“You should leave right now,” I said in the most intimidating voice I had ever used. I was really irritated, and I needed a few minutes alone to regroup and strategize.
Meanwhile, he simply shrugged his shoulder, as if saying that he always did what he wanted and no one could tell him otherwise. He then looked at me with so much anger, fear suddenly enveloped me.
“No can do, sugar.” He walked up to me and looked down at me. When he was about a few inches away from me, he looked me in the eyes. “You should have chosen me, not Andrew. Why? Just because he’s a freaking crown prince, I am thrown away like a second-class citizen. Why? Lizzie, tell me why did you choose him? You promised to give me a fair shot against him. You promised we would be friends, only to find out that I lost once again to the almighty Prince Phillipe before I even landed the first punch.”
He pushed me into a corner and made sure I couldn’t easily escape. He then continued speaking when he knew I had nowhere else to go.
“I wanted to make you suffer so much because you chose the wrong guy, but then it would feel like punishing myself because I love you that much. So, I figured I’d make that guy who stole you from me suffer,” he said in the most menacing way possible. He touched my face with his right hand and gripped my arm tightly with his other hand while. I was frozen like a statue, afraid of what he might do to me if I make the wrong move.
“You’re mine, and not even the stupid crown prince can get in my way,” he said.
I wanted to run—run as far away as I could. My eyes were tearing up because for the first time, I was afraid for my life, as well as Drew’s. Ryan obviously had something big planned. It was not the rookie plans we found out about, and I was genuinely scared that his plans would succeed. Bile was slowly crawling up my stomach. I wanted to throw up.
“I suggest you take your hands off my girlfriend before I do something I would regret, Ryan,” Drew said. It was filled with so much anger, it seemed he was seconds away from blowing up.
“Ahh…So you finally came to save the damsel in distress. Why? Afraid that she would wake up one day and see you for who you truly are? You’re not the perfect guy you pretend to be. I would have been the perfect guy for Lizzie, but you had to show up and fuck things for me like you always do. But not this time, Andrew, not this time,” Ryan said with so much hatred towards Drew.
“Ryan, I know what you’re going through at the moment, and trust me that’s about the only reason I’m not beating the crap out of you. But if you don’t take your hands off my Lizzie, I’m going to be forced to do so,” Drew said, looking directly at Ryan.
“My, my, my, the amazing Prince Phillipe wants to beat me up. That wouldn’t be a good thing to do before the announcement of your relation—” Ryan wasn’t able to finish his sentence because Drew punched him, and he punched him hard. Ryan was knocked down to the floor.
“You ever lay a hand on my girlfriend again, trust me, I won’t care who you are and what your position here is. You can consider yourself dead. I have been very lenient on you over the years because I know what you’re going through with your dad. But this time, you have crossed the line. I don’t want to ever see your face here ever again,” Drew said while making sure I was behind him and Ryan couldn’t get anywhere near me.
Ryan again simply smirked like he was expecting this kind of reaction from Drew.
“Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, when are you going to learn that I don’t play to lose?” Ryan said before standing up and walking out of the room.
I was currently holding Drew so he wouldn’t run after Ryan and punch him again. Yes, I hated the guy, but I didn’t want anything to happen to Drew. Ryan already ruined half of the night.
“Hey, I don’t care if you beat him up, but I do care what that would mean for you. I think they’re waiting for us to screw up and make a scandal out of it,” I said.
Drew looked at me like I was talking like an alien. Oh, shoot! He didn’t know what I was talking about, because I hadn’t talked to him in a while.
“Is there something I should know about, princess?” he asked, looking intently at me.
“Well...” I told him what I told Andie plus the things we had uncovered.
“I could say this surprises me, but I would be lying. Dad has been this way, and trust me, if he could find a loophole wherein he could pass the crown to Alex, he would do it. Good thing my girl got my back, huh?” he asked while hugging me. “Please don’t give up on me, on us. I will always be here for you, and I love you,” he said.
“No worries. The real battle here is keeping me away from you,” I said.
He laughed a little and gave me a quick peck on the lips.
“Now I know why Andie stopped dating. She must have liked Ryder a lot since she hasn’t dated since. And that was what, two years ago?” he said, trying to remember that time.
I knew it, I had some meddling to do. Yes, I had bigger problems when it came to the king and Ryan, but Andie’s happiness was just as important to me. After all, she was like a sister to me now.
“I think we should do something about it, don’t you think?” I asked.
He smiled at me like he was forming a plan. He was supposed to tell me something when he was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Your Highness and Miss Elizabeth, it’s time. They’re waiting for your entrance.”
Chapter 23
The Biggest Surprise of All
We went out of my room. Drew held my hand and gently squeezed it. It gave me comfort simply because this was our new way of saying everything would be alright.
We then descended the stairs on the way to the grand ballroom where the party was being held. For some reason, when I was fully expecting the nerves to come, it never did. Drew gave my hand to another gentleman who proceeded to show me to the other entrance of the ballroom. He showed me my way, and all I saw were lights, guiding me to the grand staircase of the ballroom. It was like those winding staircases they’d show when a debutante is being introduced to the society. It was something I never thought would happen to me. I never really pictured myself as a debutante.
