Chapter 34- This Plan Is Becoming Dangerous
"Are you feeling all right, Arizona?" Bethany asks as she leads me through a series of doors and hallways to wherever our destination is.
"Fine..."
"Good, I'm glad the medicine we gave you helped you improve." Bethany speaks even though I don't think she is talking about the illness I had. Yesterday, after she told me she was my grandmother, she left me alone in the First-Aid room so I could think things over alone.
Everything made sense, but at the time, I needed to process the load of information that was dumped on me. I didn't shed a tear because after my crying fest when I first arrived I have vowed to myself that I'm not going to cry anymore no matter how hard things get. No matter how much my emotions want to be let out, I will contain them.
My brain feels fried and my thoughts keep getting tangled together. Why my name is an old American state is because my mom wanted to keep her beliefs living. Why I'm in this situation makes way more sense. Why my parents were killed blows me away. Honestly, my mind hasn't wondered on any other thoughts since Bethany told me this urgent information...
These castle walls are filled with so many lies and false information that it's sickening. How can I keep the secret about my parents inside me? Could I tell Charlie or would he speak of it and possibly get Bethany punished? Oh goshwho knows what would happen if King Randolph or Queen Chelsea found out... would Bethany be safe? I highly doubt...
My grandma, Bethany, notices that I'm in deep thought and she sighs as we walk further through the cold hallways. "Ya know, Arizona, I don't think I really should've told you the truth... maybe it would've been best to not tell you."
I shake my head, "No, I wanted you to tell me... plus, I think I have a right to know, but of course, royalty would take that 'right' away like they've taken everything else away from me. They've taken my parents, taken my freedom to choose who I want to marry, and taken me away from home."
Bethany doesn't speak another word as we enter a large room which I assume is a fitting room. It is filled with ribbons, needles, and fabric. I am just glad that these needles aren't made to pierce my skin, so I am not intimidated. Queen Chelsea, KC, and Emerald stand together while a lady rushes to me and guides me behind a divider.
My straight, emotionless facial expression changes into a giddy, excited smile. I am still trapped in acting like I love Charlie even when there are no camera licenses staring me down. The skirt and blouse I was wearing is pulled off of my body and is replaced by the wedding dress that I chose. The pure white color is beautiful and stunning. The dress is perfect for me, but I don't think the lovely man I am marrying is.
The lady grabs my arm, tugging me towards a pedestal for me to stand on while she grabs some pins. "Ooh, Arizona, that is more beautiful on you than I remember." The queen says, and I smile a bright, fake smile.
"I hope Charles likes it." I comment, acting like a giddy bride on those bridal shows.
Emerald speaks up, "He is bound to love it." Emerald has a smile on her face and it isn't fake. In her mind, she knows she will be the one to wear it, and she knows for a fact that if we succeed, she will be married to the love of her life.
"Thank you... oh, I can't wait until I am at that altar with Charles!" My hands shoot up to the part of my chest where my heart is, and I do a dreamy sigh as if I really loved him. KC isn't reacting much and my eyes kept averting to her to see if she is sending any mental message to me, but she doesn't. Her smile looks real but her eyes are stare at me blankly like she isn't sure what to think.
The lady adjusts some of the fabric and pins the fabric in place so she can sew it precisely to fit my body perfectly. There are machines that can do all the sewing and fitting but they said they wanted to do it by hand just for me.
After we are done with the fitting and I speak a cheesy lovey-dovey lines while I change back into my clothes, Emerald gets my attention as I walk out of the room.
"Arizona, psst, Arizona!" I hear her whisper-shout. When I turn to look at her, she grabs my arm and quickly rushes me into the room filled with fountains where Queen Chelsea slapped me. As soon as I recognize this room, I can still feel the stinging sensation of her hit, making wince.
Emerald's brown eyes are filled with concern. "I have to tell you this since I haven't gotten a chance to tell Charlie."
"Okay, spill it."
"KC confronted me about the plan and she threatened to tell our plan to Queen Chelsea... the conversation didn't go well."
"What? Explain."
Emerald gnaws on her bottom lip before speaking again, "She is making me do all her work for her up until the wedding and in case you didn't know, that is a lot of work. Also, she wants me to somehow get her a raise and if I don't do that, she is going to tell. It sounds stupid but she just wants to be a lazy brat."
I've never seen Emerald frustrated and in a way, it's kind of funny but at the same time her information makes my stomach do flips. Nervousness crawls into every inch of my body. This has to work. It has to! It is the only plan we know to do instead of committing murder which Charlie doesn't really want.
