Accidentally on Purpose

Chapter Two

The familiar sound of heels colliding with the tile and the flurry of workers getting ready for a press conference fills the halls around me as I stand by the front door downstairs listening to my father go over everything that needs to be covered in the press conference. My mom stands with her arm wrapped through his, not for show but because they can't stand to be apart. My eyes rest on them as I think about my future that I am forced by law to have with Leo Olsson.

He is my cousins best friend, and to be completely honest, I'm not sure why I don't like him. I think part of it has to do with a lack of trust, but something about that man has always given me weird vibes. I feel like he has the wrong intentions in his heart, and the gut feeling I have had since the day I met him has always driven my feelings towards him.

I do not like him, nor do I trust him. In four years' time, I will have children with him, and that thought alone causes me to shudder.

"Are you okay Emelie?" my twenty year old brother, Julian asks.

My eyes snap to his face.  With blemish free skin, dirty blonde hair, and dark blue eyes creased in concern, his looks definitely took after our Mom.

"Yes, I'm great," I reply, putting on an impenetrable mask that has protected me from talking about my feelings since I was born.

Being royal and constantly in the public eye, I have practically mastered a mask over my face. I can make myself look bored even with a gun to my head. Showing fear in the eye of the public will make me look weak. If I look weak to my people, they will think I can't handle this country. I have been taught since the day I was born how to hide my true feelings until I get somewhere private. Only when I am alone do I allow myself to cry.

Julian squints at me like he doesn't believe me, but I hold my facial expression and tune into my fathers' conversation.

"-wish we knew why the crime rate was going up. We can't go out there telling the people we don't know what to do. We need to spread hope-"

"We don't have any hope to spread right now, Theodor." Prime Minister Oscar says. "All you can do is reassure the public that we will be cracking down on law-breakers, and that we are doing everything within our power to solve what is trouble the public."

Dad nods. "You're right," he glances down at his watch and sighs. "We need to head out there now."

"Are you ready, or do you want to go over your speech one more time?" Prime Minister Oscar asks politely.

"I'm ready," Dad glances at his personal guard, Lawrence, and nods. "Let's head out there."

Each royal gets their own personal guard who accompanies them anywhere outside of the castle walls, or to any events inside or outside the castle walls. They are there to ensure our safety, and will die before one of us does, to protect our country.

My personal guard, Patrick, puts his hand on my shoulder to guide me forward, and we step out into the sunlight.

The temporary stage in the palaces' main driveway blocks the front door from view of the crowd, but the moment the doors shut behind us, we can hear the voices of our people. The press will be in the first two rows of the crowd with cameras and microphones to record and ask us questions, and then behind them will be our citizens.

Press conferences are free to any citizens until we reach capacity for the driveway. Guards line each side of the crowd to keep people from wandering deep onto the palace grounds. For a citizen to gain entry to the conference, they must first be checked for weapons, and then sign a sheet telling us they were here. That way, if something happens during the conference, we already have a suspect list.