Kings and Queens

The One Where They're Right Back Where They Started

KARENINA'S POV

The small prince and his guard followed me to my room. I motioned them to my chair in the corner and I sat on the bed, Jessica only a few inches away. I was only angered more by her clingy actions.

"So, you don't wanna go through with this either?" He shook his head and focused his attention on Jessica which only infuriated me more.

"Why did you allow your empire to propose this idea?" I tried to say that without sounding angered, but I failed miserably.

"Why did your empire accept it?" He was doing the same as me.

"I didn't get a say in this bullshit. Besides... I-I can't marry you!" My voice cracked, and Jessica's hand rubbed my thigh to soothe me. I let out a high pitched sob and shoved her away. I saw the hurt in her eyes and it made me feel even worse.

"I'm sorry. I-I need to be excused." I rushed to the bathroom and slid down the wall, crying. I heard someone lightly tap on the door, but I ignored it. They can't see me like this. They can't hear me.

"P-Princess, it's m-me." I heard Jessica's small voice and almost growled.

"Go Jessica." I groaned

"Y-Your highness, let me i-in." She can't tell me what to do!

I growled out loud, as I heard her startled squeak from the other side of the door. I heard her talking to the prince and his guard, then the doorknob jiggled, opening as Jessica put her bobby pin back in her hair.

She closed the door behind her and sat down beside me, putting her head in my lap. I wanted to shove her away, but I couldn't make myself do it. When I opened my mouth to tell her to move a sob came out.

"I can't marry him. Him." The word made me so angry; him. The boy that I am being forced to marry.

"It will be okay." She spoke gently, rubbing my shoulders. Finally, all the anger in me about everything exploded onto the poor girl.

"Get the fuck off me! Don't tell me that it will be okay when you don't know what I am going through!" I started to run back through the room as she asked why I was so upset.

"I'm not normal!" I slammed my bedroom door and ran all the way out of the palace.

I ran through the flower garden, then the butterfly garden. I ran around the ballroom and eventually sat on the ground under an outdoor hallway like thing. It has a ceiling and floor but no walls. I leaned against a pole and pulled at my hair.

I can't stand it! Fake sexuality! Fake importance! Fake power! It's all so stupid and false! I thought to myself as I sobbed.

I screamed as I felt something rubbing my back and looked up to see Jessica again.

"It's not that bad, your highness."

"Go away, Jessica! I don't need you." I saw a few tears running down her face, but she tried to smile.

"Y-you are just stressed, right? You don't mean it?" Her voice broke as she begged for it to be false.

"Peasant, I don't have time for this drama. I have to prepare to be head of the empire. I have to get this wedding canceled." She cried harder and sucked for air.

"J-Just tell m-me. Y-you aren't serious? Please?" She kept begging.

"Fine! Peasant, I didn't mean it!" I stormed back to my room to talk to the prince. When I got in there, he was talking to the guard again.

"Sorry guys, I'm back. I kinda lost my composure there for a second."

"You're fine. I completely understand." I made a confused face. "I'm gay too." He whispered and I squealed.

"Really?! Then why do we even have to discuss this? Neither of us wants to get married! We don't have too!" I grabbed his hands and jumped up and down in circles with him.

We laughed as I pulled him through the hallways. I hoped to find my parents in the throne room again. Jessica was sitting outside their room crying.

"Peasant, get up. You look weak." She did as told and walked off behind me. The prince glared at me.

"What the hell did the poor girl do to you?" He asked, making me roll my eyes.

"Shut up." I led him into the throne room and my parents were sitting in their assigned thrones.

"Mother, Father, we don't have to be wed! Prince Noah doesn't want to be wed either!" Mother frowned as Father laughed.

"Honey, it isn't in our control. We need the peace offering with the Vathepanian empire. It is up to Noah's parents." Mother explained, making me fall apart. I thought that it was all handled, I thought it was all so simple, but here we are.

Right back where we started.