by sarah faith
After about four or five different hallways, and turning in random directions, we entered another part of the castle. I could tell that this was where most of the guests were brought to, because the floors were no longer carpeted, but a rich white marble floor. My flip flops made a clacking sound with every step, and I suddenly remembered that I was still in sweat pants and a white work-out shirt with a sports bra underneath.
I cleared my throat, self conscious, and tried to walk a little bit taller; more like royalty perhaps. This hallway seemed to be particularly long, for it stretched both behind me and in front of me. This area of the castle was more open; on either side of me, spaces like living rooms were set up and I found my contentment at how open and airy they were. There were windows that shone light over the open rooms; couches, bookshelves and other random furniture occupied the space. I was amazed at how many rooms looked completely different but matched in perfect coordination.
My mini-tour of the castle was ostentatious, and after a few turns, I found myself walking into what seemed to be the front of the castle. A humongous foyer stretched out all around me, and there was a gorgeous, grand staircase that flew up to unimaginable heights. This foyer was majestic; so very beautiful that I can scarcely describe it! Gold seemed to be the main color here, because almost everything in this lovely 'foyer' was accented with it; but not overly done. Everything was perfect. I was gaping and staring and I must have stopped subconsciously, because the man in black jerked my arm impatiently.
Gracious. This was my first time being in a castle! Give me a break here! We were going up the staircase, and I wondered why. Was I to be taken to my room? Maybe to see Freddie in some romantic little private library! In any case, I was excited and I almost squealed at the whole prospect.
My first guess was the right one; I was being led quietly to my room. The second floor of the palace was just as lovely. A beautiful dark green color was placed on the walls, and more wood-like antiques seemed to be the main theme up here. It almost seemed like it was designed to give a homey feeling to the guest.
All too soon, our fabulous trio stopped in front of a room, I presumed. The doors were double, and made out of solid oak. They looked heavy and expensive, and beautiful flourishes were etched into the once living
wood. The man in black pulled out a brass key, and unlocked the doors with a 'click.' I gulped as he pushed them open.
The room was dark, black actually when I first stepped in, but my guards stepped away from me, for the first time since my arrival, and deigned to turn on a light. Let me just say it this way; my bottom teeth hit the floor and landed on the pure white, soft, lush, beautiful carpet with hardly a noise to reveal itself. It looked like something that you would have seen in a myth.
The white carpet reached the toned dark blue walls perfectly. Directly in front of me was a magnificently large window, covered in sheer white fabric for the curtains, and outlined with a solid white drape which was tied back with strips of blue cloth; to match the walls. To my left were a desk, a bureau, and an entertainment set. It had small but large doors covering the top half, and I presumed that behind them was a TV. Everything was made of a dark oak wood, and the fluffy chair next to my bed was suede. A few doors were on my right. They were no doubt my bathroom and closet.
A beautiful oak vanity was set up on the wall near my bed; occupying the other side of it. In the spaces between, were random little chairs, or dresses or nightstands.
«Si tout est bien, mademoiselle, nous irons, maintenant. » If all is well, miss, we will go now. The man in black almost startled me, but I hoped he didn't see it. Then I awkwardly recollected that he was secret service. He saw everything. I clutched my necklace, something that I had grown accustomed to do when I was nervous. It helped calm me to think of Freddie.
«Ah, oui, merci. Tout est très bien gentilshommes.» Oh yes, thank you. All is very good gentleman. They nodded stiffly, and turned to leave me in my small paradise. Right before he closed the door, however, the man in black said one more thing
«Le prince sera ici biento´t. Au revoir. » The prince will be here shortly. Goodbye.
Everything was silent for about 30 seconds, while I made sure that they were gone for sure. Then I screamed in delight! Oh, the joy that poured through me was indescribable! This was the best thing that could possibly be happening to me! I squealed in delight and kicked my flip flops off like the American that I was. I ran around in circles, holding my arms out and laughing until my lungs hurt. I saw the bed and sprinted toward it, flying in the air for a moment before landing on the soft blankets and letting the decorative silver pillows laced with the blue of the walls finally fall on my face. Could this get any better??? Then I heard the door open.
"Arianne?" I heard a voice call. Freddie was here.
Someday My Prince Will Come : Chapter 20
Chapter 9
Freddie
One month earlier
As soon as she left the airport I felt a tug at my heart. So very many girls had an important part in my life but this girl seemed to be my life. I lived her spirit, I breathed her name, and I slept her voice. Arianne and I were definitely made for each other. If we weren't, then tell me why my heart ripped at take off? How I wished that she could be here with me, sitting here and smiling, holding my hand and telling me something about her day. Seeing her eyes sparkle at my stupid jokes and that innocent blush violently take over her cheeks at my every compliment.
