Rosangela: The Runaway Princess (Book #2)

Upon arriving at the palace, we went straight to Prince Xavier’s bedroom. I felt utterly exhausted, so directly after I entered the room, I just flung off my coat, throwing it to the floor, then kicked off my shoes, and lastly crashed out on the sofa.

Before I drifted into a dream world, I felt Xavier putting a blanket over me. “Good night, Little Pet. Sweet dreams,” he whispered softly.

It felt as though I’d only just slept when all of a sudden I was woken by Xavier’s irritating voice.

“Wakey-wakey, Little Pet!” he yelled.

Ignoring him, I turned on my side and pulled the blanket up to my forehead.

“Hey, come on, rise and shine, Little Pet!” He began shaking my shoulders.

I still paid no heed at Xavier and preferred to burrow down beneath the blanket.

Because I still didn’t want to wake up, Xavier finally torn the blanket off me.

“Come on, sleepy head, it’s time for you to get up!” He took hold of me by the shoulders hoisted me up into a sitting position.

Without bothering to open my eyes, I lay back down on the sofa and said blearily, “Why did you wake me up, Xavier? I’m still sleepy, you know.”

“Hey, how can you still feel sleepy after sleeping solidly for twelve hours?” Xavier grumbled.

Hearing his words, my eyes snapped open and I jolt up into a sitting position. “Have I really slept that long?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yeah. If you don’t believe me, go and see for yourself! The sun was just setting.” Xavier nodded in the direction of the windows.

I twisted in the sofa to look out of the window. Xavier’s words proved right. I noticed the sun sank below the horizon.

“Wow I must be tired out until I overslept!” I mumbled to myself.

“Go and freshen up! I’ve run a bath for you,” Xavier told me.

“You did?” I said incredulously.

“Yeah,” he said, “Go now! I’ll make breakfast while you’re having a bath.”

“You? Making breakfast? I don’t believe it!” I sneered.

“Fine. I won’t cook breakfast; I will only ask the chefs to prepare breakfast for us,” he admitted reluctantly.

“Of course!” I rolled my eyes.

“I’ll be right back!” Xavier spun on his heels and with that he pranced out of the room, shutting the door after him.

As soon as Prince Xavier disappeared behind the door, I dragged myself out of the sofa and plodded towards the bathroom. I tore off my clothes and stepped into the bathtub.

After my bath, I pulled out the plug and let the water drain away before I got out of the bathtub. Wrapping a towel around myself, I left the bathroom and made for the walk-in closet to slip on a soft pink dress and tie my hair back in a long thick plait.

When I stepped out of the walk-in closet, the sliding doors to the balcony burst open and Xavier went in. I noticed that he wasn’t wearing the same clothes he had on before. If a few minutes ago Prince Xavier only donned a blue T-shirt and black sweatpants, now, he looked much fresher and neat in a clean white shirt with a jacket over it, a pair of grey trousers, and matching shoes. I guessed he must have changed clothes while I was taking a bath.

“Ah Angela, I was just about to call you, but you already came out,” Xavier told me.

“Oh,” was my only answer.

“Come on, breakfast’s ready!” Without warning, he took me by the hand and drew me onto the balcony with hardwood decking and steel balustrade which was entwined with rambling roses. This balcony overlooked the back of the castle with magnificent views of the forest and mountain surrounding the palace.

“Wow! Amazing view!” I whispered in awe.

“Sure is,” Xavier agreed.

“Let’s have breakfast now, shall we? I’m famished!” said Xavier.

I chuckled. “Okay, let’s!”

Prince Xavier put his arm around my waist and steered me towards a small table in the center of the balcony. The table was graced with a white tablecloth with a lace frill around the edge and candles along with a vase of fresh flowers in the middle. Two large plates of pasta and two glasses of water were served on the table.

I didn’t believe that Prince Xavier would prepare a romantic candlelit dinner for me. Yeah, although for vampires, this was a breakfast. But because night already fell, I considered it a dinner.

“Please take a seat!” Xavier said as he gallantly pulled out a chair for me.

“Thank you,” I said before sitting on the chair.

“My pleasure,” Xavier beamed. Afterwards, he walked around the table and eased himself into a chair across from me.

“I’ve no idea that you can be very romantic,” I blurted out.

Xavier burst out laughing. “So you think I am romantic?”

I felt a warm blush rise to my cheeks and turned away to hide it from Xavier. “Forget it!” I said curtly.

He laughed louder.

I ignored Xavier’s laughter and preferred to look at the food on the table. A frown creased my forehead when I noticed there was something missing.

“Wait! Why is there no blood on the table?” I asked in bewilderment.

“I don’t want to drink blood in front of you,” replied Xavier.

