2⁰ In the Summer Kingdom

Summer Kingdom

Bella

I lacked the courage to run away! I went back to bed and cried myself to sleep.

"Wake up, Bella, or you'll be late for lunch. And don't forget we have guests. " said Esmeralda, walking into my room. 

" There, Esmeralda, I'm already awake." I answer, getting out of bed.

"But you don't look it."

" I don't want to leave the room." I pronounce.

"You're a princess, you have to look presentable."

I get dressed and tie up my hair. I leave following where the day's meals are served. 

I didn't say anything, and I didn't even look at my mother, still upset. But out of nowhere, my father stood up, drawing the attention of everyone at the table, and started talking.

"We are here to celebrate not only the arrival of my dear daughter Bella's birthday, which will be in two weeks, but also to celebrate Prince Anthony's engagement to my daughter and, taking advantage of her birthday party, the wedding will be held on the same date along with the coronation. Thus ending this great event with the two married and crowned the new kings."

After hearing all this, I realized that there was no turning back, my life already had its destiny. Everyone looked at me, waiting for a reaction, but the only thing they heard was the sound of glass breaking on the floor. I didn't wait any longer, I ran to my room, I cried even more, looking in the mirror at my sad image, I decided to leave the castle for a minute, otherwise I would cry again, I took an old hood I used to sneak from the palace to the village to find my friend Esmeralda.

I don't want to marry, but I can't go against my parents. I rode to the border between my kingdom and the Kingdom of Spring, but I stopped halfway, since I will spend the rest of my life in that kingdom. I don't even know him, but I already hate him. 

So I decided to go somewhere else, and that's when I arrived at the border of the Winter Kingdom. As I approached I felt the wind touch my face, I saw the guards who are there to prevent people from crossing to the other side, and I crossed hidden from them.

I kept walking back and forth aimlessly, but a tree caught my attention: it was made of ice, so beautiful, I was amazed at the whitest rose I had ever seen. 

I wanted so much to go there and get it for myself. It gave me a feeling of peace, but I couldn't, my kingdom and the Winter Kingdom had a conflict that almost destroyed both kingdoms, so one can't cross into the other, they only keep business on the borders, being through dukes or marquises.

But I have heard that this rivalry was caused by a betrayal, I don't know what kind of betrayal, I have asked my mother about this, but she always says that this is just another rumor of the maids. 

I stopped walking and sat down, still admiring the white rose, until I noticed a man dressed all in black sitting under the tree. His back was turned and you couldn't see his face, but he looked to be about six feet tall, with a broad back, snow-white skin, and black hair. 

He is definitely stronger than some of the palace guards. 

My goodness, I can see his and the big crown he was wearing now. He is beautiful.

But now, looking at this man, and the immersion of the forest, I realize that I know nothing about the outside world. I want adventures, but I know I won't get them.

I get closer to observe him better, not that I'm interested in him, but when I look at him I feel a chill in my stomach, my legs shake, my heart speeds up, I have trouble breathing. 

I don't know what that was, but I felt like I was going to see him again. I felt like the princesses in the stories that Esmeralda told me, but they all had their happy endings, even after what they had been through. 

But reality is not like that, I may even be a princess, but I'm not going to have my happy ending forever.

I think I am feeling sick, it must be this cold. I've never been here, but something in his eyes gives me fear and another feeling I can't decipher, in his eyes you can only see darkness, but this darkness looks like the night, with his star shining. These sensations, it is not safe to feel for any man other than my husband. Just remembering Antony makes my head boil, I live a life I have always hated, I remember when I would listen to my mother's conversations with the duchesses, about how they were content with so little. She received no affection from her husbands, she accepted everything that was assigned to her, with her head down. I told myself it wouldn't be like this, but I couldn't keep my promise. I sighed at being defeated by life's circumstances, but each day I stood up stronger.

I was getting up when I saw a woman approaching him, hugging and kissing him. I better get out of here, but it seems he's not happy with the woman he has, this made me realize that it's not just me in this world who's getting married without love, I won't be the last either.

Seriously, I need to stop hanging out with Esmeralda and find a new friend, I'm already talking just like her. I went back to the palace in my sweet home where everything is wonderful, but when I got there I realized that I was mentally wrong, what was sweet turned to bitter and what was heaven turned to hell. I went through the gate of the hidden palace and flew to my room, thinking I was free of everything, but no, my dear mother was sitting on the couch waiting for me, I took a deep breath sitting on the bed.

