“Adelaide, I’m glad you could join us, and that you could finally return to your home,” King Kellan addresses me. He doesn’t seem as scary as I remember.
“Thank you, your Majesty. I am humbled to be welcomed back into your home.”
“This is your home, too, Adelaide. I hope you find everything to your liking, and if you have any questions, please seek me out – or your mother; we will be more than happy to help in any way we can.”
“Thank you,” I say, trying not to let my surprise show.
“You can all get up now. Please enjoy the rest of your tour and we’ll see you later tonight, at dinner,” he says dismissing us.
I bow my head again in thanks, my eyes glancing towards my mother who looks like she’s sucking on a lemon. I don’t understand any of this. I stand tall and start out of the room with Penelope and Michael close on my heels.
I have no idea where I’m walking, but I make my way through the masses of corridors and find myself at the back of the palace, which is flanked with large glass windows. For as far as I can see, there is nothing but green. I should be bowled over by the beauty, but all I see is isolation.
“What did you do to the King?” Penelope asks me once we’re outside. “I’ve never seen him like that. Ever.” Wonder shines in her previously cold eyes.
“I didn’t do anything. That’s maybe the second or third time I’ve ever seen him. It’s definitely the first time he’s spoken to me. He was just keeping up appearances, I’m sure.”
“No, Addie, she’s right,” Michael says.
Penelope gasps at his impertinence. “You can’t address her like that!” she squeaks.
“He can address me however he likes. He’s my friend before anything else, Penelope,” I chide.
She flushes under my displeasure. “The king is known for being pleasant but cold and distant. He was different with you. I don’t know why either, but just…”
“Huh, well I suppose one of them has to be nice to me,” I joke. “Anyway, Penelope, where to now?” I ask, ready to distance myself from whatever just happened.
“We have a lot to do, but I think we’ll move the quarter visits to tomorrow so we have enough time to prepare you for tonight’s dinner. While you have your society Debutante Ball in a few weeks, tonight you are being joined at dinner by the King’s closest friend, Julian DeVaux and his family. His wife is Rayne, and their son is Dante. He is one of your potential suitors, so tonight is important.”
“Sorry, what?” I look to Michael who looks just as shocked as I do.
“Your royal suitors – they’re young men picked by the King and Queen as your potential husbands. Each of them will be present at your Proposal, but you will meet most of them beforehand; then you are able to pick a selection of them to court you until your Debutante Ball."
“My what?”
“Your Debutante Ball,” she repeats as if I am an idiot. “You know – when you will announce to the Fae world who will be our newest Prince!”
“That isn’t happening!” I object.
“Your Highness, it is the way of the Royal Court. It has already been set in motion.”
“Well it can grind to a god damn halt! My best friend is a royal princess, and she sure as hell hasn’t had any stupid balls, or princes picked for her!”
“Yes, well, I cannot speak for other courts, but this is how our court works.”
“Do I have any say in it at all?” I say, dejected. “I’m still grieving for God’s sake! How can they be so thoughtless?”
“I’m sorry,” she says, looking down at her feet. “But they don’t recognise your relationship with…”
I hold up a hand. I don’t want her to keep talking and pollute the warm feelings I’m growing toward her. It isn’t her fault that they are such callous bastards.
“And if I pick no-one?” I ask, trying to work out exactly how this whole ridiculous idea works.
“Then the King and Queen will choose for you,” she says grimacing slightly.
“This is ridiculous! I will not marry, court, or whatever the hell you call it, some random guy who is picked for me. I have known real love, and if I ever love again, it will be real. I will not settle for some arranged marriage!”
I close my eyes and try to swallow the anger rising. The darkness inside of me is there, threatening to take over; simmering under the surface. I shove it down and lock it in its box.
When I open my eyes, Michael and Penelope have taken a few steps back from me, and Penelope looks terrified. When I raise my eyes in question to Michael, he responds by waving his fingers in front of his eyes and smiling awkwardly.
“Ah, Red eye?” I ask as if it’s nothing. If only it were.
“Yeah, baby doll, you okay now?” he asks, genuinely checking to make sure I’m not suddenly going to launch forward and rip someone’s heart out or something.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just will not be pushed on this matter,” I say before turning to Penelope. “Do you understand?”
“Yes, your highness,” she gulps. “You’ll need to take it up with Queen Eolande though, as I don’t have that authority.”
“Fair enough. I’ll speak to her before this stupid dinner. Now then, I suppose we had best go and prepare. And don’t look so scared. I’m not going to rip your head off.”
“Yes, your highness,” she nods before scurrying off ahead of me towards my room. Michael links my arm through his and chuckles softly.
“They’ll get used to you soon enough, sweetie. Until then, this is going to be entertaining.”
I get back to my room and find Jessa and Stefano waiting for me outside my door.
“Hey, sorry if I kept you.”
They both look at me as if I have just dropped one in front of them. “What?” I ask, unsure as to what I’ve done that is so shocking.
“Princess-a, you apologised? Royals never apologise to servants,” Stefano says quietly.
