Chapter 9

AUDREY POV

I was standing in front of my father and mother, dishevelled and shaken up, my clothes were torn and muddy and I was wearing a big cloak on top it.

My mum was sobbing silently but I was definitely sure this time around was tears of joy, my father on the other hand, his expression was anger and wrath.

“What do you think you are doing? Giving your mother a scare like that? Do you know how she cried thinking she would never see you again and you are right there telling you just went for an early walk with guards or maids and found yourself in the woods unconscious.” He thundered as I stepped back a bit, wincing. He was terrifying when he was angry and he rarely gets angry. This was the best excuse I came up with him as I walked through the door and into my father’s wrath.

“Father…I am sorry. I didn’t mean to…” I faltered as my father continued to finish the sentence.

“You didn’t mean to, but you did. You left the palace and decided to go have fun. It has been barely a day and look at the state you are in, why I ought to have you stripped and whipped so that you wouldn’t do this insolence again.

I winced, I hated that part. He used to flog me with a sharp end rope that had some little thorns on them so it piled my skin whenever my dad did use it on me. I wasn’t about to go through this again.

“It is all your fault, I wanted to shout out loud but I couldn’t. Yet I could hear the words screaming in my head trying to break free and tell my parents that they were the reason why I ran away in the first place.

They were the one who forced this obligation on me, knowing quite well that I didn’t want it and they also went as far as changing my nanny fast enough before I could open up to anyone, because of the secrets. I wanted to tell them that if they had given their daughter a chance to proof herself, she wouldn’t have run away.

I also wanted to tell them badly about the man trapped in the cave but remembering what he had done to me and knowing that my father would lead an army to have him executed not welcomed. She didn’t want that for anyone so she didn’t speak. Funny enough, the spirit was trying to talk to her although she had ignored it.

“I am sorry father, I promise it would not happen again.” I said eager to get on his good side and also face my mother. I turned to look at her and she was just nodding her head smiling. Did she even know who if to be angry or sad.

“Guards, take her to her room and make sure she cleans up.” My father said to his guard who also didn’t say much but nodded his head and followed me. I could still hear my mum’s sobs as he led me upstairs to the third level.

When I reached my bathroom, I turned to face him and said,

“This is my room. You can’t just barge in like that. Stay here or return to my father.” I said with a hint of anger as I blocked the door.

He stopped in front of me and frowned his face for a while before replying,

“I serve your father and he has given me explict orders not to leave you, not even once. No hide and seek games, I must be with you all the time.” I said as I closed the door and ran to the mirror to see a pretty hit up girls. My face were tainted red and I swatted at it.

I took a deep breath and said.

“Finally some peace and quiet. Now to have a bath.” I said to myself as I took a towel and headed up to the bathroom.

As soon as I came out, I saw my aunt Claire sitting on the bed as she startled me a bit.

“Oh my…Aunt, what are you doing here?” I asked as she ran up to me and hugged me so tight I knew I stopped breathing.

“How dare you ask me that question when you are the one who literally took a hike in the woods without any guards, and had come back unconscious, where were you? What happened? Were you kidnapped?” She said but I shook my head to all of it.

It was so hard getting Aunt Claire to calm down but once she did, she was already showering me with gifts.

“I promise you will be the first one I will tell when I want to do something foolish as this.” I said and she held my shoulders, slowly nodding her head.

“Good I feel much better now. Do you have anything you are doing? I want to take you somewhere.” Aunt Claire said pulling me to my feet as I trudged behind her while she ransacked my clothes apparently looking for something that would catch her eye.

“Take me where Aunt?” I asked I was quite exhausted and all I wanted to do was just crash in my bed and sleep for a very long time. This was one of the times that I would welcome a distraction, a burning bush, a glass shattering you name it.

I was about to roll my eyes out of frustration when the door opened and my mum walked in all gracefully.

“Oh there you are and you had me looking everywhere else for him. Audrey is back by the way, safe and sound. Aren’t you happy sister?” She said as Aunt Claire seemed to give a stiff look and nodded her head.

“Of course I am happy. I was just planning to go out with her now, to celebrate her return, isn’t that so, Audrey?”

“It is true now, she is just making a big deal out of things.” I said with a smile plastered to our face.

“That is quite nice, but why can’t you do it tomorrow. I just lost Audrey and I got her back, I won’t let her get missing again on the same day, besides she looks exhausted. Let her have a nap, while we discuss.” My mum said pulling her sister who was trying hard to resist by her arm but she knew she had to give up and allow the Queen drag her out.

“Very well then, sleep Audrey. We will see tomorrow.” She said as I waved her goodbye and sighed a breath of relief when they were both gone. I quickly packed all the clothes that Aunt Claire had been throwing out for me and dumped it in my wardrobe before wearing my comfy pajamas, it was late afternoon around 4pm but after the adventure that I had today. I decided that I was going to crash in earlier than usual.

I picked up a very good book of mine that I was reading a week ago and crashed on my bed ready to be captured in a fantasy world. I didn’t want to think much about the monster in the cave before he gave me the creeps. I still can’t believe that I was reckless enough to save him.

Just then the door opened and my maids walked in carrying trays of assorted fruits with a frown on their face. The one in front was the girl who had left me to rot in that cave before. There was definitely no lost love between us and because she had claimed to look for help and she had 4 other servants backing her claims, I decided to let it go. Maybe I was over reacting and she was actually nice.

“We heard about your adventure. Are you okay now?” She said as I nodded my head and kept quiet. I watched her as she dropped the fruits on the table and said,

“The Queen asked us to get you this, is there anything else you want? She said but I replied,

“No I am all good. I would like to be alone now.” I said with authority as she bowed her head and said,

“As you please, your highness. I will let you be, if you need anything, I am always around. I will be in the kitchen now. Have a nice day.” She said curtsying again before leaving and I focused on my book, trying to read but it seemed like I couldn’t understand the words. I gave up and just let the book drop from my hands thinking of what had happened in the cave and before I know it, I was already fast asleep, on my bed, having a strange dreams where I was dressing the creature up and putting him in a pink frizzly dress for princess tea.