Last thing I knew, I fainted.
Chapter 18
Fears Are Catching Up
“She’s waking up, guys.” a familiar female voice said.
I groaned as I touched my aching head. Why does my head hurt, and why am I in my room?
I slowly opened my eyes to see four pairs of worried eyes looking at me. They all looked so concerned, even if they were already a little too close for comfort. Seriously, they were probably two feet away from my face or closer. Then as quick as thunder, I remembered what happened. Drew and Andie were going back to Sarconia, and I had to go with them.
“Princess, are you alright?” Drew asked. Worry was clearly written all over his face.
So many different thoughts were clouding up my mind.
Should I go with him or should I stay? We had made things official and there was no turning back now, but should I really go with them? Would my parents even allow me to go?
“Uhhh… dude. If she was alright, she wouldn’t have fainted you know,” Chad said, earning him a slap on the back from Rissa. Rissa was the only person allowed to slap or hurt him.
“I think we should let Drew and Lizzie talk this through,” Andie said, dragging away the crazy pair.
“What’s wrong, princess? Please tell me,” Drew said.
I dropped my eyes and looked at the floor, hoping it would provide me some answers. My head was really hurting right now, making it harder for me to concentrate on my thoughts.
It was different when we were here; it was normal. The moment I would step a foot on Sarconian soil, I wouldn’t just be me; I would be the royal girlfriend as so many papers say. I loved Drew with all my heart, but this was difficult.
“It’s nothing. I guess I’m just scared. What if your people hate me? I’m not royal nor a Sarconian. I’m just a regular girl. I’m not even part of the elite crowd. At best, I can say my family is middle class, and I’m still questioning that since I’m an only child. What if I wasn’t, are we going to be living this comfortably? You’re royal, and I’m scared that they’d hate me and do everything it takes to get rid of me. Then you’d break up with me and end up marrying Cath who has her head deep in her delusion.
“I… I have nothing to offer. It sucks that this is all coming up right now when I have promised to myself to face the facts—that there’s no more running and hiding. I always face things head-on, but here I am blabbing so many things, afraid to face anything. What if I’m not what the people expect?” I said, almost crying.
You could call me a crybaby, but this was really scaring me. I thought I was prepared. This was a wakeup call, and they only told me we were going to Sarconia. What was I supposed to expect once I’d actually step foot in their country?
“Princess, you are not what the people expect; you’re better. They already love you, and they have been waiting to meet you.” Drew started, placing his hand on my cheek. “The main reason my Mom called was because they have been waiting for you to be formally introduced to Sarconian society. Do you really think I would let them eat you alive? Princess, I love you, and nothing can ever make me break up with you. Only you have the power to do that,” he said and kissed me softly on the lips.
“I’m just scared of everything. I just want to make a good impression,” I said.
“You will, babe… You will. There are some things we need to discuss, though. I scheduled you for princess lessons with Madame Bouvier so when we formally present you, you’re prepared. It would also help you know what to expect when it comes to the aspects of Sarconian society,” he said.
Somehow, I didn’t know what to make out of him making that decision without my permission, but I knew he did it with my best interest in mind. I just hated it when people start dictating what I could and couldn’t do.
After a while, I was able to calm down and relax a bit. Drew was still inside my bedroom. Let’s just say my dad was alright with him inside my bedroom provided that the door was wide open. We were lying on the bed with my head on his chest, and I could hear his heartbeat. Crazy, but it somehow made me feel relaxed.
“I already talked to your dad. He said it’s alright to go to Sarconia on the weekend. I just have to get you back here in time for your graduation. Jam would be joining us there after a few weeks, as well as Chad and Rissa, so you wouldn’t feel so alone,” he said, again dictating what I should do. I thought we should talk about that later on because I just felt so tired right now to start a fight.
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It was already weekend, the time when we are supposed to go to Sarconia, but I was not excited. I was going to a place where I had no idea about the culture, the people, the places, etc. Not to mention, I only heard of the country a few months ago when the rumors started about Drew. Now it just sunk in; if I marry Drew, I was expected to represent this country with him. Well, that wasn’t really calming my nerves.
I was one of those girls who had watched the Prince and I, Princess Diaries, and other movies that involved royalties. Not to mention I was reading about them as well. Even with all those exposure, it still didn’t prepare me for what was to come in Sarconia. Yes, I was nervous as hell. I didn’t know what to do. To say that I was close to cracking under pressure was an understatement.
“Hey, everything will be fine. You’ll be great like always,” Drew said to which I only nodded.
I could hear Andie talking on the phone somewhere while Chad and Rissa dropped by to say goodbye and to assure me I had nothing to worry about. We all then went inside the black Escalade, the same black SUV that has been following me for some time. I still had to talk to Drew about that as well as my schedule.
My parents weren’t exactly happy with me leaving the country. My dad was having separation anxiety. Meanwhile, my mom was in the borderline between crying and being proud of me.
