Valentino winces every time he sees me move my legs, knowing how much pain I’m in. We ride out, same as always—Valentino in the front, Javiar in the back. The trees no longer provide shade on us as the trail opens wider. My skin burns and I feel dehydrated. My head spins and I feel as if I’m about to fall off the horse.
“Valentino!” I hear Javiar call from behind, but I’m too dizzy to look up.
“Here, take her reins.” I feel one of the horses move up beside me. Strong arms carefully pull me by the waist so I’m sitting in front of him, both legs hanging over the right side of his horse.
Valentino places his arm protectively around me so I am curled against his shoulder. The dizziness begins to fade but I still feel sick. I can feel the heat wave over me and I know without a doubt that tomorrow I will be as red as a tomato.
“We have to reach Umare by tonight. There’s no way she’s going to last another day out here,” I can feel more than hear Valentino say.
“Go ahead of me. I can’t ride as fast with two horses, but you’re right. We need to get her out of the sun,” Javiar replies.
“Are you sure?” Valentino asks.
“I’ll be fine. Just go ahead. Our job is to protect her. Get her home—I won’t arrive long after you,” Javiar says. Good to know that when my safety is actually being threatened, they can work together.
I stay in a constant state of half asleep, half awake the remainder of our ride. Valentino pushes Knight hard. I can feel the wind brush over me as we go racing through the forest and toward home.
I feel myself slipping deeper into unconsciousness. I don’t want to, especially now that we’ve lost Javiar. But I fear if I move, I’ll barf and still fall off the horse. So I stay put and allow myself to fall asleep to the hammering of Valentino’s heart.
His heartbeat is gone. And I’m no longer moving. I feel all around me without opening my eyes, scared to see where they put me. All I feel is cloth. Blankets, a sheet. I open my eyes. The room is dark, windows covered by large, thick velvet drapes.
There’s an armoire in the far corner, with a changing partition made of wood and velvet beside that. A velvet sitting chair sits opposite those, and on top of me right now is a velvet blanket. I throw it off and look over everything once more.
The room is overrun with the one fabric I don’t like, the one I can’t stand. The feel of velvet drives me crazy—and not in a good way. I toss the blanket away and search for another—one that is more what I am used to. But all that’s in the wardrobe are dresses, and even a few of those have velvet skirts.
If this is to be my room permanently, the velvet is going to have to go. A shiver runs down my spine as I touch the velvet drapes and look out the window. The sun appears to be just rising. And it’s a beautiful scene.
It also means I’m up wandering my room at about six in the morning. Aside from a little stiffness and the horror of having to touch the nasty fabric, I feel awake. I gently touch my face to see if I can feel a burn. There isn’t one, which surprises me.
I wonder if Valentino shielded me from the sun while we rode together. Valentino! I need to find him. I don’t want to meet them, my parents, without him present. Really, I don’t want to find that he has just left me here.
I open the large wooden door and peek out into the hall. Red carpets line the cold floor. Tapestries depicting scenery of the forest and kingdom cover the brick walls. Sconces, all lit, line the hallway and cast shadows.
I slip back into my room as I realize there is no way I will ever find him. He could be anywhere. I can hope and dream that he will come and find me, make sure I’m okay. I pull the drapes back and sit on the bed, just watching the sun rise over the mountains above the trees.
“Milady?” A soft voice asks. I jump up and spin around so fast, I make my head hurt.
“Good morning. I brought you some breakfast and tea.” The woman smiles. Her gray-and-brown hair is pulled back into a bun. Her eyes are bright, despite the wrinkles that surround them. She wears a plain brown dress with a tattered apron over it.
“Who are you?” I don’t dare move. I don’t believe her to be anything more than a maid but I don’t know her, as I don’t know anyone here and I don’t know where Valentino is, which I’m still stressing over.
