DURING THAT week, I woke up in the middle of the night almost every day, and couldn’t get back to sleep. My emotions hadn’t been very consistent at night when I couldn’t control what I saw or heard in my mind. I laughed and cried so many times The following morning, I woke up - after drifting away unconsciously - to the sound of rain pattering on my window. I lit my candle and stood up to look out, but couldn’t see a thing, so I sat back on my cot. I felt something hard under me, so I pulled it out. It’s not like I was expecting a pea or anything, but I was surprised when I pulled out my ring. Under the candlelight, the engraved letters of my name gleamed. I groaned and threw it to the ground. It's not like that matters anymore. I thought. Peter’s here, and Hana’s with him, and I don’t have anyone else’s trust yet. It doesn’t matter if people recognize me, I’ve got nothing to hide anymore. I glanced at the small, ticking old clock on the wall. I remembered it was Saturday, and I would be late for my chores unless I got up now. I grumbled more shameful words and heaved myself off the cot. I touched the knob carefully before I actually turned the knob. I didn’t want it to burn me as it did in High Master Kieser’s study. I was still recovering, and it had been three days since I had been injured by that dragon doorknob. I had come into the kitchen just after to have Lannie treat the burn. “Eh, where’d you get a burn li’e that?” She had asked. The blood pounded in my ears. If I told her, she’d think I’d gone crazy! “High Master Kieser spilled his tea,” She looked up at the ceiling. “On you?” I nodded slowly. “That evil man, thar. I could just kick ‘is shins, I could!” “Why do you say that?” I asked, though secretly I agreed with her. Kieser was creepy… “That man is planning somatt. I overheard him speaking about it in his rum.” She snorted. “Seems as though somun’s got some secret powr or somatt. I don’t remember exactly what the ‘igh Master said, but somun’s goin’ on ‘ere.” “Indeed?” “Indeed.” She said definitely, wrapping the last of the bandage. “Thank you,” I said. “Don’ mention it, laddie.” I nodded bluntly and turned on my heel. “Watch oat for his Lordship.” “I will don’t worry.” I stepped across the border between the kitchen and the hall. If what Lannie said was true, I had to get out of here! The next thing I know, my parents and I will be taking orders from him, which is something I do not want to do, knowing what’s at stake. But I couldn’t just leave Hana, I’ve never felt this way about anyone else before! Ahh, but she has Peter, I assured myself. She doesn’t need me anymore. As much as I hated to admit it, it was true. But what about Braden? I thought you were friends with him. I told that little voice inside me to shut up before I did something I shouldn’t. It didn’t work. I finished getting ready for the day, salvaging my ring from the dusty floor, and slipped it into my pocket. It would be too hard to explain to Father if I ever got back to the palace. Homesickness swelled throughout my body for the first time since I’d been there. I’d never really felt as though I had a home, everyone paid the same consideration to me as I did to them; none, unless they did something wrong. I flopped back on my cot, coughing from the cloud of granules rising in a cloud from my bedsheets. It was filthy in this room, I don’t know how I ever survived having itchy cotton sheets that collected so much dust and grime that I couldn’t wash it out without it collecting back up. It was like a magnet for any dirt in the cramped room. I walked out the same time as Hana’s beau, who was walking out of the room right next to me. “Oh, it’s you.” I sneered. “Hm, how in the world did you know?” He was acting the part rather well, I could see that much then. “Lucky guess?” He rolled his eyes and checked either way before shoving me around the corner and against the wall. “Listen, Hana’s mine.” “I don’t understand what you’re talking about, “ I lied. “You know as well as I do that you want more than friendship with her,” He growled. “Did I know that?” I played the fool this time. He shoved me against the wall again and walked off a little way, circling back to me. “Just stay away. Hana’s mine.” “You seem slightly jealous.” “Why would I be jealous of you? A peasant with not two coins to rub together.” “Like you are a higher rank than I am,” “I am, you forget. Here, I am the prince, and you shall address me as such even though I supposedly am not.” He threatened, groping for the collar of my shirt. “Will I?” “Yes, you will.” “Usually there’s an ‘or else’ at the end of threats like these.” “Are you trying to make me frightened?” I shrugged, feigning innocence. “Maybe,”
Read ^ first! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- “Why you-” At that second, Hana came by. Peter suddenly relaxed his grasp on my ruff. “What are you doing?” She asked us. “He was-” I started. “We were having a friendly argument,” He said, interrupting me. Yeah, right. “Actually-” I started. Peter gave me a warning look. “I trust you were your normal gentlemanly self with my best friend,” She eyed him suspiciously. “I was,” He said smoothly. “As I said, it was very friendly. We were arguing who had…” He trailed off, not thinking of anything to say. Hana looked at me expectantly. “Never mind, it wasn’t that important what - or should I say who - we were arguing about.” “Who?” “He just had a slip of the tongue, he meant when.” “I’m confused…” “That’s because girls don’t have a sense of sarcasm,” Peter mumbled under his breath. As I said before, princes have excellent senses of hearing. “I heard that,” “Heard… what?” He I rolled my eyes. “As I was about to say,” Hana said. “Peter, we were going to go to Haleina’s today.” “And we are,” He said so happily I practically turned green. She sighed, also with happiness. “Good.” “I guess I’ll be going then…” They disdained my comment, too busy gazing into each other's eyes. I saw Hana’s mouth move slightly as though she were saying something as I turned back around, hoping they’d notice I was gone. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Next chapter: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/497133032/ Lannie's accent is hard to write- Changed Aiden's name to Braden :) more Scottish. ENOUGH WITH THE RANDOM ANNOUNCEMENTS. I've mapped out Kemar and the school, so that's fun... I'll share them tomorrow morning before school (as long as I finish it fast enough). Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo... how'd you like this chapter? What did you not like? Do I torture my characters or what? I did a slight plot change, sorry! Y'alls is cooooooooooool for sticking with my sudden plot changes and rantings. D.W.B.H -Oreo As you can see, Peter is mean, don't trust 'im ;).