“Even though you don’t drink blood in front of me, you must have mixed a few drops of blood into your food, because without adding blood, you’re unable to eat human food, right? So it won’t make any difference,” I said frostily.

“Just a minute!” he interposed. “How do you know about it?”

“Like I said before, my werewolf boyfriend who told me everything about vampires,” I lied.

“It’s most odd that your werewolf boyfriend knows a lot of things about vampires,” Xavier remarked.

“I think that isn’t strange. I mean, it’s important to know your enemy’s strengths and weaknesses, right?” I reasoned.

“That makes sense,” Xavier commented.

I quietly let out a sigh of relief because Xavier bought my lies.

“I am wondering. Because your lover is a werewolf, do you consider vampires your enemies too?” Xavier questioned me.

“No, I don’t,” I gave an unhesitating answer.

He arched his eyebrows. “Why?”

‘Part of me is a vampire, so how can I make enemies of them?’ I wanted to say it but thought better of it. Instead I replied, “I don’t know why vampires and werewolves become sworn enemies, but one thing is for sure, I don’t like making enemies of anyone.”

“But--”

“I think we’d better drop the subject,” I cut him off, “Let’s tuck in before it gets cold!”

“Fine.” Xavier nodded in agreement.

I poked at the pasta with a fork and brought it into my mouth. At the same time, Xavier also dug into his plate of pasta.

“Do you like the food?” Xavier queried.

I swallowed the food before answering, “Yeah, I do. It’s very delicious.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He gave a satisfied smile.

I returned his smile.

We continued to eat our meal. While Xavier was busy forking food into his mouth, I secretly stole a glance at him.

‘What’s got into Prince Xavier tonight? Why does he suddenly behave very sweetly towards me?’ I was wondering.

‘If Xavier continues to behave very nicely towards me like this, I might end up falling for him.’ A thought suddenly floated into my mind.

I quickly dismissed the idea with a firm shake of my head. ‘Oh what’s wrong with me? I must be crazy to think I will end up falling in love with Xavier.’

‘Don’t let him ensnare you with his charm, Rosanne! Although Xavier makes a great show of affection now, but I know he doesn’t mean it. You never know where you stand with him--one minute he’s friendly, the next he’ll be very aloof. So, you’d better not let your guard down when you’re with him,’ my conscience advised me.

‘Don’t think negative of Xavier! He seems sincere now,’ I defended him.

‘If you don’t listen to me, you’ll only regret it later,’ my conscience warned me.

‘Yeah, whatever,’ I said nonchalantly.

All of a sudden, Xavier looked up from his food. He flashed me a smile when he caught me staring at him.

I smiled back awkwardly and then went on eating.

Once I ate all the food up, I took a drink from the glass and then put it down. Xavier did the same too.

After having breakfast, or dinner, or whatever you wanted to call it, we lingered on the balcony. Xavier and I stood on the edge of the balcony, admiring the view of the mountains and a vast area of forest that surrounded the kingdom of Nightshades.

“Angela, I have a small present for you,” Xavier announced.

“A present?” I asked enthusiastically.

“Yes. Wait a second!” Prince Xavier reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a jewellery case.

“Here you are,” Xavier said as he shoved the jewellery case into my hand.

I regarded the jewellery case suspiciously. “Don’t tell me it’s another collar again!”

“I can assure you that it’s not a collar,” he convinced me.

“What is this then?” I queried warily.

“Open it and look for yourself!” he commanded.

I flipped the lid open gingerly and looked inside the jewellery case. I gasped as I found a necklace with white gold chain and heart shaped ruby pendant in it.

“Wow, Xavier, it’s so beautiful!” I commented in awe.

“You’re telling me!” he agreed.

“Is this necklace really for me?” I wanted to make sure.

“Of course,” he replied.

“Thank you so much for your present, Xavier,” I said gratefully.

“Don’t mention it!” he responded with a warm smile.

I could help but to smile at him in return.

“Do you like it?” he enquired.

“Yeah,” I answered, “l really love it.”

“I’m so happy to know that you love my present. You know, I select the necklace myself,” he told me.

“Really?” I said incredulously.

He nodded.

“I am just wondering. What did you prepare a romantic candlelit dinner and give me a present for, Xavier? I mean today is not a special occasion, is it?” I inquired.

“I’m doing this because I want to make up for what I’ve done to you the previous night,” he explained.

“Oh,” was my only comment.

“So, have you forgiven me now?” he asked pleadingly.

“I suppose so,” I said dully.

“Yes!” Xavier exclaimed. There was a note of excitement in his voice.

“Do you want to try it on?” he queried.

“Yes,” I answered unhesitatingly.

“Let me help you to put it on!” he offered.

