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"Wake up."
"Anna, I told you not to wake me up before 9:00 am, it's not good for any of us" I mumbled into my pillow
"It's Grace, I was told to wake you up. I would've declined but I had no choice"
I was about to tell her to go away but I liked to think that we had developed a sort of non-spoken language through the years we'd lived together because she slammed the large door with the perfect mix of grace and annoyance only a princess could pull off.
I stayed in my bed a little longer preparing my mind for the day. I was going to the other side of the country today so that meant planes, paparazzi, and people. The three top things that I couldn't stand. But of course, there was the ball and the boy so I had something to look forward to.
I grudgingly got up from my bed and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I didn't bother brushing my hair and made my way to the kitchen. Which was all the way at the other side of the palace where the rest of the family had their bedrooms. At around 6 years old I had begged my father so that I could move to the room closest to his office. My defence was that i had nightmares. Add in a little tear or two and you've got yourself an empathetic father.
Before I knew it, I was nearing the dining room. I heard my name so I stopped at the archway and listened to the hushed voices of my stepfamily.
"-makes her think she can go around like some uncivilized harlot in the middle of the night to-"
Her voice got more hushed and another spoke up.
"Mother like daughter I tell you, I wouldn't be surprised if we got one just like this stating she was pregnant at the age-"
As soon as my mind comprehended they were talking about my mother, I moved out of my hiding spot and walked loudly to the table.
Grace and her mother Josephine were hunched over a newspaper article. I didn't have to be a genius to know it was about Dorian and I from last night. They raised their heads to look at me with slight guilt for being caught only to get back to their conversation.
I rolled my eyes at them and walked over to the side of where they were sitting. Verity was reading a book. I tapped her shoulder and stalked of to the kitchens.
The kitchens were empty today since all the help had gone home early for the holiday. I opened the fridge and grabbed 2 slices of bread when I heard the flap of home slippers behind me. It was Verity.
Verity looked a lot like my father with wavy dark hair and brown eyes that were always observing. Grace had brown hair and blue eyes which I could only guess she inherited from her father. When she saw me, her guarded expression melted into a carefree grin. I felt like I had practically raised the 13 year old since she was born when I was 5.
"I was packing all of yesterday. I forgot to talk to you," she said.
The castle was pretty big so it was very easy to not see anyone for days. Especially me since I currently lived in the west wing.
"You started packing yesterday?" I feigned a gasp.
"Don't give me that look, you only packed early because of that boy."
She placed her palms on the island counter and swung her self playfully.
"Verity!" I said and signalled my head to the dining room. "I'm already going to be in enough trouble by papa."
Her perfectly plucked eyebrows, which I plucked recently despite her howls, furrowed in confusion. Before raising in realisation.
"Dad is going to murder you, he looked so pissed when he came down. no corny jokes or nothing," I could tell she was subtly enjoying the drama.
"Nothing at all?" I said now worried. Usually, my father was a forgiving person. Well, more like forgetting since his memory was a bit off.
"He just came in to tell grace to wake you up and then went back this office to answer a phone call," she said while nodding slowly
"Why would he-"
I was interrupted by the sound of my father's gravelly voice
"Noelle, I want to speak to you."
Those were words I didn't like to hear. They were usually followed by news that would cause me to want to free fall from my bedroom window.
I followed him back to his office always making sure to avoid his eye contact. We entered the room that I had been in many more times than the rest of my family. He always brought us here if we were in trouble. I think he did it to take off that "special forbidden room" appeal we had when we were younger. There was no way I was sneaking into it now.
I had been here only 2 weeks ago for calling a civilian a cow. She started it. It still looked the same. The bookshelves took up half of the walls and were impossibly organized. The only source of light was the ceiling fan above that lit up when it spun. Otherwise, the old-fashioned curtains were drawn as tight as possible. The only dated thing in the whole room was his computer on top of his desk.
I sat down on the chair across his and tried to look as un-guilty as I could.
"Noelle, do you know why I called you here," he said with his fingers folded.
I hated that he was so formal. Even when the press wasn't watching.
I made a look as if I was thinking and shook my head.
"No, I don't think I do."
He rolled his eyes and leaned under to his desk drawer to grab the newspaper. On the front page was a large photo that looked awfully like Dorian and I were about to kiss. The title was printed in a large font that I couldn't read with my father's hand covering them.