“I am Edda. And I am here to make sure you are comfortable, cleaned, and properly clothed. That said, I ask that you eat your breakfast so we may begin. I will draw your bath for you. You’re going to have a very long day ahead of you, Princess.” She’s a busybody from that point on.
I nod and do as she asked. The food is hot, which is wonderful alone. It looks like some sort of roll with meats along with some other things stuffed in the center. I take a small bite and find that it’s delicious, but I have no idea what it is. It tastes like a cross between ham and steak. Maybe it’s a mix of the two.
There’s another flavor I don’t recognize, but as it tastes good, I don’t question it. Beside the stuffed bread is a bowl of something that kinda looks like oatmeal. I’m not sure I want to even try it, considering that I hate oatmeal. But I brave it out and take the tiniest spoonful.
The spoon alone is a wonder to look out. It’s been carved out of a single piece of wood, and the handle has intricate carvings in it. I eat the food and bring the spoon closer to see what the carving is. Trees and flowers and a sunset—or sunrise—all carved into the handle of a single utensil. It’s beautiful. I pick the bowl up and see if it has the same craftsmanship, which it does.
“Grisham carves those. He may be a simple woodcutter but the king and queen are very taken with his pieces. He is a respected commoner, and praise of his work is worth far more than the gold he is paid for it.” Edda pulls back the changing wall to reveal a steaming bath.
I hadn’t realized she left the room to get the water. I must have taken longer than I thought to eat the little food I did consume. I shake my head and set the bowl down.
“Thank you. If I meet him, I’ll be sure to compliment his work.” I smile and stand there awkwardly, unsure what to say. She’s dismissed? She can go? I will take the bath on my own?
“Finish your breakfast and we’ll get you ready.”
“Actually, I’m done eating. I would like to just take that bath.”
“Very well. I am unaware as to how your clothes work, so I cannot help you undress,” she states, which makes my cheeks turn red.
“I’ll undress and bathe myself, thank you. You can go.”
“Very well. When you are finished, ring the bell and I will help you get into your dress.” She curtsies and leaves. I check the door in hopes of finding a lock on it, but am met with a smile instead. Edda didn’t fully close the door and Valentino is standing there, about to knock.
“Hey!” I open it a little wider and let him come in.
“Princess.” He bows. “I hope Edda has taken good care of you.”
“Valentino, I thought I would have to deal with others treating me this way. But you? We’re friends, aren’t we?” I’m hurt that he refuses to listen and continues to treat me like royalty. I just want a friend.
“I’m sorry, Princess. But the customs are what they are and I cannot ignore them. You are a princess, and thus, should be treated so. Even now, I should not be here without your maid present. And it looks like I am interrupting, beside that.” He eyes the bath before stepping back into the hall.
“Va—”
He cuts me off before I can scold him again.
“Good luck, Princess. I will leave you to your own tasks now.” He bows again before walking away. But I saw the sadness in his eyes, the worry that he is hurting me and can’t do anything about it. It gives me hope.
I close the door and slide the lock into place before removing my shirt and jeans. I step into the bath and let four days of dirt and grime soak off. I let the warmth and safety take me away from here. I lean my head against the rim of the wooden tub. Closing my eyes, I think of all that’s happened, how my life has changed.
>
And whether it’s a good thing or not. I went from being the girl everyone picked on to being a princess. I wonder if I would ever tell any of those people who I really am if I had the chance. Probably not. I wouldn’t want to give them more ammo.
I sigh and think of Mom and Dad. Will they always wonder if I survived more than a day? Will they always worry about me? Or will they eventually move on? So many things could happen to them, and that worries me.
Will they adopt again? Will they get a cat or dog to fill the void? Or will they be glad I’m out of the house and no longer their concern?
And my real parents—are they ready to have their only child back? Do they expect me to be accepting of everything they tell me? Or do they know that I have a will of my own and it can’t be broken, purchased, or bent? And what are they like? Will they be caring and understanding, or will I have to fight them every step of the way? There are a million possibilities.
