Bondage (formerly Escape from the Obstinate Prince)
Chapter 12

Ami pouted in her bed, not sure how to summon a servant, and not willing to walk all the way to her door and try hollering for one. This is stupid.

The sun was a bit above the horizon, casting an orange hue across the sleepy land and telling her that she had slept till morning.

Is anyone going to check up on me? Where’s the Queen? Where are the servants? she was so desperate to eat something and get out of her room, that she would’ve even been glad to see Jack’s ugly old face. Only it wasn’t ugly and it wasn’t old.

A quiet knock sounded on the door.

“Come in!” Ami sat up in a blink.

Portia came in holding a tray with some watery looking broth. Ami frowned. “Good morning, Ami. I was going to see how you were fairing and decided to bring some food while I was at it.”

“How considerate of you to remember me.” Ami smiled. Never mind that you are my lady-in-waiting.

“I hear that you’re going to be fitted today.” Portia set the tray down on Ami’s lap and sat back in a chair near her bed. “I’m sure it will be quite fun.”

“Quite fun.” Ami repeated, spooning some soup into her mouth. It would be fun if I were not being fitted for my death gown. Well, not death, but something nearly as horrid.

“Why am I having soup? I’m perfectly well and it is decidedly too hot to be eating it, not to mention it is morning. Normal people do not have soup in the morning.” Ami set the pewter spoon down.

Portia shrugged. “I thought if you were going to be fitted that you might want to not be eating excessively fattening foods. You want to look your best for Jack I’m sure.”

Ami resisted the urge to roll her eyes, saying nothing as she knew saying anything to Portia wouldn’t do any good to either of them. “Can you go fetch some servants please?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Portia didn’t try to conceal her disrespectful tone as she stood up.

Long after Portia had left(Ami was sure she had deliberately tried to take as long as possible), a servant knocked on the door.

“Enter, please!” Ami smiled at the door. Relieved for some company and possible help.

A servant, one that Ami remembered as Heather, came in and curtsied. “Your Highness.”

“Do you know if my crutch is done?” Ami asked hopefully.

“Um, I don’t think it is. Not yet anyway.” Heather glanced at the door as if it were a way to escape if Ami were to bite. “I’m sure that you could be carried around if you wish.”

Ami raised an eyebrow. “Carried, how?”

“Oh, a, uh. Thing.” she motioned with her hands, not really helping describe it at all. “I can go send some help up and they can show you.”

“Thank you, Heather. I’d appreciate that.” Ami smiled. Heather scurried out of room.

Ami sat on her bed, thinking that she should probably get dressed before the servants came. Although how am I to get dressed without any help? she frowned. Where had Portia run off? She was her lady-in-waiting. She was supposed to help her. “Where is that girl?”

A knock came from the door. “Come in.” Ami saw two young men standing in the doorway. One had blonde hair, the other had reddish hair.

“Heather told us you wanted to be transported places, Your Highness.” the red haired one spoke up, then his cheeks turned a very pink color. “Did you want to, um-” he motioned with his hand, “-get dressed first?”

Ami wanted to dig a hole at that moment and quickly pulled her bed sheets up to her chest. “Yes, please, and could you go find my lady-in-waiting and tell her I must see her immediately?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” the both bowed and quickly closed the door.

Ami scurried, as quickly as she could with an injured ankle, to her closet and pulled out the ill-fitting dress she had worn the day before and put it on hurriedly. Where is Portia when I need her?

She tried her best to tie the dress but she couldn’t get it tight enough without help. “I am not going out looking like this.”

“Having trouble my dear Ami?” Portia’s sarcastic voice came from the doorway and she latched it behind her. “I knew that Royals were incapable, but I didn’t think they were that incapable.”

Ami turned around. “Would you please stop making stupid remarks and help your future Queen get dressed?”

Portia raised an eyebrow as if surprised at Ami’s snarky outburst. “Yes, Your Highness.”

Ami’s foul mood only worsened as Portia helped her get ready for her day - brushing her hair, adorning her hair, putting on jewels and all sorts of unnecessary items and every so often Portia would sneak in an insult or something degrading.

When she was finally ready for the day she discovered that the servants had put together a chair of sorts, onto some poles so that she would sit down and then they would lift the poles and carry her to her destination.

