Six: Prince Declan
1103 Words
Six
Prince Declan
To my surprise, there’s a knock on the door of my apartment at 3:30 in the afternoon. Thirty minutes after school let out. I’d been sitting on the couch, watching television with Oliver not really expecting that Fiona would show.
“Declan!” Kenna’s voice called from outside. “Open up the f*****g door! Fiona’s havin’ a panic attack.”
At her words, I glanced from Oliver back to the door then jumped up immediately. I ran to the door, Oliver following me. Pushing it open, Kenna stood there with a slumped over Fiona who appeared to have just fainted.
“Come on,” I said, “come on, help me get her to my room.”
Kenna passed her to me, and the two of us helped carry her into the apartment to my room. I put her on my bed. She was pale, and breathing heavily. Fiona had asthma, and it was at her worse when anxiety kicked in.
“What happened?” I demanded. “Where’s her backpack?”
Kenna handed it to me. I rummaged through it, looking for her inhaler. It was bright red. “Come on, Fallon,” I begged, “come on, please.”
I shoved the inhaler into her mouth, puffing it.
She coughed, and her eyes fluttered open. “Your majesty…. what…. what happened?”
“You had a panic attack,” said Kenna, “and you fainted.”
Fiona took in her surroundings. When she seemed to realize that she was in my room, Fiona let out a gasp. “Where the hell am I?”
“My bed,” I replied with a grin.
“Oh god…”
“Holy like isn’t it?” I said.
Fiona groaned. “Oh god. This is what I get for doin’ what I did.”
“Doin’ what?” I asked.
Kenna laughed, to my surprise. “Please, be easy on her Declan. She was put in a difficult situation.”
Fiona shot Kenna look, and then turned to me. “I ran into Evander on the way here. He was bein’ an arse, sayin’ all sorts of things that he shouldn’t. He said he was goin’ ta tell the newspaper that you were lyin’ about me, and imply that you liked takin’ advantage of servants. So I….”
“What did ye do, Fallon?” I demanded.
She coughed. “I implied we were a couple. I didn’t say that were together, but I implied that ye cared for me and asked him not to tell anyone.”
Oliver chuckled. “Well, bit of a wee spot the two of ye have yourselves in. A member of The Guillotine thinks that yer datin’. If they found out ye were lyin’, they’d use it against ye. If ye don’t continue on with it, they’ll know yer lyin’.”
“I didn’t know what ta do,” Fiona admitted, “I thought it would be worse if I denied it.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed. Then, I reached out and squeezed her hand. “I already said ye were mine in front of everyone, Fiona. I meant that.”
I saw her face fill with fear. It wasn’t the exact reaction that I’d been wanting. But I could work on that. I would make her want to be with me for real.
Fiona raised an eyebrow. “So, we’re datin’?”
“Yes,” I said, “we’re datin’. Yer mine.”
Kenna clapped her hands together, letting out a gasp. Fiona glowered at her, and Oliver chuckled.
“Well, there goes me shot,” said Oliver, “always thought it would be me and you darlin’.”
I glowered at him. “Never.”
“So, that’s it?” Fiona said. “We’re datin’?”
“Yes,” I said, “we’re datin’. Yer mine, Fiona Fallon, and yer never goin’ ta be anyone else’s.”
“Right,” she said, “right. I’m yers.”
There was unhappiness in her face. Like she’d had something taken away from her. I hated that she looked like that. But I would do whatever it was that I could to make her. One way or another, she’d fall in love with me for real. I’d make certain of it.
“Kenna, Oliver,” I said, “leave.”
“Wait, what?” Kenna said. “But---”
“Leave, now,” I ordered.
“Come on, sis. We’ve got to let the new couple have some alone time.”
“Oliver---” Kenna objected.
Her brother dragged her away and shut the door behind them.
When he was gone, I said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put ye in this position.”
Fiona got up from the bed, anger blazing in her eyes. “Of course, ye shouldn’t have! I had to defend you, Declan. If we don’t make The Guillotine believe that we’re together, they’re goin’ ta spread lies about ye that could damage yer future as King. Do ye understand the position that ye put me in?”
I got up from the bed to stand across from her. “I didn’t mean to.”
“But ye did!” she exclaimed. “This is exactly what ye wanted. You’ve always had this weird obsession with me.”
I reached out, and I touched her face, stroking her cheek with my finger. “You’ve always been mine, Fiona. This time it just means that I get to kiss you and touch you in public.”
“I…are ye goin’ ta tell yer parents?”
I nodded. “If I don’t have the palace release a statement about ye, they won’t believe us. We’ve got ta make The Guillotine believe it if we’re goin’ ta squash the rumor. So from now on, just remember what yer nan said. Do as the royals tell you. Or, in this case, do as your Prince commands you.”
“Declan I….I’m just a servant girl. They’re never goin’ ta let the two of us be together.”
“My Grandfather loves me,” I said, “and he won’t do anythin’ ta make me unhappy. There’s nothin’ that can keep us apart, Fiona. This…. this is somethin’ that I’ve always wanted. Ye were always supposed to be mine, one way or another. This time, it’s the way that I want it.”
It should have bothered me that she didn’t look happy. But I came from a world of arranged marriages, where love rarely existed in the beginning. She might not have loved me right then, or even liked me, but I could work with that. I would make her love me.
“Declan, I….”
“This was always supposed ta happen, Fiona. I wanted to be with you. It’s just sooner. But if you go along with this, I promise, I’ll make it worth your while.”
“How?” she asked.
“You won’t just be a nanny, Fiona. Yer goin’ ta be my Queen.”
- Writer
