I Spent A Night With The Crown Prince (under heavy editing)

CHAPTER 2

I went to the second floor as fast as I could and let a deep breath only when I was back at the familiar place , away from the spotlight.
  My head was spinning from the amount of alcohol I had drank. I took a deep breath and tried to find a room I could rest in.
    I wanted to go home , but the thought of going downstairs again , no , not happening. I couldn't risk anything. I was also on the verge of falling asleep right then and there.
'No you can't sleep here , Annette , you have to wait for Lydia and the others.'
  I kept reminding myself , barely awake.
      It had been a while , the room I was in overlooked the place where the carriages were. I could see that people were starting to leave.
     I finally got enough energy to get out of the room and start looking for my people.
'Lyd where are you?'
    Even though half the people were gone , I couldn't see Lydia in the hall from above and neither were any of the knights in sight.
'No way did they just leave me here? No the carriage is still here. Then where are they?'
     I started to roam around the second floor , hoping I could catch sight of someone.
         I heard someone talking at one of the balconies , it sounded like sir Harold. And before I could register who he was talking to , I stumbled into the balcony.
I felt his presence before I felt his touch , my breath hitched. Someone had held my arm to keep me from falling down and embarrassing myself , but my soul had already left my body.
"Oh my lady , are you alright?"
       Sir Harold was saying in the background , but my eyes were lost , my time had stopped , my brain had stopped thinking , my heartbeat was not ringing in my ears , o was drowning , drowning in those arms.
      And then I was sucked back to reality , I stepped back , resisting the urge to touch my arm where HE touched me. I controlled the tremor in my hands as I prepared myself to bow , but then that voice came.
"You don't need to be formal Valentin."
'Valentin. Right. I'm just that.'
"My lady , you look-"
"I'm fine , I was just looking for Lydia , we have to go back together."
I addressed sir Harold , ignoring his presence , because I was a Valentin right?
"Oh , she must be waiting for you in the carriage , I will take you there."
"No , it's fine I can go back myself. Well then ,"
I nodded at sir Harold , not at him , and left , and just like that , I returned back to my own world.  
        Just like sir Harold had said , Lyd was waiting for me , all the way home , she kept asking me what happened but I was too occupied in my own mind to tell her something.
Once upon a time , we were close , once upon a time , my life was not like this. I used to enjoy it , I used to cherish every moment , I did not have to worry about anything , I had a friend. A friend I thought would always be by my side forever , no matter what happened.
I was a foolish child , because people change. And that 'friend' , was that person even my friend? Was it even real? Or was it just a game too?
'Whatever , I shouldn't bother myself with these stupid thoughts , it's been a long time , I've moved on.'
But no matter what I told myself , those bitter words still broke my heart every time I remembered them. They embedded themself into my heart like a dagger , twisted it deeper and deeper , and staying there , torturing me every day.
'Those dreams are fake Annette , control yourself , you can't see someone like that in your dreams , you are better than that.'
My vision was blurry , but the tears didn't fall from my eyes , they fell from my heart.
"Annette , we're here."
Lydia looked at me cautiously.
"I'm fine Lyd , really , just too drunk , my head hurts but that's all."
She didn't look convinced but still hugged me.
"Take care of yourself. I'll visit tomorrow Annie , and tomorrow , we'll have a picnic. Just the two of us."
"Don't you have that party tomorrow,"
"I've been to enough parties. I want to spend time with my girl now."
She winked at me and I laughed.
"Alright alright I get it, I'll dress up for the occasion then."
I chuckled and left the carriage. I stayed outside till the carriage left , and then I went inside.
   It had gotten late so I thought everyone must be asleep already , well , everyone except my father. Duke Asher Valentin was the only grand duke in this empire. The sword of the empire was a title only reserved for the Valentins.
      After a long century of battles , The first king Erudian of the empire along with his best friend Zieck Valentin , came out as the winner. He settled down at the empire and bestowed his friend the title.
   This was the reason why the Valentins had a special rank among all the nobles , Zieck Valentin was also a man with generational wealth and along with the title , he was the strongest among all the nobles.
This power of the Valentins allowed them the power that even if all the nobles were on one side and them on the other , they would still be much , much stronger.  
  Since that time , the training of the royal knights and the operations of the royal army were also deeply involved with the Valentins , it was a generations old relationship , that friendship that nobody could break , every child of the royal family was acquainted with every child of Valentin , but now...... I guess I was the only person in my family to have broken that tradition.
  I shook the negative thoughts and went to my father in his study , he had reading glasses on and was looking at some documents. Being a duke was no joke.
  When he saw me enter , he stood up , leaving his work behind.
"You're back. How was the party."
"It was good. I had fun."

He gave me a quizzical look. Should've know I won't be able to get past him.
"What happened Anne? You look like you have a lot on my mind."
"It's nothing I'm just ... exhausted from the party."
  We stayed silent for a while and then he said.
"I heard his royal highness was there at the party too. It was for the welcoming of a delegation right?Arlen also went for a while."
I tried to pretend it didn't bother me. But my father knew me well enough to know I was just dodging the matter.
He beckoned me closer and enveloped me in a warm hug.
"You don't have to be guilty for what happened. It was not your fault. Annette do you understand? You are not responsible for what happened."
I nodded , trying to keep my tears at bay.
  My father was the only parent I had. After my mother passed away , he tried his best to be there. Not only him , everyone , the entire duchy , my brothers , they tried their best. But I was a little girl who had just lost her mother and couldn't even understand the concept. Since then ,  I guess everyone just got a little bit more protective over me.
   I know no matter how much I try to prove that I'm stronger now , I've gotten over it , they will still see me as that little fragile girl. So I just don't bring up the past now.
  "Dad..."
"Hmm? Is there something bothering you?"
"I've been having these , dreams lately."
  My father tightened his arms around me , that should've been enough of a sign. But I continued anyway.
"I see....someone , but I can't see their face , or hear their voice , or recognise them , but the dreams feel too vivid , too scary , I don't know what's happening."
"It's fine. Everything's fine. I won't let anyone force you into anything you don't want to do my daughter. You just trust me. Your father's here."
  'Why would I be forced to do anything?'
That night , after talking to my father , I went back to sleep. And that night , I woke up again. With the same dream , the same scene , the same feeling , but this time , something was different.

(EDITED)