The Fourth Kingdom

Chapter One

Flowers dripped with blood and the guests watched with a look of disgust and hatred but I continued down the endless aisle. My hands clasped a bouquet of cold dead flowers wrapped in a dirty cloth; I swallowed heavily and tore my eyes away from the horrific sight. The sight ahead of me was even worse. A man stood in the archway clad in black, as I approached I realised he wore a mask and his features were unrecognisable and his body language unreadable. I tried to slow down or stop but my legs made me move towards the terrifying figure. I arrived at the alter, cold grey hands took the bouquet and I was left to stare at the man in front of me.

"Princess" the officiator dressed in a deep red guided my hand into the man's and I shook uncontrollably.

His other hand removed his mask and I clenched my jaw in grim anticipation, what was underneath made me sick.

A black skull dripping with blood.

I screamed.

"Your Highness!" Hands shook me gently and I gasped abruptly and sat up to see Amie, my maid, staring down at me with worry in her eyes. "Your guards called for me as soon as you started screaming!" I looked and saw she was in her nightclothes with a gown tied hastily over the top, of course my guards were forbidden from entering my chambers, especially when I was indecent.

"Apologies Amie I was just having a nightmare" I whispered, clutching my knees to my chest and sniffed.

"The same one?" She asked gently, placing a hand on the figure at the foot of my bed, he lifted his head and looked around before standing up and walking towards me curling up next to me and placing his head on my leg.

"Hey Jack" I smiled lightly at the Labrador with sad eyes staring up at me. "Yes, exactly the same"

"I'm telling you this one more time, you wont even see him when you're married"

"What happens when the kingdom needs an heir? He won't hesitate!" I half exclaimed and Amie shushed me carefully.

"You haven't even met him yet, El" She squeezed my arm lightly then stood up. "Your Father is addressing the Kingdom tomorrow so you will be on camera and I can only do so much with makeup so you need some sleep"

"Of course, thank you Amie" I smiled and watched her leave before turning over and attempting to fall back to sleep, usually its easy with Jack's steady breathing always nearby but the thought of meeting the prince, the crown prince, my future husband set my teeth on edge and even Jack couldn't soothe me.

With one hand on his back I managed to fall into a rough sleep, the same dream penetrating my thoughts for hours.

A knock at the door indicated my wake up to which I did effortlessly,

"A princess must adapt to the needs of her kingdom" is what my mother says, the kingdom doesn't need me awake at six but my teachers do and disappointing Lady Nash was a simple action but she doesn't let it go for about two years. Once when I was seven I needed the toilet during a lesson and everyday for the next few months every lesson she would ask have you used the restroom Princess Elaine or will you disturb my lesson again? It was tedious and that was exactly how I learned to use the toilet at particular times to prevent Lady Nash, my mother or even my sister from finding some way to scold me. Unfortunately there are many other scenarios were I could be scolded, holding my fork too tightly (or even too loosely), standing to close to anyone, talking to anyone, making a face that wasn't straight. Anything really, anything my mother or father deemed incorrect or improper. That's the life of a princess even if I'm not the crown princess, that's down to Hailen who will one day be Queen and will make my life a living hell if I don't marry and get out her kingdom. We don't have the best relationship...