My Cursed Alpha Prince

CHAPTER 2

***

"Good morning, Diana."

It was indeed a good morning, as she often felt waking up to the sounds of birds chirping just outside her window. Diana sat up in bed, rubbed her eyes, then yawned in a very unladylike manner. Her handmaid, gasped in horror as she glanced over her shoulder at the Princess and saw what she had just done.

"Diana, please," she said, turning to open the curtains. "What would your mother think if she heard you yawning like that?"

"She would finally realise that I am a human being who is allowed to do normal human things?" Diana offered, stretching her tired limbs. She glanced over at the open window, where the sun angled over the sky in a lazy orange glow.

"There is much to do today," the maid said. "Shall we go over your schedule for the day?"

"That won't be necessary," Diana moaned as she rolled over and stood up. "I'm well aware of the duties I must attend to today.

The maid wasn't convinced. Diana always had a trick up her sleeve, and she fully expected her to do something that would cause tongues to wag in disapproval before the day was well and truly over. Still, it was her job to keep an eye on her and make sure that everything ran smoothly.

Diana made her way to the window once she was done, and she stared outside as the last traces of sleep vanished from her eyes. It took a few seconds before her eyes adjusted to the light, and she stared down at the city with her eyes squinting from the sunlight.

Avarel was often called "The City of A Thousand Lights". But in the daytime, it was just another ordinary city, with thousands of people moving through the streets like rats. It was built along the side of a mountain, like a hedgerow curling up the mountainside, or a great brown snake which was burrowing into the earth. The city was divided into five rings/districts, each with their own gates which separated them from the others. The higher one got through the kingdom, the more expensive the cost of living, and the more glamorous their way of life. The lowest district was reserved for beggars, labourers, thieves and scoundrels. The second district was for the farmers, who were the most populous folk in Avarel. They tended to the fields beyond the mountain, and they were the lifeblood of the kingdom. Above them in the third district were the traders, and it was here that the market was located. Even from her bedroom window, Diana could see the tents which were propped up, scattered across the third district as though they were erected by ants. Smoke rose from several chimneys all around, a clear sign of the bakers who were preparing their breads and cakes for the market day.

Diana lived in the fourth district, which was where most dignitaries, scholars and merchants lived. Her father was the wealthiest man in the kingdom apart from the royal family, and he owned the largest vineyard in Avarel. His wine was said to be the best in the kingdom, and he supplied the royal family with several barrels, along with the rest of the kingdom.

In the fifth and final district, at the very top of the city, was the royal palace, which Diana visited regularly. Its white minarets and elegant pillars made it feel like a temple devoted to some ancient god, and Diana could almost swear that she felt a certain magical aura around the palace walls whenever she visited.

Today, she would be visiting the palace once again. Her father had instructed her that the king wanted to see her, and she was to report to the palace at high noon. Diana wondered what this could possibly be, and why the king asked for her. As far as she knew, she hadn’t don’t anything illegal. And if this was because she had been caught in the armoury of the palace working on her archery, she had already apologised to Lord Sauman, the head of the palace guards.

“Come along, Diana,” her maid said as she gathered her sheets. “Your bath water is already boiling. And I believe your mother is awake already.”

Diana moved away from the window with a sigh. Truth be told, the last thing she wanted was to visit the palace today. She hadn’t forgotten about the queen’s subtle remark about the fact that prince Adrien was coming of age. Diana wanted nothing to do with the prince. The boy was only sixteen, several years younger than her. There were some women who would fall over their own feet as they tried to impress the prince, but she was not that sort of woman. What she wanted above all else was freedom, and as far as she could tell, the palace life did not allow that any more than her own life did.

“Will you be going down to the market today?” she asked Fiona as they walked out of her room.

“I’m not certain,” she replied. “Your mother said she wants me to escort her somewhere later today.”

“Any idea where she wants you to go?”

“I didn’t ask,” she replied. “But I think we’ll be there for a while, because she told me to tell the cook that lunch will be delayed today.”

Diana found that odd. She wondered where her mother could possibly be planning to visit. After all, she hardly ever left the house, unless it was for a ball or a soirée with one of her friends. It seemed highly unlikely that she would want to go out during the day.

Still, Diana merely shrugged. She would ask her about it when she returned from the palace, preferably after not being hanged for breaking the palace rules.

After the morning ritual of bathing, dressing and breakfast was complete, Diana went up to the drawing room for her dance lessons. Her dance instructor drilled her for three hours, and by the time they finished, with her ankles throbbing and her hair all over the place, it was almost noon. Fiona helped her to change into something more appropriate, and she slipped into a light blue, sleeveless dress with white embroidery, and a short train behind it. She had to look presentable before the king, so she wore white gloves over the dress, with a dainty tiara and her hair done up in the fashion of the midsummer girls of Ashai, with several pearls woven into her hair so she looked like a mermaid.

