Weaker, Or So She Thought

"Louis, I've to tell you something." 

"I'm leaving Beldovia, merely for a couple of days or so, to accompany Nicholas to Sanguis for the charity gala." 

Sophia paced around the room nervously, coming up with ways she'd fill her brother in with the… staggering news, although things weren't looking too ideal for her, as it always had been. 

She groaned, visibly upset and terribly frustrated. 

"What does it take a duchess to simply gather up the courage to tell her family she's leaving the kingdom?" She asked frustratedly.

"I've gotten weaker," she told herself dejectedly.

"Maybe it really is best if I come along with him," she sighed.

She was never the type to be vulnerable in front of others, preferring to keep to herself and bottle up all her emotions despite her extrovertedness. 

She'd learnt to keep everything to herself, the emotions she was feeling especially. Since, at the very end of the day, she had no one but herself.

Her vision blurred. Momentarily, the sharp ringing sound that had once filled her head returned. 

"Why does this keep happening to me?" Sophia said, wincing from the pain. Her dizziness returned. 

"What the hell is happening to me?" She asked. 

"And why does it only keep on happening to me out of all people?" She whined. 

A knock came from her door. 

Sophia whipped around and cautiously opened the door to find a maid holding a tray. 

"Is that aspirin?" She asked enthusiastically. 

"Yes, your grace," the maid answered.

Sophia thanked her before shutting the door once the maid left. 

She placed the plate of aspirin on her desk table. She poured herself a glass of water before placing an aspirin pill into the glass, swallowing both the pill and water at the same time. This would help cure her dizziness, for the meantime. 

__

"Sanguis," Sophia said to Clarisse, filling her in as to where she'd be for the next few days or so. 

"Oh," Clarisse said. She knew perfectly well how she wouldn't get a warm welcome if she dared step foot into the Sanguisian palace, not to mention, it wouldn't sit well with the humans she still called her family. 

She had a sad smile plastered on her face, "If only I could come with," she said as she embraced her friend who was moments away from leaving.

"And just to be clear, Louis knows of this?" Clarisse asked as Sophia pulled away from her and Clarisse's embrace.

Sophia nodded reassuringly, "Of course."

She mumbled, 'He had a rather subdued reaction to the news, but no matter.' 

With her belongings packed at the back of the royal car she and Nicholas would be taking to Sanguis, and Nicholas already waiting for her, she and Clarisse exchanged their final goodbyes before Clarisse blurted out, "Remember to use protection," loud enough for both Sophia and Nicholas to hear. 

Nicholas glanced at Clarisse and muttered, "Samarisians and their quirkiness."

Sophia immediately turned crimson red.

"CLAIRE!" She whisper-shouted. With those four words of hers, she'd made an entire car ride incredibly awkward, not that Nicholas seemed to mind her statement. 

Clarisse feigned ignorance.

"What?" She batted her eyes. 

Sophia decided not to say what she'd originally wanted to say. 

"Nothing," Sophia lied.

"I'll be seeing you in a few, Claire," Sophia told Clarisse quite unenthusiastically. 

Clarisse nodded, and just like that, Sophia disappeared. 

Clarisse waved Sophia goodbye, to get a wink in return. She chuckled before she retaliated back to the palace. 

__

"How long is this entire trip again?" Sophia asked impatiently. 

"It's been hours has it not?" 

Nicholas glared at her, "Have more forbearance why don't you." 

Sophia glanced at him before turning to face the car window. She felt as if she were forgetting something. 

For the past 5 hours, she and Nicholas had sat in complete silence, not saying a word to each other and seemingly occupied with… matters of their own.

She looked over at the scenic views of beautiful mountains and pine trees. 

She couldn't get a proper glimpse of the panoramic view with raindrops covering the car window that only seemed to increase by the moment, but it was then she shivered. Something to be known about her was that Sophia Windsor hated the cold. That, along with many other things.

She stared at Nicholas, almost anticipating him to hand over his suit jacket.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Nicholas asked. 

"And you're the one calling me a sicko," he retorted. 

Sophia sighed. 

How Nicholas managed to stay in Julia's good graces was truly a mystery. 

Speaking of Julia, Nicholas asked Sophia, "How exactly did Julia react to you visiting Sanguis for the charity gala?" 

Sophia blinked. So that was what she'd forgotten. 

"She didn't," Sophia answered. 

"Because, I haven't told her." 

Nicholas stared at her blankly. 

'You haven't told her?' He nearly asked. 

"So Julia's under the impression you left without informing her?" Nicholas asked, his tone having a smidge of disapproval. 

"Yes," Sophia answered. 

NIcholas sighed. 

Sophia rolled her eyes. 

"You don't dictate me, know that?" She reminded him.

He answered, "Bold of you to assume I'd willingly dictate someone as hard-headed and stubborn as you."

"If I was stubborn as you claim me to be, why'd I come with you to Sanguis without you having to ask twice?" Sophia retorted. 

At a loss of words, Nicholas todl Sophia, "Touche." 

It was then the car halted, and the chauffeur, who doubled as a guard, announced to the two royals that they'd arrived at the Sanguisian palace, mch to Sophia and Nicholas' surprise. 

They'd arrived much sooner than expected, although that wasn't a problem to neither Nicholas nor Sophia. 

"So we're here," Sophia said in amazement. 

Even from the interior of the car, the views of the Sanguisian palace's exterior, as well as a couple glimpses of its many outdoor pools, and other facilities. It was captivating and grand, the Sanguisian palace, and although she'd only be staying for merely a few days, this would come to be a trip she'd never forget.