Chapter 2 The shocking reveal

I burst my room door open and dashed in, panting loudly. But to my shocking surprise, behold Lily, sitting on my bed and panting as well.

Her heartbeat was so loud that mine responded to hers like love birds beating a Cherokee drum.

"Christ on a bike! How did you get here?" I asked her while she was sweating profusely.

"I went through the detour," her voice was unstable. I could feel her loud hot sigh on my feet.

I told you she was smart, did I not?

So i decided to visit my father's chambers. I really wanted to know what's happening. I could feel all the golden castle guards' eyes on me, surprised.

Yes, even though we lived in the same big castle, they hardly saw me and I didn't like disclosing my beautiful, well-creamed caramel skin to the sun.

Many of them were obviously crushing on me, others were just mere fans who had submissive love for their boss's daughter.

I could feel my steps unsteady while the heat of their gazes hit me, but I was the princess, the king's pride, and should keep my panache and composure always.

So I managed myself, majestically striding to my father's chambers.

Sometimes I wished I was allowed to marry from the guards because I had my spec amongst them, but I couldn't tell, it belittles me.

And then, some were afraid to walk up to me to air their feelings because they knew who my father was. He was fond of beheading his offenders.

I could feel my sun-kissed copper hair growing much longer while the slow wind blew. It was as if I was slowly walking on air with the cool breeze blowing my long milk-transparent robe away.

I felt like God's wife, sent on a mission of emergency.

I reached my father's chambers, about to knock on the door of his room, but then I paused, eavesdropping on their conversation; it was low, and I was eager to hear it.

"He's here to take his promise," my father's emotions failing him through his shaken voice.

"What promise are you talking about?" My mother was eagerly waiting to hear all he had to say.

"Our daughter. I promised to give him our daughter in marriage when she was 22 years old. But then, he wasn't as ruthless and stubborn as he is now, and I regret every word of it," the king was truly disturbed; I could imagine him pacing restlessly in his room as he dropped those bombs that were about to blow me away.

"How can you promise our daughter to Victor Rodriguez without informing me?! Were you bewitched?!"

"No one can bewitch me!" My father frustratedly replied while I listened in tears.

I couldn't believe that my world was about to turn around for the worse. It wasn't like I was living a free life in my father's palace after all, but whatever could make my father shocked by a little boy could kill me.

So, I should be afraid.

"Prepare our daughter for marriage immediately," my father said lastly, striding away to the door, but with my shoes, which looked like the Ninja's which made no sound, I took to my heels.

On my way running towards my chamber, I could feel the guards turning to look at me; they couldn't imagine what would make their most beautiful princess run this way, like a runaway bride holding her veil on her wedding day.

But their thoughts weren't my monkeys now. All I needed was to get into my room and clear my head while I lay on my soft cushion bed.

Lily had arranged my room when I entered; her gaze was quizzical, she had never seen my tears before now.

"What can ever make you cry, princess?" I wanted to tell her, but my lips wouldn't open.

It felt so immovable that my emotions kept forcing it down and my cheeks trembling while I tried to speak.

When I couldn't control it anymore, I burst out in tears.

The golden castle gate broke open loudly again, like an earthquake. Lily looked through the window. Their horses, with them riding away.

Who knew what my father had told the beautifully mean man that had made him leave? It worried me.

But with the way he had commanded my father was like he needed to leave with me urgently, right?

I stood from my bed, watching out through the window. I felt relief now, though mixed with tension and fear because I still didn't know what had happened.

I wasn't overwhelmed with emotions anymore, not now that the beautiful beast was gone.

So I narrated all I had heard to Lily. She couldn't believe it either, but she seemed happy.

"If your father wants you to marry such a rich-looking prince with such magnificent panache, then you shouldn't cry."

Oh, i felt like sending her out of my room then, but I had some level of deference for her despite her being my personal maid.

Being three years ahead of me at birth , I respected her so much. I wished my heart was transparent enough for her to see the way I was feeling right then.

"Marrying the man isn't my problem, but what causes the marriage is!" I said in tears.

"He isn't really my spec, and you know how much I loathe affluent people."

Now I think she understood why I was crying, because what could make her envelop me with such a comforting hug?

I could feel it from her heart that the hug was really to give me comfort. She hugged me till I slept.

She knew my Achilles' heel: the right spots on my body to rub, tickle, and massage just to make me sleep and feel less tense.

Unaware of what's happening after I slept off, but in whatever realm I was now, I could feel myself like a lovely puppy in the hands of the owner.

I hoped not to open my eyes to that wicked world again. But then, it was dark already.

A sudden knock landed on my door. Who must that be?

My thoughts asked.

The door opened slowly, revealing my mum. She was a calm woman, and I knew she was good at covering her pains, but this wasn't a theatre, neither were we her audience, because I could feel her face failing to smile.

Who knew the news she had brought to me this time?

"Please, leave us, Lily," she said, sitting at the edge of my bed while Lily bowed and left, making my emotions run high.

It was like a horror movie to me, and my only savior had just been ordered out. I could feel my body pushing itself back in fear while my mum leaned closer to touch me with her unripe smile.

Every touch of hers made my body tremble. I was fearful this time, crumpled like a ball.

I could never believe I was this flexible at wrapping around my own self, not till this moment.