It was quite the site and a bit too extravagant for Ami’s liking, but she couldn’t walk on her own lest she face the wrath of the Queen and the Royal Physician.

“Thank you very much.” Ami said to the servants once they had reached the doorway of the dining hall. She pushed her arms against the arms rests to put as little pressure as she could on the ankle and stood up.

Two servants opened the door and she limped to the table.

“Ami my dear!” the Queen, who was in the dining hall with the rest of the Royal family, stood at Ami’s arrival. “Come and eat with us!”

Ami smiled. “Thank you, I believe I shall. I haven’t had anything to eat since that soup you sent up early this morning.”

The Queen quirked an eyebrow. “Soup? I thought I had someone send you up a big fattening breakfast so you would have energy for today’s adventures, but I’m delighted to see that you could join in breaking the fast.”

I must rid of Portia as soon as possible, Ami thought.

She glanced at the other people who occupied the table. There was the King who sat at the head, then the Queen sat to the left of the King, Jack who sat opposite the Queen and did not hesitate to send Ami a glare, and finally a little girl who couldn’t have been more than two and a half sat next to the queen.

Ami took a seat next to Jack. “Good morning, Jack.” Ami forced a smile. Jack did the same. “Good morning,” then added under his breath, “Mud Face.”

Ami’s mouth gaped. She quickly shut it. If he would not play nice, then neither would she. “Did you sleep well, Jacques?”

“Quite well, thank you.” his fingers twitched. “And you?”

“Not too well. I’m afraid my lady-in-waiting kept me awake. It’s really too bad I had no say in who was to become my lady-in-waiting.” she sighed, feigning sadness before sending an unamused glare in Jack’s direction. “She is far from being capable.”

“Pity.” he shook his head, not affected by her words.

“Mama, isn’t she prettier than Voilet?” the little girl whispered and tugged on the Queen’s sleeve.

“Yes dear. Much prettier.” the Queen smiled.

“Can she take me riding later?” the girl spoke again.

Ami tensed, praying that the Queen would give the girl a firm ‘no’.

“Freya, darling, she has a hurt ankle and she’s going to be fitted for her wedding dress later today. Besides, you’re too little to go riding.”

Ami let out her breath.

“I think that’s a brilliant idea!” Jack jumped into the conversation. “That way my little sister will get to know my future wife a little better.”

“Jack, you know I don’t want Freya riding.” the Queen scolded.

“If it is permissible, I could teach her the basics in sword fighting.” Ami offered; then realizing(as the Queen’s eyes went wide) how dangerous she had made it sound, she hurried amended herself. “I mean not with actual swords or anything. But the basic stances and if we did practice anything it’d be with very, very dull sticks and she could practice hitting a dummy or something and no one would fight her back and I assure you she would never get hurt.”

“Didn't know the Princess could ramble.” Jack muttered.

“That’s an excellent idea!” the Queen clapped her hands. Ami was almost surprised that she had managed to convince the Queen to let her train Freya in sword fighting, when Jack - her own son - couldn’t convince her to let him take Freya horse riding.

“Rather dumb idea.” Jack mumbled again.

“Jack, darling.” Ami turned to him with a scary smile, scooting out her chair a bit so she could face him better. “My idea is perfectly fine, just as nice as yours, if not better.” she put a hand on his cheek, running it up his hair and made sure that no one else at the table could hear her. “You know very well that I cannot ride a horse and I would probably end up killing Freya. Insulting my idea is not nice, as it is a very good idea. Understand, dear?”

She pulled her hand out of his hair, making sure to pull a few to hurt him. Jack let out a sharp squeak. She restrained an evil laugh.

“Is something wrong, Jack?” she look at him with innocent eyes.

“No,” he forced a smile which turned into a glare, “I’m perfectly well, thank you.”

The King was smiling broadly and the Queen did nothing to hide her knowing smirk. Both thinking they had witnessed something endearing.

Ami forced some food down her pipe, her appetite lost in the shuffle between herself and Jack.

When she had filled her stomach with sustenance, the door burst open.

Who dares barge in here in such a manner? Ami’s eyes were wide.

In came a young man, similar to Jack’s age, with light brown hair and greenish eyes. “A good morning to my favorite family!”

