Engagement

"Princess, the Prince's name is Ashetone, not Antone, also you need to read the book I put in your bag. It's about public etiquette for royalties. Be sure to finish reading and memorize everything that is in that book tonight to avoid any more mistakes for tomorrow. A day of embarrassment is enough for our Kingdom." Sis Jera stands in front of Princess Railey's room. Everything she said made the Princess feel inappropriate. She did everything wrong today, also it makes her feel uncomfortable to see Sis Jera this way, her face doesn't show emotions. She's used to seeing her maid act lively and caring towards her but ever since they got here, she changed. She might've gotten free from the Manor's chains but her favorite maid is making her feel like she is still inside that cage. She just nodded before Sis Jera went, she closed her room and laid on her bed. The wind is quite strong tonight and it makes lovely whistles that lullaby Princess Railey to sleep. She dreamt of a woman who has her same color but her face is blurred, she calls her name like it was the most beautiful name in the entire universe, her hug warms her aching heart and soul. After a while, she unconsciously called the woman 'mama' and she waked up. Breathing heavily, she does not consider it as a nightmare since it made her feel warm. It's like she already felt that before but she can't put her finger when and who it is. The sun has not yet fully risen, the temperature is quite warm so she took a bath. While she is humming in the bath, her memory of yesterday made shivers run through her spine, "I forgot to read the book!" Running like a maniac naked in her room with bubble soap on her body, she took the book from her bag and went inside the bath again. "I will not let my Kingdom be embarrassed again, even if I feel like I did nothing wrong." she thought while analyzing each of the things she'd done yesterday. The only thing that seems wrong was touching the Prince's hair. "Oh, I did not remember his name but he did not get angry." While reading each rule written in the book her shame slowly eats her, she then found out that she almost did everything wrong. Smiling freely at a man, touching them, talking to them, going near them, and not covering her face while she is with a man also, she needs to wear gloves and hat for covering! "I sound like a hiding assassin from this," she thought while her forehead is all crinckeld up from reading those rules. Her fingertips are also crinckled due to staying too long in the bath, signaling her to go out and get dressed. She took her towel and cover herself but when she got up, the book fell from her hands landing on the wet floor and the last page was open which she hasn't read yet. "IF ONE RULE IF NOT COMPLIED, MARRIAGE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED FOR BOTH PARTY." Her eyes widen, grabbing the book and reading it again. If a rule is not followed and a lady or a man did the inappropriate they need to get married to avoid any rumor. Her legs got weak making her seat on the bath's wet floor, she remembered how she acted around the Princes, "Wait, what are they thinking about me now? Especially Prince Ashetone!" She acted like a lady with no class and had a bad upbringing! Feeling like a fool, she heard the bell which means they should be there already making her panicked, she stands too fast making her feel bit dizzy and because the floor is wet, she lost her balance and fall head first to the marble floor. Her towel came undone showing her front while she lay on the cold wet floor and blood from her head.

After 30 minutes, Princess Railey hasn't yet arrived at the ground, they were supposed to start early because of what happened yesterday. Everyone should be there before the first bell of the Keep, but for some reasons, she's still not there. Prince Ashetone thought maybe it's because of what happened yesterday that she does not want to join them so he decided that he will get the Princess. "That is fine, please get her." The man permitted him to go, leaving Prince Shaune clueless of what is happening. He walks faster than normal since he already knows that the Princess will her piece of a scold from the man that handles them. When he arrived in front of her room, he knocks a few time but she was not answering, silence is the only thing that he got. A few more knocks and his instinct got him destroying the door with his kick, "Where are you?" he shouted when he saw that her room was empty but the water from the bath is still running. He knocks the bath's door but she was not answering, "Princess! Are you alright?" Some guards and maids in the Keep went in the room and asks what is happening, he immediately asked for the key for the bath without answering any of their questions, "I'm coming in, Princess!" He said before opening the door, "What..." he mumbles while looking at the Princess who is laying on the floor while the bathtub is overflowing, the water on the floor had turned red with her blood. "Help! Get a doctor! She's hurt!" He shouted while he looks at the Princess, he was going to carry her when he saw what he shouldn't have seen, his heartbeat was almost echoing around the bathroom and his hand started fidgeting while fixing her towel. His face was as red as the water, but he went back to reality when the Princess' face should consciousness. He carried her, making his clothes wet but he made sure that the towel is secured, "Maids, get her clothes." The maids panicked while looking through her closet, "Men should get out," the guards looked at each other but they got what he means when they saw the Princess' half-naked, making them blush but the Prince just glared at them while putting the Princess to her bed. The maids were dressing her in her nightgown since it's the easiest clothes to put on while the Prince was looking through the book she was reading in the bath. "Public Etiquette? Why? Is it because of what happened yesterday?" he thought, the doctor went in and when he saw what happened, "Your fiance, Prince Ashetone, is fine. She might need some rest and her memory might be altered but it will go back to normal. Don't worry." With the word 'fiance' he blushed, he knows why the Doctor thought that because whatever happens only women are allowed to touch another woman, touching one when he is a man means they are bound to be married and yes, the news did spread fast around the Keep, his Guard immediately arrived with Sis Jera and the Meisters, "You are now engaged." The Meisters announced to avoid anymore commotion around the Keep. Sis Jera looks at Prince Ashetone as if she was killing her in her thoughts while his guard was holding his laughter. He sat beside Princess Railey, brushing her hair from her face. Sis Jera felt irritated from seeing him take advantage of the Princess, also because he is a big threat to their plan. Princess Railey has never been close to any opposite sex, she is vulnerable to men. If ever she finds interest to one, it will be a great disaster. Prince Ashetone looks at the Princess who is obviously in pain due to her injury, he carress her rosy cheeks while thinking of what happened. He stands up and checks the bathroom, seeing that the tiles are very slippery he asks the maids to get her another room with a bath that doesn't have slippery tiles, knowing that the Princess is quite clumsy. "Prince, we can call off the engagement after a week." His guard said while looking at Sis Jera who are throwing daggers at them with her eyes, the Prince felt a bit sad to know that everything is just for covering the 'incident' of him carrying the Princess. Prince Shaune's shout can be heard in the room, his voice gets louder while he gets nearer to the room. "What are you talking about? Engaged? How? What happened? What incident?" His questions irritated the people around him, especially Prince Ashetone, when he got inside he saw the Princess and immediately throws himself to the Prince, "What did you do to her? I can't believe you can do that!" He said while holding Prince Ashetone's collar, "We're engaged so I can what I want."