“Okay.” I nodded in agreement.

Xavier removed the necklace from the jewellery case. He then spun me around so my back pressed against his chest. Next, he moved my hair to the side and was about to put the necklace on me, but suddenly came to a halt.

“What’s this?” Xavier asked, reaching underneath my clothes for the locket I was wearing around my neck, and took it out.

'Drat! I forgot about my locket,' I thought, panicked.

Xavier tried to yank the locket off me, but I grabbed his hand, holding him back.

“No, don’t take it off!” I screeched.

“Angela, I need to take this locket off if you want to wear the necklace from me, right?” Xavier said calmly.

I turned around to face him and shook my head violently. “No, you must not take off my locket in any circumstances!”

He frowned in puzzlement. “Why?”

‘Because if you take off my locket, everyone will find out that I am a half-blood vampire, you asshole,’ I cursed in my mind.

“Why didn’t you answer me, Angela? Why can’t I take of your locket?” Xavier’s question snapped me out of my trance.

“Because this locket belonged to my late lamented mother. My father gave it to me after my mother passed away. I have been wearing it ever since. That’s why I don’t want you to take my locket off, Xavier. I can never part with this locket,” I elaborated.

Well, I wasn’t lying to him. This locket indeed belonged to my mother and she had given it to me when I was a baby. I just didn’t tell Xavier that the locket was able to conceal my vampire scent.

“I am so sorry to hear of your mother’s death, Angela,” Xavier said sympathetically.

“Thanks.” I gave a rueful smile.

“But I really want to see you wearing this necklace. So please you have to try it on, okay?” he persuaded me.

I sighed. “Fine, I’ll put on the necklace from you. But I want to keep wearing my locket too, okay?”

“No problem,” said Xavier.

I turned around again, and finally, Prince Xavier clasped the necklace around my neck.

He twirled me around and complimented, “The necklace looks beautiful on you, Angela.”

I felt a warm blush rise to my cheeks at his compliance.

“Now that you’re wearing this necklace, everyone will know that you’re mine,” Xavier stated with a smug expression on his face.

I furrowed my eyebrows. “How can someone knows I’m yours when I’m wearing this necklace? I mean, this necklace looks the same as other necklace.”

Xavier’s face wrinkled in a grin. “If you look carefully, you can just see my name inscribed at the back of the pendant.”

I examined the necklace. Xavier’s words proved right. His name was indeed engraved at the back of the pendant.

“I change my mind. I don’t like this necklace. I do not want to wear this anymore.” I tried to unclasp the necklace, but quickly pulled back my hand when I suddenly got an electric shock from the necklace.

“Ouch! That hurt!” I groaned.

Xavier laughed. “Try as you might, but you can never take of the necklace, Angela!”

“What are you talking about?” I demanded.

“I had a witch made the necklace especially for you. I am the only one who can take off the necklace. If you try to take it off by yourself, you’ll get a shock,” Xavier explained with a wicked smile.

‘A witch? Of course. King Bellamy also told me that my mother got my locket from a witch. It uses a special spell to conceal my vampire scent from every vampire and other supernatural creatures,’ I thought angrily.

“And for your information,” Xavier added, “that necklace has a tracking device in it. So I’ll always know your whereabouts even though you’re not at my side.

My eyes widened in surprise. “What?!”

‘How stupid of you, Rosanne! You should have known that Xavier must be up to some mischief when he suddenly behaved very nicely towards you!’ my inner voice mocked me.

‘Yeah, I should have listened to you,’ I thought regretfully.

“I’ll pay you back for tricking me into wearing this necklace, Xavier!” I bellowed.

“Catch me if you can!” Xavier challenged and made a break for the sliding doors that connected the balcony with the bedroom.

“Xavier! Come back here and take this blinking necklace off me!” I yelled as I chased after him.

Prince Xavier ran out of the room with me in hot pursuit before haring away down the corridor. I pelted down the corridor after him.

Xavier turned to the left hallway. I came after him only to go slap into someone. I looked up to see the man whom I had just bumped into. My eyes rounded with surprise when I knew he was the very same guard who was always suspicious of me.

‘Oh no, not him again!’ I thought.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

He only replied with a grunt.

I tried to brush past the guard, but he seized hold of my arm, holding me back.

“Please let me go! I need to run after Prince Xavier,” I pleaded.

Instead of letting go of me, the guard’s fingers dug painfully into my arm.

I winced in pain. “Ouch! Get off me, you’re hurting me!”

His hold on my arm tightened and I felt a bruise began to form.

“If you don’t want to leave go of my arm now, I will tell on you to Prince Xavier,” I threatened.

At last, the annoying guard relinquished my arm.

