Chapter 9

The ride was quiet and calm in a red Mercedes sedan. Four other escorts driving fast behind us and one at the front of ours. We both sat at the back seat, distance apart. I almost notice him staring at me with corner eye.

And whenever I turn my head to his direction, he'll just turn his face to the window. It happened again, and again and again and again, I was getting fed up of his gaze on me everytime since we left the castle.

"Is there something on me that you keep looking at all the time?" I inquired.

Maybe there's something and I don't just know. Besides, I had breakfast without wiping my mouth.

Who knows?

"Huh?" He faked a frown and I cross my arms. "No – no, why would I be staring at you like I've not seen you before?"

"Stop lying." I hate pretenses. "Just admit that you've been staring at me since this ride started."

"What? Fuck, no." He denied. "I've been looking out the window."

This guy…..is a professional liar. I caught him countless times eyeing me. I know what am saying.

"Harry stop lying and stop staring at me like am naked!" I snapped. My voice filling the vehicle.

He got irritated. "Look, if you really want to pull another fight so I can rip off your dress again, then am not doing it. I already told you, I wasn't staring at you. Simple! Besides, why would I be staring at an ugly creature with my beautiful eyes?"

What the – did he just referred me as UGLY CREATURE?

Before I could utter a word out of my anger, the car pulled up in front of another castle and Harry quickly strode out when a bodyguard helped him with the door.

I swear, I'll so break his head.

Another bodyguard opened my side of the door and I followed out.

I lost my balance and hit my butt on the floor when I try to catch up with him again. If I wasn't wearing a black baggy jacket with white inner and black baggy jean, my inside part underneath would have been exposed if it was a skirt – because of the helpless way I landed.

Some of the bodyguards came to give me a helping hand but I instructed them to stop when Harry turned around – saw me on the floor and started laughing.

I felt so embarrassed of myself and him mocking me – with all the few people around, watching.

My face looking like a piece of strong stone as I stood up from the ground to wipe off the dirts on my ass.

The laughter was too much for him to control to the extent he started holding his belly and ribs as if they were going to explode.

I think I've had enough of his attitudes already. He couldn't even say something to soothe my expression and what just happened, was as a result of his fault.

If he had walked slowly, I wouldn't have ran along and end up falling.

I spun around and went back to the car. I didn't hear him laughing and when I got inside the red Mercedes sedan, he came after me.

I was about to ask the chauffeur to move it to the palace, then he showed up. His arm on top the car and the other holding the car's door.

An ugly expression written on his face but I don't care. I just kept my gaze at the front whiskey.

"We are here to see my uncle and my cousin and you just sat back in the car? Can you please get out now?"

I cross my arms and faced him. He might think am afraid of him but no. I only respect the title that went alongside with his name.

I don't really give a shit about him and I bet him too for me. Besides, we barely know each other.

"The least I expect you to do right now is drag me out of the car and you know what? That's not gonna happen because I won't let you!"

Yes! He better respect himself and better not drive out the sleeping beast inside me.

"Okay." Didn't I say the least? Dude, this guy held my wrist and in one move, he pulled me out of the fucking car.

The bodyguards stood still like pillars of salt, watching the show. While I try my best to retrieve myself from this ogre.

As much as I screamed from the pain of his grasp on my wrist, he didn't flinch. His gaze was narrow and pointed at where he was taking me – the castle.

I used my free hand to slap his grasp but still, he didn't reciprocate. He just kept dragging me along like a bag of dirt.

"Hello, Harry." A middle aged man in a big garment and royal jacket that reached his toes, greeted us when we got to the door.

I was surprised and almost squirm when Harry suddenly pulled me into a one hand embrace and acted nice in front of the man.

"Good morning, Uncle Bob." He smiled and gesture his hand towards me. "Meet my fiancé –" I assume he stopped there because he still doesn't know my name.

The man's brows went up above his head. And a grin displayed his white set of teeth. "Ah, she must be your lucky charmer your father – the king, told me about, right?"

I was still trying to process how this man was related to Harry by the way then, the idiot just nodded his head as if it was true.

Um, me being HIS lucky charmer.

In his wildest dreams!

"Of course! He told you well and you heard him right, Uncle Bob."

The man extended his hand to me for an handshake, "Hello our future queen, am Bob Snow, the king's right hand."

I first of all thought he'd be rude to handshake a royal man when I know am nowhere close to royalty.

But when my thinking took me long time to process things, it turned disrespecting in front of the man and Harry quickly took the hand on my behalf.

"She is allergic to handshakes." He lied with a smile on his face.

"Oh," The man wasn't mad about. But he pressed his lips together when he said we should come in.

My legs pinned together when Harry clipped me to himself with one arm pressing my body to his side as he gesture me in with him.

Some staffs we saw waiting for us to pass, bow their heads as they greet us.

Along the way, he whispered something into my ear. "We're going to meet my cousin and his wife. He is the duke of York, so you better act nice and don't show any of those childish attitudes you put out a while ago in front of uncle bob. You hear me?"

I refuse to answer because am mad and maybe if I wasn't, I wouldn't have also answered.

I kept my response to myself and that pissed him off.

"Do you hear me, girlie?"

"My name is not GIRLIE." My anger is smelled in the whisper. "It's Irene."

He rolled his eyes and muttered WHATEVER.

We came out of another branch of the castle – something like a field-like. Just the three of us until we met a young blonde man in age of Harry, wearing just white towel on his waist and a dark hair woman beside him – should be in my age too, wearing just white bathrobe and holding a little white Chihuahua in her arms.

They were actually playing with five Chihuahua puppies in the fields – dressed like this?

