CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
The palace's carriage stopped at the mansion's entrance.
Tatiana and Elliot peeked though the window and was astonished by what they saw.
People with pretty dresses and suits walked around and talked to each other. There was also a line that formed at the door to check their belongings for any weapons.
"Elliot," Tatiana whispered, "there are humans."
"I know."
The people's attention was caught by the palace's royal carriage that was significantly more majestic and bigger than any other carriages. People whispered and gasped at the new arrival.
"The royal siblings are here."
"It's the first time we will see the young prince."
"We are so lucky!"
"Wait, is that the captain of the knights?"
"Oh dear! It is him! And he's with another knight!"
"That's from the Sullivan family, is he not?"
"Why is our kingdom blessed with good looking knights?"
Bjorn and Morgan got out of the carriage first and checked the area. Once they made sure that it was safe, they allowed the siblings to come out.
Morgan offered his hand to Elliot who was struggling because of the carriage's height. Everyone gasped at the prince's presence. They never thought that the young prince could be this handsome and at the same time adorable.
His dark curly hair stood out in pair with his big doe eyes and small nose. He was also wearing a white suit that's paired with white shorts and shoes. His bow was the same color as his sister's dress, violet. He wanted to match with her because he thought that it would be cute.
"You can hold my hand if you're nervous, your highness," Morgan kindly offered his hand when he noticed how fidgety the prince was. This was his first tine out in public after all.
"Thank you, sir Morgan," Elliot gladly accepted the request and held on to Morgan's hand.
Bjorn offered his hand for the princess to take and she accepted this graciously. She stepped out of the carriage, more people flooded around them. The princess struggled to step down since her dress was getting in the way.
"If I may," Bjorn asked for permission before holding on to the princess's waisted and lifted her down to the ground so easily as if she weighed nothing. Tatiana's face turned red after Bjorn gently put her down.
"Tha-thank you," she muttered and straightened out her dress. Bjorn offered her his arm and aceted as an escort. "You know that you don't have to do that for me if you don't want to, you know?"
"I am the captain of the knights but I am also your fiancé," he plainly told her without even glancing at her, "and you don't know how to walk wearing heels. Do you want to fall and land on your face?"
Tatiana immediately grabbed Bjorn's arm without question. The thought of her face planting on the ground gave her enough reason to abandon her pride and held on to the arm of the fiancé that doesn't want her.
"Welcome, your highnesses the prince and princess!" a man in his fifties greeted them as soon as they entered the hall.
"That's Iondale," Bjorn whispered to Tatiana. Tatiana immediately remembered the information she studied about.
"Duke Iondale, young as ever!" Tatiana smiled sweetly at him, "my father sends his congratulations. He is not able to attend because of his work."
"No, no, I understand. I am still glad you managed to come!"
"How could we miss this opportunity? You and my father have a history together," she said, "Oh, and this is my brother, Elliot. He's a bit shy because this is first time in public."
"Ah, yes, your half-brother!" Duke Iondale grinned, and scanned Elliot, "I hope you are well, my prince. I heard that your health is not in its best condition."
Eilliot shrugged behind Morgan and muttered, "Iâ"
"Brother!" Tatiana corrected and emphasized the word, "and he is doing quite well, thank you for your concern."
Duke Iondale laughed awkwardly and nodded, "brother, of course. Well then, please enjoy the party, I have to cater to the other guests. Please don't hesitate to call me when you need anything."
"Of course," Tatiana nodded her head, "thank you, Duke."
After the Duke left, her smiled disappeared. Bjorn felt Tatiana's grip on him tightened like she was hanging on him for support and not let her knees get weak. She turned to Elliot and asked him if he was fine.
"I'm fine," Elliot said, "just a little nervous."
Tatiana nodded her head and smiled at him.
"Don't be scared, I'm here." She assured him which made Elliot feel so much better.
Bjorn looked down on Tatiana and thought that she's the one who needs help. She keeps on pretending that she's fine socializing and talking to people she doesn't even know.
Hours already passed and the princess was tired of talking to everyone. All they talked about was relaying a message to her father, the king. She thought that she was talking eloquently and formally like a natural but she looked stiff as a rock and stuttered a lot.
She was an introvert, what else can she do?
She walked over to the side of the wall and observed everyone that was talking and laughing and dancing. Elliot was with Morgan eating and talking and hanging out with kids his age. The princess smiled when she saw her brother socializing with other people.
She did not want him to miss out on his childhood. Kids grow up too fast and before you know it, they are already adults.
She knows that her and her brother are not like ordinary kids. They have duties and responsibilities that start at a young age and they are never really able to spend their time as normal kids.
She is now in a fifteen year old's body but she was originally nineteen in her past life. That life wasn't that good either. She also had to work at a young age just to have something that will fill her stomach. Now she doesn't experience that but this experience another version of that pain.
"She arrived," Tatiana heard whispers not too far away from her. "I thought that she won't be showing herself after that incident."
"She's the princess. She can do whatever she wants."
"Yes, but she's mean and she's a bxtch. No wonder nobody wants to go near her."
"I bet she also forced her fiancé to come. Everyone knows that Sir Bjorn hates her. She always gets rejected."
"Serves her right."
"She doesn't deserve to be the princess and future ruler of this kingdom. I bet I can do even better than her."
"I agree."
Tatiana tilted her head to their direction, the group of girls challenged her with a stare. They know that the princess can be crazy but they are sure that she can't do anything funny here since this is the duke's place.
"If you think that being royalty is such an easy job then why don't you do it then?" she bellowed, "I bet you won't even pass the beauty standards of being royalty."
The girls scoffed and rolled her eyes, "if you are so pretty then why doesn't your fiancé love you?"
Her friends nodded in agreement. Tatiana laughed and shook her head.
"Our relationship is none of your business, and if you want him that bad then I'd like to see you try," she said, "if my beauty isn't enough to enchant him, what more can you offer? He won't even bother looking at you."
The girl's jaw dropped. Her other friends kept saying how mean and tactless the princess was and comforted their friend who started sobbing. Tatiana ignored them because she knows that her reputation is already tainted with people's own perception of her.
From afar, Bjorn was looking at her standing away from the crowd. She was massaging her legs and sighing. He knew that she was tired but the party is not over yet and she has to meet other people.
"Your fiancé won't get lost if you don't watch her for a minutes," his childhood friend said and nudged at him. "Since when were you head over heels for her?"
"I'm not," Bjorn answered shortly and drank from his wine glass. "I heard that you were taking over you father's business, Luther."
"Ah," Luther grunted, "it is a pain. I want to go back to the military academy and study again. It was so much easier than the real world."
"It's your sister's party, you shouldn't be so sullen." Bjorn turned to check on Tatiana once again but she was not there anymore. He looked around for a person with a read hair but there was no one.
"I wonder, I don't want to be disrespectful or anything but the princess is really pretty. Since you don't have any feelings for her can Iâ"
Luther was cut off when Bjorn pushed his wine glass on to him and mumble something like 'can't see her, gotta find her' and walked away.
"I guess not," Luther watched his friend storm away and pushing himself in the crowd while looking for the princess.
Luther sighed and shook his head.
"I guess even Bjorn was not able to resist the princess's charm. How charismatic is she that she managed to tame a wolf?"
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END