Chapter 4 Escort

It seems to me that everyone was avoiding me as I marched my way to the queen's study or whatever you call it. The princes were nowhere to be found - probably hiding from me as I stormed off.

Once I reached the queen's study, I did not bother to knock. Instead I kicked the door open yelling, "WHAT PARTY!?" It was loud enough that Dan jumped off the couch and spilled his tea on Ren's lap. Ren let out a girly screech at that. Nate quickly hid behind the curtains while Ace casually turned his back to me.

So this is where they ran off to. Drinking TEA!

"Dear, we do have that round thing on doors called a door knob you know. The one you just broke." The queen says sipping her tea.

"WHAT PARTY!?" I demanded and I could not help but notice the princes flinching.

The queen almost choked on her tea. "Goodness. Straight to the point I see."

"What. Party." I said through gritted teeth this time.

"Um.." The queen looked uncomfortable telling me and tried to make eye contact with the princes for help. Unfortunately for her, they were looking at anywhere but the both of us. "You see, dear. It was supposed to be a surprise. You know. A descendant of the people of Gija, not to mention of royalty, could not go on unannounced." The queen stood up and stood in front of her desk. "This is great news for all of the kingdom. It means that Tordis had not won over the war with Gija. You are my niece and I want to properly introduce you as a true princess."

"How long were you keeping this party from me?"

"My dear, it does not matter-"

"How long?" I asked again.

The queen sighed. "The king and I planned this the day after we realized that you're really my niece."

"What about them? How long have they known?" I gestured towards the princes.

"Dear, don't blame them. I told them not to tell you. They were only doing what I asked them to do. Well except Prince Frederick, who is kind of a blabber mouth if you ask me." The queen muttered the last part.

"How long?" I repeated the question. I stared into the eyes of the queen making it clear that I would not stop until she answered me.

"The day after the king and I planned the whole event."

It was almost a week then. They were trying to plan a party for me without me knowing. And not just any party for that matter. It was to tell the whole kingdom that I'm a princess of a ruined kingdom. A princess who is the only survivor of that kingdom. Great.

I took in a deep breath before letting it out. "You mean to tell me that all this time. All the training that I was doing since I got back was just so we can have another party? And all this time none of you even bother to tell me?"

"Rose we-" Nate started to say but I cut him off.

"When is this party set?"

"About two weeks from now." Ren answered looking guilty.

"What if I don't want to have a party?"

"Dear, it's-"

"Cancel it." I said.

"We can't just cancel it. The invitations are-" Dan started.

"By order of Princess Rosalie Amber Stan, descendant of late king Varon and queen Izani Lanis." I said, which shocked everyone in the room.

"Oh my-"

"-gods." The twins breathed.

Nate peaked from the curtains and even Ace glanced at me with wide eyes.

"Good heavens!" The king looked like he was gonna have a heart attack.

I gritted my teeth at their rude reactions. "I can make that call, can I? After all what you have taught me. As a princess I have the power to do so since I am a princess - with or without a kingdom. I can call off a ball only if it is mine. Since the party or ball whatever you call it is for me then I have the right to do so. Engaging the party without my permission will have serious consequences on your laws." At this I looked at Prince Ace. "Am I correct, PRINCE Ace?"

By then everyone was looking at Ace and awaiting his confirmation. His face was expressionless as ever. "She's right." He sighed looking defeated.

I guess all my lessons have paid off and were put into use. I sighed in relief. "Well then. That is that." I said and walked out of the room. I was so furious that I did not bother to see what their reactions were when I left.

After storming out, I decided to go to the stables and visit Cloud. I recently discovered that grooming your pets can somehow relieve you from stress. "Hey guess what, Cloud." I mumbled. "Your previous owner, well not really your owner, decided to gang up on me to keep a secret." I also just discovered that talking to your pets also helps.

"A ball." I scoffed. "Really, do they have to make a big deal of things? I mean, I am just a descendant of the previous king and queen of Gija. A land where they control dead animals." I said the last part rather dramatically as I wave the hand that was holding the brush in the air.

