Chapter 18
The meeting went well between Prince Austin and Sidonna and the preparations began. I personally stayed out of Austin’s way because I took his threat rather seriously. The deadly glares he gave me told me that he was not one to be trifled with.
They would be hosting the engagement party by Sunday so Austin and his father would wait at the palace and his brothers would arrive on the morning of the wedding. Everyone seemed to be looking forward to it and it was all Sidonna could talk about.
Jeremy, the guy I had found cleaning yesterday, and I were walking through one of the hallways. He seemed like the only one who had enough of a head on his shoulders which made him easier to talk to.
“So why aren’t you getting all excited about the wedding?” I asked him.
He shrugged. “I’ve seen Sidonna have many engagement parties. I’m waiting until they both say I do before I get all sucked in.”
“Really? How come?”
“The guys always realized their mistake before it was too late.” He said casually. I giggled and I actually believed him.We continued walking for abit longer. It felt nice having someone to talk to. I could have sworn that I would have gone mad with the solitude. He was nowhere near Rolan on my scale but he did fit in as one of the people I considered family.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Claire demanded as we entered the other hall.
“I-I was just walking—“
“Not you, the help.” She looked at him with sharp eyes. “Don’t you have some hall to get cleaned? Why are you walking around like you live here or something?”
“I’m sorry your majesty—“
“No don’t apologize.” I said trying to sound really annoyed. I had come to realize that none of them in this palace had any respect for anyone beneath them. You couldn’t possibly expect to be like that. Being a street kid taught me that no matter what you do or where you came from everyone was equal. When we use to walk through the town people would turn up their noses as if we weren’t important but we weren’t much different from them except for the fact that we were dirty and they were clean; they were rich and we were poor.. I was so tired of seeing people being treated like dirt because of petty differences like that. I looked over at her. “I was having a conversation with him, and we were enjoying it until you showed up.” She gave me an incredulous look. I was half shocked at myself too. The only other time I had ever actually stood my ground was when I wanted them to keep Ezra. Maybe I was way out of my league here but she couldn’t talk to Jeremy like that. “Look if I’m a princess here then I must have some say in what the people who work for me do and at the moment I need entertainment because everyone is busy making preparations for our sister.” I added a sarcastic touch to the end. She glared at me.
“You know what your problem is? You’re jealous of Sidonna.”
“What . . . ?”
“Yeah, when you were wherever they found you you must have gotten all the attention but now someone besides you is being showered with the affection of a man. You had better get over yourself okay.”
“But that’s not true. . . “
“Oh yes it is. I see the way you look at Austin but you had better get your mind off him.”
“I don’t want Austin—“
“Yeah, sure.” She said rolling her eyes before she walked off.. I rolled my eyes too. She wasn’t nearly as important as she kept leading herself to believe. I turned to Jeremy and saw that he was hurt.
“Hey . . . don’t worry about what she said okay?”
“I try not to.” He said, brushing off the whole situation. Even though he said that it didn’t bother him the conversation never quite recovered after our little encounter with my wonderful sister. I felt bad for him, especially since I knew exactly how he felt.
* * *
The following Sunday I sat in my seat by the mirror and had myself be made up. This was a big morning for all of us. If all went well Sidonna would have her own country to worry about and she would be out of my hair. I tried to relax as they pulled at my hair. Even though it wasn’t me getting married I felt apprehensive. Austin didn’t seem like a very good guy at all. He would no doubt get worst over time. Just being around him gave me a bad vibe and after he did what he did I couldn’t wait for him to go down the aisle then go home. When he did I would be safe again but for now I was on edge.What if he tried something right before or even after the wedding I mean he could easily let one of his brothers to send for me then he would probably ‘teach me a lesson’ for not giving him his way yesterday.
After my hair was done I was instructed to head over to Sidonna’s room to collect my dress. I didn’t want to but I had to so I went anyway. Inside they were running around, trying to fit themselves into all the dresses and shoes. I did not want to stay in here with them for very long so I threw on my dress and hurried towards the door.
“Hey hold it.” Sidonna said. I turned to her with an exasperated sigh. “Look, don’t go too far we have half an hour before the wedding starts and I want everything to be perfect.”
I looked at her and for the first time I saw a desperate girl in need of a happy end. I forced a smile. “Yeah I’m just going to take a walk out in the garden to clear my head abit. I’ll be there before you do I bet.” She smiled back at me and this time the smile was genuine. Maybe she wasn’t so bad afterall.
Down in the garden I tried taking in as much of the midday sun as I could. I had to admit that today was the perfect day to have a wedding. I smiled up at the sun as he smiled down at me. For the first time since I got here I actually felt at peace. . .
“Well if it isn’t the little princess who thinks she’s better than everyone else.”
