Chapter 3 Book 3

"Your betrothed is on her way" Queen Autumn announced to her son, Joel immediately he arrived from school.

Joel sighed.

"So?" He asked, raising his brows.

"Get ready to welcome her" She said, trying to hide her excitement.

Joel looked at the older woman standing in his front. Her wrinkles were becoming more obvious but her eyes still shone like stars. It still had the sparks it had since she became the Queen.

"Mother, I do not think I am interested in this marriage" Joel said, sighing.

"I understand how you feel son. You think all this is happening too soon but it's not" Queen Autumn said, patting his back.

" But Mother-"

" Just get ready soon" She said with a tone of finality and left.

Joel sighed and sat on his bed.

He really wasn't ready for the marriage. He'd prefer to choose his bride himself.

He closed his eyes and lied down on his bed and felt his fingers hold something in his pocket and he slowly removed his hands from his pocket.

He opened his eyes and his eyes fell on the bracelet of the new girl.

He chuckled as he recalled what she said.

"You should let go already. Everyone make mistakes, if you want to sell it cos you need money tell me instead of being a jerk about the collision"

No one has ever spoken to him in such a rude way.

He smiled and suddenly felt the urge to see her again.

Then he realized he was smiling.

"Why am I smiling? I guess it's because I'm so stressed out" He thought.

Celine's face flashed in his mind and he sat up.

" She is cute" He said thoughtfully.

" I should return her bracelet to her" He said and rose up.

" Are you sure it isn't because you want to see her? " He heard his mind whisper to him

" Of course not, I want to return the bracelet" He said

" You can easily send someone" His mind told him.

" Hey, just keep quiet. Let me be" he argued.

" Marcus" he called his personal guard .

" Prepare my horse, we're leaving the palace."

Marcus bowed and left his chambers.

***

Celine opened her eyes and found herself in the room.

She felt something was not right but couldn't place her finger on anything.

She felt as if she wasn't here earlier but she couldn't recall anything .

She felt dizzy and she closed her eyes.

"I bid Cleopatra, Rosanne and Mark goodbye and left the school and then I met Jeremy and then...."

She tried to recall but all it did was cause headache. Then, she heard hoofs of a horse stopping next to her window. Curious, she lifted up her head and saw the Prince and his guards behind him on foot. Then she noticed him coming down from his horse.

"What was he doing here?" She thought in anxiety.

Then, she heard her Father come out and talk to them.

"Is your Daughter home?" Celine heard Prince say.

"No, Your Highness" Augustine said and bowed.

"Okay" The Prince replied and turned to his horse.

Celine heaved a sigh of relief and stretched, unknowingly knocking off the jar of water beside her bed.

Joel heard the sound and sharply turned to Augustine.

"You're trying to keep her away from me, right? "He asked sternly and turned to the guards.

" Search for the girl"

The guards entered the house.

Augustine swallowed the huge lump in his throat.

" What if they go into the secret room? No... No... Is this how my plan would fail? Why does this Devil always get into trouble? She'd ruin my plan" He thought as he closed his eyes in anticipation for the worst that'd happen until...

"We found the girl, Your Highness " A guard said, literally dragging Celine out.

Joel turned to her.

"After insulting me, you dare hide from me?"

"And you" He turned to Augustine "You tried to hide her from me right? Now, I'll take her away from you"

"She's going to serve as a maid in the palace as from today" He said and got on the horse.

" But my Prince, I didn't know she-"Augustine tried to protest.

Deep down, he was relieved because Celine leaving would make his job at home easier and who knows? She might even get close to the vessel.

" QUIET! " He yelled, startling Augustine" She's serving me in the palace and that's final" He added and climbed his horse.

"My... My Prin-" Celine tried to say but she staggered.

" What is wrong with her? " Joel asked unconsciously and quickly looked away when he realized what he said.

" I.... I... " Celine fell unconscious and the guards tried frantically to wake her up.

Joel rushed down.

"Get water" He almost yelled.