Shit
"Dad, I swear it's not what it looks like." At least this time I didn't have to lie.
I looked up at his face to see that he wasn't mad or angry.
"You could've just told me," he said
I also didn't have to fake that I didn't know what was going on.
"Tell you what?"
"That you and the Beaumont boy are an item. See I was just on the phone with his father and-"
"Slow down Dad, were not dating. If you paid attention to me at all you would know that we haven't liked each other since birth. "
It was as if he hadn't heard me at all when he continued to speak.
"It makes so much sense why you were sneaking around all the time."
I decided to give up and hear him out since I wanted to get out of here.
He babbled on and on about the history of Lavandia for what seemed like 45 minutes. Talking about heirs and successors and all the same things I already knew.
I was in my own mind until I was violently taken out when I heard the words. Beaumont and marriage in one sentence.
"Yahuh?"
"Well since you seem to be so infatuated with Prince Beaumont and you obviously don't want to take the throne. I thought what better than for you to remove yourself from the succession line and marry him."
I looked around for signs of my father being possibly drunk or crossfaded.
"Did you have wine for breakfast again?"
"We already discussed this, I'm not having an arranged marriage. Especially not at 18 and not to Dorian!" I told him.
"Oh, look you're on first name basis already," he pointed out.
I rolled my eyes at his obliviousness.
"Why are you really doing this?"
"Well don't want to take the throne so why not just remove yourself from the succession line for Verity. She will be of age once Josephine and I pass."
"You don't want me to take the throne, so you're gonna give me away?" I almost yelled.
"Don't get so dramatic. I'm giving you what you want," he said as he read the article.
"You don't even know what I want. I'm right here. You can just ask me what I want. But you're going off the paper like everyone else."
I was so confused. What made him think this was a good idea. And why would he tell me this today?
"Noelle this is best for both our countries and for you too," It was clear he hadn't heard a thing I said. "We'll announce it at the ball."
I felt like we were having 2 different conversations. I couldn't take it. I couldn't stand not being listened to. So, I shouted at my father.
"You're not marrying me off!"
It felt good. For about two seconds. Until I realized this wasn't my choice. He was making it seem like it was. My father was a very intelligent man, so he knew what he was doing. I gave up.
"What if mom was here, then what would you do," I whispered.
That got his attention.
He raised his head from the newspaper so only his piercing eyes were showing.
"Well, she's not. So, I guess I'll never know,"
I got up violently from my chair and it fell with a loud thud. He didn't even bat an eyelash.
"Make your way to the car and tell your sisters the good news,"
I left the door ajar on my way out and went to grab my suitcases from my room. I tried to pull one out of the corner but I ended up plummeting to the round in frustration. I stayed there and stared at the wall thinking the ways that this could possibly be a dream. Maybe he's tricking me. Trying to teach me a lesson. Or maybe he wasn't.
Oh, god where's Anna.
I had never been so confused in my life.
I grabbed the suitcases and took the back entrance to the car park. I put my suitcases into one car and lifted the last two steaks of the other seven-seater car and lied down on them with my feet on the window. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.
• • •
"Can't we just leave her like that and go."
When I woke up again my one hand was out of the car and I was in an incredibly uncomfortable position. I ignored Grace's comment and went to the other car to get my luggage. I should've just driven in there.
I leaned on the black car and looked around the private port. There was a small jet there that was plain white with the Lavandia flag printed on its tail. When I realized that the others were not getting there loads of luggage out anytime soon. I walked to the plane while rubble kept getting stuck in my house slippers.
The jet looked like a small lounge with a large sofa looking seat and four single leather ones.It was modern and sleek, unlike the castle.
Before anyone came, I spun two chairs together at the back and got a blanket from one of the cupboards. I closed my eyes and hoped for sleep but it never came.
My father, Grace, and Josephine were sitting in the lounge laughing about something or the other while I tried to block them out. Verity was at the cockpit annoying the pilots.
I spent the whole flight looking through the windows at the landscape of Lavandia. It was small and it was beautiful and I was reminded of how my father was removing me from the succession line. I made my promise right there to never let that happen. I wasn't going to let my father take advantage of me like that. I would do anything to make sure I didn't end up marrying Dorian Beaumont.
Running away sounded like a good idea at that moment.
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