3rd Person
Aiden got home, and reporters were already flooding around the outside of the carriage.
"Prince Aiden!" one called as he stepped out.
He gave them his sweetest smile. "Hi," he replied.
"How are you today?" another spoke.
"I'm doing alright. How about you?"
"I'm good. Are the rumors about Princess Arundhati Shah being abducted true?"
Aiden faltered with his words. "I-uh-not my place. Queen Urvashi could address this better than I could," he finally answered.
"How do you feel about the princess? We all know that you have had an on-and-off relationship with her."
Aiden's eyes widened. "Uh, she is amazing."
"That wasn't really an answer for the question."
"Oh, yeah, whoops. Shah is an awesome friend to me. She is sweet, and her presence just warms a room."
"Could you two ever be more? Thousands of fans now ship you two."
Aiden glanced at his mother, who was moving through the crowd, and she had made her way to Kara. He worriedly looked back at the reporter.
"No one knows what the future may hold for any of us. I must get going now," he answered.
He pushed through the crowds, and he loosened his tie until it was completely undone. Cameras flashed around the royal family. His mother wrapped an arm around his shoulder and guided him to the end of the reporters.
"Hey!" Kara smiled. "How was the ball?"
"Shah is missing, so not that great."
"Arundhati should be the least of your problems."
"She's my friend, Kara. She always will be as long as I quit messing things up."
"You lived without her before, you can live without her now."
"That's enough, Kara!" Aiden snapped. "I could drop you just as quickly as you can blink."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Make one more snide remark about Shah, and I will, Kara."
Kara ran her tongue over her teeth, wondering whether she would make another comment about Aru.
"I get it, Aiden. You're going to dump me for someone more in your league. You both are the lowest of the low."
"We're done," Aiden said, ending their relationship.
Reporters swarmed around him as he walked away.
The same interviewer from before came up to Aiden. "Does this mean that there is a chance for Princess Arundhati?"
Aiden turned to the gentleman. "Ya know? There just might be. It just depends if she likes me back or not."
"Likes you back?"
"Yeah. Kara fogged my head. I now realized that... maybe I do like Aru. Maybe Kara was just a bump in the road for me. Kara just isn't for me."
"I'm sure all of your beloved fans would love to hear this."
Aiden smiled and continued to walk to his castle just up the driveway. He looked at the white and green castle that he called home.
"Home is where the heart is," Aiden's father said, walking down the driveway. "Welcome home again, son."
"My heart isn't here, though," Aiden sighed. It's in Byburn, and maybe with Aru, he thought.
-Back in the cell-
"Mom?!" Aru smiled.
"Aru!" her mom sniffled, walking into the light.
"I'm so sorry," Krithika cried.
"For what?" Aru asked, trying to pull the chains so she could get closer to her.
"For being such a bad parent. I should've focused on you, Aru. But I was suffocating in self-pity, so I didn't pay you as much attention as I should've."
"It's okay, mom. I just like that you're admitting it."
Krithika walked over and hugged her daughter. "Why are you all chained up?"
"Suyodhana."
"Your father?"
"Yeah. Did you not see my whole fiasco over there?"
"No. I was asleep then I heard you scream. Did he hurt you?"
Aru looked down at the cut on her arm. She didn't want to worry her mother. "No, mom. I was just scared."
"Now, that's pathetic. Lying to your mummy," Sebastian said, leaning against one of the stone walls near the stairs.
Aru pulled against her chains, trying to tackle Sebastian.
"You betrayed Byburn!" she screamed.
"Why do are you so affected by this? It shouldn't bother you."
"I'm heir to that throne, Sebastian. What do something were to happen to the king and queen while I was here, chained up and in rough shape?"
"Rudra or one of the sisters could take care of Byburn. Don't you realize?"
"Realize what?"
"That they will forget about you as soon and news of Kara and Aiden breaking up hits the papers and television stations."
"Huh?" Aru asked.
"Did you not know? Aiden broke up with Kara for a special someone."
"Who?" Aru asked, her voice shaking from the pain.
"You."
Aru sunk to the floor. Her legs felt like jelly. Tears threatened to run down her cheeks. Her vision became blurry from the water that had welled up in her eyes.
"This-this is a joke, right?"
"Sadly, no. He deserves so much better than you."
Krithika made her way over to Sebastian slowly, staying close to the walls, so she blended in with the shadows.
"Oh, and the reason I'm down here is that your father wanted me to tell you to get prepared for your wedding."
"I'm not marrying anyone. What are you even talking about?"
"Well, your father has arranged for us to get married."
"What?!"
The waterworks started. Tears streamed down her face, some running into her cut. Aiden finally liked her just as she was going to marry someone else. And just as she realized that maybe Aiden wasn't all that great. All she wanted was one of the hugs that Fischer gave to her when she was feeling down.
