Chapter 4
Astrid's POV
Night time was the calming time of the day for me. The cold breeze and the scent of nature as the skies were a dark shade of blue fading into black managed to make me feel safe.
My father would kill me if he knew that I'm outside of the castle sitting at the fields. But who cares? I didn't even escaped this castle. Plus, the windows of this castle has lights peeking out of them, so it means every one is still awake.
Sighing, I thought of everything that happened in this very day. Today was my birthday, yet I don't think people seem to notice that, although they do.
I mean, it doesn't feel like my birthday. It doesn't feel like I've turned eighteen. It's like, my father already thought of me as someone who's already eighteen and everything was already arranged for me.
It's like… I'm trapped.
And I can't do anything about it. I can't argue with my father. We never argue. All I can do is… let him decide everything for me.
I really wish that a criminal could come right at this moment and kidnap me just so I could get away with everything. At least a criminal could still stop me without saying anything to my father.
I'm going to get married in the next three months. Live in Pleuns, leave this kingdom just so I could be queen there, have sex, have babies, hopefully I will never fall in love with him, then die alone while my husband would go out to work.
I hate it when people have to decide for my life. I guess that's a princess thing. You can't do anything.
Ever wonder why I always escape the castle? That's because I knew this day would come. You know, your father gets to decide for everything you do while you follow everything he was planning. That's why I want to live my life.
Within three months, BOOM! My freedom is gone. I'm no longer the naughty princess of Chartancil. I am going to be the sweet, loving, kind, and obedient queen of Pleuns.
I don't think I could even escape there without people calling out the guards to capture me just so I could go back to the castle.
Should I go in and barge into my father's room and tell him that I don't want to get married?
NAHH, I'm sure he wouldn't agree. One time, there's this party for me and I told him that I don't want a party, he became angry and told me that I have to attend that party. How much more could convincing do?
Not just that, I also met that 'R' Guy who's a total creep. He's most probably the one who brought bad luck to this day. He definitely put a curse on me or something for everything to happen!
I hope I won't ever have to meet him ever again in—
"Can you hear me?"
I heard all of the sudden and it feels like it's coming from... Nowhere. As if it was just in my mind.
"Sad?" A voice was heard from behind me. A real voice this time and it was a man's. I swear if it's the person I thought to be, just punch me in the face then tell me that nothing happened.
I looked back and saw a dark figure behind me. I can't really see since it was very dark here where I'm sitting. Oh God, he's walking towards me.
His energetic state immediately ran towards beside me and sat down in the fields looking at nowhere but the deep forest that surrounds this castle.
"Stop looking at me like that." I didn't notice that I've been looking at him for too long. "Do you expect Mister Creepy R to randomly sit down beside you or are you expecting someone else?"
"I was expecting no one. Don't even expect me to expect you to be here. Why are you here anyways? Creeping up to me just like what you did this morning? In case you forgot, we're not friends and we're not close."
"No, I'm here to make you fall in love with me, remember?" Not that stupid bet.
"You know, if you're just going to tell me that you want me to fall in love with you, just leave. I'm not in the right mood for that."
"Is that so? What happened? was it because… you're getting married to Prince Henry Walkins of Pleuns?" The light smile in his face was enough to make the surroundings full of light though its super dark here.
"How'd you know?"
"Well you know, I heard it before you even know it. I know everything. Do you not want to get married?"
"No. Especially with someone I just met. Plus, we're going to get married in three months. Shouldn't my father give me time? At least a year?"
"Well, yeah. You have a point there. That's why I'm making you fall in love with me so that we could escape together." He wouldn't stop talking about that thing.
"Mister R, why are you so desperate for me to fall in love with you? Are you in love with me?"
"I wouldn't call it love. I just want a princess to fall in love with me, that's all. How well could that be? You know, I could brag to everyone that the princess was in love with me." He chuckled which makes me want to chuckle too.
"What do you mean you wouldn't call it love? So you mean you at least have a little bit of feelings?"
"You'll know it when you finally confessed to me that you love me. I'll let you know if it's love, like or nothing at all, ok? Oh and when you do confess to me, please make it dreamy."
"GET OVER YOURSELF!"
We started talking for the night laughing about random things. We just met today yet here I am talking and laughing and having a great time with him.
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What have I done to deserve this!? It was now the next day and I am currently regretting to be born in this life. Seriously though, I don't want to get married! I want to live alone in life, not wearing expensive jewelries while seated in a throne beside a prince whom I've barely met.
I know I already talked about this with someone last night, but who cares? I still can't get over everything!
Prince Henry is handsome. And charming. He's fit to be a husband. Maybe I could just accept the fact that he's getting married with me, right? I mean, I'm a princess. Everything like this is meant to happen in my life but I'm the only one who doesn't want to accept this life.
I heard a knock in my door which made me look back in the matter of less than a second. I opened the door and I saw a maid, along with a boy standing behind her. He's hot and—
"Princess Astrid, sorry to bother you, but he will be your new bodyguard." The maid said, introducing the boy who is now standing beside her.
Before he could even introduce himself, I knew exactly was going on and I immediately ran outside the door heading towards my father's office.
I barged inside my father's room, panting after going down the huge stairs that feels like it has 150,000 steps. "Father." I called out, still standing outside the door.
"What is it?" He looked up at me in confusion. And as usual, he's working, nothing new.
"Where's Joel? And Celia?" Joel is my personal bodyguard actually. He would usually stand outside my door, and every time I go away from the castle, he's the one who will be with me. Celia however, is the maid who would usually come inside my room to inform small things, like tell me to eat or maybe my father called me, something like that.
"I forgot to mention. Both of them retired at the same time, which is weird." I almost forgot that they both have something going on with each other. They would both deny it, but they can't hide it from me because I saw them making out in the cleaning supplies room.
"Ok, so the replacement for Joel is that man who came to my room. How about for Celia? That maid who came with him?"
"No obviously not. It's still him. He could inform you some things, is that even a hard thing to do?"
Another thing I forgot to mention is that Celia is my only friend aside from Lillian that I only meet twice a month and Princess Charlotte who has been separated from me when I was just ten because of family misunderstandings.
"So does that mean he has to go inside my room from time to time?"
"Why, are you afraid that something might happen between the two of you?" Me? Afraid of that? Since when?
He let out a chuckle while I stood there stuttering as I let out my words. I don't know what to say, what he said was out of the point. "Maybe, you just want me to repeat the love story of my mother and yours." I just realized what I just said and I could slap myself right now
"Oh, please. If I really wanted to do that, I shouldn't have decided to let you marry Prince Henry." I'm surprised he didn't get mad after I brought my mother up.
"It's not like you could find somebody you would fall in love with within 3 months. And even if there is, I wouldn't let you because you need to stick to Prince Henry. I mean he's a total gentleman! Who wouldn't fall in love with him?"
I became silent. He's not wrong though when he said he's a gentleman. But something's fishy about him, but I can't figure out what it is. I took a deep breath and let it out, deciding to change the topic. "I haven't seen that man before working in this castle."
"He was actually sent by Prince Henry. That man was his most trusted bodyguard. You better not disappoint him. He really cares for you that much."
Ok, so a prince who met me for only an hour out of his whole lifetime cares for me. Now I'm suspecting everything. Why would he send his most trusted bodyguard even though we have many guards in this castle?
"Everything is going to be fine." Father said when he realized my concerned face after thinking about my suspicions. He stood up from his chair and walked towards me. "Now go meet the person who will be with you everywhere you go." He pushed me outside of his office, and he banged the door in front of me, air swooshing in my face as he did.
The only reason I panicked and went to my father's office immediately is because…
I know the man.