Custard did not appreciate my last comment because he growled at me. Tamer or not, he still scares me. "Oops. Sorry." I laughed nervously. "Want me to brush your fur next?"

It was as if Custard was saying 'whatever' when it let out an air of annoyance and laid down with its back to me. "Okay...I'll take that as a n-"

"No! Rose, don't do it!" Me, Custard, and Cloud jump started when Ren suddenly burst into the room looking panicked. He started to run towards me and grabbed me by the shoulder. "Don't run away again. It's dangerous out there. I know that you are upset but it would be better to talk it out rather than running away."

There was a long pause as I tried to interpret what this idiot was saying. "You..." I was leering at him now while prying his hands off of my shoulders. "...think I'm trying to run away?"

And again with the long pause as he regarded the brush that I was holding and the missing reins and saddle on Cloud. "...You....weren't?''

"I wasn't." I crossed my arms over my chest. Pissed off that he actually thought that I would actually think of running away again. I mean yeah, I would like to but if I were to go somewhere it would be back home to my family.

"Ohh...." he blushed and started laughing awkwardly. "Well....I thought.....like last time.....haha....you know." He started laughing again. And just to humor him, I laughed along with him. And just like that we both started laughing. He was genuine but mine was fake.

"Oh you jerk." I said laughing while shaking my head at him.

"Sorry." He says, still laughing.

I shoved Cloud's grooming brush at him. "Make sure to brush Cloud's mane. I want it soft and clean when I get back." I said sweetly and gave him a sweet-bitter smile.

Shocked, Ren accepted the brush and muttered. "Crap. She's mad."

As I walked past him and out of the stables, I saw Dan leaning on the door. When he saw me, he immediately jerked back.

"Oh um....hi, princess. I wasn't spying on you two or anything. In fact I was not the one who told my brother to run after you just in case you'd run away again just to get you two alone. In fact, I was just um.....standing guard and not planning on locking you both in the stables." He rambled on and on, but I wasn't hearing any of it nor did I bother listening to him. Though I did hear him say about me running away.

I sighed loudly, and just as I was about to calm down, Nate came running towards us. "Rose, I heard you were trying to run away again. Is that true?" Then he saw me with Dan. "Good job stopping her, Dan." When I looked back to Dan, he was making gestures at Nate to shut up.

"You know what?" I said. "I've had it! I am not running away alright? I'll be in my room if anyone wants to look for me!" I pushed past Nate and started running. Custard following after me. I was about to head for my room when I decided to head for the garden pavilion to get some breather. Custard gave me a funny look when I started to lay down like a dead person on the bench.

"Leave me alone to die, Custard."

"Well I hope that you do."

I let out a tired groan. "Oh I'll die alright." I without turning to look at PRINCE Ace. "But only if you die first."

Ace scoffed. He was leaning on the supports of the pavilion when he arrogantly said. "Well nice knowing you then. Elves live longer than humans."

"Well, in case you've forgotten, PRINCE Ace, I am not entirely human to begin with." I said. "And also, if you think that I'm going to run away like the rest of the princes, then you can rest assured that I won't. I've learned my lesson."

"I know." He says.

"Well that's weird." I said. "Then why are you here then?" I asked him.

"You may not want to run away before, but after being provoked by those idiots well...who knows what you'll do."

"OH MY GOSH!!" I yelled so loudly that PRINCE Ace almost slipped. I got into a sitting position so I could glare at him properly. "I AM NOT GOING TO RUN AWAY ALRIGHT? I JUST WANT TO RELAX AND CALM MY NERVES BUT YOU GUYS KEEP ON SHOWING UP MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO CALM DOWN. I AM UPSET RIGHT NOW AND WANT TO BE ALONE SO PLEASE!!"

I got up and started heading towards the castle when PRINCE Ace grabbed my arm as I passed him. "Hey!"

"Come with me." He says sternly. If I wasn't angry right now, my legs would probably stop working. I mean come on. I screamed at the PRINCE of darkness. I could only think of one thing why he would want me to come with him. He's probably going to kill me.

PRINCE Ace started dragging me towards the forest. Oh boy he's going to kill me then bury my body in the dirt like a decent person. Well I hope he will put a tombstone on my grave decently.