I whipped around out of reflex and saw not only Prince Austin but all five of his brothers as well. They all looked pissed but only one of them had a reason to be. They leered at me and I stepped back. One of them was enough to contend with, all six was just suicide.
“Shouldn’t you be on your way to the chapel . . . the wedding starts in twenty minutes?” I said, not taking my eyes off them for a second.
“Yeah we’ll be there; we’re just going to show you why you shouldn’t mess with our brother.” One of them said as they all made their way over to me. I tried running but as I did they grabbed hold of me. “Where do you think you’re going?” Then smack; a heavy hand landed in my face. “When my brother asks for something he expects to get it and no stuck up bitch is going to withhold anything from him!” Another smacked me; it felt twice as hard. I tried pulling away but then they just kept pushing me around in the little circle they had formed; each groping me before pushing me out again.
“Stop it!” I shrieked. They couldn’t be doing this!
“Or what? Are you going to find a lamp and slam into our heads as well?” One taunted.The others started laughing as they continued their fun.
“Oh don’t tell me you were saving this for Rolan as well.” Austin taunted, unzipping the back of my dress and running his hand inside my bra. I tried pulling away from him and he shook me but didn’t let go.
“What are you talking about?” One of his brothers asked.
“Oh she said I couldn’t have her because she was saving her special time for that arrogant son of a bitch from the South Central Kingdom."
"Rolan?'
"Yeah that."
"Well if that's the case . . ." One of his brothers said as he walked over to us. He grabbed a fistful of my hair. "Get on the floor bitch!" He threw me on the floor. I fell badly on my hand and could feel it throbbing. I winced as I tried looking up at them. "We're gonna see just how long you can hold on to that little gift of yours." He smirked down at me then gestured for his brothers to come closer. Austin looked alittle confused but after his brothers took a hold of some part of me and pinned me to the floor he got the idea.
"Get off of me!" I screamed. That only made them tightened their grip. Prince Austin moved in and I began frantically twisting in the hopes and breaking free. I wouldn't let this happen--I couldn't!
He got into position and I began panicking. I tried my hardest to keep my legs shut but his brother forced them to remain open.
"No . . .please don't . . ." Despite my beginning he continued his advanced. When he crushed his lips against mine my screaming became muffled. I bit down on his lip the moment I felt him inside me. He pulled his face away immediately and I screamed, as loud as I could while the shock slowly set in. He got frustrated and slapped his hand over my mouth. I twitched and couldn't feel myself move; they had a firm grip on me. I laid in resignation; waiting for him to just finish. There was no fighting him and his brothers off and I no longer had anything to lose. Tears came to my eyes as that thought crossed my mind. I had been saving it for Rolan and he just took it. Without so much as a little concern he had me. The whole time I laid there I tried not to cry but that became hard when his brothers all decided to take turns. My will power broke after that and the tears started gushing.
I-I wanted Rolan! It was either him or death!
When the last was done they got up and straightened their suits. Prince Austin smirked at me then they all walked away. He was headed to the wedding and he would pretend that nothing happened. I felt sick to my stomach.
I wanted a bath; I wanted to wash everything away. Wash away their touch, their kisses--everything. Rolan would probably never want to touch me again . . .I had to see him. I couldn't go on anymore, this was enough, I had had it, I wanted to go home.
Slowly I got up from the floor. My dress was torn and was stained in blood. I stared down at the dress that fell to my ankle for a few seconds. I hated it. I hated it all. I fell too contained. My eyes glanced over to the meadow that blended so well with the garden. It reminded me of . . . oft he meadow back home . . . Without thinking I grabbed hold off my dress and ripped everything below my knee.
Freedom!
I looked back to the meadow and before my brain could send the message on my feet bolted towards it. I was getting out of here. I didn't care if I got lost because somehow I would find my way home!
I continued running and didn't stop until it was too late. I had run right into the wedding procession as they made their way to the chapel. Everyone looked appalled. Mother began walking over to me; she seemed the most shocked. She reached a hand toward me as she made slowly steady steps. "Sweetheart . . . what happened . . .?" Before she could get close enough to grab me I shot off again. They wouldn't keep me here, I would'nt give them the opportunity to.
"Someone stop her!" I heard Father order.
That only made me run faster. This was it. My big escape and he wanted to catch me?! He could screw himself!
I glanced back briefly and saw that I had a good distance between me and the guards. That was good because I had no intention of being caught and seeing that only gave me a boost. I kept running and with the extra cover from the forest I was soon able to lose them. I didn't stop running then though; I kept going, I had to. I didn't want it to get to this but as I had said earlier, I would have rather been lost than stuck there . . .in that place of horror.
Someone once told me that it was the honour of a princess to remain still and do as she was told. That was all I ever heard. The Honour of Princess . . .no one ever told me about the dishonour of a princess. . .