My thoughts were interrupted by the steward asking me if I would like a drink. I nodded and told him my request. Then, I was left back in my awful longings for Arianne. When would this be over? My hand flew to my forehead and I rubbed it between two fingers. I was getting stressed out. Think Frederick. What helps you calm down? 'Arianne', came the answer. No, no before Arianne. I realized how much of a mind case I was when it came to me that I had always been stressed out. There was never anything to help that stress. The headache never did go away. But it had for a few months, and I realized the cause of that now.
« Ah, Frederick. Il est bien de vous voir le coffre-fort. » Frederick. It is good to see you safe.
I looked up to see the head of national security in Bieland walking toward me. He took a seat next to me and got comfortable before I answered.
"Merci, Paul. Je suis heureuse être coffre-fort. La mathode pour votre sécurité magnifique." Thank you Paul. I am happy to be safe. The method of your security is magnificent.
« Merci. Mais nous avons des choses plus importantes a discuter. » Thank you. But we have more important things to discuss.
Paul and I started a grave conversation; the real reason that I had been called back to Bieland. They had found me. At first, I couldn't believe it either. If they had, shouldn't I be dead right at this moment? But according to Paul, that was the problem. I should be dead, but I wasn't. They were holding back and we didn't know why.
Even though the plan was to get out of the country, Paul started to think that it would be better to keep an eye on me in my rightful country where he could see me.
"Are you sure that they had me locked in?" I asked Paul in French. "Isn't it possible that they just had a whim, and went off of it?"
"That may be the case, your highness. There are trained snipers who could have picked you off in a matter of seconds, so it seems strange that they would have been waiting for something. Waiting for what, though?" He fathomed, speaking in fluent French.
I shook my head bewildered. There was no logic to figure it out. We were missing a key element in this. Something small, but easy enough to overlook. I couldn't think this hard right now. Paul seemed to understand this, for he told me to get some rest.
We landed in Bieland, and I was guarded with the heaviest security that I had ever known in all my years of ruling. I was thankful for this, of course, but after a month of puzzles, threats and trying to solve this mystery, I found myself on edge and bitter toward everyone. I felt like I couldn't calm down. No matter what happened,
no matter what I tried. Arianne was in my thought process constantly. Her face was like a nerve in my body; every time I thought of it I was in immense pain.
It had been a month since I had left and I was starting to feel perturbed about her. Was she alright? Yes, of course Jameson was there with her. She would be perfectly safe. But what if.then suddenly, I knew. I knew the answer to the questions that we had so long been searching for! And it was right under our noses. Arianne was the answer. If they found me, then they surely must have found her. They knew she was important to me and they were going to use that against me. I sat up straight in my bed. She was in danger. Right now, at this second. She had been for a full month and I hadn't even seen past my blinded loneliness. I sprinted to the security office and screamed for Paul. He came to me at once and as I told him my theories, his eyes grew
large.
"I want her here. NOW!" I yelled, now raising my voice. Anger coursed through my veins; at me for being so absolutely stupid, and at my secret service, for not seeing this sooner. "I don't care what you have to do to get her here; she needs to get on that jet. Tonight." Before I had even finished my rant, Paul was already scrambling around and ordering officers about, who had already heard the whole thing. He was about to leave the room, but I clenched his arm and stopped him. My stare was cold and frigid.
"If she comes back with merely one scratch, someone's going to be in trouble," I spat, glaring hard. Arianne was all that I had left in this world. I would throw myself off of a precipice to keep her with me. You mess with my doll; you mess with Prince Frederick and his army of soldiers.
"Oui votre hauteur," Yes your highness, Paul stated boldly and rushed away. I was starting to feel weakness churn around inside of me along with my absolute fury. How could I have been so brainless? Leave Arianne alone with the enemy lurking around? I must have been really stressed out to overlook the love of my life But then again, maybe she was the reason that I was so stressed.
I reached my room and all of a sudden I became suddenly depressed. How long would it take for her to get here? About ten hours judging by the flight of the jet. Then there was driving to and fro, which added another hour and a half. That meant almost half of a day before I could see that sweet smile again. I would surely die. Centuries later, I finally heard one of my guards telling me that Arianne was here and waiting in her room. Finally! I glanced over to the clock before I checked my appearance in one of my mirrors. It had been exactly as I had calculated it. Eleven hours. I looked into the aluminum coated glass, and saw that I had ruined my hair; it had been neatly combed before I had run my fingers through it all night. Waiting for Arianne was like being stabbed over and over again with every beat of the clock hand. Each time that the clock struck a new second, it pierced another dagger into my heart.
I had arranged where she would be staying on purpose; I placed Arianne in the same hall as mine. Of course, I wanted her to be in the room next to mine, but this particular corridor was for royalty only, so I settled for down the hall. However, it was a very long hall. I had always taken pride in my palace. Everything always looked so very clean and proper, thanks to the maid service. I loved how the colors coordinated with everything around it, so as to make things look professional and well kempt. As I was walking down the corridor, at a very brisk pace I might add, I thought about each step and how it got me that much closer to Arianne.