Here I was, a simple girl who only wanted to read endlessly, someone who dreamt that someday I was going to meet my own Mr. Darcy of Pride & Prejudice, Luke Brandon of the Shopaholic series, Peeta Mellark of Hunger Games, and Gem Carstairs of Infernal Devices. Now, the biggest thing was happening to me. I was going to be introduced as the girlfriend of the Crown Prince of Sarconia, a country I never even knew existed before.
I slowly descended down the stairs and saw Drew doing the exact same thing at the other entrance of the grand ballroom. I smiled at Drew and thanked God that I met a great guy. He might not be able to offer me the simple life I had always wanted, but he did promise a life where we could change people’s lives for the better. There were many things that he couldn’t offer me like privacy. It was something I had always protected, but in every relationship, sacrifice was a constant.
I then looked at the rest of the people gathered inside the elaborate ballroom and saw familiar faces like Andie, Jam, Chad, and Rissa, but that wasn’t the best part. It was seeing my parents at the crowd. They were here, and they seemed happy.
However, there was something else in their eyes that bothered me. They were happy I was being taken cared of, but there’s this other emotion I couldn’t define right now.
I met Drew where the two stairs met, and he kissed my head.
“His Royal Highness Phillipe William Andrew Martin, Crown Prince of Sarconia, and his girlfriend, Miss Elizabeth Samantha Donalds.”
We proceeded to join the other guests, and I was introduced one by one to all the important people of Sarconian society. They were asking me if I already knew their history and such, which made me glad that Andie and I spent a really long time studying those things.
After a few hours of mingling with society people, I excused myself and went to greet the people who mattered the most to me. It was something I wasn’t g
iven a chance to do immediately.
“Hey, I missed you in school so much. Good thing we’re graduating in a few months, or I’m really going to miss you so much more,” Rissa said while she was hugging me.
“I miss you too…so much. I miss everyone at home actually,” I said, slowly feeling the homesickness I had been waiting to kick in for some time.
My parents then hugged me and told me how much they missed me, but they were immediately ushered by the queen somewhere.
“Hey, don’t sweat it so much. They’re going back here in a while. Important matters must first be discussed,” Chad said, hugging me as well. Chad had been like an older brother to me for some time, especially in the last few months when I met Drew. I did miss this crazy guy too.
“I still can’t believe I’m at the grand ballroom of Sarconia. Can you believe the level of art inside this ballroom alone? This is amazing! Oh, and of course, the current buzz of Sarconian society, my bestest cousin in the world!” Jam being the usual royal fanatic gushed, hugging me after Chad.
“You’d think she got over that by now. Jam, we’re practically family now, and you’re still amazed that you’re here? Where do you think should we keep you then? Any suggestions? The dungeons, perhaps?” asked Andie while shaking her head.
Everyone laughed at this. Jam’s obvious obsession with Sarconia cannot be contained.
“Oh, and by the way, Jam, there is no such word as bestest,” Rissa said, rolling her eyes.
“Whatever, Rissy,” Jam said.
I laughed, realizing how much I missed the company I had for months before I went here to Sarconia.
“I believe introductions should be made here,” a familiar voice behind us said, naturally making us look at the source.
“Alex, there you are. Well, let me have the pleasure to introduce to you to Rissa, Chad’s girlfriend and Jam, Lizzie’s cousin. Well, you guys know my brother Alex,” Andie said.
In those few seconds that they were being introduced, I saw something in Alex’s eyes when he saw Jam. Jam’s reaction was harder to decipher because… well, she seemed to like everything royal and Sarconian; I don’t know if this was something else. I wondered if they knew each other on a personal level, but I wasn’t given enough time to ponder that thought. Margaux went to greet us as well and introduced herself to the group.
I suddenly felt some form of hostility from Margaux towards Jam, but Drew came towards us and excused me for a few minutes.
We were currently walking in the well-lit garden just outside the ballroom. We stopped walking by a fountain directly in the middle of the beautiful flowers in the garden.
I sat down by the fountain as I looked at Drew who seemed to be a bit preoccupied with his thoughts.
“I wanted to talk to you for a few minutes alone, Liz. I just wanted to ask you this question… Are you sure about us?” Drew asked.
I looked at him in a funny manner. That was a weird question to ask right now. If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t have gone through the formal introductions a while ago. But maybe he was just feeling crazy, like the fears that I’d feel at times. I just needed to reassure him like what I always do to myself.
“Drew, why would you ask that? I’m here with you, thousands of miles away from my friends and family just to be with you. Why would you think I am not sure about us?” I asked.
This conversation was getting quite unsettling for my taste. He knelt down in front of me and looked me in the eyes.
“I love you with all of my heart and know that no matter what happens, it’s yours. I’m just making sure that all these responsibilities and sacrifices are something you can handle and won’t give up on. You are the best thing that has happened in my life, and I’m just making sure that I can make you happy… as happy as you are making me,” he whispered like a promise.
