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Meeting

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Chapter 4: Meeting (Ronan's POV)

I had been standing outside her door for the past few hours. This is my job. To keep guard of a door. Obviously, not. Normally, I would be accompanying my clients everywhere, but Princess here doesn't want to go anywhere. Suddenly, I heard rushed footsteps coming over. 

It's six o'clock right now, the girl has been sleeping for three hours. Someone should wake her up, but that's not my job. 

I watched as Ms. Bella came rushing over, sighing in relief when she spotted me. "Oh, thank God. You're here." 

"Where else would I be, exactly?" I asked blankly. 

She chuckled softly. "Do me a favor, wake up Princess Grace, would you? The James family is coming for dinner. I have to iron everybody's clothes. Please just wake her up, thank you!" She turned back around, rushing over to Prince Atlas' room to take his clothes for ironing. 

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Are you fucking kidding me?" I turned around and opened the door, flicking the lights on. 

She groaned immediately, pulling the covers over her head. "Get out!" she yelled. That seems to be her favorite thing to say to me. 

"Get up," I corrected, staring down at her after pulling the covers away from her face. "You have guests coming over for dinner." 

She opened her eyes, frowning in confusion. "Who?" 

"The James family." 

She rolled her eyes, moping. "Why do we always meet them? Everybody from Astella hates everybody from Wildfell." 

"You're meant to choose a dress and give it to Ms. Bella for ironing." I turned to leave. 

"I'm calling in sick." 

I stopped, biting back a frustrated sigh, and faced her again. She's even worse than Princess Bella. "You can't call in sick for dinner in your own palace." 

"I don't want to meet them," she bit out. 

"Why not?" 

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, kicking the covers off. I looked away from her, figuring as much that her nightgown would have ridden up. She stood up and replied, "Because I already know why they're coming." She tied her hair and then waved a dismissive hand at me. "You can go. I'll give Ms. Bella the dress," she said half-heartedly before walking to the closet. 

I watched her warily while walking to the door before leaving, resuming my spot outside. It's quite annoying, actually. Whenever I have to go somewhere, even if it's just the bathroom, I need to send another guard to be stationed right here. Nor can I go to sleep at night until the thorough final security check. 

Ms. Bella came back a minute later and Grace- I can't be bothered to call her Princess Grace in my head anymore- opened the door on cue. She gave Ms. Bella the dress, shut the door, and got ready quietly the entire time. 

The James family. They're the royal family of Wildfell, I know that. I've never worked with them, simply because I refused to from my past experiences in their kingdom. It's the one kingdom I will never visit or work in ever. What confuses me is why they're coming here. Wildfell is about four hours away, so if they're coming over just for dinner, it must be important. Second of all, Wildfell and Astella are absolute enemies. The royal families, the citizens, everybody from Wildfell hates everybody and everything about Astella and vice versa. So... why would they be coming here? 

I leaned against the wall across from Grace's door and checked the time on my watch. It was nearly eight now. I heard a thud from inside and quickly pushed myself off the wall. Then I heard her groan. I pushed the door open, scanning the room quickly. 

She looked up at me from where she sat on the two-seater by the foot of her bed and then rolled her eyes. "Good God, I have to go through this again? I dropped my heels, I didn't die, the sky didn't fall down on me, I didn't pass out either. You don't have to break in every time you hear a little noise." She put the heels on the floor side by side as Ms. Bella came back with her dress. "Thank you," Grace mumbled, taking it from her and disappearing into the bathroom right before I shut the door. 

I scoffed to myself while Ms. Bella had a solemn look taking over her face. "Is she always like this?" I questioned. 

She shook her head quickly. "Absolutely not. Princess Grace is the total opposite. But things are going south for her. She doesn't deserve to go through any of this." 

My brows furrowed in confusion. "What?" 

"First, she had to lose Finn. And now, not even twenty-four hours later, she'll be given off and she'll have to leave her family soon too." 

