Anastasia

"Oh, wow, the great Prince wants help from me?" I smirked and looked at him. He just rolled his eyes. "Stop that." He said and I retracted, unbothered. I then made a gesture with my hands as if saying 'go on.'

"I need you to help me get familiar with the country." Nate said with a grave expression. "Familiar?" I retorted back. "With the people. With St. Loudéac." He said. "No." I replied in a blink.

He is the to be king. Wherever he goes, paparazzi follows. I already have some media attention on me because of my father's status and the serious troubles I used to get into. And once my sister and his engagement in publicized, they will pay even more attention to the family of the bride. And being spotted with him is the last thing I want.

Besides, the ego and pride this man has about his wealth makes it impossible for him to even go an hour without judging how wild his country really is.

His eyebrows furrowed as he opened his mouth.

"Wh - "

"No."

"But -"

"No"

"No." I finally said, before he could say anything. His expression was a fusion of irritated and angry and I couldn't care less. I have several reasons for denying him. He gritted his teeth in annoyance and scowled at me. I just gave him a sickly sweet smile back.

"Anastasia! Nathaniel!" The Queen's voice echoed, making both of us step out of our conversation and make our way to the table.

All of us got into our seats around the large table on the step of the small balcony beside the large field of green, there little white peonies and veils surrounding the steps, entangling themselves with the pillars of the small balcony. Soft wind whistled, as my hair swept away a bit. Loud chirps were heard from the garden, giving the whole place a cottage core effect. All in all, it was a very calm setting.

Various servants surrounded us, putting the expensive china plates on the table with exotic food on top. They started serving us the food as my father and the queen started talking, exchanging a few words with my mother, every now and then

"So, Chloe, what is your qualification?" Nate asked her, looking at her. Chloe stilled. "Well, I was top of my class in school." She cleared her throat.

You see, Chloe didn't attend college. And she also wasn't the top in her school.

This conversation was highly amusing for me, because I remember telling Chloe once that she needed to go to college and she called me jealous of her good looks and flipped me off. Don't really know how that was a valid explanation.

"That's great but what did you pursue in college?" Nathaniel asked her in a calm and collected voice. I suppressed the chuckle bubbling inside me by putting on my mouth. "Well, um...." Chloe lost her speech as she tried to search for words.

I couldn't help it.

I laughed.

All eyes snapped towards me as I instantly shut up. I met my mother and father's gaze. If it was up to them, I would be five feet under the ground already. Nate and the Queen looked at me with wide eyes.

After a few moments, his royal highness decided to break his silence, and addressed my mother. "Mrs. Laurent, you look lovely today."

As if a switch had flipped, she faced Nathaniel with a sultry expression. "Why, thank you." she fluttered her eyes at him, and he gave her a charming smile.

Everyone started started chatting happily, as if nothing happened, but I didn't miss the look my mother and sister gave me, as if saying, 'just wait till we get back to the house'. I just rolled my eyes at them.

Everyone was engrossed in food and talking that the didn't notice Nate scoot closer to me.

"What?" I asked him with a harsh whisper. "Nothing." He said with a smug expression. I gave him a disgusted look and paid attention on the croque monsieur on my plate.

"Tell me why you rejected my offer?" He whispered, leaning in close again. "I said no, it's reason enough." I said and stabbed the food on my plate with the fork.

He looked at me like I was crazy, "Of course it's not reason enough!"

"Well to bad, you aren't getting one." I said back, wanting him to back off. I really don't want my mum to see him and I talking. "You can't do that. I'm the superior here and you do what I tell you to do."

This was when I snapped. He has no right to talk like that to me. It's his fucking kingdom, and his arrogance right now, stating that he's 'superior' just makes it obvious for me that he will never be ready for St. Loudéac. To rule it. He will never be a real king if he uses the power he holds like this.

I didn't bother to give him a reply, and I started eating my food again. Lunch passed my fast as all of us were now at the end of a long hallway, on the way to the door, bidding our goodbyes.

"It was a lovely lunch. We shall see each other again this friday, Oui?" The Queen smiled looking at my family.

"Absolutely." Chloe jumped in giving her a toothy smile.

"Au revoir Nathaniel." Chloe said, twirling a strand of her hair in her hands, and gave him a flirty smile. His highness, however seemed unfazed and gave her a polite smile and a nod.

The Queen said goodbye again and started walking deeper inside the palace.

My parents and Chloe started leaving, me going behind them, when I felt a big warm hand wrap around my arm and turn me around.

"This isn't over. You need to complete that favor. I have a lot of things at stake." He whispered in a low voice.

"Maybe you should first worry about your high school graduate to be queen than this stupid favor." I snapped back.

His eyes turned black in anger and frustration as I stared back at him with the same fierceness. He looked like he was about to explode then he took a deep breath and looked at me again.

"I need to know St. Loudéac. I am going to be king someday."

"Too bad, I can't help."

I growled back and stormed away.

◂♚▸

"Your cousin is a fucking dick."

Damien's barely moved his head to look at me, lying on the couch, almost sleeping, with his phone in his hands.

"I didn't even know you met him." Damien asked, obviously confused.

After storming out of the palace, I decided to ditch my parents limo and grab a cab to Liv's home.

It's nothing big, a nice two bedroom cozy apartment, for her and her sister. Liv's parent passed away when she was little, but they had a very cute family of four, filled with love and care.

Since her sister works a lot due to her job, our friends group usually crashes here, anytime.

Liv's sister is a easygoing person, so she's cool with whatever we do unless we clean up.

"What happened?" A masculine voice said from beside Damien.

Remi is a part of our group. Even he's not that wealthy, sometimes broody. His dad is abusive so he started to develop a serious case of alcoholism, that Liv, Damien and I pulled him out of. Remi is the most blunt guy you can ever meet. Even though his unfiltered words hurt like a bitch, he's genuinely a great friend.

"He wants me to show him this side of the country." I said looking back and Damien and plopping on the cozy couch, sighing at the comfort.

"This side of the country?" Damien asked making a funny face.

I got up from my seat again and made my way towards small studio kitchen and opened the fridge.

"As in, how the common people live." I explained popping open a bottle of beer, which is seemingly always stocked in this place.

"Common people?" Remi mocked diverting his attention from his cigarettes. I gave him a look and chose to ignore him, since this is normal.

"What did you say?" Damien asked, waving his hand in front of me for the beer bottle. "No, of course," I shrugged taking a sip and giving him his beer.

Damien didn't seem bothered much by it, and his attention got distracted by the ping on his phone. He quickly started typing aggressively fast on his phone, making me wonder what happened.

I was just about to ask him when the keys jingled in the lock of the door, announcing Liv's arrival.

She entered and didn't even bother to look at us, "Hey." She said kicking off her heels and nestling beside me on the couch.

Liv is still studying her last year in management at college, and she has to work to earn a little more money. Her sister is rarely home because of her work, so Livie has to take care of a lot of household chores. She works as assistant manager in a well known bistro in the city, making her normal week day exhausting.

I passed her the beer and she gratefully took it from my hand, taking a large sip.

I felt weight on my eyes as they started to droop, probably from the lack of sleep. I was just about to doze off when I felt my phone buzz from my pocket.

Chloe.

Don't think I forgot what you did today. Just wait till you get back home.

That was all that text said. I could care less.

My sister is someone I can never be scared off. Plus her empty threats don't mean shit to me. Shaking off her so called warning, I got comfortable again and fell into a deep deep sleep.

◂♚▸

sorry for the short chapter <3