I return to the castle after a short walk in the enchanting gardens of the palace, needing to clear my mind. So far, it has been beneficial and I was eager to get back to my room as I was done for the day. However, as I step back inside, there is a palpable shift in the atmosphere. Earlier, I had noticed a line of cars stopping at the entrance, making me wonder what was going on. Now, the castle seems abuzz with activity, maids and workers walking around in hurried footsteps and a sense of urgency in the air.Seems like the castle had received guests and I wonder who they are. I glance around, contemplating who to approach for information, but the busy figures ignore my curiosity. Shrugging, I walk to my room, not wanting to disturb anyone. I hadn't seen Marcus all day and a part of me had wondered if it was a good or bad development. Regardless, I'm glad he's keeping his distance from me. I don't want to overcomplicate things the way they are right now.Back in the safety of my room,
Carlos leads me to the dance floor, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest with my hand in his. The soft music fills the air, and the room seems to spin around us as we step onto the polished wooden floor. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, as Carlos positions himself in front of me, his hand extended."Ready?" he asks with a warm smile.I nod, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. Settling one on my waist while the other grabs mine and raises it high in the air, he begins to move, guiding me through the steps of the dance. I rest my free hands on his shoulders and the slow dance begins. Just like he promised, he begins to teach me the steps and although I'm clumsy for a couple of times, surprisingly, I find myself catching on quickly, my body responding to the music in ways I never thought possible."For someone who has never danced before, you sure are picking up quite well." he says with a chuckle, moving me around, his eyes tinged with amusement and sa
Watching Sophie hurriedly leave the hall the way she did bothers me more than it should. I have an almost insane urge to follow after and ask what went wrong, but I hold back, trying to pass it off as normally as I could. The people around me are already giving me strange looks, wondering what must have happened between us. I ignore their curious gazes, walking out of the dance floor. Though It's just a simple dance, to me, it's means so much more. I'm just here savoring all these stolen moments with her whenever I get the chance; they would be all I have of the whirlwind romance I had with her.My father eventually rises to his feet, making his way to the podium, signaling the end of the dance. I walk toward Reina, linking my hand with hers as we stand together. My heart beats faster as I anticipate what my father is about to announce."Citizens of Netherlands!" He speaks, his voice cutting through the hushed murmurs of the guests, commanding attention as he addresses the room. "It i
Hours have passed since I left the ballroom, yet I find myself still seated on the floor, the tears staining my cheeks. My head throbs with every heartbeat, and I can't shake off the overwhelming sense of despair that envelops me. The grandeur of the ballroom feels like a distant memory now, replaced by the suffocating silence of my room.Suddenly, I hear a faint sound, causing me to pause and lift my head from my knees. Taking in a shuddering breath, my eyes dart around the room, searching for the source of the noise, but there's nothing and no one in sight. A shiver runs down my spine as I rise to my feet, a sense of unease creeping over me."Who's there?" I call out as I gingerly make my way to the table next to me, reaching for a nearby vase, my fingers curling around it tightly as I prepare to defend myself. But before I can fully brace myself, I feel a presence in the room, causing my heart to race even faster. I turn towards the direction of the disturbance, my breath catching
Sophie.I wake up to the gentle light streaming through the curtains, the soft warmth of morning enveloping me.A dull ache pulsates in my head, and for a while my head is strangely empty as I find myself wondering where the hell I am. Then suddenly, it hits me. The memories flood back, threatening to overwhelm me and I catch myself groaning, burying my face in my hands. Marcus's presence was in this room last night, and all the tender moments shared in the dimly lit room floods back, weighing heavily on my mind.Sitting up slowly, I rub my temples, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. Marcus had stayed with me till I was calm enough and only left when he was sure they would be beginning to look for him with a promise to see me soon enough. A small smile starts to blossom on my face but I immediately stamp it out, running a hand through my disheveled hair as I stifle a groan.I'd agreed to his proposal. That was an impulsive, reckless thing to do. And now, I have no idea if I ca
After our little horse riding meeting, Marcus and I begin to see each other a little more frequently. From sparing glances to him during the occasional dinners I have with the rest of the royal family, to sneaking through the windows to see at the dead of the night, we've grown significantly closer. On the surface, it seems like we're just strangers, but between us, things have grown so much deeper. I still work on the dress, and the wedding preparations are already underway, but in our little world, everything is perfect.It's one of those evenings where I take a walk after spending a long time beading the wedding dress and enjoying the scenery around me. The evening sun casts a warm glow over the palace gardens as I stroll along the winding paths, my footsteps echoing softly against the cobblestone. The air is filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, the gentle rustling of leaves overhead providing a soothing backdrop to my thoughts.Lost in the beauty of my surroundings, I