Chad and Rissa was busy bickering like an old married couple while Drew had been keeping a close eye on me. I didn’t know when I should talk to him about the things on my mind, but I needed to do it soon or else I’d just blow up.
I messaged Jam to get my head off the things.
“Hey, we’re on our way to the airport. How’s France treating you?” I texted.
It didn’t really take her long to reply.
“Yeah, I heard that you guys are going to Sarconia. How awesome is that? I can’t wait to follow there, though I have to stay here a bit longer than expected because of the art festival,” Jam replied.
“Well, would it be ok if I call you once we get settled in? I have some issues that I need to talk to you about. Keeping it longer is like keeping magma inside a volcano. I need to spew it out,” I replied.
I tried to make things a bit funny since I didn’t want to scare or worry her. The thing was, I really needed to vent, and I couldn’t do it with Rissa right now since Chad would hear everything.
“Hahaha… You think you’re so funny. Please don’t quit your day job. Though you know you can always tell me everything. I’m guessing you can’t vent to Rissy since Chad is always near her?” Jam replied.
“Something like that. Talk to you later. We just arrived at the airport.” I ended the conversation.
When we got to the airport and have said our goodbyes, we boarded the royal family’s private jet. I guess I was really quiet since Drew said he needed to talk to me inside one of the jet’s cabins.
“Alright, what’s bugging you? Please tell me because I’m going out of my mind here,” Drew said in a distressed voice. He was bunching up his hair with his two hands.
I sat down on the bed while Drew stood in front of me.
“I have so many things on my mind that I need to deal with. First, when the hell were you going to tell me that I was being followed by your bodyguards? Did you know how many times I freaked out when I saw them following me? I thought someone was trying to kill me, or someone was stalking me,” I said, making sure that I held out one finger.
“And why are you scheduling my time? I know I have so many
things to learn about the royal protocol, but you could have mentioned it before scheduling it. I get that you are the crown prince and all, and you are used to dictating things to people, but could you please remember that I am not one of your subjects? I am your girlfriend!” I said, which must have stunned Drew because it took some time before he talked again. I might have stepped a bit too far because I could see that something I said irritated him.
“First, you mean to tell me you already knew you were being followed yet you didn’t tell me? What if your suspicions were actually true and it was a serial killer or a stalker who was following you? Don’t you realize how dangerous that was? Second, I was scheduling your time because I thought as your boyfriend it would be ok with you. I guess you’re right and that I should mention it to you before scheduling and finalizing everything. I’m new to this. I’ve never consulted anything from anyone before. Third, I’m not dictating your life, Liz. I’m trying to lessen the burden I have put on your shoulders. Last, I never dictated anything on anyone. I’m sorry for trying to make your life easier,” Drew said and walked out of the cabin.
Well, that made me feel like a complete bitch. I did not only hurt Drew with my accusations, I also went overboard and forgot to look from his point of view. I took a deep breath and started to think things through so I could talk to Drew with a calm mind.
I looked out the window on the cabin to help me get my thoughts straight. After a few moments, I got out of the cabin and looked for Drew. He was standing near the liquor cabinet and was drinking some alcoholic drink of some sort. I was not really a drinker, so I wouldn’t know what he was drinking.
“Hey…” I hesitantly said.
Drew took a gulp of his drink, looked at me, and sighed. He placed his drink on the table and opened his arms for me to give him a hug. I went willingly and hugged the life out of him like what he was doing to me.
“I hate it when you don’t tell me what’s bothering you cause I know that it’ll blow up later. I’m not perfect, Liz, but for us to work out, you have to be open to me about your problems. I love you, and I’m not losing you because of some petty reason,” Drew said.
“I’m sorry, Drew. I just don’t open up easily, but I’m working on it,” I said, and he kissed me as if to say we’d work it out somehow.
“I’m marrying you someday, princess. So, it would be nice to know what’s going on inside that pretty little head of yours,” Drew said with love written all over his face.
I was shocked by his statement. Marriage, well, we had been open to that idea from the time we started dating. But it still made me nervous when we talked about it. I was eighteen turning nineteen in a few months; wasn’t it a bit too early to talk about it? But then, as I look into the eyes of the guy who had continuously made my heart race and never failed to make me happy, I knew I couldn’t really think of marrying anyone else.
“I love you, Drew. I can’t imagine life without you,” I said, burying my head on his chest. He simply laughed, and for some odd reason, I could feel him smiling.
“I love you too, princess, and I can’t imagine life without you too. I just made you mine, and I’m never letting the one good thing in my life go anytime soon,” Drew said while cupping my face with both of his hands and looking me in the eye.
Well, that erased every bad feeling I had about going to Sarconia, the land of the guy I love.
Chapter 19
Being Sarconian Girlfriends
“Please fasten your seat belts. We are going to land in a few minutes. Thank you,” a voice from the speakers said. I was not sure whether it was a recording or the stewardess who assisted us a while back.
I was getting fidgety because the time was getting close. I’d be in Sarconian land. How had I managed to keep sane all this time? Oh, yeah, Drew.