He sprinkled the water on her face and she coughed.

"I don't think she's feeling well" Marcus said to Joel.

'what if she's putting up an act?' Joel thought and stared intensely at Celine who was feeling much better.

"I don't care, she's coming with us nevertheless" Joel said and got on his horse.

He looked at Augustine and could have sworn he saw a little smile on his face.

He shrugged.

The guards helped Celine up and she managed to walk behind Joel's horse.

***

Augustine closed the door in relief, entered his 'dark room' and almost immediately, felt his 'Master's presence'.

"I see you have sent Celine to the palace" He said to Augustine.

"Yes, Master"

" Yesterday, she was attacked by Zedecus"

Augustine looked up in absolute shock.

" Attacked? "

" That's right but something saved her before I could" The Master said.

Augustine gasped.

" Could that be? "

" Yes, the spirit hovering around her came way too early and thanks to Zedecus. I'll look into it and destroy it. That'll make our work much easier"

Augustine bowed in happiness

" Yes Master"

"We might be moving towards our goal so prepare the rest of the sacrifice. Orandote is going to feel my presence... Hahahahaha" The Master cackled.

Augustine nodded, happy his plans are going through.

***

Joel got to the palace a bit too late because he arrived at the same time as his betrothed.

The Queen was angry.

"I told you to get ready. Didn't I?" She fumed.

Princess Sapphire got down from her carriage and started moving towards Joel, ignoring all the guards and maids that stood to welcome her.

Joel got down from his horse and dismissed his guards.

"Mother, I-" Joel tried to say but was cut off by Celine.

"Wh.. wh.. ah... Where should I go to?" She managed to say.

Joel turned to her and noticed she was really feeling unwell.

'I guess she wasn't put on an act' He thought.

Celine started feeling unconscious but Joel caught her just in time.

Her temperature was increasing by the minute.

Joel lifted her up.

"Mother, I'll be right back" He said and started walking towards the Royal Physician Chambers.

"Joel!" Sapphire yelled but he paid no attention to her.

"Princess Sapphire, welcome" Queen Autumn said beaming with smiles, trying to handle the situation.

"Why is Joel carrying that girl in his arms, Mother?" She asked, obviously angry.

"Leave that, Joel pays too much attention to his people. He'd be back soon. Anyway, let's go and meet the king" Queen Autumn said and led Sapphire into the Palace.

***

"Is she going to be fine?" Joel asked the Royal Physician, Philip.

"Yes, Your Highness. She's in a state of shock. It seems her mind can't seem to comprehend something that happened to her" He said, bowing.

'Poor girl, she probably can't accept the fact that she'd be serving in the palace for a month' He reasoned.

Joel looked at her one more time and left his chambers.

***

Joel went to the King's chambers and met the Queen and Sapphire there.

Sapphire's eyes shone when she saw him. She blushed.

"Joel, where were you? Your betrothed has been waiting anxiously for you" The King said.

Joel sighed and looked at Sapphire.

"Welcome" He said and turned to the King.

"Can I go now, Your Majesty?"

"Don't you want to spend time with her? Saying welcome isn't enough " The king almost yelled.

" Father, a bride has to spend more time with her in-laws to bond well with then" He said calmly.

The King and Queen smiled.

" She has to spend more time with you, my son. See how beautiful she is" The Queen said.

Joel rolled his eyes.

" I'm tired Mother, I had a long day at school today. " He said and bowed " I'll take your leave"

Joel left the King's Chambers.

Sapphire rolled her eyes.

'As if I wish to spend time with these old hags' she thought

"Mother, I want to rest for a few days before joining school here. I want to get familiar with everyone before joining school"

The Queen nodded in satisfaction and turned to the king.

I told you, she's special. She's perfect for our Joel"

"Indeed" The King replied, nodding.

***

Celine opened her eyes later in the evening and it met the staring eyes of Jeremy.

In shock, she wanted to scream but Jeremy covered her mouth with his hands.

