Eight

It was a blurry night as the heat was unbearable for Alice, not that the room is hot but she was feeling hot. The conversation she had earlier with her grandmother had taken her off the edge. One thing Alice know off and she is sure of is that she has no interest in marrying any of the princes.

If it was actually up to her, then she would have chosen someone else and live a different life. But no, here she is trying to live a life that only pleases other people. She won’t be surprise if that was the reason why her father left them. It will clearly be obvious then.

No matter how she tried to force sleep to come to her, it was to no avail. The bed squirms together with her as she turned over and over again. She picked my phone; actually there is no boredom a phone can’t kill.

Then curiosity got the best of her and she became adamant to check for information about the princes. She never did care about anyone of them but now that she is getting married to one of them, she needs to know what the media thinks of them and then how they are in real life.

She opened the browser, putting in Prince Arthur's name first; there was nothing much about him. A picture of him then his age, that was all. Nothing related to the Kingdom was attached to his name.

But when she searched for Prince Archie, she saw the difference. It seems like Prince Archie is the one that is most likely to become the next king in-line.

Everything he does has to do with the palace ad the entire kingdom, unlike Prince Arthur who was said to leave all his life in the United States.

"Do you think he knows father?" She asked no one in particular. She shook her head, remembering that the United Kingdom is a big place, hence, it is hard for Prince Arthur to know her father.

Alice tried her possible best to get rids of the thoughts of asking Prince Arthur if he knows her father. If she does that, she will make her grandmother angry.

And that alone will get her punished, as a good girl that she is, she doesn't want to he punished. She doesn't want to make her grandmother angry, yet she wants to know more about her biological father, the one that goes by the title of the Duke and also Martins.

Knowing that thinking about it won't help her that much, she tried to close her eyes and force herself to sleep but it seems impossible. She kept having different thought that wants to keep her occupied through out the night.

Alice knew she had to sleep or else, she will be last for the little diamond of the year party that the Queen had invited her to. Not only her, but with the rest of the ten ladies that wants to be picked by one of the Princes, which means Chloe is also going to be there.

But if it was going to be up to her, she would really just sit back at home and let the rest fight for what might kill them. She is just a mere Duchess to be but, that comes with a lot of responsibilities that she needs to handle.

Then imagine getting married to one if the Prince and then, what happens? She will become a figure that cannot be hidden in the society. She might have been hidden to the society for years but now, things are about to change and she has to get a grip of herself or she will find herself crumbling to her feet, fighting for dominance and freedom.

—

"Chin up, back straight and also walk like a lady of humor. This way." Her old grandmother demonstrated.

Alice wondered how the old lady still got the energy in her when she is meant to be in bed resting and waiting for her time to meet the rest of her ancestors. "Granny, after the food, please." Alice begged, grabbing a slice of bread from the plates and spreading butter on it.

Her grandmother scoffed before she also took her sit, letting the maids to serve her. For an old lady, she takes wheat bread and salted butter which also applied to Alice. The doctor had told Alice eating that will help her maintain her beauty and won't age fast, just like her grandmother.

But something in Alice was telling her that it was a lie. They just doesn't want to grow fat on them, yet she couldn't say no. "I have already gotten the dress ready and a seamstress will be here after breakfast to help you with the fittings." Granny announced.

Alice's face sickened in horror. "Isn't it going to be a little bit early for me to dress this soon? I mean the event is later in the afternoon then why will the seamstress..." She was cut off by a loud bang on the table, making one of the spoons fly across the room and a maid scurried to pick it up.

"Listen to me young lady, I shall not have you leaving under my roof and you will be questioning my authority. It won't work that way so do as I said and you will be happy." Granny gritted, scaring Alice with the tone that she had just used on her.

Without any wastage of time, Alice dropped the knife and the bread, running towards the hall way that led to her room. If she continues staying in the dinning area, then she might talk back to her grandmother and she doesn't want to that.

She locked the door with a loud bang, crying. She fell on her bed, wondering why her grandmother is always strict with her. Sometimes, she would even go a day without seeing a smile from her grandmother and it hurts her.

If there is anything she can do to make her grandmother happy, then she would do it. Also, it is one of the reason why she wants to agree and hope that one of the Princes choose her, maybe then, her grandmother will be happy forever. "Lady Alice, I am here to give you your food as your grandmother instructed, I will be entering now." She heard the voice of Rosalia, her personal maid and soon, she heard the doors being opened.

She quickly wiped her tears, Turing her face to see Rosalia with a tray filled with bread and butter, then coffee and some fruits. "Well, at the end she still cares for me." She mumbled across her lips before patting the place close to her.

Rosa dropped the tray on the bed, allowing Alice to on it while she left to run the hot tub for her. If the seamstress is coming that morning, them it means Alice has to take her bath before the seamstress arrives.

The Kingdom is a place that gossip goes out faster than anything. The seamstress won't waste time to talk the world the situation she saw Alice and that, alone will paint the family.

"Seems like your letter arrived early today." Rosa informed, passing her the golden sealed envelope and a smile was seen on Alice's face.