Royale (Book #1 Royale Series) {Under Revision}

Chapter Nine {Revised}

          

Juliana

"No, No, No. You've got it all wrong, my darlings," our dance instructor, Eric, reprimands us for the hundredth time in one hour.

Aspen and I sigh in exhaustion.

"What do you want from us? We're doing all the steps right," I say desperately to Eric.

"It is not enough to them correctly, Princess. It's how you do them that makes all the difference."

I glance at Aspen with an outraged expression on my face, but he just shrugs. He seems much less unaffected by the amount of time we've had to repeat the same steps over again than I am.

"This dance needs to be intimate and passionate. This is the first time you're stepping out to present yourselves as a couple to your subjects. You need paint a picture of love at first sight for them. With everything taking place with the rebels, both Albionian and Isolian alike, they need something to root for," Eric tells us.

I again look at Aspen, but his feelings are undeterminable. As if everything Eric is saying is going through one ear, and back out the other.

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask, concerned.

"I'm fine. Let's just get these dance moves right," he assures me.

I realize then that though he stands before me, he is not here. His mind has drifted to another place, and I am not welcome. Most likely, he thinks of her. The maid. His deceased lover. Though my demons haunt me in the night, perhaps his plague him in broad daylight. During moments as intimate as this one.

I quickly try to refocus my mind on the dance. Whatever the prince's burdens, they are not mine to bear.

"Eric, why do we need to look like we're in love? Every country knows that this is an arranged marriage. Do you honestly think anyone cares if we look like we're in love or not?" I ask him, not only as a break from his dancing demands but also out of genuine curiosity.

"Yes, I do. What's a primary reason people join the rebellion? Because they oppose the monarchy," he answers his own question. "And a marriage that is depicted as being an unhappy one leads to an unhappy rule together. And if the people sense an unhappy rule, that's where the opposition begins," he tells me.

I am not sure if there is truth in his statement, but he definitely catches my attention. And his words make a sliver of sense.

I sigh and turn back to Aspen. I swallow my angst and place my hand in his palm. I set my other hand lightly on his shoulder and he lays his free hand, the one that is not gripped in my own, on the small of my back.

My baby doll dress practically exposes my entire back. His touch sends goosebumps marching down my spine and I can only hope Aspen doesn't notice me shiver. We begin to slowly spin around the ballroom until once again, Eric stops us.

"Are you two betrothed, or are you brother and sister?" Eric barks. "Here, allow me," he says exasperatedly before walking over to Aspen and me and abruptly pushing the both of us together until there isn't a centimeter of his chest that isn't connected to mine. "Prince Aspen, the princess is not a piece of glass. She will not dissolve if you add a little pressure."

Says him, I think.

"You are hardly touching her. Wrap your arm around her and pull her toward you."

Very slowly, Aspen obeys the dance instructor and eases his arm around me, gently pulling me closer as he does so. Every nerve in my body stands in attention.