Page 12 of Fit for a Prince (Fit For A Crown #1)

Chapter twelve

M ost warriors put on armor when they were going into battle, but today my war was best fought in a striking gown and glittering jewels.

Mara twisted my hair into an elaborate updo, leaving a few loose curls around my face to soften the ice in my eyes.

Last time I’d seen the princes, I looked like a prisoner. Today, they would see me as a princess.

The silk blue gown hugged me in all the right places, making it feel almost as tight as armor, but far more restrictive.

Mara showed me the collection of jewelry I had been allotted, but I let her decide what would look best on me.

I had never been one to focus my attention on my appearances before since that sort of thing didn’t matter to Damon.

“There you go, my lady.” Mara stepped back so I could look in the mirror.

It was like looking at an entirely different person.

The cosmetics she’d applied highlighted my blue eyes, and she’d painted my lips in a regal blood-red shade.

Rubies dripped from my earrings and necklace, contrasting against the blue gown like cardinals flying over the sea.

I wasn’t sure what the princes were looking for in a bride, but if this wasn’t it, then I’d never had a chance to begin with. “You look astonishing.”

“Thank you, Mara.” I gave my reflection a deadpan stare, my mind not wanting to connect the image in the mirror with the person I was. “Let’s go meet the princes.”

Mara hugged her torso, squeezing her arms so tight I was surprised she didn’t tear through her flimsy sleeves. She looked at the mysteriously unlocked door, her hands shaking like I had just asked her to punch it down.

“I’ve never seen an Aemastian make a mistake in this palace,” Mara said, her voice aghast. “Never. Not even for something small.”

I looked at the door in the mirror, my heart thumping like it was knocking on the door from afar.

“They didn’t forget to lock me in,” I finished for her. “I never thought it was a mistake. Instead, I choose to look at it as an opportunity.”

“An opportunity for them to accuse you of escaping,” Mara said.

“Escapees don’t dress in flashy jewels.” I stood up from the vanity, pushing away the doubts before they could overrun me. “A prisoner hides in her cage. A princess will move about her palace.”

“But you’re not a princess yet, my lady.” Mara bit her lip, her fear prodding at me.

She was right, of course. An unlocked door was not the same as permission to leave, but waiting for permission might get me killed just as effectively.

“And I won’t be if I keep playing the role of prisoner.” I approached the door, stopping in front of it to teeter on the edge of safety and risk. “You said the prince’s lounge is two lefts, one long hallway and then a right, correct?”

“Y-yes, my lady.” Mara swallowed. “The guards will be the thickest in the main hall.”

“Understood,” I clipped, then with a fortifying breath, I pulled open the door.

My heart raced, and my eyes darted back and forth across the hall. There were no guards, servants, or people to be seen. It couldn’t have looked more like a trap, but the bait was too tempting to pass up.

I went left, following Mara’s directions while keeping an eye out for any potential dangers.

The guards may have let me out, but that didn’t mean they weren’t waiting to put me back inside.

My goal was the prince’s lounge. If anyone stood in my way, I’d just have to scream loud enough and hope they heard me .

After the first turn, there were no guards, but a couple of servants were scattered throughout the hall. My first instinct was to hide, but I fought the urge and made my feet walk straight down the center of the hallway.

Instead of hiding, I commanded the room, drawing all the eyes to me so my confidence was undeniable. I was meant to walk these halls. There would be no doubt that I wasn’t a timid prisoner any more.

Even so, the whispers were relentless. The servants gathered in groups like gaggles of geese who thought their honks weren’t audible.

I walked faster. It was too late to change my approach, but I couldn’t let them flag down the guards this soon.

I made the next turn, entering the elongated hallway Mara had warned me about.

The ceilings were twice as high, and dozens of doors lined one wall while windows lined the other.

Servants rushed around in every direction, and a few guards dotted the hallway with bored expressions.

There’s no hiding from them now.

I took to the center of the hall, keeping a steady but brisk pace with my head low enough to keep my face out of the guard’s direct line of sight.

I could see the last turn I needed to make.

The princes were so close, but the distance was dauntingly far.

As I came upon the first guard, I was only a few steps away from catching his attention when a soft tug pulled on my arm.

“My lady, you can’t be here,” an older man, easily seventy years old with blue eyes and snowy white hair, whispered in my ear.

He wore an Ivalonian uniform, his frail fingers digging into my arm with a desperation that sent an ache through my heart.

“The guards haven’t seen you yet. I can help you get back to your room. ”

I placed a hand on his, giving him a kind smile as I gently removed his hold from me. “Thank you for your concern, my friend, but there is no need.”