"Harry!" The guy exclaimed with a bright smile. He put down the Chihuahua in his arms and came to us.

Four other Chihuahuas started following him and I felt like grabbing one with me home – actually, I felt like STEALING one of them because they look so small and cute.

Chihuahua are always my favorite preference in dogs. I love them so much and these ones were just white as snow. Having the cute little black eyeballs like tiny bulbs and little tongues, small paws and small tails wiggling in the air.

I couldn't help but squat down to pat their small heads. They liked it and surrounded me at once. Even the one in the woman's arm jumped down to join the others – around me.

I giggled and ruffle their back.

"They're fond of you."

When I lifted my head to see where the voice was coming, it was the dark hair woman standing in front of me.

I didn't reply immediately. I just smiled and look down to pat the puppies.

Uncle Bob's raspy voice drew us back to his direction. "Olly, I always tell you, a Duke is not expected to be seen in towel. Please get a pant and –" He faced the woman, "Anita, you're a duchess and not a bathrobe wearer. Please do the needful and talk some senses into your husband's head. For goodness sake you two."

He shook his head and left the remain four of us.

"He's going to sleep again, look at him." The blonde hair guy – Olly, teased his father as he fades through the door.

"And you should better follow him to get a pant on." Harry playfully pulled him into a brotherly hug. "Come here, cousin brother."

Am not good at staring at a half naked man, so I just took my eyes off as the two men exchange pleasantries.

"Anita Don Snow. Duchess of Rosia and you are -?"

I stood up with a weak smile. Am not too good with introduction. "Irene Jacobs."

She suddenly grinned at me like am one of the president's kids. "Oh, it's so nice to meet you, princess Irene." She hugged me.

And I pulled away to defend myself. "Um, no. Actually, it just IRENE." I emphasized. "The titles are shit. Apparently, am not royal blood."

Her smile dropped.

Did I offend her or said something insulting? You know these royal people and their style, am not just use to it yet.

Harry and Olly approached us. Olly's arm on Harry's shoulders. "Hey, hey, hey," He flashed his brows at me – particularly when I thought he was referring to his wife. "Look at this damsel here. Harry didn't tell me what he got lately."

"Hi, am Irene –" Before I could complete my sentence...

"Princess Irene, you mean?" Harry twisted it.

"No, just Irene." I retaliated, keeping my straight gaze at him.

He narrowed his eyes and squeeze his lips. "Still Princess Irene."

It almost turned into an argument for quite some time. Olly and Anita kept tilting their heads and eyes at us like they were watching two fighters.

Okay, that's enough now. I've had it up to my neck and am going to end it once and for all.

"You know what?" I scowl at him. "You barely know me, in fact, you don't know me." Then, I faced the two couples. "Am just Irene Jacobs, a girl that use to live a luxurious lifestyle before and all of a sudden, became low-class. I'm not from royal bloodline. My father is just a P.As personal assistant in one second class company in Poland – of course he is a little wealthy but am not depending on that. And my mom? She was once a pilot before her life became miserable now – basically, my parents are divorced and me? Am just a nobody from New Zeeland. I just finished St Holy Trinity and…..and planned for college in Stockholm and all of a sudden, am getting married - I don't want royalty. Am not after the crown of becoming this country's future queen. For heaven's sake, am just ten and eight years old…"

Oh goodness me….I can't believe am crying. Am always emotional when I talk about the things that hurts me badly.

I had to run out of the place. I know no way out. I kept bumping into places I haven't entered before. They all look strange. I pray to find someone – maybe one of the household staffs who could lead me out of here.

I wiped the tears off my eyes, still, they kept dripping down like waterfall.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Are you lost?"

I turn around and saw a middle aged woman in black and white uniform. Her eyes suddenly dropped into a sad expression.

"Oh, ma'am. You're crying."

I sniff my nose and shook my head. "Please get me out of here. I can't find my way out. My chauffeur will take me home, he is waiting. What's the way out!" I'm impatient to wait for her response as I yell, my voice echoing in the hallway.

The woman quietly led me out of the castle and the moment I entered the car, I instructed the chauffeur to take me to the palace.

In a speed of dash, we arrived the palace. A guard from the palace rushed to open the door for me. His brows creased when he saw only me walking out the car.

As soon as I stepped out of the car, I made my way into the big building and straight to the queen's chamber.

"Irene, dear. You guys are back so early." She stopped the lady polishing her foot nails and stood up. "How did the visit go? Oh my….." Her smiles died when I started tearing up again. "Did something happened? Where is Harry? Did he hurt you?"

I fell into her embrace before she completely her statements. "Please, send me away. I don't want to live here anymore, my queen." I sobbed hard.

She kept quiet and kiss my forehead. After a while, she pulled away and wiped the tears off my eyes. When I look at her, she smiled – water welling in her eyes too.

"I understand your pain, Irene. And if this is what you want, then you have my permission."

Did she just grant my greatest wish? Or wait, am I overthinking now?

The queen signed me of leaving the palace – the country for good?

No, this is not happening.

"Are you…..sure?" I don't know if she meant it.

"Of course not!" She stated in a cold manner and I suddenly felt shock. I thought she always had a nice side. "Your wedding is coming up two days from now and you just want to leave? Is that it? Is that the agreement made?"

I don't understand. What agreement? She first approved and now, she changed it.

What's going on?

"Irene…." She sighed and shook her head. "You can't leave. You belong here now and here will be your home, did you understand?"

For a while, I kept quiet, then, I pretend to be obedient. With just one nod and a fake smile.

She patted my chin, "Good girl." Then went back to finish her manicure.

I left the room and phone called someone. In the next ten minutes, I was out of England and now in Stockholm.