Ami couldn’t help but smile at the way he seemed to bring in the sunshine with his presence.

“Oh Madison, you’re too late for the plum pudding I’m afraid. Freya here, has finished it all up.” the Queen sighed.

“Whatever gave you the idea I wanted plum pudding?” Madison scrunched his nose.

“Maybe by the way your eyes swept greedily past the food.” the King noted dryly.

“Don’t try to hide it, Mad.” Jack smirked. “We all know that you only visit us for our food.”

“Very well then, if you don’t mind.” he snatched a piece of fresh fruit from a bowl. “But I really only came here to meet my best friend’s future wife.”

His gaze rested expectantly on Ami as he waited for someone to introduce him.

“Madison, this is Andromeda Aurora Amélia-” Jack started.

“I’m Ami.” she interjected and frowned at Jack.

“Very pleased to meet you.” Madison held out his hand. “I’m Madison, but you can call me Mad because I think it fits my personality quite well.”

“As in you are angry all the time? Or you are going crazy?” Ami questioned with a playful smile.

“Neither. He’s just a dramatic boy who made up that tale just a minute ago. It does not fit his personality in the slightest.” Jack rolled his eyes.

Mad smirked at Jack. “Says he. And as you probably already know, his word cannot be trusted.”

“Oh yes, his word very unreliable.” she said. “He first off-”

“That is quite enough, Ami.” Jack shot her a glare.

“Jack, that is not a tone you use on your future wife.” the King said. He narrowed his eyes at Jack and Ami was sure that the temperature in the room dropped considerably. “Apologize.”

Jack had a very angry look on his face. “But Father-”

“Jack.” the King cut him off and gave him a sharp look. “Do as I say.”

Jack turned to glare at Ami. “Please excuse my behavior, dearest Ami. And please excuse my absence as I have no desire to eat anymore.”

He scooted out of his chair, not waiting for a servant to do it for him, and stormed out of the room.

Freya sat quietly in her spot, the Queen nibbled on a strawberry and Madison sighed, taking Jack’s chair. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the FindNøvᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Please, excuse me.” Ami said quietly. A servant helped her out of her chair and was going to summon the other servants to carry her out, but she hurried after Jack as fast as she could, leaving the the others to call after her asking where she was going without the escort.

She burst through the door, running as fast as she could down the hall, pain rushing through her ankle, hoping to catch Jack.

As she turned a corner she ran into the solid form of Jack, stumbling and then falling to the floor.

Wasn’t he supposed to catch me? Ami frowned at the floor.

Jack looked down, mildly surprised, and still a bit angry looking. Still, he offered her his hand.

“Thank you.” she said and took his hand, pulling herself up. “I just-um, well I guess I just want to say that I’m sorry for earlier, I didn’t realize that, well-” That your relationship with your Father is strained, she thought.

“That my Father hates me? Yes, well, you were bound to learn that sooner or later.” he ran a hand through his hair. “Come on. Mother will kill me if she hears that I let you walk.”

He picked her up, taking her by surprise. “Where are you taking me?” she looked at his face, noticing his thick, dark eyelashes. It’s stupid how I am stuck with my dull eyelashes and he gets such nice ones.

“Somewhere.” he replied.

“Where is somewhere?” she looked at him warily, images of dark places with bloodcurdling screams pierced her mind. She shivered.

“I was thinking of taking you deep into the woods and I’ll leave you there to die. But I’m actually taking you back to your room.” he snickered. “As much as I hate you, Princess, I cannot let harm befall you.”

She raised an eyebrow. Then looked at her ankle.

Jack hurried to correct her. “The reason you hurt your ankle, was because you refused to ride on a horse. It is your pride’s fault - not mine.”

Ami huffed, choosing not to say anything as he was carrying her and could drop her any time he wanted.

He kept on walking until he came to her bedroom door and set her down on her feet. “Here we are. And don’t come running after me, because I won’t carry you the next time.” he leaned in closer to her and smirked. “No matter how much you enjoyed it.”

She could feel the blush sweeping over her face and hurried to turn her face. “Goodbye Jacques.” she opened to the door to her room, hitting Portia in the face. Her blush, if possible, deepened even more and she pushed past Portia, wasting no time in burying her face in her cool pillow.

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