Protected

Jillie Swinging my feet out of bed, I sat up and stretched. Walking over to the mirror on my closet door, I placed my hand on my stomach. Pregnant. I shook my head. I wasn’t pregnant. Sure, I’d missed a menstrual cycle or two…or three, but I wasn’t even having morning sickness. It was just stress, stress from what was, at the time, unknown, and stress now from the wedding, which was now only a month away. I let out a deep breath and headed into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, I undressed before stepping inside. I let the hot water run along my body before washing myself and my hair. When I was done, I wrapped a towel around my body and one around my hair. I walked back into my room to find Jarren sitting on my bed.“I swear I locked the window.”He chuckled, amused. “Teya, let me in.”“Oh. Okay.” I stated, pulling out a bra and matching panties.“How do you feel?”I turned my back, rolling my eyes as I slipped into my bra. “Fine.”“No sickness?”“Nope.” I re

Jillie I watched as Jarren and Phoenix walked out of the library. I took a deep breath and laid my hand on my stomach gently.“She’s mad. Isn’t she?”“She’s just in shock, sweetie.” Grams told me.I shook my head. “No, I’m pretty sure she’s mad.”“She’ll come around,” Nunny informed me. “She sees herself in you. In this situation.” I leaned back in the chair, closing my eyes. I continued to rub small circles on my stomach as I felt the familiar sensation of a vision coming on, allowing it to lead me.“Mommy!” I looked around me and saw a beautiful little girl. She was about six years old. Her hair was a mass of black with curls at the ends. Her eyes were the brightest brown I’ve ever seen.“Mommy!” She called again, waving her hand in my direction. I walked the few steps over to where she was sitting on a swing. I looked around, and we were outside the palace. My hand flew to my mouth as I looked down at this beautiful little girl. She was s

Jarren“Prince Jarren, we must measure you for tomorrow’s event.” I looked up from the book I’d been reading to stare at Howard. He was delusional if he thought I was about to go to a fitting.“I’ll find something,” I replied before turning my attention back to the book.“But, Your Highness, the Queen has requested that-”“I said I’d find something.”He let out a deep breath before mumbling, “Her Majesty will kill me.” I held in a laugh as he exited the room. He was over-exaggerating. I never let him pick anything I wore to an event. He and my mother both knew that. I don’t understand why they thought it would change. I got back to my book and waited for Jillie to come back. She and Nunny were somewhere, probably in the garden. What they were doing was beyond me. I’d finished an entire book and was halfway through another one when I got tired of waiting. I closed the book and tossed it on the table. Walking out of the library, I walked through the many

Jillie   “Can we just do something simple? Like accentuating my natural curls, maybe?”            I’d been sitting here trying to tell this hairstylist for the past twenty minutes that I didn’t want all these extravagant hairstyles she described. I just wanted something simple. “Princess Jilliannah, curls are just so plain.” “That’s what I want. Something plain.” She shook her head. “No, I believe you need something else. Let me think.” I was becoming frustrated. *Jarren, will you come in here, please?*

Jillie “Jillie! Is that you?!”“Yeah, it is, Mom!” I called back.“Come into the kitchen, please.”I walked into the kitchen, and she had flowers scattered everywhere. I picked up a few off the floor and placed them on the table.“What are you doing?” I asked, taking a seat.“Trying to come up with a centerpiece arrangement for the reception.”“I just wanted to do six white lilies with a brown rose in the middle,” I told her.“That’s a great idea, Jillie,” Aunt Carla stated, walking into the kitchen.“Hi, Aunt Carla, and thank you.”“It’s simple yet elegant.”“Do you know who’s going to do your hair yet?” Mom asked.“No, but I know how I want it. I’m also thinking about going completely dark brown, black.”“I like your hair the