AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I swore if he showed up with glasses on and asked if he could paint me, I would scream bloody murder.
Instead, he showed up looking too attractive, too cunning, sarcastic, and too smart. He saw through my facade immediately—basically he was dangerous and knew nothing of the palace, was used to just walking around without a shirt, and was known to hang out with the staff making them uncomfortable or so I thought until the butler got drunk last week and ended up running around outside screaming. “I can fly!” Later we found out he thought he was Superman, but on account of his spectacles needed to take them off in order to jump off the building and fully become Superman.
Security came.
And Zautland, or crazy Z as I’ve started calling him in my head, just laughed and thought it was the best night of everyone’s lives despite the fact that the fire department had to get the butler off the roof!
He was an absolute menace, and that was just one experience.
“Princess?” a voice sounded, a dreaded voice… Rupert’s voice, the main butler of the castle. “It seems that your soon to be Prince Zautland, your betrothed has arrived from his meeting, I set him in the tearoom just outside the rose garden, it’s a lovely day and I’ve taken it upon myself to turn on the warmers, wine has been set and—”
I held up my hand, my gold bracelet from my dad dangling against my wrist as if to remind me he would always be with me despite the hardships I’d soon face in the next few minutes. My parents had always been distant. I was supposed to be seen, not heard, the bracelet had been one of the only emotional things I’d been given by my father. “I’ll be right down.”
“Lovely.” Rupert bowed his head, his salt and peppered hair cut perfectly above his ears, his black and grey tie tucked gently behind his black vest, his black-gloved hands perfectly poised in front of him during his bow.
Nothing out of place.
The way it was supposed to be, before Zautland came storming in.
Rupert walked out, his cadence slow and purposeful, his steps near counted.
I stared at the door and sighed.
“Better get going.” Frederick was suddenly behind me, his body heat nearly searing mine as he pulled me back against his chest, his lips whispering inches from my right ear. “You don’t want to miss your future.”
“Tell me I don’t make your heart pound,” I said in one last pathetic attempt to get him to marry me instead.
His right hand ran down from my shoulder to my fingertips, he gave them a squeeze, and pressed our joined hands against his chest, then pulled them to his lips, kissing the back of mine before he once again leaned down and said, “No, it would ruin this beautiful friendship.”
“Friendship my ass.” I grumbled. “Give me five minutes to convince you.”
He paused, his grip still tight on mine. “Oh? And how do you think you’ll be able to do that, princess?”
“Yes.” A voice sounded from the door, “I’m intrigued as well.”
It was Zautland. His dark hair and bright blue eyes annoyed me, just like his cocky smile and the way he didn’t even wear a tie with his navy suit and open white button-down shirt, he even showed off a tattoo on his right pec in the shape of a black crown.
Disgusting.
Not for me.
And a black crown? That just screamed damning for our countries! Somehow that was taboo, right?
I looked away. “Don’t be crude, gentleman.”
Zautland coughed out a demeaning laugh. “You were the one that offered, princess. Or were you lying? You know, I despise liars, right Frederick?”
Frederick smirked down at me. “You could barely handle Zautland looking your direction, do you really think you could even begin handle me?” His words, his mouth, everything about him mocked me.
Stupid kings and their good looks and even better wordsmith ability.
My cheeks heated. “I’m a woman.”
Zautland cursed under his breath. “I can’t decide if I like your fire or want to douse it with a hose.”
“It gets complicated.” Frederick agreed with a hard nod of his head.
“I’m currently present, hearing all these words,” I said.
