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Different

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Chapter 10: Different (Ronan's POV)

The first few days working with Grace had gone by with ups and downs. She is still a handful. She doesn't listen, she likes to challenge everything I say, she likes to try sneaking around the palace and get rid of me but she fails every time. I figured out her sleeping pattern. I don't know how or even if she sleeps at night, but normally, she comes out in the backyard at around six-thirty, then goes for breakfast or has it in her room, and then she goes back to sleep. 

Sometimes, she wakes up for lunch, if she has nothing to do, she continues sleeping until she wakes up naturally. Which is at about six in the evening, so no wonder she can't sleep at night. Someone should fix her sleep schedule. 

The palace is in utter chaos tonight, considering it's the announcement ball. Everything will happen twice for Grace and Lucas. Two announcement balls, two engagement parties, two weddings. One in Astella, one in wildfell. It's ridiculous, but both kingdoms need to hold witness. 

Right now, everybody is running around the place, decorating the palace, making sure everything is ready, making sure the guards are more aware tonight since we have loads of guests coming in. It's a horrible idea. If I had any power over it, there wouldn't be a party. When someone is trying to kill her, the worst situation for her would be to bring in a crowd, one so big that anybody could get away with doing anything to her. I'm stressed about tonight, I have to be on high alert, I can't let her out of my sight for even just a second. There's no chance of that happening. 

"Ronan!" Noah, another guard, who usually guards the backyard, came jogging over. "Go, get ready," he huffed. "King's orders." 

I glanced at her door. 

"I'll stand here, don't worry," he reassured, patting my arm. 

"Don't move even an inch, I swear to god," I warned. 

He nodded. I ran all the way to our rooms where I quickly changed out of the normal attire I wear into a suit. It's almost the same. I'm still wearing a black button-up with a black suit, only tonight I have to wear a tie, the royal palace badge, and shinier shoes. I thought I should have fixed my hair a bit but I didn't have time, so I ran back. "Thanks for covering," I nodded, standing beside Noah. 

"Aeesh, you should fix your hair." 

I rolled my eyes as he walked away. 

The door opened and Grace stuck her head out. "I need Ms. Bella's help for the..." She stared at me, letting out a soft laugh. "What did you do to your hair?" 

"Ask me what I didn't do to my hair. Brush it, style it, anything. I ran to change and ran back. What do you need Ms. Bella for?" 

"The corset." She opened the door, leaning against the door frame while tightening her red silk robe. Her hair was in rollers too, she looked funny. Good funny. Cute funny. 

Stop. Immediately. Red light. Sirens. Stop. 

Stopping now. 

She sighed, staring at me. "You really need to fix it." 

"You're one to talk." I glanced at the rollers in her hair.

She rolled her eyes, turning around and waving me in. I walked in behind her, closing the door. She sat down at her vanity and took the rollers out, ruffling out her hair. Well, she doesn't look funny anymore. She's... stunning. Her hair is. "Go do your hair," she suggested, grabbing her hairbrush and tossing it to me. 

I caught it, looking at the black brush with roses painted onto the back. 

"Go ahead." 

I tossed it back and she caught it with one hand, blinking in confusion. "That's yours." 

"So?" 

"You're a client, need I remind you? I don't have to remind you that often because you're usually sleeping your days away, but this isn't professional." 

She scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Please. It's hair. Shut up and brush it." 

"Get ready. I'll send Ms. Bella in." I began walking to the door but she shot up and blocked my way. 

"At least fix it." 

"I'll fix it later." 

She held out the hairbrush again. I stared at it, then at her. She nodded to the two-seater by her bed. "Sit." 

"No." 

"Sit down." 

"No." 

"Please?" She grinned innocently. 

"No," I said slowly. 

"Sit," she snapped in a clipped tone. "Take that as an order." I stared down at her. "Are you refusing an order? Should I tell my dad?" Her eyes narrowed into slits. "You'll get fired," she sang, bouncing on her toes. "Sit down." She gave me a push and I sat in the seat. She held out the hairbrush again. "Go ahead." 

I just looked at her blankly and she looked at me with such frustration, I almost cracked a smile. Almost. 

"I'll brush it for you then." 

I took the hairbrush quickly and she chuckled softly, walking back to her vanity and running her fingers through her hair. I brushed my hair blindly before walking over, standing behind where she sat. I put the brush down and then left to call Ms. Bella. I got lucky, she was walking right this way. 

She grinned up at me, "Oh, don't you look handsome." 