"Is it just me or do you seem really close with the fashion designer?" Aida asks as I walk past her. I pause in my tracks, turning back to look at her, my heart skipping a beat at her question. I had been so deep in my thoughts, I hadn't noticed her at all in the hallways. Her back is still turned to me, but she slowly turns toward me, and I can feel my stomach tie itself into knots when I see the knowing look in her eyes even as her face remains unreadable. It immediately makes me sick, and a groan escapes my lips before I get the chance to stop it."What do you mean?" I ask, hating the way my voice sounds defensive."You know exactly what I mean," she insists, her eyes flicking towards the garden where Sophie still was, lost in her own world. My heart skips a beat at the mention of her name, and I feel a sudden tension coil in my chest, my palms growing clammy with sweat. "The two of you spend quite a bit of time together," she adds, crossing her arms."I do not know what you're tal
After hours of anxiously waiting for Marcus to arrive, I hear the familiar rapping at my windowsill, and my heart skips a beat before thrumming in excitement. Marcus is here. Without even thinking about it, I jump out of my bed and hurry to the window, flinging it open to the window balcony where Marcus is standing, watching me.His hair tousled and the moonlight shining against his face, Marcus looks even more breathtaking than I've ever seen him. I suck in a breath, doing my best to calm the racing of my heart. Growing shy all of a sudden, I feel like a schoolgirl about to meet a boy, and the two of us nervously exchange greetings."Hey..." I mutter, wringling my hands behind my back as he takes a step toward me, his heavy breathing in rhythm of my heartbeat."Hi, yourself." He mutters as he walks close to me, his eyes glinting with gladness and something I couldn't quite decipher."Took you long enough." I mumbled with a mock frown and watched as the smile on his face grew wider. "
The moonlight bathes the lake in a soft, silvery glow, casting shimmering reflections across the water's surface. Standing at the edge of the lake, I watch as Marcus dives into the water, his laughter echoing through the night air. Part of me wants to join him, to let go of my inhibitions and dive into the cool embrace of the lake. But another part of me hesitates, afraid of getting wet and making a fool of myself."Come on, Sophie! The water feels amazing!" Marcus calls out, splashing playfully.I smile nervously, shaking my head. "I don't want to get wet," I reply, my voice barely audible over the gentle rustle of the leaves.Marcus pouts, pretending to be hurt. "Fine, I guess I'll just have to swim all by myself," he says, turning away from me with mock disappointment.My heart sinks at the thought of Marcus swimming alone, and before I can stop myself, I reach out to grab his arm. "Wait, Marcus! I didn't mean it like that," I stammer, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks.He turns b
After hours of anxiously waiting for Marcus to arrive, I hear the familiar rapping at my windowsill, and my heart skips a beat before thrumming in excitement. Marcus is here. Without even thinking about it, I jump out of my bed and hurry to the window, flinging it open to the window balcony where Marcus is standing, watching me.His hair tousled and the moonlight shining against his face, Marcus looks even more breathtaking than I've ever seen him. I suck in a breath, doing my best to calm the racing of my heart. Growing shy all of a sudden, I feel like a schoolgirl about to meet a boy, and the two of us nervously exchange greetings."Hey..." I mutter, wringling my hands behind my back as he takes a step toward me, his heavy breathing in rhythm of my heartbeat."Hi, yourself." He mutters as he walks close to me, his eyes glinting with gladness and something I couldn't quite decipher."Took you long enough." I mumbled with a mock frown and watched as the smile on his face grew wider. "
"Is it just me or do you seem really close with the fashion designer?" Aida asks as I walk past her. I pause in my tracks, turning back to look at her, my heart skipping a beat at her question. I had been so deep in my thoughts, I hadn't noticed her at all in the hallways. Her back is still turned to me, but she slowly turns toward me, and I can feel my stomach tie itself into knots when I see the knowing look in her eyes even as her face remains unreadable. It immediately makes me sick, and a groan escapes my lips before I get the chance to stop it."What do you mean?" I ask, hating the way my voice sounds defensive."You know exactly what I mean," she insists, her eyes flicking towards the garden where Sophie still was, lost in her own world. My heart skips a beat at the mention of her name, and I feel a sudden tension coil in my chest, my palms growing clammy with sweat. "The two of you spend quite a bit of time together," she adds, crossing her arms."I do not know what you're tal
