A-I-M-E-E R-A-I-N-E-C-O-U-R-T
Aimee Rainecourt.
I wrote my name on a piece of paper which comprise other zealous girls who want to succeed in achieving the crown and the title of being the prince's bride and queen. It was such a long line behind me. Fifty or so girls are waiting for their turn to write their names. I was the seventh girl in line when the King's envoy announced that overseers who came with him are here to oversee the registration. I just hasten toward the bunch of overseers and took my line silently behind a tall, brunette, noble girl. Her dress and adornments says so.
I didn't even ask consent from my parents. Nor did I even pose input from Asher who was just beside me. He knows everything about him. I told Asher when we were about fourteen. He was asking me about Beloveds that I incautiously blurted it out to him that I have found mine years ago.
I just bolted. Without reluctance.
Before I wrote my name on the sheet of paper in front of me, pen in hand, I was shaking and nervous as hell. I urged my left hand to write. One letter to another until I spelled out my entire name and signing my signature beside it. After that, I exhaled the breath that I was suppressing. Solace filled me.
The lady in front of me gave me a piece of scroll. Saying that it contains the information I needed for this trial. She said I was supposed to read it for it will give me instructions to be specifically followed. Clutching the smooth scroll carefully in both of my hands like my life depends on it, and I think it did though. My life with my beloved. I turned around and left the line of seemingly impatient girls. Their murmurs are just so loud that it increase my worries.
Still, I am scared of them. Scared to lose to them. Scared that if I lose to those girls I will not have another opportunity to meet him. I went home with the lingering fear inside me.
I was sprawled on my bed thinking. I have read the contents of the scroll. It was thrown on the floor across the room because I was feeling hopeless. There is no way I can even qualify to enter this screening or trial or whatever this is that the King had programed. By just looking at the first instruction, all my hope has bygone. Why? Because the scroll says;
"1. You need a formal dress and a ball gown. A couple or so is advised for you will have to change a couple of times."
I don't even have a formal dress. And a ball gown? Kill me. Those things are so costly. We can't afford to buy one. Well maybe if we could manage to sell this house handsomely. But that is out of my options, I don't have any other. I'm done for at this rate.
I sunk further into my mattress drowning myself in my world of misery. I was thinking of all the possibilities that could happen if we meet once again. Asking myself on how I would likely to react, how would he react? Then again, it's been ten years since I have laid eyes on him. I don't even know what he looks like now. Some tittle-tattle or speculations from passing court ladies says that he is breathtakingly gorgeous. They said that he's the type of man any woman would dream of. Even those ladies who are wed or have already found their beloved says so.
Everything went back to reality when Asher burst into the room. "Aimee Elizabeth Rainecourt where on earth have you been? I've been searching all over the place for you!" Asher was mad, I assure that. Whenever he is upset or I have done something wrong that he doesn't approve, he would always use my full name. He marched towards my bed then looked down on me. His eye brows are furrowed together, lips thin as a line, and arms crossed on his chest with stiff body posture. Yep, he's mad alright. But as he saw the state I'm in, his face and stature softened.
He knelt down looking at me straight in the eyes and sighed. "What happened? Are you alright?" he asked. I straightened myself and sat. "I signed up," I told him.
It took him a few seconds to absorb what I just told him. "You did what?" Now he seemed confused.
"I signed up my name. I'm going to the trial to be one of the five girls to be sent to the palace to be screened." I was looking down at my lap willing the tears not to fall. I hate crying. "I want to meet him Ash. I just..." now the water works are on and it cannot be stopped. Wet streaks of tears are leaking from my eyes across my chin to my jaw and falling on my open palms that's resting on my lap. At that moment, Asher sighed.
"I know it's hurting you not to be with him. I've seen you crying even though you haven't noticed me." He stated patting my head.
"We have been together since we were children and I know everything about you. We grew up together, that's why. You're my best friend and you're the only girl that I--" he stopped. He took a deep breath and climbed up to bed sitting in front of me, legs crossed. "--you're the only girl that I am closed to. Well not including my mother, I love her. And my step sister Clarissa, I love her too, as a sister of course. But--" he stopped again. He came nearer and embraced me. So tight that I can't move my body but just my hands.
"Aims," Asher whispered.
I stayed where I was, in his arms, breathing deep and fast, heart pounding like drums, hoping that the dryness of my throat and the clammy felling on my palm would go away. It was like a dream and finding out something important that you must not find out in that way.
"Aims?" He sounded like he had something caught in his throat. "Look, I'm so sorry. I just..." I wanted to back away, out of his arms. But before I can push him away his arms tightened more and he said, "I like you too much,"
A hot flush suffused me, like the smoke you create when you pour hot water on a cold one. "Wha--" I was supposed to ask him what he was talking about, but I know deep in my heart what he really meant. I have known that for a while.
"Let me finish, please." he said and I nodded. "I like you too much that it hurts me that you are hurting because you can't be with your destined one. It would be selfish of me to beg of you to stay with me because I need you. No. Because I am in love with you but I won't do that. I won't do that to you of all people. I know that if I beg you enough you will consider staying with. You are too good hearted." Of course I would. He is my best friend in the world and I would do anything for him.
He let go of me and sat back to the stance he was in a while ago and continued, "So I will help you with all that I have to get through this. I will help you win. alright?" I nodded. "You understand me?" I nodded again.
I wiped my face to get rid of the tear stains. "Thank you Ash." I whispered to him. "I hope you find someone will love you truly. And I hope you never have to know what it's like to have to try and live without them." He looked at me and I can see the pain in his eyes but he concealed it with a smile. To other people, he looks fine, to me, his best friend, he does not. I can see through his facade. I can see through the mask of a smile he constantly wears when he's upset. I can see through it like a clear bottle. And now, the dominant emotion there is pain and loss.
He feels that he have lost me. And that made my heart ache. I feel that half of it is being slowly squished. I touched his cheek and looked him straight in his eyes. "I'll always be here. Always. I'm your best friend Ash. You will never lose me."
This time, his smile was genuine. Making the ache in my heart subside, for a bit.
He bounced off from bed and picked up the scroll that I have thrown across the room and opened it. "Oh. I know the reason why you were upset when I went in. You don't have a dresses and a ball gowns. Am I right?" I nodded shyly. Too ashamed for being a girl without a piece of a formal dress. Most girls parade themselves in different dresses while I wore a boy's clothing. For me, I wear what's comfortable. I just don't have a thing with appearances. "My sister Clarissa adores you a lot, you know that." Asher said.
"And what does that to do with my problem?" I tilted my head sideways like what a dog does when it's confused.
Ash chuckled. "I think she is about the same size as you and she has a closet in a size of your whole house, not to be rude, but I think she can lend you a hand with your problem." Why didn't I think of that? No, because I don't want to owe people, well, vampire people. But still. I'm too apprehensive to ask Clarissa of her dresses. What if she's not a kind of person who lends her things?
Asher caught the hesitation etched on my face because he sighed and grabbed my arms, pulling me up and on the floor. "Come on. Put on your boots and let's go to my house. My mom missed you too and I know she would love to help you out too."
After I've put on my boots, I let Ash haul me to his house. We just walk silently on the gravel street. And I was hoping that this charade won't leave us both with our hearts broken.