“I’m happy, Drew. Yes, I feel homesick, and I wish that my family and friends can be with me all the time, but I knew I had to sacrifice some things when I said I’ll be your girlfriend. We both know that we’re in it for the long haul and not some teenage affair that ends after high school,” I said while touching his face.
He smiled a big smile and walked me back to the grand ballroom. He led me through the staircase where we were introduced a few hours ago.
“It’s time to make you my princess officially. Now, everyone in my land will know it too,” he said in a whisper that made me look at him. He got the question burning in my eyes as I looked at him, and he answered by kneeling down on one knee.
To say I literally stopped breathing would be the biggest understatement of the century. All those butterflies they described in the novels were currently residing inside my stomach. I didn’t know if I should cry or shout, but this was me we were talking about. No matter how many better things I could have done, I just stood there, watching things happen in front of my eyes.
“I refuse to call you anything but my princess, and I also don’t want them to know you any different. I liked you the moment I first laid eyes on you. I loved you the moment I first knew you and loved you all the more when you accepted me as me and nothing else. I know I can’t be the perfect guy for you all the time, and to be honest, I can’t promise that I will be, but I promise that I will do my best to be the guy you need… and would ever need. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, you are the Juliet to my Romeo, Hermione to my Ron, Ginny to my Harry, Katniss to my Peeta, even Bella to my Edward… but most of all, you are the Elizabeth to my Mr. Darcy. I love you with all my heart. Please say you will marry me in front of the people I care the most.
“Will you marry me Liz, my princess?” he asked me in front of hundreds of people invited to the party.
He was holding my eyes captive with his. Honestly, I didn’t even bother to look at the ring.
This time, I did something I barely do; I cried and nodded to give him an answer because, at that point, I just couldn’t find my voice. I was so speechless, I just couldn’t say anything. Drew stood up and slid a ring to my finger, wearing the biggest smile I had ever seen.
He led me through the crowd and unto the middle of the dance floor. Everything happened so fast, I almost didn’t hear them playing one of my favorite songs, So Close from the movie Enchanted. While we danced in front of the people who gave us the dance floor to celebrate our engagement, I couldn’t seem to stop the tears. Drew had to stop our dance just to look me in the eye and slowly wipe the tears away.
“I love you, princess, and now everyone in my land knows it too. Please stop crying. I think that’s the only thing that breaks my heart,” Drew whispered for only me to hear.
I smiled and cupped his face just so he could see how happy he truly makes me.
“I’m not crying because I’m sad. I’m crying because I’m incredibly happy that I get to spend my life with someone as great as you,” I said.
He smiled at me and, of course, kissed my forehead as we continued to dance to our new song.
As we were slow dancing, I saw a glimpse of my parents with the queen, who was beaming happily. My parents, especially my dad, were teary-eyed. I knew they wanted to keep me longer, but they also told me to fight for what I loved and to always pursue what would make me happy, and that was Drew. So that was why they looked a bit off a while ago. They thought they were going to lose me. Fat chance of that happening. I loved them too much.
I saw my friends and immediately knew they were in on this whole surprise because they were smiling slyly at each other like they were really expecting this to happen.
However, I also saw the king who was sitting on his high throne and watching our every movement with a blank face. Well, he didn’t seem too happy with me right now. I wondered what his next move would be.
I also saw Ryan and Lady Catherine with a deep scowl on their faces. I knew whatever the king was planning involved those two.
Why couldn’t a good thing happen to me and stop at that? Should I always have to fight for everything in my life? Why couldn�
�t something be easy for once?
I looked at the ring that Drew gave me. It has a big, sparkly diamond centre stone. It was shining against the light but not as bright as the smile Drew was giving me for saying yes to a forever with him. I remembered that old saying, “The things that matter most are the things that are worth fighting for.”
And I was one hundred percent sure that my fiancé was worth fighting for.
Chapter 24
Please Tell me this Isn’t Happening
“The engagement of Crown Prince Phillipe...”
*click*
“Now on the latest update, Prince Phillipe is now engaged to...”
*click*
“So, in recent news, Sarconian Crown Prince...”
*click*
I threw away the remote control that I was holding. I knew it would be a big deal, but this was weird; our engagement has practically dominated the news. How was this possible? A few months ago, I was no one, now my name was plastered on every station possible.
It was getting quite irritating, so I switched off the television, grabbed my phone, and went for a run. Trust me, I wasn’t a big runner. I could count in one hand the times I had run voluntarily, but now, it seemed like a good idea.
The funky beat of Love Song by Sara Bareilles was the only thing that kept me going around the palace grounds. The king had been surprisingly quiet, while Ryan and Cath had been loitering around the palace. Drew wasn’t happy that Ryan was still around, but he couldn’t do anything because the king had ordered it. I was not sure how that worked specifically, but they followed it. Drew was also not happy with the fact that Cath was here either.
While running, I took in the different parts of this magical palace. The garden was simply breathtaking, with different flowers in full bloom. Some haven’t yet, but they were about to.
It reminded me of the words of the emperor in Mulan when he was talking to Shang about Mulan:
The Bookworm Meets the Prince Page 15