[For That is What a Princess Should Do]

Lost a Friend

(You can listen to the music while reading this chapter if you want :)

~ Chapter 25 ~

Elise's P.O.V

It's been a little over 4 hours since the party started and no one shows signs of wanting to leave, yet again everyone here is good at putting on an act. Especially if the emperor is around. It's 9 pm and my feet are killing me. The back of my heels is starting to scratch the back of my foot, making it bleed.

I try not to yelp every time it scratches the wound so I minimize my movement by making Eliot do all the walking for me. "Are you sure you're still thirsty, princess Elise? This is your 6th cut up punch." Eliot hesitates to give me my cup. He was right, I wasn't thirsty, actually I was full from all the punch I had drank but it was the only thing I could do since no one was talking to me.

And when I tried to talk to people they would give me short responses. That was more than enough for me to know that they didn't want to have a conversation with me. I take the cup from Elliot's hand and ignore his question. I try my best to sip a bit from the drink without gagging. I felt beyond sick.

"Eliot I want to go back-" I tried to stand up and tell him that I wanted to go back to my room when the main doors of the ballroom opened wide. I wasn't interested in entering but when everyone started to whisper and give shocked side glances my curiosity spiked.

When I looked over to see who it was I wasn't even surprised. It was more than obvious that father was going to invite Evangelina to the ball just to humiliate me. What I forgot to prepare my heart for was to see Nico by her side as if they had known each other since forever. Eliot notices my discomfort and steps in front of me to block my view.

"Princess, did you want to go back to your room?" He reached for my hand but before he could hold it I retracted it. I hid my pained expression and acted like the cold queen I was dressed to be. "No, I will stay a little longer."

I can feel the same type of feeling that I felt when Nico hid the fact that my father was going to get rid of me. Betrayal. Something not so unfamiliar with me. When I tried to go up to him everyone started to crowd around Evangelina trying to get as much detail as they possibly could. "They sure have an addiction to gossiping, don't they?" I ask no one.

I wait a bit for the crowd to dissolve and only then do I approach Nico. "Nico?" I ask. He turns around as soon as he hears his name being called and to my surprise he looks quite serious when he notices that it's me. My heart starts to throb but I ignore the feeling. "How have you been? We haven't been able to talk in a while don't you-" I get cut off by Nico's harsh tone.

"I'm sorry Princess. I'm busy taking care of Miss Evangelina. Let's talk later." His cold and blunt tone makes my stomach ache. Not because he's harsh nor because he's being cold towards me, but because he's chosen her before me. Me who he knew since I was a child. Me who he served first.

He's chosen to give his back to me and push me aside. "But Nico I-" I try to reach his arm to bring his attention back to me but when I reach for him he is no longer in my grasp. This was my first loss to her. I've lost my friend, my soldier, my alliance.