"Our first and last love is self-love." ~ Christian Nestell.
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"Are you in your right mind, Lucia ?" Khris bawled at Lucia who was startled.
"What do you mean ?" She acted oblivious.
"I saw you.." His voice became as low as a whisper. "With the Prince at the river." They were both silent, Lucia didn't know what to say except. "Don't tell anyone." Lucia abjured.
"This isn't right." Khris said pacing back and fourth around the small cramped kitchen. Aunt Gloria and Kyra had gone out to their church duties with the society women. They most probably discussed issues on how to teach teenage girls on how to be young women who could be presentable to the royals and their husbands. They had tea and gossiped about one another. It was not Lucia's scene even if it was her aunt would not allow her to join them. Her Aunt was part of the middle class society/bourgeois. She got invited to many social events especially the ones at the palace. She hoped Kyra and the Prince would one day be united together.
"I know." Lucia replied with a frown as she continued to wash the mountain of dishes they had left for her. Khristian was of course helping her by wiping the washed dishes and placing them in their rightful places in the cabinet.
"Does he intend to marry you or make it official ?" Khris questioned.
"I don't know, we haven't spoken about it. Khris just stop, i do not want to think about it." She said wistfully continuing to wash her dishes.
"I heard some men talking at the factory." Khris said cheerlessly with the dish towel in hand. Khris worked at a local factory up north. Most of the young men in Acamas either worked at the factory or they were farmers or they worked in the palace. "Princess Amelia has been invited to the palace, she is due to visit." The glass Lucia was holding immediately slipped from her hand, atleast her aunt wasn't there to witness this plus she could always replace it thanks to her Prince.Her heart whimpered, was this the reason why Alexius had not showed up at the river the day before. She went there expectedly hoping to tell him that she had loved the first chapter of the picture of Dorian Gray. That Basil's obsession with Dorian Gray baffled her and that Lord Henry was a very cynical but interesting character... she was yet to read about Sybil Vane is the fourth chapter, it would certainly give her answers as to why Alexius had said what he said. It would also make her blood run cold thinking about Sybil death and their similarities. She waited and waited for the Prince at their usual place, at first she thought he had been running late, he was a busy man, an important man, a man with duties and principles to follow unlike her. He couldn't just bend the rules for a nobody like Lucia.
"Is that so ?" She sighed feeling frustrated, the smell of garlic made her nauseous.. she couldn't stand it.
"I'm just looking out for you, Lucy. You know, you are the little sister I never had." He cleaned up the broken glass for her. Lucia felt dizzy and nauseous, she always felt this way when her period was approaching. She gripped onto the kitchen counter, Khris noticed her uneasiness and helped her.
"Are you well ?" Khris asked, she nodded.
"I'm just exhausted, that's all." She gave him a small smile but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She knew she had to prepare, supper before Kyra and Aunt Gloria arrived. Khris didn't bother her about it.
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A month.
A month had been how long she had not seen Alexius.A month had been how long she had not seen her period.
A month had been how long she had went to the river every single day hoping Alexius would show up but he never did. A part of her felt used, a part of her made excuses for him. He was busy, Princess Amelia was around. She wondered if he whispered the same sweet nothings in her ear as he pleasured her. She wondered if he even thought about her. she wondered if all those few weeks they spent together were just a dream, it must have been a dream.. if it was a dream then why was her period not here, then why could she still feel his touch all over her skin even when he wasn't around.
She hardly ate nowadays, every morning she regurgitated everything she had eaten the night before. She tried hiding it from her aunt, hiding it from Kyra. She was always feeling sleepy, she couldn't do her chores properly at first she told her aunt it was period pains. Now she couldn't keep lying to her aunt, she was running out of lies. Everything seemed to hit her like a ton of bricks when Khris asked why she was acting like a pregnant woman ? They were both laughing at first until it died out and it remained silent.Was she pregnant ? no she couldn't be.
Lucia had just turned twenty last September. It couldn't be-
Ofcause that was the right age to marry and have kids in the city of Acamas but Lucia wanted to be different. She wanted to travel to all the places Alexius had told her about.She wanted to eat Sushi in Japan, she wanted to feel the African sun on her skin, she wanted to have a taste of tacos in Mexico, She wanted to have hotdogs in the city Centre of New york, She wanted to go skiing the cold weather of Alaska, She wanted to travel. There was so much she wanted to do. She wanted to leave this small town of Acamas. Her life wasn't here, this place was ancient, old and uncivilized in terms of allowing women to do whatever they wanted.
Uncivilized in terms of gender equality.
Would Alexius want the child ? maybe she was just jumping into conclusions. This was her period messing with her. It wasn't the first time she had missed her period in the past.
The only difference was this time she was sexual active so she had every right to be worried.