And are they sitting together, wondering the same things about me? Or do they have a perfect vision of what I’m like? Will I be a disappointment? Will I look anything like them?
My mind spins out of control with everything that could happen today. I seize up in uncontrollable fear. My wanders to all the things that could go wrong. What if I don’t fit in? What if they hate me? What if I was better off on Earth? Edda said she would help me get properly dressed. She said today would be stressful—today I meet the people who sent me away seventeen years ago.
Today I lost my best friend to the prince he’s always been. I’m not ready for any of this. I don’t fit in here anymore than I did on Earth. I’m not a part of this world. My heart sinks in despair as the thought hits me—I don’t belong anywhere.
I take a deep breath and begin scrubbing at my skin. My first goal is to make a good impression. No matter what I think of them, I know they can make things easy for me or they can turn this into a nightmare.
My second priority is to prove to Valentino that as long as he treats me like someone I’m not, we aren’t friends. I want the old Valentino, the one I became friends with. I can’t lose him. If I do, I risk losing myself.
My third priority is to prove to these people that I am not helpless. I came prepared in every aspect. I can take care of myself, and I will go out and find these other royals and end this Mendina’s wrath. But they don’t control me.
And that brings me to the final part. I will not marry for anything but love. If they expect me to marry just anyone—whether it helps the kingdom or not—they are wrong. They don’t control me. I am not a piece of property to be traded.
I dunk my head under the water and begin scrubbing my hair. As much as a bath is nice every now and then, it isn’t the easiest of ways to wash hair. How I would just love a nice hot shower about now.
As soon as I’m done scrubbing, I grab the towel-like cloth Edda left for me and wrap it around my body. Shivering, I dry and put my regular clothes on. Edda said to ring the bell, but I don’t know what bell that would be.
I open my bedroom door in hopes of finding someone walking by who could help me, but the hall is barren. I close the door and sit on the bed and gaze across the room looking for any sort of bell.
When I don’t see anything, I get up and walk around the room searching. But that doesn’t grant any luck either. So instead, I open the wardrobe, and while carefully avoiding all the velvet dresses, pull out the others and lay them across the bed.
“While those are all stunning dresses, none of them are fitting for the occasion. This is the dress you will be wearing this morning.” I spin around to see Edda standing in the doorway. She is holding the dress Valentino brought me.
It is beautiful, plainer than the others. The green will make my eyes stand out. I wish to wear my parents’ gift with it. I realize I don’t know where my backpack is. I rode with Valentino, and my belongings were attached to Star’s saddle.
I look around in panic, hoping someone brought it to my room but it is nowhere in sight.
“Your Highness, you need to get dressed. Your parents are waiting, as is the entire royal court.” Her words hit me hard.
“The entire royal court? I’m meeting my parents—in front of other people?” I thought it would be a more personal affair. I thought we would meet in a cozy room somewhere.
“Of course. The entire kingdom has been awaiting your return, Princess. This is a day of celebration for not just the kingdom, but the world.” She has one eyebrow furrowed, the other raised, confused at my confusion.
“I just thought it would be different. Sorry,” I mumble. “If they’re waiting, you’re right. I should get dressed.” I hold out my hand for the dress.
“Milady, I assure you this will be easier if I help you. As I am to understand, you’ve never done up a dress like this.” She shows me the back. There’s no zipper—just laces. And Edda’s right—I’ve never worn a dress like this. So I nod and allow her to help me put it on. Which is more than a little awkward but she is kind to turn away until the dress is on.
She ties the back up so tight, I feel like I can’t breathe. I don’t say a thing—she has to know what she’s doing. I suck it in and take small breaths. “It becomes easier in time, I assure you.”
I just nod and look out the window. “Turn around,” she says. I turn. Before me is a full-length mirror and I have to admit, I look stunning. The only thing that doesn’t fit is my wet, knotted hair. “Take a seat.” Edda places the velvet chair behind me. I don’t want to touch it but I do as she says.
