Eve sat on the window sill of her bedroom, her eyes scanning the sky as the sun disappeared slowly over the horizon, leaving orange streaks melding into the gray skies in it's wake.
Another day, another Prince to deal with. Gideon had returned to Gems a day after he arrived Celin, refusing to stay a second longer. She had managed to convince him that she was not worth the trouble of risking a war with Graceland. The same could be said of the various Princes that came her way, for each day, she found a new way to send them on their merry way back to their kingdoms.
Father was visibly furious. She could not begin to count how many arguments she got into with him in the space of one week. And to drive home his point, he had her detained in her room, barring her from leaving the palace or it's grounds until she was married off in two weeks. He also had Amir locked up in a dungeon for daring to help her escape whenever a Prince arrived Celin to court her. Amir was caught horse back riding with her that unfortunate evening. As it was, she was a prisoner in her own home and she had not set eyes on Amir in three days.
She had cried, cried all she could but Father would not give in. So, she settled on a hunger strike and if the need arises, she would die in her battle for Mark but she would not go down without a fight.
She heaved a breath as she brought her head to rest on the side of the window. From her bedroom window, she could see the city of Celin quite clearly. The people went about their business without a care in the world, if only they had an inkling that their princess was trapped in the palace like a mere prisoner. She watched as the local children played around the streets, running and laughing, the wind carrying their hair and swishing it back and forth as they ran.
She gasped as a small blonde haired child tripped on her dress and fell in a mud puddle. Then, without warning, the child leaped to her feet, laughing and bouncing up and down. A woman she presumed was her mother looked horrified but as soon as she reached to grab her, she slipped out of her grip and went running with her friends. Eve laughed for the first time in days, tears slipping down her face. She wanted to be that child; to be allowed to run wild, to fall down and to be given the chance to pick herself up and do it all over again. She wanted to live her own life and make her own mistakes. She wanted to laugh at her own short comings and blunders and stand back up, dust herself and run wild again. She wanted to live.
Still, perhaps she was being selfish. Perhaps just like the child's mother, she failed to see the heartache her shortcomings was causing Father. She failed to see how her actions was hurting him.
Could she really sacrifice her freedom for Father's happiness? Hadn't she done the very thing, choosing a life in the palace, choosing confinement, learning what was expected of her as a princess instead of spending time with girls her age? She sighed.
Her eyes scanned the streets once more for the little girl but she could not find her. Instead, she saw a royal carriage she did not recognise as belonging to Father, making it's way to the palace. Another Prince had arrived. She took a long, deep breath and let it out slowly. When would this madness end?
She rose up from the window sill and stepped back into the room. She lifted her hands up and pulled the long curtains close as a knock sounded on her door.
****
Adrianna stood frightened at the door of Eve's bedroom. It had been a month since she last saw Eve and she had been completely satisfied with the whole arrangement until last evening when the King summoned her to his quarters and ordered her to resume service to Eve. She did not know how to feel about the king's decree but she was left with no choice.
It had taken every ounce of bravery left in her joints to walk up the long stairways to Eve's quarters and to stand before her bedroom door.
She stood for a few seconds after knocking and heard no sound. She pounded on the door again then pushed it slightly. Eve stood by her bedroom window, curtains in hand. At the sound of the door cracking open, she turned her head slightly to come face to face with Adrianna.
Her eyes were swollen, her face white and a pink dot stained her nose. She had been crying. Eve looked completely different from the princess she had known and had been with in Greece. She looked battered and hurt.
“Princess” Adrianna bowed her head. “The king...”
“What do you want, Adrianna?” Eve sounded tired.
“I am ordered to serve you, Princess”
She heard what sounded like a wounded animal's attempt at laughing emanate from Eve's lips.
“To serve me or to keep me imprisoned? Father would have me locked up in this room and have you keep guard over me” Her eyes filled with tears. “No one understands me, not Father and definitely not you. I do not need your service Adrianna, just leave.”
“I cannot possibly disobey the king”
“An unfortunate Prince has just arrived to seek my hand in marriage. Go and see to his care” She waved her hand in dismissal.
“Princess, I am ordered not to leave your side”
“Adrianna!” Eve yelled, green veins lining her neck. “You will leave my presence. Father might have taken Amir away but he cannot force a maid on me. Now, leave!”
Adrianna could not possibly disobey the king neither could she ignore Eve's orders. What was she going to do now, why was she being dragged into the messy relationship between the king and the princess?
“I will wait outside” She said, settling on the best available option.
She pulled the door open and stepped out. Leaning her head against the door, she slid to her knees and sighed.
After a few hours, she heard loud foot steps making it's way to her. She rose to her feet and swept her hands down her dress in an attempt to straighten the grease it must have acquired due to her kneeling for so long and also to ward off any dust that must have clung to it from the floor.
A figure of a guard came into full view as he approached and halted before her.
“The princess is ordered to prepare herself for a guest” He stated simply and walked back down the hall.
She heaved a breath. Not again! She did not want to face Eve, absolutely not! Deciding that she was left with no other choice, she pushed Eve's bedroom door wide open; the room was empty.
YOU ARE READING
WRONG #complete
Teen Fiction"You must find him, the man with the..." "The greasy shirt and turkey on his laps" She echoed Eve. "Of course I must. If only to shut you up! But does this greasy shirt man even have a name or must I go around town arresting every stranger who might...
