Escape from the Obstinate Prince ✓

Chapter 14

The wonderful fan art is from @joybells_3 ! :) Thank you for being such a great supporter and friend!

Time passed quickly during the last week before the wedding. Ami had little time to herself as she spent most of it with the Queen, Freya, Madison or Cedric.

She had finally been able to get onto a horse without falling off the other side and the day before her birthday she went to the stables to ride a horse(as she found out that she quite liked riding) and saddled her horse, impressing some of the stable hands at her strength and efficiency.

She took off out of the castle walls, over the moat and near the forest's edge, the cool morning breeze stinging her face and make her cape billow behind her.

Only a few more days until the wedding. Only a few more days as a free, independent girl. Only a few more days until I'm married to that monster, she sighed and came to a stop. She overlooked a silvery lake; the morning had not yet dawned and the cold bit her cheeks. It's probably time I head back, lest someone find me gone and the Queen worries her head off.

She turned the horse back around - just the way Cedric had taught her - and started cantering back towards the castle. The ride was serene and uneventful all until she got back inside the castle walls, unsaddled her horse(and watered him, brushed him down and the like). When she walked inside the keep, Jack stormed up to her. "Where have you been? Mother's been looking all over for you and here you are, coming in as if you haven't a care in the world! Who knows what happened! You were probably out having fun while Mother was worrying her-"

"I was out riding, I was perfectly fine and why on earth is your mother up so early and worried about me? It's barely even light out yet and here you both are acting like I've been gone for days!" she exclaimed.

"The wedding is in two days in case you didn't remember and today is the day we get prepared for the wedding, you were supposed to meet Mother before dawn to help plan it all out," he didn't wait for a response before he smiled a fake smile, took her by the arm and dragging her into the Grand Library. The Queen, who had been sitting in a chair, quickly stood and pulled Ami into a bone crushing hug, sniffling as she did so. "I thought someone had taken you captive or something. I was so afraid that someone had climbed into your room at night and stolen you away."

Ami's eyes were wide. She hadn't been gone an hour and here the Queen was, worried that she had been captured or taken away. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I was out riding and must have forgotten about the plans."

"It's alright, my dear. And please call me Katherine or Mother; anything but Your Majesty. I'm just glad you're alright," she took a step back and wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. "I suppose now we can get started with the day.

"Yes, yes, of course," Ami said quietly and nodded, following the Queen and Jack out the door.

"Must you purposely antagonize my mother?" Jack hissed once the Queen was out of earshot.

"I was not purposely antagonizing your mother!" she replied with the same tone. "I truly forgot about today! Your mother is very dear to me and although I may hate you, I certainly do not hate her!"

"Hate drives people mad," he said, "for all I know you could be blind with hate and plotting my mother's death."

Her mouth gaped and she looked at Jack incredulously. "How dare you say something like that! You hate me as well so I don't see why you're acting so high and mighty! Believe it or not I like the rest of your family. I think they're splendid, unlike you. Cedric is a very witty man and more mature than you'll ever be!"