Crownless

ⅩⅩⅩⅩⅢ

Aurora

"Chris?" I whispered, my voice cracking from crying.

I spot one of the guards from the corner of my eyes and I ask him to escort him and whoever is with him to my room until I get there. He nods and bows lightly before leaving to get Chris.

I look over to my dad who was sat too calm for this situation. I don't understand why he agreed so fast, I feel betrayed. I feel unwanted.

"Dad?" I call out to him. "Can I talk to you, please?" I wipe away my tears, but it's no use as the tears keep coming. I get up from my seat and walk away to the corridor outside followed by my dad.

"What is it, Aurora?" 

"How could you?" I ask calmly, not having any energy to yell.

He sighs, running his hand down his face.

"I know it seems bad-"

"Seems bad?" I cut him off. "No, it is bad! I know I'm not a great princess but that does not make me so useless that you'd marry me off as a peace offering!"

"Aurora!" He roared and I shut my mouth. I had never heard this side of him, and I fear it. "I will not put lives in danger just because you want a little freedom. We're here to serve our kingdom, not the other way around. And I'd be damned if I let a war start over a dumb marriage."

"I'm not saying we should start a war!" I argue back. "I'm saying you agreed way too easily! It's like you don't even want me here! We could find another way-"

"No." He states. "There is no other way, and that's final. You're too young to know what it takes to take care of a kingdom." 

He leaves me speechless and drowning in my own tears. My sisters walk in after he left, engulfing me in tight hugs, letting my cry on their shoulders, as they shed some tears of their own.

I dry off my tears, remembering Chris is waiting for me in my room. Oh god he's gonna hate me so much! I've kept the biggest part of my life a secret and now I'm going to get married to the person we hate most! How am I going to explain all of this?

I walk with my sisters to my room. I dismiss the guard who was standing there after thanking him for bringing Chris here. Apparently Lydia is also here.

I take a deep breath and open the door, revealing a distressed Chris pacing around my room and Lydia trying to calm him down. They stop in their tracks and look at us in shock.

I was about to say something when I got engulfed in a bone crushing hug. Wow, I didn't expect that. I thought he'd be angry or something.

"Are you okay?" He asked me, looking into my eyes once he pulled away. That's all it took me to break down again. I pulled onto him as I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in the fabric of his suite as I let my tears fall freely. I could feel my sisters and Lydia watching us in sympathy as Chris continued to rub my back in attempt to calm me down. Then I heard the door open and close, I assume the girls left us alone. 

Eventually I was out of tears, and that's when the hiccups came. I pulled away, noticing the huge tear stain on Chris's suit. I graze it with my finger before apologizing and telling him I'd pay for another suit for him. 

"Hey, It's fine it's just some clothes. It doesn't matter, but you do." He reassures me, cupping my cheek and wiping away some leftover tears gently with his thumb.

"You don't hate me?" I ask confused.

"What? No!" He shakes his head. "Why would I ever hate you?"

"Because," I hiccuped, sniffling a little. "I lied to you. I kept my true identity a secret, and this entire time you've been friends with a fake and a liar and- I'm so sorry." I sob.

"Do you still like riding horses?" He asks calmly.

"Uh, yeah.." I answer, not knowing where he's going with this.

"Do you still care about nature?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you still struggle with calculus 3?"

"Unfortunately..."

"Will you still be there for me if I ever need you?"

"Of course! In a heartbeat!"

"Then I haven't been friends with a fake. Aurora, you're still the same amazing person I've known this past year. Only thing that's different is that you're a princess! I mean I know I always called you princess, but I never meant it literally. And I understand why you might have had to keep it a secret. I don't blame you." He tells me, holding my hands in his own. 

I let out a breath that I didn't know I was holding and smile at him gratefully. He really knew what to say. What did I do to deserve him?

"And I see even as a princess you don't take off your necklace?" He smiles.

I shake my head, a grin finding it's way onto my face. 

"Duh! This means way more to me than any grand jewelry I own." 

We laugh lightheartedly and I am so grateful that he made me forget about the situation on our hands.

"So, your highness, care to show me around your beautiful country?" He asks me, swinging our hands while doing so. 

"Gladly!" I exclaim as I lead him out of my room, texting my sisters, asking where they are. We agree to meet at the royal garden, and so we go there.

As soon as I get there I get crushed in yet another hug by Ella, Seema, Lydia and Aya. I hug back and chuckle. At least they care about me.

"I'm fine, guys." I lie. And I know they see right through it, but they ignore it nonetheless.

"I can't believe you're princesses!" Lydia squeals. 

We laugh and nod. 

"I'm pretty meh but I guess I am." I joke and stop laughing once I see everyone glare at me. 

"You know, we met an old lady at a diner who adored you." Lydia stated and my eyes widened.

"You met Stormie?" I smiled.

"Maybe? I don't know her name." 

"Point is, Aurora, everyone loves you! They're all so happy about everything you've done for them!" Chris exclaimed with a grin.

"I guess I'm not so bad after all." I chuckle. "Now come on, I have a country to show you too! Starting with my favorite place in this entire castle; the garden! I grew some of it myself." I grin proudly.

We show our friends all around the castle before we have to talk to our parents about them knowing who we are. 

I will not get married to Jake. Nor will I put my kingdom in danger. I will find a way, even if it meant fighting on my own. 

I will not be silenced. Not anymore.