What would she do ?Who would she tell ?Was she ready to be a mother ?"You can't force anyone to love you or lend you money." ~ Jewish Proverb.-It was confirmed, Lucia was pregnant with the Prince's heir. Khris had taken her to his aunt a well experienced midwife, they told her all the symptoms she had been having.She then asked her to strip off her clothing and lay down so she could examine her. She laid her hands on either side of Lucia's belly, her sides were slowly curving into a little bumb. She was two months pregnant. A part of her felt happy, a part for her felt sad. A part of her couldn't wait to tell Alexius, a part of her was petrified to see his reaction. When they returned home, Khris told her it would be all okay, he would never abandon her. she had decided she would go to the royal palace and tell Alexius the news. She didn't expect him to marry her but that's what they would expect him to do. She just wanted to tell him that she was expecting, then she would leave-leave to God knows that was an idle plan.Bidding goodbye to her neigh
"Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner." ~ Amy Bloom.-Things only seemed to get worse for Lucia, her chores accumulated. Her Aunt did not care if she was pregnant or not. Lucia had to wash all the blankets as well as all the laundry. She didn't complain nit after how Alexius had used her as a pawn in his own game. She didn't want to see him again. She had to protect her child at all costs, she needed to look for a job. Her Aunt had said she would not accommodate bastard kids in her house. She continued saying she had already raise Lucia the bastard child, she wasn't going to raise Lucia's bastard child as well. Kyra on the other hand was due to get married to the archduke of the Royal Palace. Kyra had mentioned that they had been seeing each other for a few months, her mother could not have been more prouder always making sure to tell Lucia how much of a
"Love and a cough cannot be hid." ~ George Herbert.-"My Prince, i would like to apologise for lying on your name. You are an admirable man and I apologise for having done what I did." Lucia said gloomily, she couldn't look into his eyes, they held only bad memories such as when she was moaning his name beneath his chest as she looked at those sapphire blue eyes. She wished if only there was a way she could forget about their two weeks of nothing but lies."Son ?" The King questioned at the Prince who seemed lost at thought. "Uh it's okay, you are forgiven." He said."Well then Khristian and Lucia, you have my blessings to get married." The King ruled. Khristian gave Lucia a smile, The Prince couldn't help but sneer. Once the bestfriends had made it home, Lucia told Khristian she was going for a swim to clear her mind. She was only three months and a half. Her belly bumb was now visible. She walked alone there with her hair tied into a pony tail. The dress she wore outlined her pre
"Love is acceptance. When you love someone . . . . you take them into your heart, and that is surely why it hurts so much when we lose someone we love, because we lose a last of ourselves." ~ Andrew.-Her nails dug deep on his bare back, in need of his attention. He was ferocious. She moaned with ecstacy when he slammed into her without any mercy. They had been going at it for almost thirty minutes, he still couldn't reach his high. She had already reached her climax twice, it didn't feel the same. "Oh, yes my Prince." She moaned at the feel of their bodies entwined. Her voice turned him off. Her voice irked him beyond anything. He closed his eyes, imagining her sweet face, her bright forest green eyes looking at him as he took her on the grass. Her green eyes harmonized the colour of the green grass and green leafs around them. Her blonde hair sprawled all over the green grass. She gave him a sweet smile, he could feel himself almost reaching his climax just at the thought of her.
"Life is full of obstacle illusions." ~ Grant Frazier.-In the mist of all the sorrow and hurt, Lucia was happy.. a tad bit happy. Kyra getting married was indeed a blessing after all. Aunt Gloria smiled more, genuinely smiled more and laughed more. She wasn't so hard on Lucia. "I have a wedding to prepare for my soon to be dutchess of Acamas." She would say. Lucia loved seeing her cousin all smiles, she had moved into the royal palace a week back. Aunt Gloria could not have been anymore proud. The King had requested that the wedding that of archduke Elias and Kyra would have to wait until after Prince Alexius Nikoloudis II and Princess Amelia Joséphine Guilloux had taken place. A part of Lucia broke but it didn't matter, none of this mattered as soon as her bundle of joy is born they will move far far away..."Lucia, i don't understand why you didn't intend on telling me that your childhood friend had impregnated you ?" She paused. "Before I had humiliated myself at the palace." She
"Many men know how to flatter, few men know how to praise." ~ Greek Proverb.-He walked back and fourth in his room, expecting her. He didn't know what he would say to her or where to began ? She probably hated him but he loved her, loves her ; present tense. "Sire-" someone interrupted."Yes ?" He said expectedly."Your guest is here." The guard said. "Bring her up." He ordered and they nodded. Lucia was angry, she was mad as a hatter, she was raging with anger, beyond ill-tempered. Who did he think he was ? ordering her around. What did he want from her ? she thought. These hormones were definitely adding fuel to her raging fire. She was adamant on getting him off her back for good. He was promised to Princess Amelia and him requesting her presence at the palace. People in her neighborhood would always start a conversation. This would create gossip and banters all around. Lucia feared coming into the Kings Presence but to her surprise he wasn't there. Princess Amelia was not ar
-"Love is blind, marriage is an eye opener." ~ Pauline Thomason.-Time has a funny way of slowing down when we are in pain and flies faster when we are happy and having the time of our lives. Lucia was driven by anger and hurt maybe because a small tiny bitsy hoped she wouldn't have to marry Khris even though she knew how genuine he was. A tiny part hoped Alexius would climb onto a big strong white horse and ask for her hand in marriage. Kiss her endlessly and tell her he loves her... she didn't love him, she thought. She couldn't, Lucia hated him, she loathed every single atom on his body... this drove her to want to prove him wrong. To never need anything from him, never ever have to need him. He thought he was the centre of Lucia's world, he was at first but everything changed. Her child was now the centre of her world and nothing else other than that.Khristian and Lucia got married in the courthouse, his mother was present as witness. She had told him everything that had transp
"Eat and drink with your relatives; do business with strangers." ~ Greek Proverb.- "I'm trying to be civil with you." Prince Alexius said in a dull tone. They were having breakfast, luckily The Prince had arrived at the huge table earlier than everyone else, he couldn't sleep especially with his fiancée's brunette hair in his face. They weren't allowed to sleep in the same rooms as yet but Princess Amelia was as stubborn as mule, she wanted cling onto him every chance she got. Princess Amelia was what the Prince called pig headed. He was trying to see the best of this situation, he had taken Princess Amelia to the palace beautiful gardens. He thought getting to know the woman whom he would marry was a good idea but he lost interest as soon as she started blabbering about her pet chihuahua whom she missed dearly and two older brothers and her mother the Queen of France as well as her father who passed away when she was nine. For a moment he felt pity for her but all he could think ab