I looked to my left and saw him deep in thoughts. He was looking ahead like he was psyching himself up. He was preparing himself for what was coming.
“Drew, are you alright?” I asked, a little bit worried.
“Yeah, I’m good. I am just trying to muster up some courage to face the press later on. This is going to be a long day, princess. People are going to be very interested in how we met and stuff like that. But always remember to hold my hand; I’ve got you. Just us two, and we’ll be good, ok?” he explained.
I simply nodded and rested my head on his shoulder.
We have descended safely, and we were making our way out of the airport. We didn’t even bother to collect our things because, apparently, we were too cool for that and have bodyguards to do those things. How would I ever get accustomed to this lifestyle? It was so confusing.
“Prince Phillipe, is that Miss Elizabeth with you?”
“Is it true wedding bells are ringing soon?”
“What does Lady Catherine have to say of this unexpected union?”
Those were just some of the questions being thrown at us while we were trying our best to go inside the black Escalade.
Seriously, how many of these cars do these people have?
Flashes and clicks of cameras surrounded us, which made me thank Andie for lending me her Prada glasses. Whoever said living like a celebrity is fun was crazy. This was the worst feeling ever! You were like a property of others, making me realize I would have to value every piece of privacy I would be granted from this day on.
I was thinking of closing my Facebook and other social media accounts, so I could start from the beginning and screen my friends properly.
As soon as we got inside the SUV, Andie started removing every unnecessary clothing she was wearing: the scarf covering her face, her glasses that covered almost half of her face, and her hooded jacket. She couldn’t be accused of trying to attract attention—ever.
“Well, that was fun. There were at least fifty or more paparazzi there than usual. I have to say you two are really whipping up a huge Sarconian buzz,” she said monotonously.
I, on the other hand, had a different thing in mind.
“How many of these cars do you have? It’s like you bought every single one available,” I asked in a low voice to which Andie laughed.
“We have about seven. One for each member of the royal family, one for you, and one for Margaux, my brother’s girlfriend,” Drew answered.
“I’m still not sure why Margaux even has one. It’s not like she and Alex are ever apart. I think they’re getting married before you. Who knows at this point?” Andie said like she couldn’t care less about the circumstances at hand.
I almost forgot about their brother since they barely talked about him and his girlfriend.
We drove to the palace in comfortable silence. My head was resting on Drew’s shoulder. It was beginning to be a habit. Meanwhile, Andie was texting rapidly on her phone.
When we reached the palace, I was overwhelmed once again. Andie exited the car, saying she had some things to do, and went inside immediately while I was trying to get my jaw back into place.
The palace looked like it was built around the late 18th century but with the obvious maintenance that could only come from modern technology. I was sure it covered a few acres of land, and the water fountain in the middle could only be described as a mini pool, not a fountain. It was a true centerpiece. It had a few angels that looked like they were playing with the water. The place looked a lot like Mr. Darcy’s home at Pemberly in Pride & Prejudice, Keira Knightley version. This though was much grander.
“How do you people afford to live like this?” I asked in a hushed tone.
“Having rich ancestors help, and we have other properties which are being rented by the government from which we earn most of our money,” Drew said. “I find your questions so cute.”
I smacked his chest to show I wasn’t amused by the way he was explaining these things. He simply laughed and hugged me tighter, something he had been doing much more after we announced our relationship.
“By the way, do you have internet? I still have to submit a few things so I could gra
duate and all,” I asked.
Drew laughed louder and shook his head.
“Princess, we’re in Sarconia, not the middle of the desert. Of course, we have modern technology. Sometimes I wish I can figure out what happens inside that head of yours,” he said while giving me the WiFi password.
My question did sound ridiculous. I was starting to question every high grade I had ever gotten because sometimes I was stupid beyond expectation.
We then went inside the palace. There were paintings everywhere. Some were landscapes which Drew said were real places in Sarconia, and some were of Drew’s ancestors.
“This is Prince Marcus. He lived in the 18th century and was honored for his courageousness during the war that broke out between Sarconia and Italy. He was the reason why Sarconia won, though the price was his life. You could also say that most of our yearly income was because of him. He was the one who budgeted and constructed most of the family’s properties. He was a visionary and the pride of this wall. He’s the only one to have an entire wall to himself.”
I was simply nodding my head to everything he was telling me about his family. I was pretty sure I’d just google most of the information he told me because we have passed by at least thirty portraits.
“I see you are already telling the Sarconian history to our future queen,” an unfamiliar voice said.
As I turned around, I saw a person who could pass as Drew’s twin. The only difference was his brown eyes instead of blue and his height. He was two inches shorter than Drew. With him was a blonde, blue-eyed, stick-thin girl who had her arms around him in a totally possessive kind of way.
“Hey, Alex. Didn’t know we would meet you today. I thought we would meet you and Margaux at dinner. Anyways, this is my girlfriend, Lizzie. Liz, this is my younger brother and his girlfriend of many years, Margaux,” Drew introduced.
The Bookworm Meets the Prince Page 12