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“There you are,” my brother said. “What’s the holdup?”
My brother, Anders Tamm, Grand Prince of Candara, first in line for the throne, stood before me. He was dressed in a gray suit and white shirt, his tie a lovely paisley. Anders was tall and stoic, like our father. Everything about Anders was serious and regal, and it was easy to see just from his bearing that he’d been raised from birth to one day rule the country.
He was also as frustratingly overprotective as our father. “Still getting ready,” I said.
He craned his neck, looking over my shoulder and at the empty suitcases on my bed.
“Those are empty. What’s going on? What’ve you been doing in here this whole time? We’re supposed to be leaving in thirty minutes.”
“Good evening, my prince.” Anna bowed her head slightly, a little smile on her face, her cheeks red in the way they always were when she spoke to my brother. Anna, despite being a good six years older than Anders, had a mad crush on him. It was a secret kept with deadly seriousness, with Anna knowing that there was no chance, she being an attendant and Anders being a prince,that anything could ever happen between them.
Anders sighed, shaking his head, suggesting that he’d forgotten his manners.
“Anna, good evening. My apologies for not greeting you. I’m a little preoccupied with my dear sister here who seems intent on disobeying the directions of our father at every turn.”
“Think nothing of it, my prince.”
Anders allowed his eyes to linger on hers for a moment before turning his attention back to me.
“You need to get packed –now. I’m going to give you ten minutes to fill those suitcases, otherwise, I’m going to come in here and do it myself. So, unless you want me going through your underthings—”
“Absolutely not!” I exclaimed.
“Then get moving. I’ll check back in ten minutes. Any longer than that and Father’s not going to be happy in the slightest.”
“I can’t believe this,” I muttered. “Being carted off to God-knows-where for God-knows-how-long.”
He stepped forward, placing his hands on my shoulders. Even though I was angry, I couldn’t help but feel calmed by his presence. It was the regal bearing, the same that Father possessed.
“Please understand, Vic,” he said. “We’re doing this to keep you safe.”
“No,” I said, stepping back and letting his hands fall from my shoulders. “You and Father both want me encompassed within a glass case; a pretty little butterfly that’s there to admire and nothing more. I’ve never had freedom, Anders. Sometimes, like now, it’s more egregious than others.”
He ran his hand through his dark hair.
“One day you’ll understand.”
“I doubt it.”
I turned and stormed back to my luggage, hearing Anna saying something quickly to Anders—likely apologizing on my behalf—before shutting the door.
“I could leave,” I said, turning my attention to the endless city beyond. “I know ways out of the palace. I could leave and let that be the end of it, start a new life on my own.”
Anna approached, and gently placed her hand on my shoulder.
“You know that would break your father’s heart.”
I sighed. She was right.
“I know. As always, I have no choice but to obey.”
Anna turned to me, opened her arms, and pulled me into a tight hug.
“I’ll miss you. I know this seems silly to you, but your father wouldn’t be going to all of this trouble if he didn’t believe you were in real danger.”
“I suppose.”
She tilted her head toward the luggage.
