Bondage (formerly Escape from the Obstinate Prince)

Jack frowned. He didn’t know whether to go apologize or to just stay where he was and wait for the Princess to come to her senses and apologize to him for threatening to dump her drink on his head.

Father would want me to say sorry. So would Mother. And Madison as well. But I don’t want to! She shouldn’t be a brat all the time and go off in a huff, his frown deepened. Why did girls have to be so touchy? All he said was something about how only children drank milk. He cringed. Maybe it did sound a bit mean, he sighed. But she still threatened me!

“Well I should probably be getting back to my father’s shop.” Portia’s voice cut through his thoughts and he looked up.

“Right.” he said. He had completely forgotten that she was still there.

“I don’t suppose I’ll see you again after you get married.” Portia sighed wistfully. “It’s a shame you have to get married to her.”

Jack shrugged. “It’s a shame I have to get married at all.” he tugged at his collar. “This savage heat is going to be the death of me.”

He sat back in his chair and pulled the letter out of his agonizingly hot tunic, fanning himself with it.

Then a thought struck him, the letter came to a stand-still. He turned to Portia. “How would you like to come with us and be Ami’s lady-in-waiting?”

Porta looked at Jack with a black face. Slowly a smile grew on her face and she jumped at Jack, wrapping her arms around him. “Why, yes! Yes, of course!”

Jack grimaced and warily eyed the guards that stood nearby. “Yes, very well.” he patted her back and tried to pry her arms off of him. “I’ll have a guard go with you to your bakery and you can gather your belongings and tell your father that you’ll be going.”

“My bakery?” she pulled back.

“Your father’s bakery, if you want to be technical.” he corrected himself.

“Oh.” understanding filled her eyes. “But you needn’t send a guard with me, I’ll just be right back.”

“As you wish.” Jack nodded. “Once you’re done you may go to the Princess’ room and tell her that you’re her new lady-in-waiting.”

Portia quickly nodded before going out the door, and within minutes she was back with her bag of possessions in tow.

“That was quick.” Jack evaluated her clothing. “That’ll do for now. We’ll get you some nicer clothes when we reach the castle.”

“Thank ya, Jack.” she practiced a curtsy and hurried up the stairs, presumably to break the news to Ami.

Jack chuckled to himself, almost hoping that Ami would hate her new lady-in-waiting, and almost hoping that she would approve of who he had picked.

<><><>

“You’re what?” Ami’s eyes blazed, and if looks could kill, Portia would have had a hole searing through her body.

“Your new lady-in-waiting.” Portia looked as if she were trying to withholding a smug grin, and yet trying to look quite innocent at the same time. “Jack appointed me, and who am I to say no to the Prince?”

You’re a very conniving old girl, that’s who! Ami took a deep breath to calm herself down. “Very well then, you may start by helping me undress. With this dreadful heat I’m afraid I shall need some more suitable clothing. In my haste, I regret to say that I did not consider the difference in climate when I was packing.”

“Such a shame.” Portia put her bags on the floor and started to unlace her dress. “Didn’t you have any servants?”

“Of course I did. But what is the point in being lazy? I’m not one of those girls who flirts with any boy she comes across.” Ami stepped out of her dress and let Portia work on her corset. “Oh!” she jerked as a Portia pulled tightly on the strings of her corset. He closed her eyes and gritted her teeth to keep from lashing out at Portia.

“I am so dreadfully sorry.” Porta feigned sadness. “I’ve never actually known someone who needed help undressing, and so I’m unsure as to how corsets work, as I have never worn them myself.”

Ami tilted her head upward and tried her best not to smack Portia in the face. “Thank you, Portia. You have helped me quite enough, I shall retire for the night.”

The corset had barely been untied before she hopped into bed and pulled the covers over her head, even though the heat was unbearable. The nerve of Jack! To send a peasant to be my lady-in-waiting! Is he purposely trying to insult me? I have tried time and again to be nice, but he absolutely refuses to return the kindness! She rolled over. Father forgive me, but I cannot love that man, or pretend to even like the idea of marrying him. If only he were kind! Then I’m sure I could love him.

Her words of only weeks ago came flashing back. If he looked good and was mean, I could bear it. Her eyes popped open and a red flushed her cheeks. How could she have said such a thing? She detested the Prince when she thought he was ugly. And yet when she discovered that he was quite the handsome young man, she still hated him.

What a fool I was. What an ignorant fool I was to believe that I could like him if his looks were bearable, she shook her head. He tries to poke fun at everything I do and has no concern for my feelings whatsoever.

She didn’t know whether to be angry or cry. Although she would not give Portia the satisfaction of hear her sniffling on her first night in Carenthia. No, she was quite angry that he was so un-disconcerted by her bouts of chastisement.

