Chapter 7 The Darling Or Not

• Sue-Allen's POV
• Princess Ariana was the most prestigious young woman in the entire kingdom and had she been a commoner like the rest of us, she would have still stand out because of her radiant beauty and aura. Her smile was bright enough to light up the darkest night and her voice was that of a gentle command to smooth one's racing heart. It was a thrilled and an honor when I was selected and hand-picked by the King himself to be the First lady in waiting to the Princess.
• I became a case of nervous wreck when it was my first day to serve her. I paced the halls to her bedroom, afraid of the unknown as I questioned myself on whether she was going to accept me and like me being by her side. The previous Lady in waiting was dismissed due to certain circumstances and I didn't want to be next.
• But after meeting the Princess and doing my duties as I was trained to do, I felt a sense of comfort and I felt welcomed by her. She appeared to be lonesome.because the very first thing she offered me was her frienship which I gladly accepted when she made me realise that she wasn't going to judge me and she didn't want to be above me. It would have just been foolish of myself or anyone else for that matter to refuse the Princess as an ally. She was valuable and I thought more and more about her for the past couple of weeks but what I didn't see coming, was my deal of admiration towards her. I was seeing her being more than a friend. I found myself looking at everything she was doing desirously.
• She would hum softly when she was getting into and out of her bath. She always inspected her dresses carefully before placing it on her beautiful body. Her hair would always be washed whenever she does and she enjoyed it smelling like a hint of mint. She wasn't assiduous for her makeup cosmetic table but she would use a red lipstick and a face powder that was the same shade of her warm porcelain complexion.
• After the unsolicited death of my father, I was in a state of sorrow and grief but Ariana remained a shoulder to lean on. She took me out of my comfort zone and showed me an adventurous side to her that most people didn't get to see or have knowlege of, but one can onlt imagine my disappointment and aching heart when she went into the arms of someone else she also called a friend. Her best friend at that. A guy named Joshua. She introduced us and my smile didn't meet the eyes when we greeted each other but I can Ariana and his bond were and would be unbreakable. They were childhood friends. They grew up together. I couldn't compete with that. I would lose before I even get started.
• Joshua appeared to be outgoing as well. Him and Princess Ariana made the perfect match and my heart broke even more when they kissed in front of me. She was over the moon when we got back to her room. She liked Joshua. No. She loved Joshua. She twirled with delight as she thought and reminiced about their encounter, completely unaware that she was spinning my heart out of control. She ended up right into my arms and I felt a sense of silence and pause.
• The Princess looked into my eyes and my eyes were already locked into hers. Without another moment of hesitation, we kissed. Waves of ecstasy washed over me right before we leaped apart from each other. Her eyes popped as she stood across the room.
• "What did we just do?" she questioned. Her expression was dreadful and I recoiled at the other end of the room with embarassment.
• "I'm so sorry Princess Ariana. It is my fault. I never should have kissed you," I said to her. She touched her lips with the tip of her index finger as she continued to look in my direction.
• "It's okay, Sue-Allen."
• "No. No, it's not okay. I don't know what I was thinking."
• "This isn't just on you. I kissed you as well. We kissed each other."
• "While you're head over embroidered heels for Joshua. You two kissed as well."
• She opened her mouth to speak another word but fell silent. She paced back and forth for a few seconds then stopped and looked at me again. I was afraid she was going to end our friendship and get rid of me as her Lady in waiting. This ordeal shiuldn't have happened. All because I couldn't control myself and my feelings. I had no business kissing her or developing feelings for her. Being her friend was already a strech and here I was, falling for her.
• "I want to kiss you again," she said. I couldn't believe my ears.
• "What?"
• "I want to kiss you again," she repeated.
• "Whatever for?"
• "I want to see and feel if this is real and I wasn't imagining."
• "I assure you that it wasn't no imagination of yours."
• "Sue-Allen..."
• "Princess, if we get caught, we'll be in grave trouble. I never should have let it happen and it cannot happen again. I'm sorry but I must go," I told her and haste to the door.
• "Sue-Allen.. you should wait," I heard her voice saying but I was already on the other side of the door and making my way down the halls with my head spinning like a cartwheel. I ran right into someone.
• ______
• "Look where you're stepping, maid lady!" he rudely spat at me. It was Prince Preston. He was bought to the castle by King Reigns to be Ariana's suitor. With what had transpired, I had forgotten he was even here.
• "Please excuse my halfwitted eyesight, Prince Preston," I begged his pardon.
• "Hmm. Where's the Princess?" he asked next.
• "In her bedroom."
• "Fetch her."
• "I've just been dismissed from her presence, sir."
• "Fetch. Her," he repeat his commanded more slowly and sinisterly.
• " Yes. As you wish." I went back to Ariana's room and knocked at the door. Prince Preston stood at my heel.
• The door was immediately swung open and a smiling Ariana appeared but her smile faded when her eyes found Prince Preston.
• He entered her bedroom like he owned it and began looking around like he was looking for something hidden from him.
• "May I help you?" Ariana asked him.
• "You've been avoiding me. I'm the guest of honor, your guest of honor and instead of being in my company, you've confined yourself by your own set of walls. Why so?" he asked her without looking in her direction.
• "Because I want to make you feel unwelcome as I possibly can."
• "That's not a wise choice, Ariana."
• "Whatever I choose is wise to me, Preston."
• "What your tongue," he snapped at her, looking at her now, " You would watch your tone and your language when you speak to me."
• "Or what?" Ariana asked. She made a step towards him and I found it my place to get between the Princess and the Prince.
• "I take it you haven't heard the announcement as yet," Prince Peston said and a sly smile came to his sly face.
• "What announcement?" Ariana asked him.
• "You and I are getting married and it's happening in five days whether you'll accept me as your husband..or not!"
• And with that, he left the room and slammed the door after him.