Chapter 3: The Acceptance
The walk back to the castle was miserable John, Shea, and I didn’t know what to say. It didn’t seem so bad now, to marry someone I didn’t know. Especially compared to what those people were going through.
“I don’t know what to say.” John said. “I mean, how did you know about the kingdom, and it’s history?” He looked at Shea.
Sheala did not answer right away, after a minute or two she said, “My father was a history teacher at the palace. He taught your cousin, and he also taught me a lot of things.”
“What do you mean was a history teacher, is he like, retired now?” I asked.
“No, he was in that graveyard that we just visited, along with my mother, and my youngest brother.” She sounded sad, but she didn’t dwell on it. Wow, I’ve known Sheala since we were really young, how could I not know about this. How could I not know about any of this, I mean I knew her mother was gone and I also knew that her younger brother had been sick, but how could I not know that her father was a teacher, let alone dead. Who takes care of her then?
“I’m sorry.” I said because I didn’t know what to say.
She looked at me as if I was crazy. “Sorry for what?”
“For your loss, and for not knowing about your loss. For having no idea what the kingdom was going through.” I sounded hysterical. I mean what did she think I was sorry for?
“Lizzy, the only reason you didn’t know about this, is because I never brought it up, it was too painful. How could you possibly know about the kingdom when nobody ever told you, this is why I brought you here, so you could know what was happening in your kingdom before you made your decision that could affect everybody’s life.”
“I don’t want that kind of power, the choice that can affect so many different lives.”
“I know, and it’s not fair to you that you have to make a decision this big, but life isn’t fair, the world isn’t fair, and it is NOT fair for the people suffering in the kingdom either.” Sheala sounded so certain, and so wise she was a year younger than me, but she seemed many years older than me when she talked like that.
“There’s the palace.” John said. I looked up, it looked so gloomy. Well, actually it didn’t look any different than usual, just the thought of going in there and changing my future.
“It’s time for me to do this.” I said, taking a deep breath.
“Have you thought about what you are going to say to your parents and the King and Queen of Bergecees?” John asked me.
“No, but I suppose I will apologies, yeah that’s a good way to start, with an apology, right?” I really didn’t know what I would say to them, how do I make what I did right. I know my mother will be furious with me.
Sheala and John smiled encouragingly. “Go ahead,” Shea said “I know you can do this, just walk in there and apologize, and accept the proposal.”
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I was standing at the palace doors, I took a deep breath, opened the doors and walked in. As soon as I walked in I could hear the people arguing, It was past midnight, for sure, I turned to a passing maid. “Mary?” I called to her.
“Oh, Yes?” she responded, she must not have noticed me when I walked in.
“How long has that been going on after I left?”
“All day, I’m so glad you are back, so you can get this mess straitened out.”
“What mess?”
“Well...” she looked uncomfortable. “Why don’t you just go see.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath, I’m fine I told myself. I started walking towards the door, I was focusing on keeping from hyperventilating. I knocked on the doors to the dining room... and whispered “Can I come in?” my voice sounded small, and to my great horror scared. I could hear a chair scrambling to get up, and then the door was flung open,
SMACK! My mother slapped me across my check, and then screamed, “How dare you yell at the king and queen of TWO kingdoms, and then RUN out of the palace!” So much for not raising our voices.
I was frozen in place I could not figure out why she reacted this way. I have never been hit, I mean ever. Collin burst out laughing, and the prince- future husband actually glared at Collin. This confused me, what did he care if my cousin laughed at me?
“Meredith, why don’t we let her explain to us why she left, instead of smacking her, and yelling.” My father had a totally calm voice, but he was looking at me angrily. He always had a more level head than my mother. She huffed, but she then went and sat down. My father had a way of calming her down. She went and sat back down by him and held his hand. They loved each other. I wanted a love like that.
“Begin,” the King of the other kingdom said. I took a breath, and let go of the thought I just had.
His voice had so much authority to it that I fumbled to begin, “I was shocked,” I began, “I mean, I’ve never giving any thought to marriage, at least not yet.” the word ‘marriage’ came out sounding like a curse word. I tried softening it by adding the ‘at least not yet.’ “And when you told me that I had to marry someone that I did not know, Well I was shocked. I was a little angry and I wondered why, so I went and took a walk,” I made sure to leave John and Sheala out of this. If this was going to get anyone in trouble, it would be me. “I went to the poor parts of the kingdom, and I saw how all of these people live, it horrified me. I decided that to help the kingdom and the people in it live and thrive, I would have to join our two kingdoms. And marry your prince.”
“Spoken like a true princess.” The King of Bergecees said. This time he sounded softer, more understanding.
“I truly am sorry. I did not mean to offend any of you.” And it was true, it was not personal, I was surprised and I am sorry for offending them.
“Well Prince Alexander Sonas Portsontas, do you accept Princess Elizabeth-Marie Depore’s apology?” The Queen of Bergecees asked. She sounded very formal. A business transaction rather than the future of her son’s- and my happiness.
He looked at the anxious faces of my parents, and at me, which I hadn’t realized until now that my dress had mud, snags, and tears in it. My hair was a little knotted and had mud and grass in it. “Sure” he said, “I accept your apology.” My parents sighed of relief.
“Alright, well we will stay until morning, and then we will take Princess Elizabeth-Marie Depore back with us to our palace.”
What? Back to their palace, why? I still had three years before I had to marry anyone. But I had already gotten into too much trouble today to argue with them, besides I was staying awake on borrowed time. I was in desperate need of sleep. I drifted off as they were making final arrangements. I mean who really cares about the boring talk about what happens in the future? When I need sleep in the present.
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Okay guys, I would like to say that this will get better! I know it may be boring now, but please stick with it, and remember to rate and comment! Thanks everybody!
