Liar.
Amber walks in with riding boots and a riding cap in her arms.
“Miss,” she says, helping me put them on.
I look at my reflection in the mirror. My long dark blond hair falls down the side of my head in two long braids. Amber did a wonderful job starting my braids all the way at the top of my ears. It suits me. She also gave me the smallest hint of make-up, which made my fake blue eyes stand out even more. I did not know it was possible. I have never really thought myself as beautiful. I am just your average girl. But with my hair and makeup, and my riding clothes I have to admit I look pretty good. I look Elite. My tight riding clothes make my curves stand out. I am not very tall, but I have been blessed with pretty good curves that have always made me feel feminine. My legs are long and slim, but strong. I focus on my face, my nose is small and my eyes big.
I am Elite.
A small knock on my door pulls my attention away from the door. Amber opens it and falls silent. I turn to see why she stopped moving, expecting to see Shanna. Instead it’s a very handsome prince.
No feelings. I have no feelings for this man.
Liar
“My lady,” he says, his eyes finding mine.
Amber freezes in her spot. She does not seem sure of what to do. She is not aware of what happened last night. Her confusion is clear and makes the situation almost laughable. She has no idea why he would be coming to see me.
“Amber, would you mind checking with the kitchen if our picnic basket is ready? I will be down in just a moment, please also inform Shanna” I say, hoping she does not get too suspicious.
“Of course ma’am,” she give me a nod and when passing Will she curtsies deep.
My intention to keep my distance has been thrown out the window.
His pull on me is so strong.
I can’t help myself, and apparently neither can he.
The split second she is out the door, his arms find their way around me.
How can you miss someone so much after just one night? He seems to feel the same way and his grip becomes a little tighter. His right hand moves from my back to my face. I lean into his touch. Allowing him to lift my chin towards his face.
The kiss is soft, almost as small as the one he gave me yesterday but it makes my head spin. My hand rests on his neck and I lift myself a little higher, deepening the kiss ever so slightly. We stand in embrace, his hand still cupping my face and our lips close together.
I enjoyed kissing Aran back in Springlake, but this is different. There are sparks, lightning, fireworks, all at once. My knees are weak with excitement. I want him closer. I need him closer. A small moan escapes his lips and my whole body ignites. His hand traces my back, his fingers finding their way to my neck.
After a long moment I reluctantly step back. I want to stay in his embrace. But if I stay, it might cost me my sanity. I have always considered my virtue as something important. I don’t want to lose myself in wanting him. It should not be all about the physical attraction.
He steps back to look at me. His eyes stormy. They move across my face. First my eyes, then my lips, then down my body. My, very fitting, black riding outfit make his cheeks flush. A small cough escapes his lips, making my heart leap inside of me. He is uncomfortable in a good way and I flush red.
“Forgive me, you are just too stunning,” he says, fiddling with his watch. “I’ll leave you to your day activity, I just had to see you for a minute,” his voice unsteady.
“I am glad you came over,” I whisper, leaning in a little more to press my lips to his one last time. I press in a little harder, making sure he knows I do not want this to end.
Then I step back, allowing him to take my hand. He leads me to my door. Without words we agree that this will be our little secret a little while longer. So after another small kiss he lets go of my hand. Closing the door behind him, I sigh, sinking onto the floor.
It takes me a few minutes to collect myself.
Holy crap that just happened.
I let myself giggle for a minute. Then I grab my riding cap and rush towards the first floor.
Shanna and Amber stand there waiting, both with a raised eyebrow and mischief in their eyes.
“So, the Prince, huh?” Shanna begins.
Of course Amber spilled her guts to Shanna. I force the upcoming smile down and try to look as natural as possible. “Yes, he realized today was my day off but had an important business question that just could not wait, “
“Uhu,” say both Amber and Shanna at the same time.
All three of us laugh, They do not believe me one bit but thankfully they don’t press on. This is something too dangerous, too impossibly wrong, to be able to share.
The ride is truly amazing. It does not take away my thoughts the way I had originally hoped it would. But yet again, I had not expected to be kissed by the Prince like that either. So instead of searching for a distraction I just enjoy the moment and the movement of the strong horse. The horses at the palace are so much more elegant than the ones I am used to at home.
We are not allowed to leave the palace grounds, but there is plenty of space to run and we take full advantage of it. Shanna is a wonderful rider and we seem to have the same flow with our horses. The feeling of freedom is almost overwhelming and for a moment my crazy life is forgotten.
But as soon as we slow down, the worries rise again. When will it all be over? Will they find out my secret? Will I be hung? Will the Prince hate me?
Shanna rides next to me in happy oblivion. She has nothing to worry about.
“I’ll race you”, I yell, pushing the horse underneath me a little harder, letting the adrenaline wash over my worries.
I am Elite.
We ride until lunch time.
Our horses come to a stop on a small hill on the outskirts of the grounds. It is the perfect place for a picnic. With mountains behind us, and a great view of the gardens around us, we take a seat. Along the gardens run the large walls indicating the palace grounds endings. We take it all in before diving into the picnic basket. We chew, and chat and chew some more. The cook has truly outdone himself, and with nobody watching our etiquette we lounge while eating.