Giving the guard a hostile glare, I started to move round him, but he blocked my way.

“Excuse me, could you let me through? I’m in a hurry now.” Although I was annoyed with the guard, but I still tried to be polite to him.

The guard refused to budge. Instead he stormed, “How can you sleep at night knowing someone got hurt because of you?”

“What are you talking about?” I asked innocently.

“You know damn well what I mean!” he growled.

“No, I really don’t have the remotest idea what you’re on about,” I blustered.

“Fine. Because you choose to act dumb, let me explain! You have assaulted the poor Mariana until she lapsed into a coma, but your face doesn’t register the slightest hint of repentance. How could you?” The guard scoffed. His voice was full of venom.

I tried to remain calm after hearing his remarks. It’s nonsense to say I was not consumed with guilt for what I had done to Mariana. I bitterly regretted ever having lost my temper that day until I unintentionally hurt Mariana,only I tried not to let my remorse show.

“Why should I feel sorry when it’s not my fault?” I lied smoothly, “You know what? I think you are the one who should feel bad. You all know that the head maid, an important person in this palace, is badly injured, but none of you show her any sympathy. Instead, all of you behave as if nothing had happened, and you even threw a ball without caring about Mariana’s condition.”

“It’s not that we don’t care what’s happened to Mariana. But the ball had been arranged since a few weeks ago and the invitations had been sent out too, so we could not cancel it at the last minute,” he made up an excuse.

“Anyway,” he added, “we ought not to feel guilty about enjoying ourselves at the ball because we have never attacked Mariana. On the contrary, it’s quite clear that you’re her assailant. So, you should have felt remorseful for what you had done to her.”

I gave a short, derisive laugh. “You’re talking a load of garbage! Everyone knows the attacker was very strong--so that lets me out.”

“It’s not rubbish- I’m pretty sure that it’s you who have attacked Mariana. I know you aren’t as weak as you seem to be,” he said with confidence.

“There is no proof that I’m the attacker, and you don’t have a witness to the attack either, right? So stop pointing an accusing finger at me!” I hissed.

“You’re right,” he admitted, “It’s a pity that I don’t have any evidence to support my allegation. But I’m certain that it’s only a matter of time before everyone finds out that you’re the person who has attacked Mariana.”

“I’ve told you time after time that I didn’t do that,” I protested my innocence.

“Although you refuse to admit your guilt, but inevitably the truth will out one way or another. So you better brace yourself for the punishment that my king will mete out to you,” the guard remarked.

I clenched my fists to stop myself trembling. ‘The guard is right. Sooner or later everyone will eventually get at the truth. And if anyone ever finds out that I’m the real culprit, there’ll be hell to pay. The very thought of being punished by King Joaquin really freaks me out. I don’t want it to happen to me. What shall I do now?’

'Calm down, Rosanne! Don’t get so agitated! This time next week you’ll no longer be here because Sigmund will have picked you up. So you don’t have to be afraid of the guard’s threat,' my conscience said soothingly.

‘What if they discover the truth before next week?’ I asked apprehensively.

‘Don’t always think the worst! You have to be optimistic that everything will go sweetly and according to plan,’ my conscience advised me.

‘Yes, I hope so,’ I prayed.

“Why do you suddenly become very quiet, Angela? Are you thinking of the punishment that King Joaquin will inflict to you? You must be so frightened until it makes you at a loss for words, right?” The guard laughed mockingly.

I opened my mouth to answer him back, however, Prince Xavier suddenly appeared and he talked to the guard angrily, “That is a serious accusation, so make sure you have plenty of evidence before you point the finger at Angela.”

“I admit now I am not able to give evidence that your pet is Mariana’s attacker, Your Highness, but she can’t prove her innocence either, right?” the guard said irritably.

“Both of you cannot prove your point, then you’re even. So, stop trying to put the blame on Angela’s shoulders!” Xavier said with emphasis.

Before the annoying guard could respond, Xavier took my hand in his firm warm clasp and pulled me away from him.

“I’ll prove that your pet is the attacker, just you wait, Your Highness!” the guard shouted after us.

Fortunately, Prince Xavier just brushed him off and continued walking off.

“Xavier, why don’t you keep standing up for me even though I don’t have any evidence that will prove my innocence?” I asked after we reached his study.

Xavier explained, “In this kingdom, you are innocent until proved guilty. Because that guard can’t provide any proof that you’re the assailant, so I feel obligated to stand up for you, Angela.”

“Thank you for everything you have done for me, Xavier,” I said with a grateful smile.

“Hey, no sweat!” he responded, smiling back at me.

'Obviously, Xavier isn’t as bad as I thought. He sincerely cares about me and is always ready to stand up for me,' I thought.