Chapter three - The palace

"Thank you for saving my life," The prince said.

"It's my duty" I smiled

It isn't my duty I just wanted to save myself self but I'm not going to say that to him.

"No it isn't" he looked angry "Soon you will be my wife I should protect you."

"You're mad because I don't need a man to protect me?"

He started walking closer to me until I was against the wall of the hallway.

"I'm not upset Rowena" he looked directly into my eyes "It's just that you're not exactly what I expected."

"So you're upset" He rolled his eyes, "I thought the prince isn't allowed to make faces" I crossed my arms over my chest

"I thought you were supposed to act like a lady and don't ask questions or use a sword."

"Well that is male chauvinist"

"I'm kidding, I knew you could use a sword and that you always speak your mind." He leaned closer.

"So I'm not what you expected?" I whispered

"No... you're way better" he was so close I could hear

his heart pumping.

His face was incredibly close so when I knew what he wanted to do I turned my face to the side. His lips softly pressed against my cheek.

"Come on I'll show you your bedroom" he took my hand and started walking.

There was an awkward silence.

God, I want to go home. I just got back and my parents already sent me away... again.

"I'm sorry," he said

"What for?"

"I shouldn't have tried to kiss you"

"Don't worry about it" I scratched my arm

"No Rowena... I know that I'm the prince and all but that doesn't give me the right to touch you when you clearly don't want me to"

"it's not that I don't want you to"  I blushed.

God did I just blushed... I never blush.

"You don't have to explain yourself, Rowena," he said opening the door and pushing me in "This is your bedroom, mine is right across the hall if you need anything."

(...)

"Your highness" I heard a girl talking "it's time to wake up."  The girl gently shakes my arm.

She is talking to me...

"Finally we have a lot to do" she gave me a smile. "I already have prepared your bathtub, I'll leave outfit options in the chair of your dressing room and I'll be back when you're done." She left.

She talks too much.

I need my life back.

I took a bath as she instructed and got dressed I decided not to use any of the outfits she picked because they were all dresses and all of them were incredibly short.

"I see you didn't choose any of my options," she said walking in again.

"I'm sorry I just..."

"I chose them because it's what most of the girls around here wear"

"Well, she is not like most of the girls Ivi" the prince entered.

Well, know at least I know her name.

"Your highness," we both said.

"You can go," he said to Ivi.

"I already told you...you don't have to call me your highness"

"I'm sorry your highness," I said without realizing "Oh my goodness I'm sorry Aaron" I corrected.

He laughed

"It's an interesting choice of the outfit," he said checking me out.

"Can you stop?" He raised his eyebrows

"Doing what exactly?" He sounded so arrogant

"That," I said

"What?" I gave him a serious look.

He laughed again

"Come on today I'm off duty to spend all day with you." He said offering his hand.

We walked for what it seemed years

"I'm sorry," someone said bumping into me.

"Ro" Tomas said hugging me. " I thought I was not going to see you until your wedding"

"What?!" I started panicking "why would you think that?"

"Wait... "Aaron asked.

"Shhh," I said.

"Ro... I'm leaving today."

"What why?!" Aaron wanted to ask something else but I didn't let him. "You can't leave me," I said to Tomas

" I'm sorry Ro... Dad asked me to go check somethings and it might take months" he hugged me. " We can still scape if you want to, meet me in two hours in the kitchen." He whispered so that Aaron couldn't hear him.

"I love you Ro" he kissed my forehead and left me.

"Who is that?" Aaron asked I could swear that he sounded jealous.

"He is my brother" I took his hand and kept walking.

"I didn't know you had a brother"

"He is adopted, you met him yesterday "

"Ohh"

"My mom doesn't like that people know that she took in the staff's child as her own" I explained

I decided to change the subject because if my mom was near and heard me she would get furious at me.

"So... where are we going?" I said when we got to a car.

"It's a surprise" he started the car.

Sometimes I wonder why we use carriages when we have cars.

"My father told me you were sent to a troubled lady's school?" He said.

"Yes." I answered moody.

I'm not troubled my mom just doesn't like me.

"Why?"

"Why do you want to know?" I said roughly.

"Wow... relax I just wonder."

"I'm not the perfect daughter my mother expected" I explained "She sent me there so I could become more ladylike but it was more like a prison"

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Well, I know that in those places they beat you up, make you take cold baths, and treat you horribly." He parked. "If I had known earlier that they would be capable of sending you to a place like that I would have done something to get you out of there."

"What do you mean with earlier?" I faced him.

"I... you know" he scratched his head.

He did something stupid that's why I'm here.

I looked for something I could attack him with if it was necessary.

"One day I was talking to my father and he told me that we were engaged" he was nervous I could see it "after he told me your mother sent you to that school, I was furious"

" Why?... why would you care?"

I'm asking too many questions

"Well, I asked a girl who worked there to update me if anything happened to you."

"That isn't what I asked you" I should stop

"My grandfather sent my mom to a school like that after she had me because her behavior wasn't good for the monarchy... one day we got a call saying she died after someone had beaten her up" I could see a tear in his eyes.

"I'm so stupid... I shouldn't have asked"

"No...Rowena, you're not stupid" he took my right hand. "In the beginning, I couldn't do anything to get you out of there... but when the girl I asked to update me on whatever was going on with you told me someone beat you up... I told my father and asked him to help me get you out of there.  Rowena the only way to do that was telling your family needed to get married as soon as possible, I wanted to tell them we only needed to do the engagement but in that way, they could have sent you back to that place"

He didn't did anything stupid he saved me...

"Thank you," I said, "You didn't have to do that for me."

"I did, my duty as your fiancé it's to protect you." I didn't say anything I just hugged him.

Maybe this wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.