The other servants took notice of the interaction, so I quickly moved away from the man. Any association with me could be dangerous for him, yet he still tried to come to my aid. He was the reason I would keep walking. All of the Ivalonians were worth the risk of getting around that corner.

“You there.”

The first guard spotted me, but I didn’t slow my pace. I wasn’t responding to anything less than my name and title.

“Stop,” he called after me again, this time alerting the guards at the end of the hall. “Seize her.”

I was so close, but I didn’t dare run. The guards blocking my path approached me, not bothering to run since I wasn’t dashing away .

“It’s the foreigner girl,” the first guard who approached me said.

“Who let you outside of your room?” the second guard asked.

“My room was never locked,” I said simply, looking around them at the last turn I needed to make.

My heart was pounding up in my throat now.

I could see the door I needed to pass through on the far wall.

My goal was within reach, but these blasted chains kept pulling me back.

“I’ll return once I’m done with my business. ”

I stepped around the first guard, but the second rushed to stand in front of me.

“Step aside,” I said firmly while my legs shook beneath my skirt. “I have been instructed by the king to spend time with the princes.”

“I don’t care. If you don’t have an escort, you can’t be out,” the second guard growled. “Now return to your room before I make you.”

This won’t do.

“No.” The fire that pumped through my veins could have melted iron. My sheer defiance stunned the guard, and I took the opportunity to walk around him once more. I didn’t make it far before he snatched me by the arm and yanked me back. “Unhand me! I have done nothing wrong. ”

“Are you daft? You’re not supposed to be here, you spoiled little brat!” The guard pulled my arm so hard it nearly popped out of its socket. I pressed my heel into the carpet, shifting my weight to my arm as I twisted it out of his grip.

It was a trick I hadn’t practiced in months, but the movements came naturally as my defensive instincts took over. Once my arm was freed, I gave up on propriety and made a dash for the door.

“Grab her!” the guard shouted from behind me, stirring up another pair of armed men who were positioned by the princes’ door.

I swore under my breath but didn’t turn away. That door was my goal, and I wasn’t going to settle for anything less. Backing out now would make me weak in the eyes of the Aemastians and shatter the hope of all the Ivalonians watching. Even if I couldn’t make it, I wasn’t going to give up.

“Come here, you little princess!” A guard snatched me by the shoulder as my arm stretched out only a few inches from the door, but still just out of reach.

Another guard grabbed me, pulling me back from my end goal.

The two of them forced me to my knees, twisting my arms behind my back.

My blue skirts spilled out around me like a wilted flower whose petals had fallen around it.

I looked at the door, determined to make myself known to the pompous royals hiding safely behind it.

“Release me!” I shouted as loudly as I could while still keeping my tone under control. “You cannot treat me like this!”

“We can treat you however we see fit,” one of them growled in my ear.

He adjusted his grip to press a meaty hand on the back of my neck and squeeze.

It was a strong grip, but he had to release my pinned arms to achieve it, leaving only one guard left to restrain me.

“The king may have spared you for now, but you have no worth in this kingdom.”

“Watch your tongue,” I sputtered, my voice choked from his grip. “You’re speaking to your future princess.” His grip tightened, and I held my breath instead of fighting it. His companion loosened his grip on my arms a touch.

“You can’t be our princess if you’re dead,” he scoffed, then he raked his nails across my neck until he drew blood. Warmth dribbled down my ruby necklace. “It’s not like a prince is going to come save you.”

I bit my tongue, pleading with the door to open and prove him wrong. Surely, they had heard me, which could only mean that he was right. They weren’t coming to save me—at least not yet.

Until then, I’d save myself .

I broke one arm free from the guard pinning my arms, then reached back to grab the second by the sides of his stunned face, headbutting him hard in the nose.

He howled in pain, releasing my throat to catch the blood that followed.

I took the chance to kick him in the gut, meeting the resistance of a steel plate the first time, then trying again and finding the soft spot between his armor pieces.

He buckled to the floor and I turned to the second guard, who had already drawn his sword.

Once he lifted his arm, I spotted a dagger on his belt.

More guards came running, and I lunged under his blade in an attempt to swipe the dagger, only to be caught by the hair and yanked back.

I cursed under my breath. Despite all the time I’d spent rebuilding my body, I was still weaker than I had been during the battle in Ivalon.

I looked longingly at the dagger, wishing I had grabbed it so I could slice off the offending hair.

“Hold her head still.” The guard who I’d attacked crawled to his feet, pulling his sword out from his belt with a sickening screech. “By order of the king, any Ivalonian who falls out of line shall be executed. If the princes like pretty faces, then they can have hers on a platter.”

He raised the sword, his eyes locked on my scratched neck while the other guard held my head tight with his tangled grip on my hair.

Then the door opened.

“Lower your swords before you force me to raise mine.”