"I am not going to kill you even though I want to." He says.

"Oh so now you're a mind reader?"

"Unless you're an animal then I can."

"Touché." I said and then started to wonder. "Then.....where are you taking me?"

Just then we stopped and he turned to look back at me. He sighed. "In the Earth books, I read that when characters feel upset, they have to talk to someone."

I stared at him. "Meaning....?"

"Express your feelings through words obviously."

"And you are willing to listen?"

"I'll.....try."

I stared at PRINCE Ace for a few seconds. "Hm...let me think. NO. Bye!!" I said and was about to turn back when PRINCE Ace pulled my hair. "OW!!!"

"Talk." He insisted.

"No! Let me go you jerk."

"I am trying to help."

"Help yourself! This is not helping. Helping is helping someone who wants to be helped!"

"So you don't want my help?"

"No!"

"Alright, you may go and keep your feelings." He says and then let's me go.

Fun fact about us girls. We're in denial of a lot of things.

"So that's it? You are not even going to insist or even try?"

"What?" Now PRINCE Ace looks really confused. "I did, but you told me that you don't want my help."

"You could at least try harder!"

"Well do you want my help?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "Well now that you ask me, I don't want to."

I saw a vein popped in Ace's veins and I could just imagine him planning my demise in his head. "GOODBYE."

I should have kept my mouth shut, but my stupid female attitude starts acting up. "Fine. It's not like you're going to listen anyway. Plus, you dragged me all the way out here to talk when you won't even bother exerting effort."

PRINCE Ace stopped dead in his tracks and stood a few inches from me with a glare. "I'll show you effort." He says and before I could guess - or run - thick vines started wrapping around my waist and hauled me up from the ground. I screamed.

"Oh my ghawd!! Ace, what are you doing!?" I screamed and yelled at him. "Put me down!"

"Talk." He ordered. "If you want me to release you that is."

I clawed at the vines in an attempt to tear it off of me. No such luck since the vines were too thick. "You jerk! You could just ask me to talk." I said.

"I. Did." He said and shot me a glare. "And it seems to me that it was futile to ask you politely."

"Let me go!!" By now I was kicking my feet in mid air. I even threw my shoes in an attempt to hit him right in the face. No such luck.

"Are you going to talk now?"

"NO!"

"Fine." He said and raised one hand in the air. The vines started to move again as it lifted me higher from the ground. I screamed. "How about now?" He asked again.

I glared at him. "You will regret that." I growled and looked at Custard. "Attack him boy!" I ordered. Custard sprang into action and jumped at him - maybe attempting to bite his face off. As Custard sprang, Ace simply grabbed him with one hand. Custard whimpered when Ace shot him an icy glare. "You do know that spirits can't do much harm without their tamers, right?" Ace gave me a sideway glance.

I look away blushing. "I knew that." I didn't. Before I knew it I was lifted higher from the ground so quickly that a few curse words escaped my mouth.

"You can talk or I'll leave you there to rot forever." He says while still holding Custard. I didn't answer him and he grew more irritated. "Fine then. See you when you're dead." With that he started to head back to the castle. I started to panic.

"Okay fine! Fine!" I screamed. "I hate parties, alright? Especially when I am about to be introduced to be a descendant of a dead kingdom. It is all so new and everything is going too fast." I yelled in frustration. It was as if everything that I was holding onto came out spilling. "The idea that I wasn't normal and that I am not entirely human. It feels like my life is a joke and you guys don't even bother to understand how I feel about all of these changes!! Ren, Nate, Dan, Fred, you, the king, and the queen. You're all making decisions for me without even asking if I'm fine with it. Dragging me into this world, forced me to stay, and now become a princess!? What a load of crap!" I felt the side of my cheeks wet from the angry tears. Down below I could see Ace staring at me with a blank and emotionless face. A few seconds later and I saw him close his eyes. The vines started to slowly lower me down unto the ground.

Once my feet touched the ground did Ace approach me. He crouched down and placed the shoes that I threw at him. I angrily wiped my tears as I slipped on my shoes. "I'm sorry." He says.