" You can speak, I know you came here so that we could talk about what happened today."

" Elisabete Bella Ferraz Alçante, what do you think you are doing? You've been running away all day!" said my mother, getting up from where she was sitting.

I didn't say anything, because there was nothing to talk about.

" Answer me! Don't just stand there looking at me like I'm saying something that's not important." she said, watching me.

"Mom, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to sleep."

"And that's all you're going to tell me? " she asked, looking as if she couldn't believe I wasn't going to say anything.

" Yes, I said, tired of this conversation." I said, already tired of this conversation.

Mom was silent, looking me up and down, and then she left without saying anything else. She doesn't see that this is news to me, no one even asked if I wanted to get married, they just decided to mind their own business.

I don't want to get married, but I know there is nothing I can do to stop it. Women have no voice in this kingdom, it has always been that way and it looks like it will remain that way until the end of time.

I got ready for bed, because I stayed outside for a long time and didn't see that it was already late. Tomorrow will be my first meeting with Prince Anthony, I do not know him, but I do not want my married life to be a problem, so I will try to love him, but if this does not happen, in the end we can be friends.

I will sleep, because I know that this will be one of the only times that I will have peace, because something in me tells me that there are many things ahead and I will have to be strong or get stronger with time. As my life goes on, I know that there will be many paths, but the hard part will be choosing the right ones so that I won't regret them later when there is no turning back.

[...]

When Esmeralda came into my room, I was already awake.

" Bella... what is wrong with you, that you are awake at this hour? I was already planning to disappoint you."

"Don't you dare do that, or I'll have someone cut your head off."

" Now get out of bed and go take a shower. I'll leave the dress here on the bed for you."

After Esmeralda left the room I went to do my personal hygiene, getting out of the shower I find myself wearing a red dress that is very eye-catching.

Walking down the palace corridor I observe from afar, my dear fiancé, he is so beautiful that many maidens would be enchanted by him. But I feel nothing, Antony has his hair combed, all dressed up like a dream prince from a fairy tale.

"Hi, Bella, I'm happy to see you. I was wondering if... would you like to go for a walk in the garden?"

" Hi Anthony, yes, I would." I replied.

" That would be nice." he replied, stretching out his arm to support me, and like a good girl I accepted.

If Anthony knew what I was really thinking about him, I would certainly run back to his palace. I could do anything to stop this wedding, but I would be condemning thousands of innocent families to life.

With my thoughts flying, I didn't realize that we had already reached the lunch table, everyone was already at the table chatting happily. I hardly spoke to anyone, I was already anxious to leave, but Antony was quicker to call me to walk through the garden, we walked in silence until we came to a bench.

"Bella, I know you don't want to marry me. " said Antony.

" I didn't say I didn't want to marry, I just don't think we know each other well enough.

" But don't worry, I will do everything I can to make our marriage work." said Antonio holding my hand without saying anything else, he kissed me, it was a good kiss, but I didn't feel anything.

"Okay, I'll trust you".

After the walk through the garden, I talked to Esmeralda who was in the staff wing, I saw her right away talking to one of the guards, she didn't waste any time.

" Esmeralda, what are you doing?"

" Before your arrival, I was about to be invited for a walk. But you just got in the way, thank you very much. But, taking advantage of your interference, I have something to tell you, the messenger from the Winter Kingdom was here to talk to your father." she said, eating an apple.

"But why would he do that? If our kingdoms don't do business and haven't even made a peace treaty yet?

" That's something I don't know, but why don't you go see what it's all about?"

" I'm going anyway, we'll talk later, see you later."

I practically run out of the kitchen; if my mother had seen me now, she would surely be giving me a big lecture. But soon I reach the throne room, where I see my father, so I approach him and ask.

" Daddy, I heard that the messenger from the Winter Kingdom was here, may I know what this is about? "

" Yes, daughter, but rest assured, it was only to warn that King Arthur's heir son will marry the heiress of the Autumn Kingdom, I don't remember very well, but I think their names are Cassian and Rosa."

" I am more relieved now, I thought it was something more important, since occasionally some conflicts happen, and we don't have a peace treaty with them, that's why I was worried."

"Don't worry, because if there is a war between the kingdoms, we have the Spring Kingdom army with us."

I leave the throne room and go directly to my room to rest. At least this arranged marriage will be of some use, in case the war happens...