A movement in the corner of my eye stops me from taking another bite. I lean forward, hoping my eyes can give me a better look when I see more shadows. And more. They move quick, organized. There should not be anyone right at the walls. There is nothing there. Then I remember my conversation with Will and it hits me.
Rebels.
The world falls into slow motion. Memories of being shot paralyze me. My body is not moving as fast as it should. I have to get up. We have to go.
My mind snaps back into survival. I am in control again.
I pull Shanna up with me. She trusts me enough to follow without questions. Or maybe I just did not hear her if she did object. I push her towards her horse and she obeys. We are up and riding in seconds. I will my horse to ride harder, even faster than before. The wind no longer feels freeing. The movements no longer feel right. All we can do is push as hard as we can.
I jump off my horse and run towards the nearest guard. In between puffs of breath I tell him what we have just seen. Thankfully he listens to my worries and takes immediate action. As he runs off I feel my body cave. I move my hands onto my knees to steady my heart rate and breathing.
Shanna does the same. “What’s going on?” She puffs.
“Rebels,” is all that I can muster as a reply.
The alarm goes off and the running feet seem to make the palace shake. I expect chaos, but the crowd seems to move as one. They all know what to do. They have practiced this. They might not realize it is a real threat this time. I am just happy everyone is moving. The structure and organized precision impress me. If we were not in danger I would observe the crowd.
A guard moves closer and point us towards the moving mass. “Quickly ladies, the safe-rooms will go on lockdown within the next few minutes.”
Grabbing
Shanna’s hand, we follow the crowds flow. Thankfully I am wearing riding boots and not heels as I keep up with the flow. Shanna keeps close, she is scared. I squeeze her hand a little tighter and together we follow the crowd through a door. I expect to walk into a room, but it turns out to be a spiraling staircase deeper into the ground. Darkness is not one of my strong points, let alone darkness with a whole lot of building above you.
I am going to die.
We move slowly on the tight stairs and it seems to take us forever. When we finally hit the ground a large metal door leads us to a shelter.
I do not feel comfortable at all. So I do what I do best. Count. I pay attention. Fifty beds in the left corner. The right corner has twenty boxes with labels marking the content. The corner next to the large door holds a desk with an ancient looking computer and telephone. The other corner has stacks of chairs waiting to be used. If we are going to be here all day and night I would rather have a bed to lay on. I keep hold of Shanna’s hand as I make my way over to some empty beds. The room is filling up and I do a quick headcount. There are a lot more people then beds.
“Let’s share one.”
Shanna looks around her and nods in agreement. We sit down next to each other, our backs against the wall. I take another look around the room. I check faces, looking for anyone who is familiar. There’s only a few. The ones I really hope for, are not here. Amber and Will. Of course not, there must be special safe-rooms for the Royals. And Amber must be in one of the many other safe-rooms for the staff. Disappointment washes over me. I could use her. She calms me. Yet, I am embarrassed to admit to myself that I mostly want to see Will. Worry creeps in, not knowing if he is alright. If the rebels are coming here, he must be on their hit list. He, as a member of the royal family must have a target on his back. What if he’s not in a safe room? It is rather ridiculous. We have just met, how can someone feel this much? It is kind of scary how deep my worry for him goes. For the last few days I have tried to pretend my feelings were not there. It is just easier that way, knowing that it would never work out. But in this moment all I need is to know is that he is safe.
I sigh, there is nothing that can be done now. All we can do is wait.
A guard walks in. He takes a quick look around the room. He then turns and seals the door. I feel claustrophobic and the panic rises in my body. I hate being this far underground. I hate not knowing what is going on upstairs. I hate not knowing if everyone is safe. I hate not knowing if there is a real threat going on.
The guard turns to address the crowd, now all looking at him in fear. “Ladies, Gentlemen, I am glad to see you have all made it here safely. We have spotted rebels outside the palace walls. We are not sure what they are planning. We are not sure if they want to do us any harm. We do not know if you are in any danger.” He looks around the room before continuing. “We are to remain on complete lockdown till we receive further intel and a green light for us to exit. Until then, get comfy, it might be a while.” He sits down behind the table with the screen and telephone and turns his back to the crowd.
Nobody really talks. People just stare at nothing at all, or lay on a bed with their eyes closed. I watch the other people. I note who is here, try to remember faces and watch their actions. I don’t really know why, there is no real use, but it has become a habit. Knowing all these little things helps me create order in my mind. It helps me to focus on something other than my feelings. It helps me pretend my heart is not aching for a prince I cannot love, or a love lost back at home. Even if that love was just small.
Shanna shifts, snapping me out of my deep thoughts. She moves, shifts again. It is clear she is struggling. Her restlessness rubs off on me. My fingers trace my neck, massaging the back a little. A finger reaches the chain of the necklace hanging down my neck. I have worn it every day, but I have not really looked at the pictures inside for quite some time.