Maybe two people wasn't the best idea for the plan; we should've just kept Bethany in the plan and never told KC. She seemed trustworthy but what Emerald is telling me screams at me that we thought incorrectly.
Emerald sighs, "I'm just going to have to go with what she wants me to. Besides, my motivation is Charlie... it's worth it. I'd do anything for him." A faint smile comes to her lips at the thought of the prince.
I'm such a hopeless romantic sometimes because I can't help but 'aw' in my mind at how adorable their love story is. Hopefully, if this plan works, my love story will finally begin!
"Okay, I'll let Charles know." When I turn around to walk back through the doorway I run into someone.
"I'm a lazy brat, huh?" An angry KC says to Emerald. Her eyes covered in anger and she lightly shoves me out of the way between the two of them.
Emerald's eyes widen and she takes a step backward, "Look, I was just speaking my opinion, KC. It's vicious of you... you know I have a lot on my plate right now."
KC debates in her head for a while and her hard facial expression softens. A sigh escaping from her. "Fine, I won't make you do any of my work or get me a raise... I'm just having a bad day... Queen Chelsea has lowered my pay so much and given me more and more to do. She has been yelling at me nonstop."
Awkwardly, I stand in the doorway watching everything and Emerald nods at me, "Can you give us a minute?"
"Sure." Before I know it, I'm practically sprinting down to Charlie's room, but he isn't there. Man... where is that boy?
Robin pops up out of nowhere and whispers to me, "Are you looking for your lover?" Automatically, I jump.
"Yea..." Robin grins and scoops me up bridal style, "What are you doing?"
"I don't even know!" Robin screams as he runs down the hall with me in his arms. A laugh bubbles up in my gut as he starts making sharp turns around the castle. We receive hilariously weird looks from others.
When we arrive at the library and Robin sets me down, I peep my head through the door to find it completely empty. "He's not here, Robin."
"He isn't?" Robin looks in and shrugs, "Well, he might be here anytime soon." Robin imitates a model and starts strutting throughout the library and I can't help and laugh at how random and weird he is.
I follow him but I walk normal, and he plops down on a fancy couch in the middle of the humongous library. I join him and Robin makes a funny face, making me laugh harder than I already was.
"So how'd you end up here?" I ask.
Robin's funny face disappears and a serious face is replaced by it. "Um, I just started my three-year term and my family was running low on money. I thought maybe I could bring a little party to the castle, so BOOM! KAPOW! I'm here."
"You don't seem like the kind of person who would want to be here. It's proper and fancy, and you're crazy." I state, but it doesn't bother him at all.
"Well, it seemed cool to me so I gave it a shot!"
Robin and I talked for a while and he told me that he has four sisters and two brothers. He is the oldest of seven but the most immature (his words not mine). Robin also told me that since his parents work a lot that he and his sister (who is the second oldest) take care of lots of the younger siblings. The youngest is just a year old so the ages of all his siblings vary.
He said that his parents work as the people that help you drive when you request it and they enter into your software and drive for you. I never realized it, but he said that the job takes up a lot of his parents time.
Also, he told me that he loves kids since he grew up with so many siblings. Robin wants a big family when he 'matures some and settles down and puts a ring on it'. That reminds me of Jasper in a way because he said that he didn't want kids and if he did have any that he only wanted one which is the total opposite of Robin.
Honestly, I have never thought of it that much, but it would depend. Women usually go through a lot of pain to have a baby, so I probably wouldn't want many children. Maybe one or two? I don't handle pain the best...
One day I eavesdropped on Dylan and Miles while they were in the living room talking and Dylan asked Miles if they ever got married how many children would he want. I remember that he debated in his head for a while and he answered 'five'. Surprisingly, Dylan had the same answer. Miles and Dylan are so much alike that it's obvious that they belong together. You can see that they love each other in their eyes.
Robin stands up, "Sorry, but I got to go and do my job. Hopefully, Charles will turn up around here soon."
Once I'm left alone, my mind wanders back to my parents. Man, what would I give to actually have met them in person. My parents played such an important role in the rebellion against this kingdom and I only wish that they succeeded. I wouldn't be in this situation and maybe it would be better off with the USA back. Maybe we made a big mistake by taking away the US.
My brain keeps focusing on my parents and what they were like. Were they the bad guys of the story then? Or were they the good guys that failed? I don't know. Man, I wish I knew them. I wish they were alive. I wish so many things... but they won't come true.
A/N: I know, I know! I made you guys wait a over a week for this chapter. I apologize, but next chapter will be better. :) I had a lot of fun on my Youth Trip and I have come closer to God. Again, thank you guys for all the support.
Question: What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?!
MINE IS PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE! ITS LIKE HEAVEN!