Yellow

*Adelia**

I had fallen asleep. As I sat up on my bed, I noticed it was already dark out. A knock on the door startled me. 

"Enter". I said curtly. 

  

As soon as I saw it was my mum that walked through the door, I immediately jumped off the bed and bowed my head to greet her. 

"I hear your father finally wants to make good use of you and you're against it." She ran her hands through my table and acted as if it was dusty. 

She had that attitude of acting as if everything around me was dirty. Things between my mum and I had gone south since my sister's death. It was like the only daughter she had died and somehow, I became invincible after that. 

I dared not say anything while she was talking. She continued. 

"Maybe it you had let my second daughter live, she wouldn't have been opposed to the idea of helping the kingdom. I really thought you were just careless and stupid, but now I know you're of no use.

Saying that, she turned to leave my room, but stopped. She turned and said, 

"Dont give your father any more problems. Marry the prince as you've been told. You're a woman, and you're to obey others. That's all you'll ever be."

With that, she left my room and slammed the door. The sound of that made me flinch. As tears dropped down my face, I fell to the ground and held my hands in my head. 

I hated the fact that my mum hated me. I hated myself for making the mistake I made. Things have never been the same after that. 

Suddenly, my door flung open. I raised my head rapidly to see who it was. It was my guard. He ran to me and crouched beside me, holding my head in his hands. His face was really close to mine.

"My Princess, are you okay?" He asked me, staring deep into my eyes. 

I didn't really have the strength to shout at him to leave me alone, so I just let him hold me. 

I didn't really have the strength to shout at him. Surprisingly, he pulled me into a hug and held me close whispering words of comfort to me. 

He smelled very familiar. Like something I've smelt before. I didn't even know when I fell asleep. 

By the time i woke up, I was on the bed. As I sat up, a towel fell from my head. I saw a bowl of water, beside on the bed side. A head ache was raging at the back of my head, and I had to steady myself to stand properly. 

The room felt very stuffy. As I got close to the door, it opened and my guard walked in. 

"My Princess...", he bowed his head, "How're you feeling?".

"I'm fine....you were the one who laid me on the bed and put the towel, right?" I asked him. 

He looked to the side, and scratched his ear. Now that I looks at him, be reminded me of someone. Someone I knew a long time ago. 

"Well, My Princess, you were getting hot...due to the crying and the heat. You also fell asleep crying, so I had to lay you on the bed, without waking you up. I'm sorry if I offended you." He said, as he bowed his head in apology. 

I stayed quiet for a while. 

"Its fine. Thank you for your help."

I walked past him and went out the door. I noticed he wasn't following me. I went back to my room, to check on him and I found him still in the same spot I left him. 

He noticed my presence behind him and he turned around. 

"Need anything, My Princess?" He said, eagerly. 

"Why're you still standing here? You're supposed to be following me." I questioned, confused as to why he was still transfixed in that spot..

"Well My Princess, I felt you wanted some space, to clear your head."

I just sighed and gestured for him to follow me. As we approached the garden, we met Prince Arthur. He came and stopped in front of us, like he had been waiting for us to come out. 

"My Princess, it's a surprise to see you here". He said with a very annoying smirk on his stupid face. 

Adrian scoffed loudly, or so he thought and then mumbled, 

"Yeah, right". 

It seems the prince heard it, because he stopped talking and lost the smirk on his face. He gave Adrian a once-over, and then continued. 

"Anyways, I can understand why you're opposed to this marriage. To be honest, I was opposed to it as first, myself. However, I've come to see reasons why this could benefit both our kingdoms and I think it you just give it a chance...."

"I'm not interested in the idea of marrying you or will I ever be. You and your father need to understand that. I will not be forced into doing anything I don't want to. I can't say I'm flattered that you've taken an interest in me....however, I'd politely turn you down." I finished. 

Silence followed. Prince Arthur opened his mouth to continue, but I stopped him,

"If you would excuse me, I was on my way somewhere when you met me."

I tilted my head to signal Adrian, turned back to look at Prince Arthur, gave a small smile and then brushed past him. I walked to the garden with Adrian following closely. 

"My Princess...if I'm allowed to speak freely....", he looked to me for approval. 

"Continue." I confirmed

"Its just an instinct, but I'd like my princess to be careful with the Prince. I feel like there's more to him". He continued

I sighed and looked away from him lost in my thoughts. I knew at the end of the day, I was going to be forced to marry this man. Not because I couldn't fight against it, but because I've already put my parents through so much pain, I didn't want them to have issues because of me. 

"I understand. I feel the same way too." 

"Is My Princess going to accept the offer?" Adrian asked.

"I feel like I'm going to have to, at the end of the day. There's only so much power I have against my father. Besides, I'm like the sacrificial lamb after what happened." I explained. 

I hated the fact that I couldn't do anything. I didn't want to get married now. Not when the spy I had sent out hadn't yet reported back to me. I sent him a message but he hadn't replied. I really needed to know what he had found out. 

I needed to find out my sister's murderer.