I was not expecting that. I cleared my throat, "Grace needs your help with the dress." 

"I figured," she chuckled. "Oh, here." She reached up, fixing my hair. 

I froze up and stiffened immediately, my jaw clenching as I blinked a few times, looking at her. The moment felt too familiar. It felt like my mother. 

She smiled, "There we go." She walked around me and opened the door to Grace's bedroom, closing it behind her. 

I stood against the wall across the door, staring at the ground. I reached into my pocket and took out the lighter that used to be my father's. I carry it. I don't smoke, apart from every once in a while, but I keep it with me. I glanced at it, running my thumb over his engraved initials before pocketing it again. 

A few minutes later, the door in front of me opened and I straightened up. Ms. Bella left as I gave her a small nod. I looked at the door where Grace stood, doing a double-take. 

She flicked the lights off in your room while holding her dress in one hand before she stepped out, closing the door behind her. "Your hair looks better, who fixed it?" she questioned. 

"Ms. Bella," I mumbled. 

She worked on adjusting her earrings and I couldn't help but look at her up and down, head to toe. She looks beautiful, it's not often that she doesn't though. Her hair was in waves going down her back gracefully, she had on ruby earrings that matched her dress, her dress was somehow better tonight than it was at the boutique, it's probably she didn't tie the corset. Her face was glowing, her cheeks pink, her eyes bright. She looked happy, whether she was or not is a different thing. But she was pretending just fine. I say pretending because she sighed. "I really don't want to be here," she mumbled as my eyes came back up to her face. 

"You don't have a choice," I affirmed. 

"Thanks for the consolation," she scoffed. She pointed to my tie. "It's crooked." I glanced at it while she stepped closer, reaching up and fixing it. "There." 

I stared at her while she lowered her hands and took a step back, her eyes holding mine the entire time. Neither one of us blinked or looked away. 

"Grace!" 

She cleared her throat, looking down the hall at Atlas. 

"The guests are here, come on!" 

"Okay!" She let out a shaky breath, dusted her dress, inhaled deeply, and pulled on her perfect princess mask. She straightened her back and said, "I hate this fucking shit." 

I blinked, surprised at hearing her curse so bluntly for the first time. 

She looked at me innocently. "Sorry." She shrugged and then began walking. I followed her, careful not to step on her dress while making sure she didn't trip on it. We got downstairs, stopping in the foyer. 

She's different tonight. She looked beautiful, she's smiling, greeting each and every guest with a beaming grin, but... she seemed sad. She seemed miserable, actually. She knows what tonight means, she knows after tonight, everybody will know that she's getting married to Lucas and she won't have any way out anymore. Her fate will be sealed. 

Every break she caught between greeting guests, her shoulders would drop, her body would actually relax, whereas the rest of the night, she was tensed up, doing her job, her duties. It's a bad different. The way she is tonight, it's not different in a good way at all. She is scared, she is terrified. 

And I genuinely felt bad for her for the first time. I let myself. It angered me a little, seeing her so upset because she was being forced to do something she wanted nothing to do with at all, especially because her family is the one doing this to her. A life of a princess shouldn't be like this. 

I looked over, a waiter catching my attention. He was carrying a tray of champagne, giving it out to guests as they entered. My brows furrowed as I followed him with my eyes, reading his body language, his actions. He's working just fine but he has no greeting smile on his face and his eyes are following Grace's every move. He could just be nervous or he might just really like Grace and he's flustered. But something about that waiter is off. I better keep an eye on him tonight. 

"Now that everybody's here, let's join our guests in the ballroom," King Elijah suggested, leading the way. Lucas' parents walked with Grace's, Atlas walked behind them, talking to Lucas, and Grace walked at the very end. That waiter fell into step behind her, holding the tray under his arm. 

I grabbed her arm, pulling her aside. 

She blinked in surprise, staring at me. "What's wrong?" 

The waiter glanced over and then resumed walking. 

"Did something happen?" She looked around, suddenly worried and even more nervous than she already was. 

I read her expression before shaking my head softly. I don't want to stress her out without confirming that it's really a threat, she'd be panicking over nothing. I shook my head slowly, "Nothing. You were about to trip." 

"Oh." She looked down at her dress in confusion. "Thank you." 

I nodded once and we kept walking. We entered the ballroom and I walked closer to her than I was before, looking at the packed room. This is about to be a long, long night.

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Chapter 10

can they just fall in love and run away already?

imagine if I actually make that their ending lmao

will I??? or won't I??? Guess lmao

next chapter: princess