I shall try my best to be kind to him, as it is my duty as a Christian and as the Princess of Rhone, but if he so much as thinks of lashing out at me, I shall not hesitate to write mother and father, she angrily turned in her bed.

She stopped her angry thoughts before they resulted in heated arguments and tears. Deep breathes. In and out. There we go. Oh God help me. I cannot love him when he is so cruel. Surely this marriage is meant to be, but if so, I can’t help but wonder why you would let me suffer so much.

<><><>

Jack did not sleep well. In fact, he could hardly sleep at all. He did not expect Ami to like milk and he certainly did not expect her to find offense in his statement. Although she had. And now, as he watched the sun rise, he could not help but wonder if he should tell her that he was sorry for his rather rude behavior.

He sat up in his bed. Would she even let him talk to her? Did he really care enough to actually talk to her? He sighed. His father would have his neck if he didn’t. That is if he finds out, he smiled evilly before his grimace returned. Mad will find out one way or another, and he will have my neck before Father does.

He hopped out of bed and quickly got dressed. He was not going to wear his tunic today. It was hot enough as it was and he was just going to be riding today with his guards, the Princess and Portia. They would not care if he was dressed in merely his shirt and breeches. He cringed, hoping that Ami would not push on his being proper in front of ladies and guards.

He opened the door of his room and walked in front of the Ami’s room. At least he thought that it was her room. He couldn’t be sure.

His hand hovered over the door. Was it improper to knock on his betrothed’s door? Would he be hanged from a rope? He silently cursed himself for not listening to his Father’s lectures.

Knock knock knock. He put his hand down and waited for someone to answer the door.

Portia was the one who opened the door and her eyes widened. “Prince Jacques, I-I mean Jack, I didn’t expect to see you here-”

“I’m here to speak with the Princess.” he interrupted. He was not in the mood for incompetence.

“Yes, of course.” she curtsied and walked to the bed, shaking Her Majesty.

He toed the door, accidentally opening it farther.

Ami rolled over. “What is it Portia? Must you wake me in such a rude manner?”

Jack raised an eyebrow. I’ll make a mental note not to wake her highness once we are married, his eyebrows furrowed. Once they were married, would they be forced to sleep in the same room? Or worse...the same bed? He scrunched his nose and willed the unpleasant thoughts to leave him.

Ami sat up in her bed and her eyes popped open as she caught sight of Jack. She quickly gathered the blankets around her, despite the early morning heat. “Portia, fetch me my robe, please.” she looked back at Jack. “Have you no decency?”

When he said nothing, only giving her a blank stare, she rolled her eyes. “Please turn your back. We are not married as of yet.”

He willed himself not to blush and turned away from her bedroom. He could hear her climbing out of bed and the ruffling of cloth against cloth.

“You may turn.” her voice was soaked with authority and he wondered if he should bow down to her. Did his father ever tell him if he should bow? He shook his head. He was the Prince. He would not bow to her.

“Ami, I must speak with you.” he glanced at the eager Portia. “Privately, if you please.”

“I’m afraid that it is quite indecent for us to be alone before marriage.” Ami informed him almost indifferently. “Whatever you have to say, I’m sure that Portia can hear it as well.”

His anger peaked. Was this she-devil trying to goad him to strangle her pretty little neck? “I’m afraid it cannot be stated in front of Portia and I will be sure not to invade upon your privacy in the future. Good day, Your Highness.” he glared, completely forgetting his reason for knocking on her door, and slammed it shut as loudly as he could.

He crossed his arms, I don’t think I can live with the prissy and stuck-up Princess! I won’t be a day before I strangle her, I’m sure. There I was, ready to apologize, but no, she went and told me things I already knew. Not married, he scoffed, who does she think she is? Talking to her alone would be far from dangerous. I have no desire to even touch the creature, let alone do something indecent, he scrunched his nose.

He wouldn’t complain if he had to hold her in his arms or even kiss her hand. He frowned. Oh yes I would. I wouldn’t touch her for a hundred sovereigns, he took a deep breath and opened the door to his room and a little voice in the back of his head decided to make an appearance. But you would touch her for five hundred sovereigns, he whacked his head with his hand. “She is a girl and I do not actually want to be near her, I’m going through with the bet so that I can best Mad and show him that I am not so un-irresistible as he thinks!”

He looked around his room, realizing that several guards could have heard him. He quickly prayed that none of them had heard his rant. “Oh whatever, I don’t care.”

He started looking around for things to stuff in his travel cases before realizing it had already been done. He sighed and flopped down on bed.

This morning has been a disaster.