Surviving His Royal Highnass, Prince Ashton

Chapter Eight: Second Thoughts

Evelyn's POV

My knees gave in on the side of the path. The dam I built to hold my tears back cracked wide open. I felt so disgraced. Why did I say yes? It will be so humiliating to return home to my parents, even shameful. If I said no, none of this would have happened. Why didn't I say no when I had the chance? I ruined my life with my own two hands! On the other hand, Ash will still be able to do whatever he wants. He'll remain unscathed. He's a man. He's the prince, soon to be king. Well, he's going to have to find another way to get there now. Will he really find another wife? Why didn't he run after me? He should've ran after me. I wanted him to run after me. A part of me wanted to see that he cared. I wanted Sky to be right. I desperately hoped that Ash's only problem laid in communication, that his true personality somehow always got lost in translation. I wanted him to be warm and loving on the inside.

I thought back to the day I received the proposal from his mother. To the sight of him in the garden, all alone in the shadow of the castle. To his heaving shoulders and the hidden tears. To the burden of grief he chose to bear by himself.

All those years of judgment seemed to melt away after seeing him in that state. He looked so lonely, I couldn't help but pity him and wonder if I had been wrong.

I wanted to be wrong.

My body stiffened as I heard horse hooves beat against the dirt road. Someone was approaching as the sun sat along the horizon. The threat of danger finally hit me. What if it was a highwayman? I took in my own appearance, still donned in expensive fabric and jewels. I deserved to be scolded for my own naïve carelessness. I should have stayed in that coach until we reached our destination. Then, and only then, should I have been reckless. Not now, not at a time like this. I felt the color drain from my cheeks. What have I gotten myself into? The horse's hooves came closer. I quickly rose up and looked left and right. Thick forest covered the side of the road. I immediately made my move to the right, as the horseman came into view. There was an abrupt stop from the horse as I struggled to move quickly in the intricate wedding dress. Damn that seamstress for not heeding my advice on simplicity!

There was a neigh that followed the creature's sudden halt and then I heard footsteps following me. My heart quickened as I attempted to speed up, only to trip on my hem. I doubled forward and landed on an elbow. I acted upon instinct and screamed as loud as I could, hoping some poor old soul would hear. Even I knew that was impossible in this remote thicket.

"Princess Evelyn?" The male voice inquired, confusion contorting his quaint features.

He looked to be a little older than me and had such piercing grey eyes. His windblown, blonde curls framed his face nicely. His steel armor glinted against the last rays of sunlight, which illuminated the kingdom's crest in its original colors, and donned the highest of honors that only a full-fledged knight could hold. He offered me a hand, and I gladly took it.

"Sir..." I politely bowed my head out of shame, not knowing how to explain this situation.

"If you don't mind me asking, your highness, what exactly happened here?" He spoke firmly while taking in my disheveled appearance.

His straightforward attitude surprised me, he dropped the formality and self-degradation that most others submit themselves to when addressing royalty.

I swallowed. And then, I broke down once more in front of the stranger.

I felt utterly pathetic.

He waited patiently, letting me release all my stress through tears.

"Forgive my poor demeanor." I apologized, and began narrating what had happened, not even bothering to censor the downward spiral of our newly formed marriage.