Opening the locket, I regret it right away. The four faces looking back at me send a bolt of homesickness through me. I have never spent any time without my parents close by and I feel like a small child longing for her mommy. Gilanna’s tongue sticking out makes me smile a sad smile. If only I could tell her what is going on, she would calm me down in a heartbeat. Last I take in Aran’s face. I feel a pang of guilt towards him. Even though I asked him not to wait, we both left with hope. The only question was, when and if I’d come back. Now a whole new question has appeared. Neither of us had expected me to kiss a prince. And neither of us expected me to actually start falling for him too.
Ugh, even more anxious now, way to go Mera.
Shanna sits next to me, even paler than usual. Our eyes meet once she notices me looking at her. She forces me the smallest hint of a smile. She is not only anxious, she is terrified. Poor girl has it even worse than me.
“Come here,” I say, opening my arm, allowing her to lean into me, “let’s do a breathing exercise.”
After what seems like forever of deep breathing, we fall asleep. It is only six PM, but all the emotions have made me very tired. It is a restless sleep though. My dreams filled with Will’s face, first happy, then when he finds out my secret his eyes turn angry. Even in my dreams there is no escaping the truth. I am only human. I try to outrun them, he chases me, trying to get to me. I need to survive, run!
Soft hands on my arm pull me out of my nightmare. My body shivers. Shanna’s looking at me with troubled eyes.
“You ok Mera?”, she says, “bad dream?”
I sit up and reply “yeah a little, sorry if I startled you.”
“Nonsense, it is absolutely fine, I was awake anyways and figured you might need someone to pull you out of your dream.”
It is a good thing she had awoken me. My dreams would have only gotten worse. I look around the room and see more people sound asleep.
“How long was I out?”
“About two hours?” she replies, not really sure.
I am sure the guard must know more by now? Standing up I stretch my body before walking over to the guard. He is still in the same position as before. His focus is clear, head down, staring at the screen in front of him.
He looks up startled as I move beside him. The room is very quiet, so I lean down next to him and look at his face. He is probably in his fifties, and his beard is starting to show gray. But he seems strong, and very capable of his job.
“Sir, can you tell me anything of what is going on out there?” I whisper a little unsure. Who says he is going to speak to me at all.
He pushes up his eyebrow, searching my face. “You are the temporary assistant of the Queen, yes?”
I nod, “Yes sir.” I reach out my hand to shake his.
“Ok, this has to stay between us, but once we get out of here you might want to hit the ground running, so to speak.”
“Eh, ok, why?” An uneasy feeling comes over me.
“The King, Queen and the Crown Prince are safe. But, while everything had just been put on lock down the daft twins came home from another trip. Nobody knew they had planned to come home. It seems like the rebels had all of this planned. They put men at the back of the palace, to make sure a full lock down would take place. But they apparently had another group of men waiting at the other side,” he stops speaking to look at me.
The puzzle pieces come together slowly. “You mean… they were waiting for the Princesses?”
“Yes, they have been taken.”
Chapter 9
I run up the stairs as fast as my legs can muster. The guard was right, I need to hit the ground running.
Quickly I make my way to the Queens office, not caring about my appearance. The Queen will not care about my riding outfit. The outside darkness creeps into the palace halls, making the news of the missing princesses even more real.
I push the door open, scan my finger and make my way to the next. I hear the Queen before seeing her sitting on the floor next to her desk. Her face rests in her hands, her hair tangled around her. Her tears fall to the floor and her breath is
shaky. Stepping towards her, I let myself fall to my knees and pull her in. She falls into me, sinking into my arms. She wails in a way only a heartbroken mother can. I stroke her hair and her back and rock her back and forth.
“My babies.. Oh goodness where are my babies?” She begs.
“Shhh my Queen, I am sure they will be found,” I tell her, hoping she doesn't catch my own panic.
“I have been told to sit here, wait for news. How can they expect me to just SIT here..”
I am afraid this might be the last straw for the Queen. She already looks so hollowed out. What if she gives up? What if her drive to live ends with this pain? She has to feel useful, she has to be able to help her children in some way. This is any mother's worst nightmare. Being told to do nothing must be the worst.
Then an idea comes to mind.
“My Queen, I assume upcoming events are less of importance than this, right?”
“Well of course!” She looks insulted that I even ask the question.
I do not mind her anger, there is a reason for asking her this. “Alright, so that means that for now, we do not have anything specific to do, correct?”
She looks at me with horror in her eyes. She is not catching on.
“Well then, let’s get to work, maybe we can help find them.”
I get up and stretch my hand out to the Queen, still sitting on the floor. While she looks up to me she reminds me of an exhausted child, no longer being able to stand on its own. She reaches up her hands, and I pull her into an embrace. She clings on to me for a second before remembering she is the Queen and that this is probably not proper.
“What do you mean?”
“We start our own investigation,” I reply, leading her to her desk. “First, we need to know how the rebels knew your daughters were coming home, while the palace was unaware.”
She nods, clearly relieved to be able to do something.
We spend hours looking through papers and documents. We search for names, connections and locations. I call the kitchen to bring us breakfast and push a bagel in my mouth as we continue putting together the dots.
I Am Elite (A Colors novel Book 1) Page 9