history

hopeless

lia hated the fact that she was on a plane right now. she hated that she was sitting alone, in a private airplane, doing absolutely nothing but mull over her thoughts.

most importantly, she hated herself for what she did to caitlin.

"we're about to land," a monotone voice tapped her carefully on the shoulder.

"thank you leo," lia said in a dismissive tone. if she had looked up, she would have noticed the slight recoil the man had, a rarity in his usual neutral stance.

as lia leaves the plane, leo trailing only a couple paces behind her, there are numerous black cars along the runway. she approaches the nearest one, where a young man frantically moves from the door, bowing to her as he opens the door.

"your highness, my name is arthur, i will be your driver to the palace," he stammers out frantically.

usually, that wouldn't be a problem. lia would never fuss over the little things like who was driving her. but today, it seemed like any little thing could set off the bomb.

"i don't know if you're new around here, but he is the only one that drives me. find a different car," lia motions towards leo, who retains his unreadable expression under his dark sunglasses.

"o-of course your highness, sorry to bother you." he says distressed. he begins to scurry away as lia gets into the car, and lia watches as he gets into the car in front of them.

the police barricades in bern were up as many citizens lined the street to catch a glimpse of their princess, but lia looked straight forward.

it was odd; the swiss people hadn't seen lia on a public outing since december, and they all wondered what happened. the palace didn't address it, but truly, what lia had wanted was freedom.

and she got it, for six blissful months.

until now.

her mother slams a magazine on the fragile table. lia picks it up and reads the headline.

THE SWISS PRINCESS SEEN WITH A COMMONER?

she sets it down abruptly, not even bothering to look at the photo any longer.

"do you see this? do you!?" her mother almost screams. lia's father uncomfortably winces at the tone of his wife's voice.

"they can't tell that's me. the picture was taken from the ground. they can't possibly tell," lia sighs, bringing her hand to her forehead.

"it isn't hard for them to match up that outfit with those you were photographed with at your event." her mother's voice is laced in venom.

it was her birthday for gods sake, not just any event.

"you can't tell who i'm with in that photo," lia concedes.

that was the only thing she had over her mother.

caitlin was the only thing she had.

her mother didn't know who caitlin was, and lia intended for it to stay that way.

"it shouldn't be hard to tell that it's someone you shouldn't be with!"

"liebling perhaps we should table this discussion for-" lia's father tries intervening.

"YOU'RE ONE TO TALK!" lia screams back at her mum.

the older woman almost looks shocked at the tone of her daughter's voice.

"you. are. one. to. talk." lia grits out slowly, her tone is deathly low.

"this has nothing to do with me!"

"doesn't it!? you're the one who fell in love with a commoner!" lia points to her father. "so why are you on my back for something that you have done!"

"you don't get it lia, there are things that will happen if this gets out! imagine what the public will say!" her mum points at the magazine, now faced down onto the table.

"don't worry mum. it can't get out anymore because you made me end it," lia's voice cracks.

for the first time in a week, she allows herself to cry. once a tear falls, the rest can't stop and lia's vision becomes blurry.

"shouldn't you be happy now mother? you've denied me of the only happiness i had since oma died. i have been nothing but perfect for this image you want to project to the public but this is what ticks you off!?" lia points angrily towards the magazine.

her mother stays silent.

"so don't worry at all, your royal highness. your precious little princess won't be falling in love with a commoner like her mother did."

lia storms out of the room quickly, not wanting to be anywhere near her mother.

leo bows subsequently, following behind lia.

he had not spoken to lia since being inside the plane, and before that, they had rarely talked. leo had noticed that lia was happier, but for the past week, she had been anything but.

lia made turn after turn, weaving in and out of halls, down staircases, it was like she had never left this palace.

"lia, hold on," leo tries, chasing lia down the staircase.

the girl stops abruptly, so leo does as well, keeping his distance.

"for what? there's nothing worth holding onto anymore."

"surely there's something, someone." lia hadn't told leo much. if anything, the bodyguard was mostly in the dark about the entire situation with caitlin.

"well, she's gone now. so no, there's no one to hold out hope for anymore."

leo is speechless. that couldn't have been right; lia was so happy, she was glowing. it had been the happiest leo had ever seen her.

"lia-"

the girl looks back at leo, tears streaming down her face.

"it's over leo. and it's your highness, not lia," she said, finality in her tone.

leo can't argue with her, he knows it, she knows it. so instead of opening his mouth to speak, he closes it, then bows respectfully, out of obligation.

leo was hired after lia became of age, and really, they grew into adulthood together. he was fresh out of serving for the army, she was mourning the loss of her grandmother.

everywhere lia went, leo had to follow. they became close friends throughout the years. lia went even as far as to say that leo was the only bodyguard she needed.

that was how much trust there was between the two of them.

but leo had never seen lia like this before. he didn't know how to react to her outbursts, because she rarely made scenes.

he's fairly sure though, that there was one certain australian that could heal the swiss princess.

she was just no where to be found.

-

it's back!! but really, it was mostly a spur of the moment thing. this book is still in it's building block stages. but for the very first time, you get an insight to what lia's family is like. i still don't know when i will start regularly updating this book but hopefully in a couple months :)

anyways, while you're waiting, go on and read golden blonde.
it's my oc series following the arsenal women's team. you can find it on my profile.

qotd: thoughts on the chapter and predictions for this story?

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