Recap:
"You don't know anything about me or how I feel Prince Marcus." He shook his in an almost sad way before looking me directly in the eyes with determination.
"I know more than you think Rebekah"
'''''''
"I will believe that when Arthur learns to be less of a jerk to the staff but we all know that isn't possible your majesty," I said as I watch Prince Marcus run his hand through his hair. I could see he was getting frustrated with all of this but I didn't want to have this talk with him anymore.
"Rebekah I would appreciate it if you dropped the formalities. I know what I said before but I can't stand your use of formalities with me. As for whether you believe me or not, that is for you to decide. However, I do know that I'm being completely honest with you." Prince Marcus said in a serious tone. I don't know what game he's trying to play but I won't be a pawn. I won't fall for his lies.
Unlike my sisters and the rest of Awa, I think things through and not blindly follow behind everyone else because a Royal said so.
"Like I said earlier Prince Marcus I would much rather keep the formalities. I do not wish to stay here nor am I going to willingly marry you because that is what you want or because of your claim of being in love with me when you could have said those exact words to my sister. I hope you do not make it a habit of throwing such words at every girl who peeks your interests because unlike my sisters and every girl of Awa, I will not fall prey to your sweet lies and ridiculous actions to try and sway my decision." I stood up from my chair and moved towards the door. I was done talking to him for now.
But most importantly I just wanted to go back home and have my father tell me this was all just a bad dream and I didn't have to be married to the soon to be king. I needed time to myself before I could confront Prince Marcus again.
"Believe what you want Rebekah but my heart, mind, and soul belong to one girl in this world and that is you. I assure you I do not go around telling other women I love them nor have I ever said "I love you" to Scarlet. I've only ever said it to and for you and you alone." Prince Marcus said as I stopped a few steps away from the door.
I can't believe he just said that. Does he really think I'm that gullible? That I would fall at his feet if he declared his love for me. If we were in a parallel universe where he wasn't my sister's ex-fiancée and where I was actually in love with him then I might have swooned like the girls from the romance novels I read. But this wasn't a parallel universe. This was reality and we weren't star-crossed lovers.
I turned around and looked him in the eye. "No matter what you say I won't marry you. I will find a way out of this and have Scarlet take back her rightful place then everything will be as it should be. You can not force me to marry you nor can you force me to be Queen of Awa."
We stubbornly stared at each other, neither one of us breaking eye contact."No matter what you say or what prank you may pull, Rebekah, I won't let you go. We will be married after my coronation and you will be my queen. I won't have anyone not even Scarlet get in the way of that. I will prove to you that I love you, one way or another." He said with a look of determination.
Too frustrated with his behavior I turned around and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind me. I saw some of the maids jump in fright as I stormed my way to my room.
•••••••
"So, I'm guessing the lecture was pure torture because you look like that wall killed your pet horse," Linda stated as I continued to glare a hole in the magenta colored wall. I was still angry at Prince Marcus and his claims but most of all I was feeling homesick.
"You could say that or it could be because of arrogant Prince who thinks he "loves" me and thinks I'm some sort of property he can own." I squeezed the pillow in my hand imagining it was Prince Marcus's neck. It was only one day and I already wanted to leave. In the past, it wouldn't have bothered me because my family would be here with me but now they weren't.
I didn't even have the chance to talk to my dad when Linda called him this morning because I was forced to go to that "lecture" instead of having a father-daughter talk.
"I thought you went to see Mrs. Peterson." Linda frowned as I sat on my bed. We had finished all our assignments for tomorrow and didn't have much to do. So, we decided to have the day to ourselves since Aunt Mariah said my "training" would start on Tuesday.
"I did but Prince Marcus sent the commander of the royal guards to escort me to his room where we had an argument about me staying in the palace," I explained as she sighed. She looked like she trying to figure out a complicated puzzle.
"He sent the commander to get you? Was he that desperate to talk to you?" She questioned.
I nodded. "Apparently so but that didn't mean it was some romantic talk. In fact, he basically said I didn't have a choice in any of this and I'll marry him because I'll soon realize he actually "loves" me. I mean can you believe he would say that to me after humiliating my sister who always bragged that Prince Marcus loves her."
"I never believed Scarlet when she kept repeating it every day. I mean your sister may have her looks but her brain is the size of a pea. If he actually chose her to be our Queen I would've moved to Aries kingdom or Phoenix kingdom. We would be ruined in a matter of hours with her sugar-free law and fashion senses. To be honest I'm glad he chose you to be queen. Now I can say that's my best friend and she's going to be one magnificent Queen." Linda said honestly. I was happy at least Linda and my father believed in me but it didn't change the fact that everyone in the kingdom thought I was a slut.
Although their opinions of me didn't matter it still hurt that they would accuse me of things I never did. They were so sure that Scarlet was the ideal person for the role and as cruel as it might sound I was willing for them to see that she was anything but perfect and would be the end of Awa.
"I'm glad you think so but I can't be Queen. I'm not prepared for such a big change in my life. I can't make decisions for an entire kingdom or help in political matters. Besides, there is so much of the world I want to see before I settle down. I can't just give that up for a title that wasn't mine, to begin with." I confessed as I played with the ends of my top. This was starting to get too much and I'm not sure how long I could hold out before I reached my breaking point.
"You know what Rebekah this may not be what you wanted but maybe you should try giving him a chance. I'm not saying you should get hitched and put the crown on your head but try to get to know him not as the Prince Marcus, Scarlet claims to know. Because we all know lies fall out of her faster than a mouse running from a cat. I know you're going to disagree and believe me your reasons aren't wrong but I don't think you should be so hard on him. You might actually learn something from all of it." She said in a serious tone. She might be right but I didn't want to give him a chance to make me fall and he wouldn't be there to catch me.
Why put me in a situation that will only leave me disappointed and broken?
"Forget about it. So what did my father say when you called earlier?" I asked, hoping to change the subject.
"He said he misses us and that it isn't the same without us there. Your mother and sisters seemed to be doing well too but from what I could tell they didn't seem to be bothered that we left." Linda whispered at the end. I knew they would be like that but even knowing that it didn't make it hurt any less that they didn't care.
I nodded at her as she looked at me with sad eyes. I smiled a little as an uncomfortable silence fell upon us. We were both deep in our thoughts to notice someone had entered the room. Before we could react we were lifted off the bed and spun around like rag dolls.
When the room was no longer spinning I dizzily sat on the bed trying to get my body to stop swaying like a leaf in the wind when I move. After a minute I looked around to see who the culprit was. I saw Linda next to me looking like she was ready to vomit and on the ground was Arthur and his best friend Cody on their backs on the ground.
"Arthur, did you lose some brain cells after that prank?" I asked as I glower at them.
"No, but I did see two depressed girls looking like they need some fun in their lives." He grinned.
"Shouldn't you be running away from her instead of annoying her?" Cody asked as he tried to avoid eye contact.
"I should but I won't because Rebekah needs me in her life or she would be bored to death," Arthur said as he looked at anything but me. I wanted to be angry at him but I couldn't. For what it's worth I knew he didn't have a choice when Prince Marcus most likely forced him to give me the mask.
"She has me for that, you idiot!" Linda exclaimed as she threw a pillow at Arthur's head. I guess pillows are always our weapons.
"I was starting to think you were hibernating for the winter, Linda." Cody laughed which resulted in him being hit in the face with a pillow as well.
I shook my head in amusement as I listened to their pointless bickering. For now, I was going to put my sadness and anger away behind a wall in my mind and enjoy this because tomorrow the real challenge begins.
Starting tomorrow I'll do whatever it takes to get out of this marriage.