That made me jerk up and stare at him. "What?"

"I'm...sorry if we never consider your feelings." He looked so genuine as he said it. He even looked away as if he was feeling guilty or something.

There was a long pause and it was getting really awkward. I bet we were both surprised by what had just happened. Ace apologized for something.

Gosh, I must be in another dimension.

"Let's go." He says and starts heading back once he places Custard back to the ground.

I followed him silently with mixed feelings. Suddenly, Ace spoke. "I'm sorry." He says again. I raised an eyebrow this time, confused of what he is sorry for now. Then I realized something. Ace was not quiet the whole time because he has sympathy for me. He was quiet because he was trying to hold onto his laughter. "I'm sorry that I don't regret putting you up in that tree. You look pathetic and I think you got what you deserve since you pissed me off." He smirked. "And this is just a tip from me, just go with the queen to this party. After all, it's not like you are staying here permanently. Just enjoy your time here in this world for a change. If you don't like it then it is not my problem." He shrugged and started to walk again before adding, "Oh and make sure to be 50 paces behind me. I don't want other people to see that I am with you." With that, Ace started heading back to the castle.

I stood there for a good 3 minutes before I stormed back into the castle with a very hot head. My gosh! Can't he be more arrogant!? And to think that I actually thought that we were starting to become friends or that I thought that he's actually a nice person! How wrong was I.

"That son of a-"

"Rose!!" I wasn't able to finish my sentence since Dan came running up to me. "Thank you! Thank you." He says.

I gave him a confused look. "Okay....for what exactly are you thanking me?" I asked.

"PRINCE Ace just spoke with the queen and he told her that you agreed to carry on with the party! Now the queen is sending invites to all of the kingdom!" Dan beamed at me happily.

My jaw dropped on the floor as I stared at him and blinked....once......twice...

"HE.DID.WHAT!?!?!" I screamed so loudly that my voice could be heard all the way to Tordis. That sneaky bastard!! "I never said that!" I protested. "Cancel it! Cancel everything!!! Ugh!!!"

"B-But, Rose, the invites are already sent. If we take it back now just imagine what the people of Thalia will think."

"My gosh!! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING. AAAACEEE!!!" I channeled all my anger towards him. As of the moment, I don't think I would mind having the party as long as I can get back at Ace.

"Oh by the way, Rose. Have you decided on your escort?" Dan asked me sweetly while batting his eyelashes at me.

"Not now, Dan." I said through gritted teeth.

"But you have to decide now." He whined.

If there's one thing that the twins differ in somethings, it's that Dan is more annoying than Ren. And knowing him, he won't stop pestering me until I answer him. I don't need to be bothered as of the moment because I am too busy thinking of a way to get even with a certain prince. "Geez, I don't know, Dan. Why don't you be my escort?"

"Oh psh! I can't. I'm...uh....gonna have a stomach ache on that day!"

I gave him a weird look. "You predicted that you are going to have a stomach ache?"

"Weeelll...yeah." He says as if realizing too that what he said was stupid. "I mean please. I can't be your escort if I am not well. After all being an escort is not easy. We have to follow you around and do whatever you ask us to."

The last part certainly caught my attention. "Come again?"

Dan shrugged. "We have to do as you say. Like servants for a night." Dan beamed at me. "Just like Ren back then when he was your escort - pfft! I mean, wasn't Ren a great escort? Perhaps-"

"Brilliant!" A ray of hope shined in front of me and I am taking it. I rubbed my hands together evilly as I taught of the best revenge that I will do.

"Um..Rose? Are you alright?"

"I am great, Dan. Thanks to you!" I jumped and gave Dan a quick hug to thank him for giving me the idea. "Thanks!!" I said before running back to the castle leaving a very confused Dan behind me. Now all I have to do is go to the Queen and tell her the good news.

Yes. There will be a party.

Yes. I will be there.

And PRINCE Ace will be my dog - I mean - escort.

Oh this is going to be fun. I smiled like a maniac as I thought of how pissed off he would be with me giving him orders and there's nothing that he can do about it.