“Well that’s just ridiculous. You’re still people, and manners don’t cost a thing. Let’s get inside quickly before I break anymore rules,” I say winking at them with a big smile.
Jessa tries to hide her smile, but it’s too late, I’ve seen it. It pleases me to think that I’m breaking the rules. The more I learn about the royal way of life, the less I think I’ll ever fit in here. I close the door but almost as soon as it’s shut, a knock sounds. I open it to see Penelope and a young girl I don’t know.
“Come on in, ladies.”
“Your highness, you’re a princess,” Penelope squeaks. “You shouldn’t be opening the door.” She scowls at the others in the room.
“Oh,” I say, “do I not have hands now that I’m a princess?”
“I’m sorry?”
“I am perfectly capable of opening a door Penelope. Now then, who’s this?” I ask.
“This is the transporter you requested, your highness.”
“Brilliant!” I clap my hands in delight. “Does anyone have a pen and paper?”
The room bursts into a hive of activity as they search for what I asked for. Michael looks at me with a quirked eyebrow. Apparently, what a royal wants, a royal gets. A writing set appears on the desk by the window for me, along with a red candle and a gold press.
“A royal seal?” I ask Penelope.
“Of course, your highness,” she says with a big smile on her face.
“Well, thank you,” I say, taking a seat at the desk. When I have finished writing, I seal it with the wax stamp and hand it to the transporter, whispering the addressee to them. Her eyes glimmer in recognition before she steps back and vanishes before my eyes.
“Let’s say we get on with this,” I say to Jessa and Stefano with a smile.
“Can you see if my mother is available before dinner this evening? I need to address some issues with her,” I ask Penelope, who nods before leaving the room leaving me to my new friends.
When I open my eyes an hour later, a different me looks back at me from the mirror. My hair i
s down and curled, but the top half is pulled back and pinned, giving me a princess lift at the front with small tendrils framing my face. I have no idea how they’ve done it, but I look beautiful. My eyes look huge, I think they’re surrounded in glitter, but they sparkle and my lips are a dark blood red.
“You guys…. this is amazing! Thank you so much!” I gush and they look a little embarrassed.
“Thank you, your highness. We do not often receive such praise, so thank you,” Jessa says, blushing.
“Well, then your talents are undervalued, because this is some serious talent!”
“She’s not wrong,” Michael agrees, pouting a little, “it is amazing. I’m actually kind of jealous I don’t get to look that fabulous right now!”
“You always look fabulous!” I reassure. “But don’t worry, Michael, we’ll have a girls’ night soon, and these guys can join us and you can look ten times better than I do right now,” I chuckle.
“Oh, no, baby girl, you look amazing. I’m never going to look better than you do right now – but I’ll be happy with almost as fabulous,” he says with a wink, which makes Stefano laugh a little. He’s also blushing and I make a note of it, tucking it away to tease Michael over it later.
A bell rings. “Did one of you guys just make that noise?” They all look at me confused, but then the air in front of me shimmers and a transporter appears in front of me with a cranky looking Rose. Seeing me, she squeals whilst jumping on me and wrapping me up in a hug.
“I missed you, too,” I laugh.
She steps back and puts her hands on her hips, looking at me with what I imagine is a look she learnt from her mum; a stern, almost disappointed, look.
“Don’t you give me that, missy. Do you realise how long it has been since I heard from you? I have been worried sick! Then giggles here,” she nods in the direction of the transporter, “appears and hands me your note. Benny is beyond pissed that I’ve upped and left without him. He’s got to explain to my parents that I’m here. They probably won’t mind, but I’m getting off track. I’m peeved at you, girly. Bad friend!” she scolds me and I feel guilty. She’s right, I’ve been a bad friend.
“I’m sorry, Rose. It’s just been so full on since, well you know. I didn’t really wake up until a week or so ago. Then I was manhandled and brought here. Poor Michael got dragged along with me,” I explain. She spins and sees Michael in the corner.
“Michael!” she exclaims running over to him and wrapping herself around him. “I can’t believe you’re here! I missed you!”
“Hey, doll face, I missed you, too. It’s definitely been interesting since you went home.”
She puts her legs back down on the floor and he lets her go. It’s then she sees Jessa and Stefano.
“These amazing people are Jessa and Stefano,” I introduce. “They created this masterpiece,” I say waving to my face.
“Well, damn. These guys are good! It’s nice to meet you both. I’m so sorry for being so rude. I am Rose Frostheart,” she says.
They both go wide eyed again, looking at each other before looking to me for direction.
“She’s my friend,” I explain. “My best friend.”
“Hello Princess-a, it is nice to meet you,” Stefano says, bowing his head.
“Oooooh, I know that accent,” Rose says with glee. “You’re from my part of the world! The mainland. Italy. Am I right?”
“Yes princess-a. I grew up there before coming here – before the dark war.”
“Oh, how wonderful!”
We’re interrupted by the door opening and Penelope entering the room.
“Who is this?” she demands.
“This is my friend, Penelope. She’s here to stay for a while.”
“No, she is not!” she huffs. “The queen is on her way and this riff raff needs to leave!”