“This is ridiculous,” Diana groaned as she stared at her reflection. “I look like a mannequin.”

“That’s because your shoulders are tense,” Fiona said, helping her to adjust her posture. “The king probably has something important to discuss with you, and it will be best if you appear as elegant as possible.”

“Do you have to do all this?” she asked. “Can’t I just leave my hair down?”

“Your father would be insulted in court if you appeared like that,” Fiona said. “They don’t just sit around and discuss politics, you know. They also keep an eye out for people around them, and who deserves to be respected and acknowledged. Your father didn’t make it all the way to the council for you to stand in front of the king looking like a beggar from the fifth district.”

Diana turned to glare at her, but she was used to Fiona’s scathing remarks by now. She turned instead to look at her reflection once again, before deciding that it was best to just get this over with.

She left the house shortly after, alone in the carriage as they trundled along the cobbled street which led to the gates of the palace. Unlike the other districts, the road here were wider and cleaner, with two lanes to control the flow of traffic, even though there were very few carriages out and about. Diana peeped outside the left window at the palace walls, tall and imposing like the walls of a prison. She wondered whether they were this tall to keep people out, or they were meant to keep people in.

When they reached the gates, a guard walked up, and he peered into the carriage to make sure it was safe.

“Lady Diana,” he said. “Welcome. I was told the king would be expecting you.”

“I’m sorry if I’m late,” she said. “I hope his majesty won’t be upset.”

“Certainly not,” the guard said, signalling for the gates to be opened. “Good luck.”

They drove into the luscious gardens which surrounded the palace, with pale white statues and fountains scattered all through, neatly kept hedges, and a field of roses which gave some colour to the otherwise lifeless edifice that was the palace. The castle laid out in front of her, fashioned like an ancient temple with twin pillars leading up to the main entrance, and a dome overhead with the mural of the first king of Avarel painted within the dome.

A maid was waiting for her at the entrance, and she curtsied before Diana with a quiet mumble of a greeting before she turned around and led them down the hallway.

A plush red carpet laid across the length of the hallway, with guards stationed on either side at regular intervals leading up to the tall golden doors at the end of the hallway. Behind them were several doors and archways which led to other parts of the palace, and servants frolicked about silently.

Diana was led into the throne room, and as the doors swung open, her heart sank at the sight before her. King Stefan sat atop his golden throne, with all sixteen councilmen arranged in a neat row behind him. He looked absolutely terrifying, with his narrow face, sharp eyes and thick beard. Diana took a deep breath, and tried to steady herself.

“Lady Diana of House Cardale, daughter of Lord Robert Cardale and the Lady Mildred Cardale,” a valet announced beside her.

Diana walked forward slowly, trying to make sure that she didn’t trip over her own feet. She was trying desperately to keep calm, and not appear like she was about to fall face first to the ground.

Her father sat behind the king, and when she stood before him and curtsied, an approving smile crossed his face.

“Welcome, Diana,” the king said.

“It’s an honour to be here, your Grace,” she replied.

“You’re wondering why I’ve called you here,” he said. “I know you must curious, but I promise this will all be over soon.”

Diana stared at her feet and counted down the seconds until she could leave.

“Diana, tell me what you know about the Xanians,” he said.

That drew a raised eyebrow from her. Diana never really bothered about the Xanians much. She knew that they were a powerful kingdom of werewolves to the east, and that they lived in relative peace with them. In over one thousand years, the Xanians hadn’t attacked Avarel, in what was being called the golden dynasty. She also knew that the future king of Xania was prince Caspian, a coldblooded man who was cruel, ruthless and stone-hearted. She had never thought about him, because she didn’t plan on ever setting foot in Xania.

“Very little, your Grace,” she said. “I am not familiar with their culture, their politics or their way of life. I know only of what my tutor told me, and the history of their kingdom. But even that was watered down to ensure I would only know what pertained to our own history as well.”

“I see,” he said, leaning back into his seat. “But I presume you’ve heard of Prince Caspian, the future ruler of the kingdom?”

“I’ve heard about him a few times, your Grace,” she said.

It took her a few seconds, but when she realised where the conversation was heading, her heart literally stopped in her chest.

“Prince Caspian has come of age, Diana,” he said. “And as such, he has decided to take a bride; a human bride.”

Diana looked up, her mouth open and her hands beginning to tremble. She looked at the king, with the grim expression on his face letting her know what was coming. She turned to her father then, who had turned away with a shameful look in his eyes.

“I have chosen you, Diana,” the king said. “You shall marry Prince Caspian of Xania, and you will become the future queen of Xania.”

Diana would forever remember that moment as the exact moment when her life was shattered into a million pieces.

And she knew, deep down, that her life would never be the same afterwards.

*