#Chapter2
Elaine's POV
My mother wants me to marry Bane, my father agreed with me yesterday that I should not marry him.
I am sure that he said this because he wholeheartedly dislikes the idea of me getting married, although I am sure that every father feels this way when it pertains to their daughters.
The guard that has been waiting outside of my bedroom this entire time follows me down the large hall, the guard who brought my mother into my bedroom does not move due to them being her escort.
My mother, father and I all have bodyguards who are disguised as normal guards.
We do this so that if someone were to break into the castle they would not know who the bodyguards are from the normal guards.
The bodyguards of course had way more training than the normal guards.
/"Let me guess, is it your coronation?/" My guard whispers as soon as we are a good distance away from the other guard
I slow down a bit so that the two of us are walking side by side.
/"Nope/" I whisper back
She is silent as we pass a maid, I smile at the maid out of respect.
/"How about your eighteenth birthday?/" The guard asks again
I smile at this guess.
/"Close, but no/" I reply
I hear them release a small chuckle which causes my heart to warm in my chest.
/"Then it must be that little boy,/" they wave their hand
/"Cane/" they pretend to forget his name
I laugh out loud at their joke as we approach the staircase.
/"Is someone jealous?/" I tease
They scoff.
/"Please,/" they neither agree nor deny
/"I just know that he isn't your type/" they state
I raise an eyebrow at them as we continue to descend down the staircase.
/"Oh yeah? What is my type then?/" I ask them, a curious smile resting on my face
They wait until we reach the first floor to speak.
/"Me/" they shrug before making their way towards the front door
My heart clenches at this, not expecting them to do that.
Ugh!
They do this all of the time, why am I still stunned by it?!
I quietly groan out loud before jogging to catch up with them.
I reach the bodyguard just as they open the door for me.
/"Meet me near the bushes tonight?/" They whisper near my ear as I walk past them
I make sure to hide my eager smile due to the guards waiting five feet in front of us and the photographers twenty feet away from us.
/"I would not miss it, Genny/" I use her nickname that I have her before making my way towards the wall of guards
Genevieve Catherine James, or Genny for short.
She and I have been best friends since she was first assigned as my personal bodyguard two years ago.
Due to her family not coming from royalty or high status royals are supposed to treat them like their rank.
I, however, think that this rule is ultimately, without out a doubt a stupid reason to keep those with lower ranks from succeeding and possibly even surpassing them.
Genevieve and I hide our friendship so that she does not get punished.
Punishments range from her entire family being banned from our castle to exile.
Most nights I sneak out and meet her near a bush in my backyard, from there we make our way towards her families cabin.
Her family knows about our friendship and has thankfully vowed to never inform my parents of my deception.
The two of us eat dinner with the rest of her family, talk for a few hours, and get some rest before waking up early enough so that I can sneak back into my bedroom before the maids 'wake me up'.
It is a huge, relatively complicated process, but the end product is worth it.
/"Hello there, beautiful/" Bane rasps as I slide into the limousine seat beside him
I smile at the guards and wait for them to close the door before speaking my mind.
/"Do not even try to flirt your way out of this, Cane/" I cross my arms against my chest
The Prince furrows his eyebrows at me.
/"Cane?/" He asks
Oh no!
Play it cool, Elaine.
/"Who is this Cane?/" I ask him
The Prince sits up straighter in his seat, becoming defensive.
/"You just called me Cane, I should be asking you that!/" He practically explodes
Jesus Christ.
We are inside of a limousine!
Has he never heard of inside voices?!
/"Get your ears checked, I said Bane/" is all that I reply
I turn to glance out of the window at the passing pedestrians, ignoring the annoyed male next to me.
Ugh!
I wonder what fourteen year old me ever saw in him?
-
/"What's this?/" Bane rudely asks the waitress as he analyzes his glass of soda
The waitress briefly glances over at me before glancing back towards the pretentious brat.
/"Dr. Pepper, your majesty/" the lady addresses him respectfully
I mentally cringe at this.
These ridiculous formalities disgust me, especially when Bane is being unreasonably cruel to her.
/"I asked for a Coke, peasant/" he venomously spits
My jaw drops as he glances over at her, zeroing his eyes at her face.
Oh my goodness!
/"You asked for a Dr. Pepper, see?/" The waitress asks as she turns her notepad around so that he can see our order
The selfish boy glances down at the notepad only to roll his eyes.
/"Well now I want a Coke/" he demands
I notice the waitress tighten her grip on her ballpoint pen.
/"If I may-/" she starts off only to be interrupted
/"No, you may not/" he immediately interrupts her
The curly haired boy picks up his glass and shoves it in her direction.
/"Bane!/" I exclaim when more than half of the beverage gets splattered over the front of her white shirt
The woman takes the glass, trying to hide her shock.
I wish that this restaurant was not rented out for the two of us.
I wish that people had the opportunity to see how Bane really treats those below his social class.
Maybe then the press will stop framing him as this 'perfect' eligible bachelor who can do no wrong.
/"You're a peasant, I'm a Prince who's about to be the King, how about you do the both of us a favor and do you job/" the boy rasps evilly
The waitress does not respond as she rids her face of her upcoming tears.
/"I am deeply sorry for his actions/" I tell the waitress with wide eyes
I cannot believe that he spilled his drink on her.
The waitress ignores me as she turns around and makes her way towards the bathroom.
That is it!
/"You will never be the 'King of Aurora'/" I promise him with an evil glare
I stand up from my seat which prompts him to do the same.
/"Excuse me?/" He glares back
/"You are incredibly self centered, rude and ungrateful,/" I list off
I grab my purse from my seat before slipping it over my shoulder.
/"I will never marry someone as classist as yourself!/" I state and begin to make my way towards the bathroom where the waitress disappeared to
The Prince, not liking the honesty in my tone, reaches out and grabs my bicep with a firm grip.
Ouch!
I make sure that my face remains emotionless as he digs his nails into the soft skin.
/"You will marry me, Elaine/" he grits out
It takes a bit more strength than expected, but I successfully get my arm out of his grasp.
/"It is 'Princess Elaine' to you/" I inform him before quickly making my way towards the bathroom
I ignore his mild temper tantrum and walk a few feet towards the door with a symbol of a bald woman in a dress on it.
As soon as I reach the door I briskly walk into the bathroom and allow the door to close behind me.
/"I am so deeply sorry for Prince Bane's behavior, Miss/" I apologize as I lock the bathroom door just in case and turn to face her
Oh my-
I release an uncharacteristic squeak of embarrassment as I turn my back towards her so that I am staring at the door again.
Wow!
Okay.