Chapter 3 - Fernanda

Zara

     It was night, Zack had slept off. We slept on the same bed because, people thought we were husband and wife in reality. So, we just had to meet up the expectations of a crown prince and princess, who would soon be king and Queen, respectively.

     I was beginning to feel very restless and thirsty. I walked up to drink water. Holding it, I discovered the jar was empty. I looked around and wore my robe going outside the room to fetch water.

     It was the dead of the night and the moon shone brightly through the glass. The guards had fell asleep on their duty post and I had a sudden urge to wake them up but I didn’t.

     I sighted the kitchen and I opened the fridge pouring more water into the jar and sipping some from a nearby cup. I took the jar back returning to my room. On my way back, I began to hear muffled sounds. It was whispers which was so silent. I move to the direction the sound was coming from.

     “What are you doing? Someone might see us”. The voice said in a low key. I sighted two bodies entangled and heard sounds of kisses.

     “They won’t. The other guards have been drugged by me. So, they can’t wake up, right now”, the masculine said.

     I recognized the girl by her red hair. It was Fernánda, Zack’s younger sister as she moaned slightly.

     “Still we can’t risk it. Let’s go to my room”. She said as she opened the door slammed shut as I approached them. Fernánda was not an innocent child as I had thought she was. She stooped so low to having secret affair with a guard. I really had to get to the bottom of this. I hadn’t seen the guard’s face but I knew he had a high rank to have drugged the other guards. No wonder the guards slept so deeply and heavily.

     I quickly made my way to the room and laid beside Zack. The pillow boundary between us had removed and I set my hand to put it back. Almost at that moment, his hand moved to stop my hand. I looked to see if he was awake but realized he did it unconsciously.

     I sighed and yelled, sleeping without the pillow boundary with a lot of things on my mind. I was still practically trying to process what I had just saw on my mind. Fernández had a secret affair with a guard and I had to stop it to prevent it from spoiling her image in the palace.

     I closed my eyes drifting slowly to dream world.

     “Wake up, your majesty, wake up”, I heard a desperate voice say. I just needed more sleep and I ignored the voice.

     “Your majesty, please wake up”, I heard again as I open my eyes blurrily trying to process it all. It was Maryann, one of my ladies—in waiting.

     “There is going to be an introduction of families today. Fernánda’s suitor is coming to get to know their bride’s family and you need to get ready”, she said and I complete bloomed up.

     Fernanda’s suitor? She is getting married? Absolutely not! If she was that guard and why was she having a secret affair with him? Why does she want to spoil her family name?

     “Umm… your majesty?”, Maryann said snapping her fingers as usual to bring to reality. I had completely zoned out.

     “Yes, Ann?” I replied immediately.

     “Is everything alright? You seemed to be thinking about something”, she revealed as I felt embarrassed.

     “Yes, let’s begin”, I said. I was definitely not going to share the details of what I saw with anyone. I had to protect the palace’s name.

     I watch carefully as Maryann gave them orders. They went out, I took my bath. They came back in as I chose my dress. It was a red velvet gown which looked like it was wrapped around my body. They made me up and Shawna shyly told me how she loved the dress so much.

     I wore my crown this time because it was a formal meeting. They then escorted me to the throne room as I sighted Zack waiting for me. He then looked up so elegant and noble in his tuxedo shirt as he uttered,

     “Shall we?” in a seductive tone. He really knew how to put on tis mask of a good husband so well. I clenched my teeth at his overconfidence face and placed my hands into his.

     The throne room was a very large room with about six entrance and exit doors. The king and queen sat on their throne and myself and Zack sat on a medium size throne respectively.

     Fernanda was dressed in a royal blue knee length gown and her hair was packed into a bun, with her face caked with the prettiest make-up. The suitors here definitely didn’t know of her secret affair with a guard and for a moment, I wished I could scream it out at them.

     But me being me, I watched the drama, trying to find the person she continuously looked at among the guards.

A man stood up from the invited guest.

     ‘’Your Majesty, meet King and Queen Richards of Mexico. They had travelled all down here for the introduction’’, the man announced.

     ‘’Here is their son, Paula Richards, a very fine man. They have come all this way to ask for Her Majesty, Princess Fernandez’s hand in marriage’’, the man finished bowing down as he took his seat.

     Zack’s dad, King Moretti stood up and smiled for a moment. They hadn’t gotten time back then when they newly gave birth to Fernanda to betroth her to anyone.

    ‘’My daughter has accepted your son’s hand in marriage so we can only make the day of the wedding fixed’’, King Moretti said as his wife added.

     ‘’We promise to make it one of the most fabulous weddings in town too’’, Queen Moretti had said in a loud voice full of authority.

     ‘’We are honoured’’, the Mexican Queen announced briefly. This brought a round of applause as it brought to the end of the occasion.

     Throughout the introduction, I had looked at the direction Fernanda kept looking at. It was at the head guard’s direction. That is, the guard who guided the King and Queen’s chambers.  From his back, recognized him as the lover, Fernanda’s lover.

     The introduction of families was over and I left the throne room alone. Zack said he had to do some ‘prince duties’ and I didn’t understand why I haven’t be assigned to do any princess duties too.

