." She bent down, kissed Lucas on the lips, and then went back to her bread dough.

"Penny for your thoughts, my friend," Lucas said, reaching for his cup.

"I was just thinking about how wrong it is - forcing someone to do something they don't want to do." I thought of the princess and the respect I had for her grew.

"It's a crappy situation all around," he agreed, "but like Grace said, there is nothing anyone can do about it."

"No, there isn't." And that thought saddened me.

* * *

"Good morning, Nicholas."

"Good morning, Your Highness." I bowed and then straightened up. My gaze roamed over her, taking in the pink dress she wore. Most women couldn't pull it off wearing pink. She wasn't most women. She wore it well, but then something told me she could pull it off wearing any color.

"You're staring, Mr. Hopewell," she said, smirking. "May I ask what you're thinking?"

It was the second time this morning I was asked to share my thoughts. "I'm thinking, Your Highness, that pink suits you." I cleared my throat. "You look lovely."

"Thank you, Nicholas," she uttered softly with a smile. "It's sweet of you to say. Where is-"

"Good morning, Ms. Evangeline," Lucas interrupted, coming up behind the princess. She turned and wished him a good morning in return. "Are we going to meet the prince at the museum?"

"No," she replied. "He's going to ride with us." She checked her watch. "He should be here any minute. While we're waiting I have a phone call to make. Please excuse me." She retrieved her phone from a pocket of her dress and moved away from us.

"You know, it's a good thing I showed up when I did," Lucas said. "The way you were looking at the princess had me wondering if you were going to grab her and have your way with her."

I arched an eyebrow at him. "Have my way with her? We are talking about the princess and I wasn't looking at her in that way."

"Hey," Lucas grinned, holding up his hands palm out. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I had a little crush on her highness when I first came to work here. What's not to like? She's easy on the eyes and-"

"Enough," I snapped. "I do not have a crush on her and I would appreciate it if you would shut up."

"My lips are sealed."

At that moment the prince marched into the room. Lucas and I bowed - I more stiffly than him. We both muttered 'Your Highness'. He looked at us as though we were something nasty he found on the bottom of his shoe.

"Your services are not required today," he told us coolly. "My guards will see to the princess' safety."

I looked him straight in the eyes and said politely, "I am sorry, Your Highness, but where the princess goes Lucas and I go."

"Do not disobey me," he snarled. "When I give an order I expect to be obeyed. You are nothing more than hired help and I-"

"You will not speak to him that way," the princess growled, moving to stand between the prince and I. "He is more than hired help. He is my bodyguard and he obeys me only. Nicholas, what did he say to you?"

"He told Lucas and I that our services aren't required today." I clasped my hands in front of me. "He claimed his guards would see to your safety. I informed him politely that where you go Lucas and I go. He became upset that we refused to listen to him and said that when he gives an order he expects-"

"I heard the rest." She stepped closer to the prince. "Let's get one thing straight, Edward. They go where I go and in the future you will treat them with the respect they deserve. Am I making myself clear or do you-"

"Are you finished?" the prince demanded to know. "If not then that is too bad. Thanks to your little temper tantrum we're going to be late." He turned and headed for the door. "They may come, but they will ride in a separate car."

The princess turned to face us. Her eyes were bright with anger and her cheeks were flushed. If looks could kill the prince would be dead right now. "I am sorry for his behavior," she said softly. "You didn't deserve that. No one does."

"You didn't have to apologize, Evangeline," Lucas said gently. "Nicholas and I could care less what anyone says or thinks about us."

"Our focus is on you and only you," I told her.

She gave us a smile, turned, and moved toward the door. Lucas and I followed her.