Let me Love you [Amourshipping]

Chapter 14

Back in the palace...

Serena paced back and forth outside of the throne room. She was nervous. Her mother had agreed to let her have five minutes before getting back to the preparations for tonights ball. She didn't know how her mother would take it; she had always hoped Serena would marry some rich handsome prince. Emphasis on rich. But she was still her mother surely she would want Serena to be happy right? Serena kept trying to assure herself of this, but she still had doubts. The door suddenly opened to reveal the large marble throne room.

"The queen will see you now my princess." A guard said, bowing courteously as he addressed the princess. She adjusted herself into the proper sate then walked into the room. She curtseyed to her mother then raised her head indicating for her to speak. The queen, Grace, smiled at her daughter then gestured for the guards to leave them alone. When it was just the two of them she got up for her throne and approached Serena.

"Come." She gestured to the doors leading to the balcony. "Let us take the air one the balcony while you explain your purpose for seeing me." Grace said. The two went outside and stopped at the railing, looking onto the whole village.

"So what did you want to talk about." Grace asked kindly.

"Well. Ok you're probably going to be mad, but I kinda snuck out into the village yesterday." Serena said flinching. Grace's expression had changed from warm mother to cold tyrant before you could see it.

"How dare you! The village is off limits and you know that. What if you had been attacked or murdered or raped or robbed or..." She was in mid rant when Serena quickly cut her off.

"Mom I was fine. Don't worry, it's just that I had to see it. You've no idea how much I wanted to do something myself for a change." She explained. Her mother was still very angry but seemed to simmer down a bit.

"Well I suppose it can be understood with how nervous you must be feeling." She reasoned, clearly referring to all the changes in Serena's life: like the arranged marriage, becoming queen, hosting a ball etc. "And you did the right thing by confessing this to me." she continued. "Ok I'll let you off but don't do this again. Now if that is all..." Grace was saying when she was interrupted yet again.

"Oh no that is not all. You see..." Serena was really nervous as to how her mother would react; but it was to late to back out now.

"I see what!" Grace demanded, becoming rather impatient.

"I met someone!" Serena yelled in frustration. After she realised what she'd said she clamped her hand over her mouth sharpish. She then turned away from her awestruck mother, to scared to look her in the eye as she said the next bit. "I, I think I'm in love." She sighed.

"Love!" Grace said. She didn't yell, in fact her voice was barely a whisper. But it could have frozen the whole kingdom! Her tone was simply oozing with venom; it dripped from the word and froze into charred icicles. Serena was very frightened now.

"You are in love! Let me tell you something Serena love does not mean anything. Why want love when you could have someone with money and power? Like the princes attending the ball tonight." She hissed.

"But mom Ash is..." Serena tired to explain why she was so in love with Ash but her mother snapped at his name.

"ASH!" She screamed. Serena drew back, she was quaking in fear. Her mothers voice immediately returned to the icy sick tone she had minutes ago.

"I've heard that name, isn't he the town's laughing stock?"

"Well yes... But he's so sweet. I can't believe people are so horrible to him." Serena huffed thinking of the way Trip, Paul and Damien had acted yesterday.

"Serena." Her mother started. Her voice had finally returned to it's calm state. "You need to face the facts. Life here is a ladder. You are on the top rung, the best there can be. Your little crush is. Well he isn't even on the ladder, he's filth that is meaningless to people like us."

"Mom!" Serena cried. She was horrified, how could she say such things about Ash. She didn't even know him!

"Thats enough Serena." Her mom was now at the back of the balcony with her hand placed hesitantly on the handle. "You will marry someone suitable and thats final." She slammed the door.

Serena was stunned, her own mother had just dismissed her feelings like they were nothing. The worst part was she wasn't even surprised. Her mother had always been full over herself; her only loves were money and power. Unfortunately for Serena she had them and that meant she had no choice but to do as she was told. She leaned against the railing and slid down it into a sitting position. Soft, silent tears pattered lightly on the floor.

"It's over."