I cringe as I feel the way the velvet moves beneath my dress. Edda carefully brushes my hair. Not once do I feel the pain that usually comes with getting four-day tangles out of one’s hair.
“Edda?” I’m afraid to make the request. I don’t know what the limits are, what the rules are.
“Yes, milady?”
“Is this my room now?” I almost hope she says no but I have a feeling it is.
“Yes, Your Highness. Unless it is unfitting, in which case we can find you a bigger room,” she offers. I look around the best I can while she’s holding my hair.
“Oh, no. I don’t want bigger.” I don’t know what I would do with a bigger room.
“Is something wrong with it, then?”
“Well, I don’t like velvet. And this room seems to be overrun with it,” I finally say.
“I see. Do not worry, Princess. I shall see to it that it is taken care of.”
“Thank you.” I look back in the mirror and see the braids she has put in my hair. Two braids, one on either side of my head, and they meet in the middle to make a ponytail. The rest of my hair is straight and hangs loose. I’ve always braided my hair back but I like how this looks on me.
I’m beginning to believe that she could make a princess out of me yet, if only in the looks department—something I never thought would happen. She makes the last finishing touches, somehow getting my hair to stay without an elastic band.
“Thank you. I’m stunned.” I touch my hair and spin around in the dress, and for once I feel like I’m worth more. The sleeves of the dress are longer in the back and almost reach the floor. Trimmed in gold, the gown makes me feel more beautiful than I’ve ever felt.
“That’s fitting because you look stunning, Your Highness.” She smiles, and I believe we will be great friends.
“Thank you,” I say kindly. I appreciate all she’s done for a total stranger.
“Now, milady, your escort awaits you.” She pushes me toward the door.
“What about shoes?” I look at my bare feet, freezing on the cold floor.
“I am so sorry, Your Highness. Please forgive me.” She curtsies and opens the wardrobe, pulling a pair of gold slippers from the base. I slip them on and run out the door, running right into Valentino.
“Forgive me, Y—” he begins.
“It’s my fault, and I’m sorry.” I look up at him, not wanting him to continue treating me like we don’t know each other. I hate it.
And for
a moment, the charade stops. “You’re beautiful.” He looks me up and down, and I let him.
“Thank you.” I curtsy. I don’t know why, but it just feels right.
“Shall we?” He offers his arm, which I take in an instant.
“I don’t know that I’m ready for this.” We walk down the long hall, our steps in sync. A maid walks toward us. She appears to be in a hurry but as she gets closer and realizes who we are, she stands against the wall in a curtsy until we’ve passed.
“I suppose this isn’t really something you can prepare for but I know you will do great. Your mother and father have missed you beyond measure. They have been looking forward to this day with far more excitement than you’ve been dreading it.” Having him put things in to that perspective make things a little easier.
“And what if they’re disappointed?” My voice wavers. Valentino stops, unwinding his arm from mine. He faces me, his hands on either of my shoulders.
“There is nothing they could be disappointed about. You have learned everything you could before coming. Your parents, the ones who adopted you, prepared you in every way possible except for this moment. Smile, curtsy at all the right times, and welcome them into your life. That is all they wish for.”
I lean in just a little closer. “I don’t know anything about being royal. I don’t know when to curtsy or when to smile or when to speak. I don’t even know how to address my parents.” He puts his forehead to mine.
“Don’t try to be someone you’re not ready to be. They are aware you have no training in being a princess. Smile upon seeing them—show them you’re happy to be here. Curtsy upon entering the room, when standing before them, and when you are dismissed. As for addressing them, do what you’ve always done.” He steps back and loops my arm around his again.
We arrive at two very large wooden doors. Each guard moves from their post and opens the door. Inside the room are throngs of people. The royal court, here to welcome home the lost princess. I feel more lost now than I ever did before.
Missing Royal Page 6