It had been so long since I had seen her; I felt like I was forgetting what she looked like. I had never taken any pictures of us together for fear of someone would find it and she would be found as well. But I guess it had happened anyway, picture or not. I was getting closer to her room and I was starting to get antsy. I walked a little faster. I knew, whatever happened, I couldn't tell Arianne anything. If worse came to worse, it would be safer for her to know nothing. I knew she wouldn't like it, heck I didn't like it, but it's what would keep her sane and most importantly; safe.
I walked up to her door and ignored the guards standing outside it. I took a deep breath and smoothed out my dress shirt and dress pants. We always did try to look nice here in the castle. I reached my hand out for the doorknob, turned it and walked in.
"Arianne?" I called out to her. Then I saw her. She was flopped on the bed like a penguin in the pole. I stopped dead in my tracks. She looked more beautiful than I had ever seen her before. Happier; her face held a certain joy and I saw her eyes twinkling. When our eyes connected I realized how much I had missed that feeling. The instant connection was unbearable and I found that I couldn't move my legs. Me, a prince, the man who had gone through evacuations and wars, and I couldn't even make myself look like a man in front of this single human being. But what a human being she was.
"Freddie!" She whispered. For a moment she just sat on the bed, as if collecting herself, and then I found her rushing toward me; arms outstretched. I couldn't move when she embraced me, I couldn't move when her body clung to mine, and I still couldn't move when she reached up and kissed my cheek, whispering words of the awful feeling of separation. It was like my body was glued in place. Like I needed something to jolt me out of the trance that she put me into.
Suddenly, Arianne stopped her outstanding welcome and stared up at me, her eyes full of worry. I saw her face fall and she dropped her hands to her sides.
"What's the matter, Freddie? Aren't you happy to see me?" her voice cracked at the end of her sentence and that was it.
"Arianne!" I whispered and pulled her back to me. I hugged her, oh so very tight and I felt her arms fly around my waist. I was glued again, and I wanted to stand like this forever. Wars, hatred, threats, jealousy; none of that even seemed important to me now. The only thing in the world that was even remotely imperative was this girl; my doll.
Arianne
I couldn't move for a moment after our eyes connected. I sat there for a moment, collecting my thoughts then I couldn't stand the distance between us. I needed to be next to him, after all this time it was all that seemed important. Then I rushed to him with outstretched arms, taking in his scent, memorizing it and hugging him like I would never see him again. All that I could do was tell him how much I missed him after I kissed his cheek. Then I realized something was wrong. Freddie just stood there, not doing or saying anything. I looked up at him and saw that his eyes were distant even though he was staring right at me.
"What's the matter, Freddie? Aren't you happy to see me?" I felt my voice crack as the tears budded in my eyes did he not love me anymore? Oh, no please don't tell me
However, my dreadful thoughts were not the case. Freddie whispered my name then suddenly I saw the life come back to his eyes. He grabbed me and pulled me tight, tighter than he ever had before and just held me there. I placed my arms around his waist, quickly. This felt so right. Being without him just wasn't an option. For a long time we just stood there holding each other. I closed my eyes and breathed in every single moment of it. I needed to remember him just in case which reminded me.
"Freddie" I said softly pulling away slightly and looking into his disappointed eyes. "Why did you send for me in the first place?"
A slow smile spread across his face. "I knew you were going to ask that sometime. Let's not talk about it right now, though. Do you want a tour of the castle?" The truth is, I didn't really, I just wanted to know what was going on around here but being with Freddie was definitely on the top ten lists, so I decided to go with the flow. But I would get it out of him eventually.
The tour of the castle ended up being wonderful. Marveling every room, every door, every wall, however, took more energy than I had originally planned on. About an hour later, after every single room was stepped into and explained, an exhausted Freddie and I slumped down on a bench in the garden.
This was my favorite part of the castle so far. It was so peaceful out here. It felt like we were the only two beings on the face of the planet. The air was blowing like an angel's whisper and it was relaxing after all of that walking. I leaned my head on Freddie's shou
lder and pulled on the necklace that I wore every single day. "Freddie?" I said quietly, cherishing every part of this second.
"Hm?" He answered, stroking my head softly.
"I love this necklace. It's gorgeous. The best part about it was that it reminded me of you. I wore this necklace every single day since you left, you know."
"Yes, yes I know."
My head lifted and I looked into his colorful eyes. "How did you know?" A smirk washed over my face as I saw him trying to recover his answer. What was going on with him? He had been secretive almost as soon as he walked into my door. I would get to the bottom of this. I would not stand for lying anymore.
"Because you just showed how much you love me?" He said, stumbling slightly. He kissed my nose to try and make me drop the subject.
"No, really Freddie." I sat up a little more now, fully curious. Freddie became tense. What was the deal? What was so tentative about a necklace? How did he know that I wore it every day? "Did Jameson tell you?" I asked first. "Did you have a camera hidden in my room?" At this, he laughed,