After our little horse riding meeting, Marcus and I begin to see each other a little more frequently. From sparing glances to him during the occasional dinners I have with the rest of the royal family, to sneaking through the windows to see at the dead of the night, we've grown significantly closer. On the surface, it seems like we're just strangers, but between us, things have grown so much deeper. I still work on the dress, and the wedding preparations are already underway, but in our little world, everything is perfect.It's one of those evenings where I take a walk after spending a long time beading the wedding dress and enjoying the scenery around me. The evening sun casts a warm glow over the palace gardens as I stroll along the winding paths, my footsteps echoing softly against the cobblestone. The air is filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, the gentle rustling of leaves overhead providing a soothing backdrop to my thoughts.Lost in the beauty of my surroundings, I
Sophie.I wake up to the gentle light streaming through the curtains, the soft warmth of morning enveloping me.A dull ache pulsates in my head, and for a while my head is strangely empty as I find myself wondering where the hell I am. Then suddenly, it hits me. The memories flood back, threatening to overwhelm me and I catch myself groaning, burying my face in my hands. Marcus's presence was in this room last night, and all the tender moments shared in the dimly lit room floods back, weighing heavily on my mind.Sitting up slowly, I rub my temples, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. Marcus had stayed with me till I was calm enough and only left when he was sure they would be beginning to look for him with a promise to see me soon enough. A small smile starts to blossom on my face but I immediately stamp it out, running a hand through my disheveled hair as I stifle a groan.I'd agreed to his proposal. That was an impulsive, reckless thing to do. And now, I have no idea if I ca
Hours have passed since I left the ballroom, yet I find myself still seated on the floor, the tears staining my cheeks. My head throbs with every heartbeat, and I can't shake off the overwhelming sense of despair that envelops me. The grandeur of the ballroom feels like a distant memory now, replaced by the suffocating silence of my room.Suddenly, I hear a faint sound, causing me to pause and lift my head from my knees. Taking in a shuddering breath, my eyes dart around the room, searching for the source of the noise, but there's nothing and no one in sight. A shiver runs down my spine as I rise to my feet, a sense of unease creeping over me."Who's there?" I call out as I gingerly make my way to the table next to me, reaching for a nearby vase, my fingers curling around it tightly as I prepare to defend myself. But before I can fully brace myself, I feel a presence in the room, causing my heart to race even faster. I turn towards the direction of the disturbance, my breath catching
Watching Sophie hurriedly leave the hall the way she did bothers me more than it should. I have an almost insane urge to follow after and ask what went wrong, but I hold back, trying to pass it off as normally as I could. The people around me are already giving me strange looks, wondering what must have happened between us. I ignore their curious gazes, walking out of the dance floor. Though It's just a simple dance, to me, it's means so much more. I'm just here savoring all these stolen moments with her whenever I get the chance; they would be all I have of the whirlwind romance I had with her.My father eventually rises to his feet, making his way to the podium, signaling the end of the dance. I walk toward Reina, linking my hand with hers as we stand together. My heart beats faster as I anticipate what my father is about to announce."Citizens of Netherlands!" He speaks, his voice cutting through the hushed murmurs of the guests, commanding attention as he addresses the room. "It i
Carlos leads me to the dance floor, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest with my hand in his. The soft music fills the air, and the room seems to spin around us as we step onto the polished wooden floor. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, as Carlos positions himself in front of me, his hand extended."Ready?" he asks with a warm smile.I nod, trying to ignore the butterflies in my stomach. Settling one on my waist while the other grabs mine and raises it high in the air, he begins to move, guiding me through the steps of the dance. I rest my free hands on his shoulders and the slow dance begins. Just like he promised, he begins to teach me the steps and although I'm clumsy for a couple of times, surprisingly, I find myself catching on quickly, my body responding to the music in ways I never thought possible."For someone who has never danced before, you sure are picking up quite well." he says with a chuckle, moving me around, his eyes tinged with amusement and sa
I return to the castle after a short walk in the enchanting gardens of the palace, needing to clear my mind. So far, it has been beneficial and I was eager to get back to my room as I was done for the day. However, as I step back inside, there is a palpable shift in the atmosphere. Earlier, I had noticed a line of cars stopping at the entrance, making me wonder what was going on. Now, the castle seems abuzz with activity, maids and workers walking around in hurried footsteps and a sense of urgency in the air.Seems like the castle had received guests and I wonder who they are. I glance around, contemplating who to approach for information, but the busy figures ignore my curiosity. Shrugging, I walk to my room, not wanting to disturb anyone. I hadn't seen Marcus all day and a part of me had wondered if it was a good or bad development. Regardless, I'm glad he's keeping his distance from me. I don't want to overcomplicate things the way they are right now.Back in the safety of my room,