"Shhhh!Calm down" He said calmly and removed his hands on her mouth.

"Where am I and how did you manage to find me?"

"Leave that, are you okay?" Jeremy asked, raising his brows.

"I'm- wait, Jeremy do you remember what happened after I met you yesterday?"

"That's the same thing I came to ask you"

"Well, I don't. Do you?"

"I-" Both of them heard footsteps and Jeremy stood up.

"I... I.. need to go" He said and left the chambers through another door.

The door opens and a maid enters.

"Hi, I'm Ayn, a maid of the Prince. I was asked to check up on you and take you to the maid chambers"

"Maid? Prince..?" Celine asked, confused and suddenly remembered she's a maid in the palace now.

"Oh.. okay. I'm fine now"

"Good, come with me" Ayn said and led Celine out of the chambers.

***

The following morning, Celine prepared to go to school. She noticed there was no other maid in her chambers and reasoned they had all left for school. She opened the door and started walking around till she neared the Palace gates.

"Halt" a palace guard said.

"I'm... I'm going to school"

"I'm sorry, no palace maids are allowed to attend school"

Celine looked shocked

"But... But"

"No buts, off to the palace" He said and almost immediately bowed.

Celine looked confused and turned to see the Prince on a horse. A guard was standing next to him.

She also bowed.

"Let her be, she's going to be here for a month. She's allowed to go to school" He said and turned to Celine.

"Things won't happen your way here and since you're my maid, walk behind me because we're going to school together."

Celine bowed and followed him outside of the Palace gates.

***

Sapphire stared at the Prince and Celine and felt uncomfortable.

"I'm going to the school, tell the Queen on my behalf" She said to the maid standing behind her.

"Yes, Your Highness" The maid replied.

"Get the horse" Sapphire said.

"Yes, Your Highness"

Sapphire followed Joel and Celine.

***

Someone tapped Celine and she turned to see Jeremy.

Joel stopped and turned.

"What are you doing here?" Joel asked as he stared daggers at Jeremy.

"Calm down Joel" Jeremy said, rolling his eyes. "I have things to discuss with Pretty eyes"

"Pretty eyes? Who's-" Joel said and immediately turned to Celine.

Jeremy held her hand and tried to pull her.

"Come with me" Jeremy said.

"She is my maid and she has to get my permission first"

"She isn't your property" Jeremy said, smirking.

"Well, in the real sense of it. She is." Joel said, raising his eyebrows.

"When did you start caring about your maids? You're someone who doesn't care even if any of them dies"

"Before you start questioning me, take a look at yourself. You bastard!" Joel said through gritted teeth.

Jeremy stared at him.

"Watch your tongue!"

"What would you do? You hold no power" Joel said and smirked.

"I-" Jeremy started but stopped short when he noticed Celine wasn't with them.

He looked around and saw her at the front of the school.

" How dare she do that! " Joel fumed.

" What will you do? Kill her? You've taken a special liking to her since yesterday so you can't do that"

Joel scoffed.

" A special liking to her? Are you stooping me to your level? A whole me to her? You know I've got Sapphire, my betrothed. Why would I go way below my standard then? "

Jeremy laughed.

" Prove it to me. Prove that you do not like her"

Joel eyed him.

" I'll do just that" He smirked and left Jeremy there.

***

Sapphire looked like she wanted to burst as she watched Joel and Jeremy argue on the girl.

She fumed but changed her expression immediately she noticed Joel saw her.

She moved closer to him.

"I came to your chambers last night but you didn't allow me to come in" She said.

Joel looked at her and hit his horse, telling it to move forward.

Sapphire followed and tried talking to him but he ignored her.

Soon, they arrived at the front of the school.

"I came to escort you, I'm going back" She said, gazing at him.

"Suit yourself" He replied and got down from his horse.

He beckoned on his guard and they entered the school together.

"Something is definitely going on with that girl and I swear, I'll kill her." She muttered to herself through gritted teeth.