"Given off? To... Wildfell?" 

Ms. Bella nodded sadly. "I overheard his and her majesty talking about it. They think it would be best to have Princess Grace wed Prince Lucas, for the sake of both kingdoms. To end the enmity and call a truce. She won't be given a choice and she knows it. She dreads it. She hates the thought of leaving Astella and her family behind, it scares her." 

The door opened and we both turned to look at her. She adjusted her earrings while looking between us. "It angers me, Ms. Bella. It doesn't scare me." She gave a small, forced smile. 

"Ms. Bella!" Atlas called from down the hall. Ms. Bella bowed quickly and left. 

I stared at Grace while she let out a shaky breath and fixed her hair that now sat in perfect, loose curls. It may anger her, but she can't hide the fear. It terrifies her. She looked at me, pulling on a cold face. "What?" 

I shook my head. "Lead the way," I said, nodding towards the staircase. 

She sighed, flicking all the lights off in her room, and then shut the door, walking to the staircase. 

I followed closely behind and she walked right past her parents who were standing in the foyer, waiting for the arrival of their guests so they could greet them formally. "I'm pretty sure you're meant to be in the foyer," I said, looking at her. 

"I'm hungry," she shrugged, continuing to walk to the dining room. I poked the inside of my cheek with my tongue, trying not to laugh. She stopped at the door and spun around abruptly, I barely managed to stop before I collided with her. She rolled her eyes, staring up at me. "You're not allowed inside. Confidential talk and everything. Stay out here. Adrian will keep you company." She pushed the door open and walked in, pushing it shut behind her. 

I turned around, waiting for the others. 

Atlas came jogging over with Adrian following suit. "Is she here?" he asked me. 

I nodded. 

"She's meant to be with us," he groaned, reaching for the doorknob. 

"She's hungry," I replied, beating him to it and holding the knob before he could push the door open and force Grace outside. 

"What?" He stared at me incredulously. "She's— she's hungry?" 

"Yes." I don't like her any better but I do feel a touch of pity for her. She lost someone she considered a friend, she's being forced to marry someone she probably doesn't like, she's also being forced to leave her kingdom, family, citizens. I think she could use a break. She'll be meeting them at the table regardless. 

"Ronan," Adrian mumbled, shooting me a pointed look. 

I turned back to Atlas who was now analyzing me, trying to calculate my next move. It's not that complicated, actually. "What are you doing?" he asked, lowering his voice as footsteps got closer. 

"I'm making sure my client is okay." 

"Your client?" 

"Hmm," I nodded. "That's her. Not the whole family. Sorry." I let go of the door, standing to the side when the king, queen, and the James family approached. I bowed slightly for mannerism's sake as Atlas opened the door and led their guests inside. 

King Elijah lingered behind, speaking directly to me. "Why didn't she come to greet them?" 

"She was hungry," I shrugged. 

His eyes narrowed a bit in confusion and doubt. 

"If she stayed hungry, she'd get sick. If she got sick, your guests could possibly see her throw up. She could throw up on them. It'd be a disaster. I thought it would be better for the sake of your guests," I explained. It's bullshit, first off. She was not going to throw up on anybody, but it fit the story. 

He blinked a few times and then scoffed, dropping it before walking inside, closing the doors behind him. 

Adrian stared at me in disbelief before standing beside me. He scoffed, "You're crazy. You're playing jokes on the king." 

"I'm not playing jokes, it could happen, you never know." 

"Please," he laughed dryly. 

"It was sarcasm, Adrian. I'm sure the king can handle it." 

"Why'd you do it?" 

I blinked, staring ahead of me. "I don't really know. She's having a bad day, I'd rather not make it worse. Ultimately, she'd yell, throw things, curse at me, and attack me. So... call it self-defense." 

"Your logic is a load of bullshit." 

"It's logic nonetheless," I sighed.

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Chapter 4

someone recommend good songs, please

next chapter: announcement