Krithika picked up a piece of slate from the ground and hit Sebastian over the head with it. She dropped the rock onto his back, not caring if she injured him more.
"No one orders my daughter around," Krithika said, glaring at Sebastian's passed-out body.
She rummaged through Sebastian's pockets to see if he had a key to the chains that were locking up Aru. She quickly found one and helped her daughter get unchained.
The first thing Aru did was wrap her arms around her mother again. She melted into the hug, still crying, but into her mom's shoulder.
"It's okay. We will figure a way out of here," Krithika said, holding Aru tight. "You will not marry that jerk."
"Maddyx has a crush on him," Aru slightly laughed.
"I don't know why. I prefer Prince Fischer any day."
"He's my best friend, mom!"
"Now, you two would make a cute couple."
"I'll just try to figure a way out of here without my father realizing," Aru said, trying to avoid the topic.
"Well, the only thing I like about Sebastian is how he looks. His personality and everything else is a different story."
"Mom!" Aru laughed.
Aru had to admit, Sebastian was kinda cute.
His black poofy hair with a bit of curl to it sat on top of his head. Sometimes, it covered his eyes. For being only a year older than Aru, he had a sharp jawline.
He normally wore dark-colored clothes. A black turtleneck and black khaki pants hugged his body. If it wasn't for him betraying Byburn, maybe Aru would like him.
Aru looked around the room. How could they get out?
Well, Aru had had enough of Sebastian, so she chained him up and put keys just out of his reach.
How could her father ever imagine her getting married to Sebastian? Aru didn't know. It was all just a big mystery to her.
Aru and her mom walked up the steps as quietly as they could, just to be met by Suyodhana.
"I must admit. Together, you two are awfully clever."
"She gets it from me," Krithika said, pushing Aru behind her.
"Well, Sebastian should wake up soon. Before that happens, Aru, I have picked out five wedding dresses for you to choose from."
"You do realize I'm fifteen right?" Aru asked, coming out from behind her mother.
"Yes, yes. This is why you will have a party for your sixteenth birthday, then you can marry Sebastian."
"No. I will marry who I want and when I want. I'm capable of making my own decisions!"
"That's debatable. You wanted to go back to Byburn where-"
"Where gardens grow with the brightest flowers anyone has ever seen. Where I grew up. Where my friends and family are!" Aru interrupted.
"Your mum and I family, Arundhati. We are here, in Cata."
"Brynne and Mini are just like my sisters. Maddyx and Diana are also like the sisters that I never had. I'm not leaving them!"
"Brynne and Mini will stab you in the back the first chance they get. Brynne was hostile towards you when you first arrived at the castle. Yamini was with Brynne. You'll let them in. You'll hold them close."
"No. They are my true friends."
"You'll think that you guys are friends, but then they will slowly turn into your enemies. You will be surprised at how they turned on you so fast. Your blood will flow like a river because you trusted them the most."
"Stop it, Suyodhana! Leave our daughter alone!" Krithika yelled.
His gaze turned to Krithika. His two different colored eyes were stuck on her. He raised an eyebrow, and his jaw shifted.
"What did you just say to me?"
"I think you heard me loud and clear. Aru will never want to stay with you if you keep pressuring her into things she doesn't want to do. You need to keep her opinion in the factors of making a decision."
"Since when are you parent of the year?"
"Stop it! Mom was there for me more than you ever were. She deserves every award in my book. I don't know who you think you are if you think we are pushovers," Aru yelled.
"Help?" Sebastian's voice came from down the stairs.
"Shut up, Sebastian!" all three replied.
The Sleeper turned back to Aru. "You will do as I say, you will stop being so inconsiderate by interrupting and butting in, and you will stay in Cata! This is not up for debate!"
"It is up for debate. I will win this war, father. I will win every dispute with you. I will go back to Byburn, I will do what I want, and I will keep interrupting until you stop being such a jerk!" Aru replied, walking past her father and to the main stairs, which led to outside.
"If you leave, I will get you back, Arundhati."
"I'd like to see you try and stop me."
"Guards!" Suyodhana called. "Make sure Arundhati stays in Cata!"
Men started walking to hold Aru back.
"Guards, no," Krithika said. "You lay one finger on my daughter, and you will be done for."
"You have no power over them."
"Last I remember, we are still married. You are king, so technically, I'm queen. DIdn't see that one coming, did you?" Krithika smirked.
AN: I was actually able to update today : ) Yay. Hope is M.I.A. now. We have switched roles, apparently. I'll let yall know when I get ahold of her again. I hope you have an amazing night/day.
Remember: be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. If someone is judging you, that's their problem. They don't know what they're missing out on.