“Penelope, let me introduce you to my friend, this is Princess Rose Frostheart,” I say with a smug smile. I can’t help but laugh when her body stills and she goes pale. Her mouth opens and closes as she tries to speak but nothing comes out.
“Addie, play nice!” Rose says smiling and extending a hand. “Penelope, it’s fine, you weren’t to know who I am. Please breathe.”
I giggle quietly to myself.
“Thank you, your highness,” she says to Rose before turning back to me. “As I was saying, your mother is on her way,” she says, snippily. It’s going to be a while until she forgives me and I suddenly feel a little mean.
“Delightful!” I say, not caring if my tone sounds sarcastic or not. “Jessa, Stefano, thank you so much for your help. Don’t go too far, I might need you again soon. Rose, you need to hide, the closet will do.”
She looks put out, but I plead with my eyes and she sighs before shaking her head and heading into the closet.
“Right, Penelope, how long do I have?” I ask just as my mother appears in my door way.
“Times up, Adelaide,” she says with no emotion in her voice.
“Mother,” I say with a curtsey, just how Penelope advised. “Thank you for seeing me. We need to discuss this Debutante Ball, and the ridiculous notion of… suitors.”
“There is nothing to discuss,” she says, walking over to the window and waving at Penelope and Michael instructing them to leave. Penelope scurries off, while Michael hesitates until I usher him out.
“Mother, please, be reasonable. I am still grieving over the loss of Xander. I really do not want a suitor. Now – or ever, especially not one picked by you and the King.”
“Xander’s death was probably for the best, darling,” she smiles tightly. “The apple obviously didn’t fall far from the tree. Falling in love with a Fallen; it will not do, Adelaide. At least this way you do not have the unpleasantness of having to leave him.”
The only reason I’m not yelling in her face is because I’m having difficulty believing what I’m hearing. My mother continues yakking on, and I feel the darkness inside me, rising.
“A Fae Princess cannot marry a Fallen, especially not a Head of House. I would never allow it. They are the help, Adelaide. The very thought of my daughter and… it disgusts me.”
Is she fucking kidding me!
“How dare you!” I shout. “You do not speak of him like that – any of them, like that – not in my presence, Mother.”
“Ha! And what are you going to do about it? You can do nothing here. You’re in my world now, sweetheart. It’s time you learned to toe the line.”
“I don’t think so, Mother, dearest. I don’t even know why I’m here. Why did you want me here?”
“I didn’t. Kellan requested your presence. All I see when I look at you are my mistakes brought to life. Outside of our private quarters, we will put on a show, and I will be a doting mother to my returned daughter, but never forget this, Adelaide – you are not wanted here. Not by me. The only reason you are still alive is because I didn’t know how to kill you. Then, when Xander came asking for help, I had to keep up appearances. You mean nothing to me,” she says before turning and leaving. Her dress drags along the floor behind her and the sound makes me feel sick.
Tears of anger spill down my cheeks. How dare she disregard Xander like that! She can say what she will about me, but to say his death was for the best…
My legs give way and I feel Rose wrap her arms around me. The others filter back into the room from wherever they were eavesdropping. My mother has no idea what she has started.
Jessa and Stefano work their magic on Rose, who will now be attending as a guest now that Penelope has had her added to the list. Eliana brought me my dress for the evening, which is a stunning dark red, made up of lace and sequins with just enough sheer to show off my shoulders and back. Rose picked a dress from my closet, and Eliana did a quick adjustment to it so that it fit perfectly. Eliana is a magician when it comes to dressmaking.
“Addie, you look amazing!” Rose says sweetly.
“She’s right, baby girl,” Michael agrees. “You could even tempt me loo
king like that,” he jokes.
“I’m not going to tempt anyone; I don’t even want to go to this stupid dinner.”
“But you must!” Penelope exclaims. “I will get in to so much trouble if you don’t.”
“Calm yourself, I’m going. For now, I’ll play their stupid games. I want to know exactly why I’m here.”
Rose glides towards me and loops her arm through mine.“Let’s go and show them what you’re made of. I’m sure your mother is counting on you refusing to go, proving what an ungrateful brat you are. We won’t let her win.”
Smiling at her, I nod. Then we follow Penelope out of the room with Michael tailing behind. She leads us towards the entrance hall and I can hear the hub of voices in the distance, informing me that the other guests have already arrived. Rose squeezes my arm, reminding me that she’s got my back. Thank God for her.
Penelope fades into the shadows once her delivery job has been completed. I wish she was coming with me – she knows how this crazy world works. I take a deep breath and start down the stairs, Rose falling a step behind me. As we descend, the chatter below us stops and people turn to stare at us. The enormity of it all hits me and we make our way to the bottom in silence.
King Kellan spots me, and breaking away from his company to walk over to me. “Sweetheart, you look radiant,” he says, breaking the silence that has settled. “And you brought a friend, too.Who is this delight?” he asks, taking Rose’s hand in his other.
“I am Princess Rose Frostheart, your majesty.”
Soar (The Immortal Chronicles Book 3) Page 7