His Royal Highness

Chapter 17: Lost and Found

Chapter 17: Lost and Found

"Presenting Miss Violet Swan from southern Maldie."

Applause. Applause. Applause. Gosh this is endless. How many girls do they need to introduce? My feet started to hurt from standing straight for almost an hour. Prince Gregory needs to choose another favēre for his bride to be which is bullocks by the way.

"And that's all the ladies for tonight." The doorman said. Thanks be to heavens!

The music started to play and they're back again at their usual practice of dancing. Ughk. #JustBourgeoisieThings.

The prince was now dancing with a pretty woman. He was smiling and seems nice but it was just a facade to hide the monster inside of him. He whispered something to the woman and he was giggling like there's no tomorrow. Oh puh-lease. The prince can't even appreciate a joke. All of this is just plain bull. Even my job here is a complete bull. Why would I need to watch the prince all night long? It's not like he would just disappear right? He's the star of the show. People would notice if something's wrong.

It felt like eternity to stand here and do nothing. My attention was now focused on the way the dress of a woman moves stunningly with every step she takes. It was very fascinating to see how a fabric was designed to suit her body movements.

"James!" Mattheo called to me.

"Uhhm. Yes your highness? I mean what?" I was pulled away from my procrastination.

"Where's the prince?" He asked me.

"He's at the dancefloor." I replied immediately and I was sure it was the answer without even looking where he is.

"No he's not! The people are looking for him for the last minute."

"Oh." I'm screwed.

"Don't tell me you didn't know where he went." He was beginning to sound angry. I gotta think of an excuse. Gotta think of an excuse.

"He went to the washroom sir." I reasoned out.

"We already checked. He's not in the washroom, he's not on the dancefloor, he's not in his room so tell me, royal guardian, where's our next future king?" He surely has a clue that I was lying. I can tell that he was pissed on my carelessness.

"I- I gotta ask him first." Stop lying james! You're only making it worse!

"I'm asking you by the power vested by the Royal Court. Where's. The. Prince!" He was firm with his questioning.

"I'll ask him first!" I just can't keep up with the lying and so I ran away and went out on the ballroom. If not in the washroom and his room then where would he be at this hour? I examined every hallway near the ballroom but no one was in sight. I can't believe watching someone famous for an hour would be so important in this occasion.

"What? What did he tell you?" Mattheo grabbed my arm and interrogated me once again. Sweat was now prominent on my forehead from all that running and now because I'm nervous.

"He... Told me..." Shit. Should I lie? Would I tell him I didn't know where he is? What if he was abducted again by the bad guys? I would be responsible.

"What?" It seems like Mattheo was getting tired with all my games. I can't tell him that I was watching that woman's dress. I just can't.

"He told me that he was tired and would like to rest. He also told me that he wants to be alone for a while." I'm so totally going to hell with this. I just tossed my soul to Satan's cauldron.

"What? But he needs to choose someone now!"

"I'm afraid sir we can't do that. He says he's still deciding." Oh my God. What the heck am I doing? "I gotta go." Before he could even say anything, I escaped further questioning and made my way down on the ground floor.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! I'm now nervous about the prince right now. I checked every room I could find but he was nowhere to be found. I was now away from the palace. I should find him before they could. I should find him before they could know that I was lying.

I was about to lose hope when I noticed that the light from the stable was on. I wasted no time and opened the door to know once and for all if he was here.

And to my gladness he was here! I approached him immediately with a feeling of joy and excitement. He's not dead  nor abducted. He's alone here with a bottle and liquor in the table.

"They need you back Your Higness." I don't care about what I said and I don't care if they would get angry for lying. All I care about is I found him first.

"Uhuh." He dismissed.

"Did you...?" I showed him the almost empty bottle of the strongest booze there is.

"Is there a problem officer?" He asked suspiciously very happy. Oh no! He is drunk. I can't return him to the palace. Not when he's drunk.

"But why are you here drinking instead of choosing your potential bride? Are you insane? Huh? Do you want to get me into trouble? Isn't it not easy to say a name and end your party before going here?" He didn't reply. He just stared at me.

"Tell me Prince Gregory, Isn't it easy?!" I can't help myself but to hit him in the shoulder and to yell at him. I can't believe him.

He looked away and silence was heard for a second.

"Have you been in love sorb?" He asked me seriously without looking into my eyes.

"Oh really this is about love?" I was getting pissed. He's totally drunk "I don't know. I never knew what love feels like. Why? Are you in love?" I asked sharply.

"I don't want to marry someone I don't love." And then he finally dropped the beans.

"That's the problem? That's why your drunk? Oh come on. Let's be real here. You need to be in that party right now and I need to make sure you're in it. I'm just doing my job and I hope you'll do your job too."

He stood up and grabbed my collars. His eyes was bloodshot and filled with rage. Did I made a mistake to wake the monster inside of him? I began to tremble with fear and tried to remove his death grip on my collar.

"What do you even know sorb? I bet you didn't have your first kiss yet." I can already smell the amount of alcohol he drank. He was scarier ten fold compared to his sober self.

"Let me go! Love has no place in royalty. It is just by luck Greg. Get over it. Now let me go." I tried to struggle but he just would not let me go.

"You know I'm insulted about the way you talk when you didn't even have your first kiss. You know nothing about love and that's pathetic." Every word he spoke was like venom coming from a monster's mouth. He was completely not himself tonight.

"I don't care if I didn't know what love is. I also don't care if didn't have my first kiss. Just please let me go!" I was running out of breathe because of how tight he's been holding me.

A lopsided grin was painted on his face. I didn't like it.

"Oh but you should. You should care and as a consolation I'm gonna make you feel what kissing feels like."

"What?" Without a warning his lips was now on mine. He began to move his lips and snaked his arms around me. I froze trying to process what's happening. My whole system was now in chaos. I can feel my heart ready to burst from my chest. My tummy feels weird. I must be sick!

I mustered all my strength to kick him in the foot. He groaned in pain and I grabbed the chance to run for the door.

"No wonder nobody loves you. You're a bad kisser!" He managed to say before I headed out the door. That prick!

I ran outside without any direction in mind. I just wanted to distact myself from the strong emotion that I feel. I was trembling so hard and my knees felt weak.

I finally succumbed to the vulnerability of my body and lay on the ground to face the star with my hand on my chest.