     I returned to my room in absolute defeat and just as I had once had in England, I felt like disguising and going into town. I missed the snowballs and skating and- I realized. I was more than 1000 miles away from home and I couldn’t do those things here. It would only mess things up.

     According to my mum, "Keep your head high, Princess if not the crown falls". She had told myself and my other brothers who were slightly confused because they weren’t girls. They had no choice but to nod at her instructions and secretly mimicked her. I was guilty at that aspect too.

     Growing up in the mist of boys, I was a hardhead tomboy who didn’t even consider herself as a girl. I had made this self-discovery when I once fought a hand to hand combat with my elder-brother because he threatened to report how I snuck out of the Palace. I had beaten him black and blue that day and he was so ashamed that a girl bent his knees. He gave up after I threatened to tell his betrothed crush, Elle that I had beaten him.

     I know I haven’t been the best of a younger sister to him but I didn’t care. Though, he started matching my strength when he hit puberty. Grew some muscles and abs from working and training to fight with sword. I had trained too but he had beaten me then. I remember falling weak and crying that he came to me and pushing me back down.

     "I don’t want a weak sister. If you’ re my sister. Then you must be strong", he said, trying to crack my shell. I had pushed him backward immediately and he smiled with blood on his arms.

     "That’s the kind of sister I want; strong, courageous, stubborn, someone who screams attention because she knows she deserves it’’, he said bringing his sword forward. This time I had block it with my sword and fought like a lion because I know I deserved it.

     George had really shaped this stubborn part of me and I missed him. If he was here he would have stopped the guard and Fernanda that day and not just stare dryly at them like I had did.

     I realized. I had to confront Fernanda. She was wrong and I had to make a move to stop her.

     I put on my royal garments and make my way to the door. My ladies-in-waiting sights me as soon as I leave the room. They had been waiting outside presumably.

     "Your Majesty’’, they say bowing down and looking up and corrected themselves as soon as it left their mouths.

    "Za-ra’’, they correct themselves.

     "I seek the lady Fernánda’s chamber. I want to converse with her’’, I say. They spread out themselves immediately at the front and the other three at my back.

     They lead me to her chambers and ladies-in waiting announce my presence. She tells them to bring me in as I elegantly walk with so much pride. I sat down and asked my ladies to excuse us.

     "What brings you to my chambers, Princess?’’, she asks me as I sip from the cup trying to find a polite way I could start the conversation.

     "I know about your liaison with that guard’’, I announced. This makes her face tint red in shock as she tried not to react and pretend.

     "My lady? What are you saying presently? No such- ‘’

     "You don’t need to pretend, you know. I saw you both myself. I didn’t hear it from anyone so guilt this scrumptious act.’’, I smiled at how well she covered herself from being innocent.

     "Indeed, you’re a wolf in a sheep’s clothing. I never expected you to be like this. Anyway, back to the point. Do you realized the gravity of what you’re doing? This girl seems like a matured woman. She should be able to understood.

     "Gravity? It’s not gravity. True love is not a gravity, my lady. It wouldn’t spoil my family name as long as they don’t hear of it’’, she says confidently dropping her tea cup.

     "And your suitor?’’, I ask.

     "Myself and my love would both figure something. I will not marry for family name rather I would marry for love. Please Princess, help me. Please do it for me. Support me in this’’, I looked at her awkwardly. She was actually expecting me to pamper her and join her in this game. She was so unbelievable!

     “You’ve tainted the sheets already with this ‘love’. You have broken the rule. I surely would have helped you if you hadn’t gone to bed with him. I’m sorry no”, I said as I stood up to leave for my husband’s chambers in annoyance. I wanted to tell him.

     “Tainted you say? I call him it making love. Besides I’m now a woman. Nothing compared to you”, she says. I freeze in shock as I backed her. How did she know?

     “What do you mean?”, I ask her slowly.

     “I know you and my brother haven’t gone to bed, yet”, she announces. This makes me hold the hems of my gown as I shook fearfully. This was a big secret that could break or make my family’s reputation.

     “Who told you such nonsense?!”, I yell at her in displeasure at her newfound way to manipulate me to do her bidding.

    “Don’t ask me Zara. With this secret I know you won’t dare say a word about me and Alejandro. So, I would advise you to keep your eyes to you to keep your mouth shut”, she says drawing closer to me whispering in my ear.

     “Why are you doing this to yourself?”, I say. Did this girl grow up hating culture and everything around her?

     “I don’t know what you think I’m doing but what I know for sure is that I’m not wrong”, she sits down and lifts her head higher like she had just won a lottery and looks at me daringly.

     I walk out of the room in a fit of anger and paranoia as my ladies- in – waiting try to catch up with me. They wait outside as only Elizabeth comes in. She was the closet tome.

     I remove my gown in frustrated and throw it on the floor. Elizabeth picks it up and neatly folds it, keeping in my closet.

     

    

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         “There is no such thing as a good story. There is only something like a good book. A good book is where a reader finds complete solace and comfort; a way to escape harsh realities relating to his life”

-         R.A Higheels

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