*Long Chapter*

-Jade-

Outside the carriage, commotion erupted. People gathered around it and called out after 'Prince William' when they saw William sitting in the front of the carriage.

Most of the ones who were calling out for him were worried, or completely distraught, by the sight of him.

Jade on the other hand, was shocked by the fact that he actually was royalty. It made no sense that he had chosen her.

"Out of my way!" Jade heard a man's voice call out.

The owner of the voice sounded distressed, and he must have been wearing some sort of wooden shoes because the sound of them hitting the cobblestone reminded Jade of little Peter playing with his wooden blocks. It clicked and clocked with the man's every step.

"My prince! What happened to you?" The man asked loudly and his voice was now high-pitched. "Where is the driver? This is outrageous!"

Jade waited patiently in her seat. She did not want to get out of the carriage when there were so many gathered outside of it. The carriage moved as William jumped down from it. She heard how he gave each horse an encouraging loud pat. The poor creatures hadn't gotten any rest since they left the inn so the praise was more than well deserved.

"Bandits." William answered the man shortly and went to the door of the carriage.

It's not just me he is short with... Jade thought and felt a bit relieved. At least that is some sort of comfort.

"Did you bring the girl?" The man seemed excited and followed William.

"Yes." He answered in an indifferent tone and opened the door.

Jade flinched. She had been sitting in the exact place since they had left the inn. Her legs curled up to her body and her arms wrapped around herself.

William and the man, who appeared to be some sort of priest, were looking at her. Well, William was looking, the priest was staring.

The priest wore black robes and around his waist a rosary hung close to his hand. He was almost completely bald, except for some single strands of hair on his head. There was a nervous smile on his lips. Jade was surprised of his many wrinkles. Age had not been kind to this man, and he seemed quite old she thought. 

Despite the lack of hair on the man's head, his eyebrows were bushy and grey. They gave him a very distinct and easily read face as they conveyed his thoughts. His nervous smile and eyes turned shocked, and somewhat disappointed when they landed on Jade inside of the dark carriage.

"Oh my-!" He exclaimed but quickly turned silent when William have him a piercing dark look. "Look at the state of her! How dirty she is! Is this really the girl that-"

"We were attacked by bandits! Did you expect her to be dressed in a gown without a single hair out of order? After a long and hard journey?" William hissed at the priest. 

The old man averted his gaze and took a step back while William offered one hand to Jade, motioning her to leave her seat. She rose with shaking legs to take his hand. She tried her very best to seem more gracious than she was, despite of her clumsy and numb feet, as she walked the few steps towards William and took his hand. 

Before she could get her first foot onto the step, he put his hands around her waist. She nervously met his eyes before he easily lifted her down from the carriage and placed her in front of him. There was almost no room between them and she could feel him eyeing her up and down. She had completely forgotten about the priest next to them when he answered William's question from earlier:

"Of course not, my prince. It just that... The girl looks nothing like the one you mentioned. The girl you praised-" Jade glanced curiously at the priest. Was he just about to say that William had praised her? Had he been talking about her before her arrival? 

"Fetch the servants." William interrupted harshly and turned his head towards the priest. "Have them pour her a bath and to get her some new clothes." He then turned his head towards Jade again and let go of her waist slowly. He placed his hands behind his back. "Have my servants do the same for me." He said and cleared his throat quietly.

"Of course, your grace." The priest answered and instantly yelled at some of the bystanders to get back to work. Jade guessed that some of them had to be servants. "You heard him! Get to work!"

Jade studied William underneath her eyelashes when neither of them said anything for a second. The only sound was the priest's orders being shouted to the servants around them. She couldn't believe that William had mentioned her before bringing her here. In her mind he had just picked her up along the way. Had he specifically come to get her?

"Are my parents nearby?" William suddenly asked the priest. He seemed uncomfortable that Jade had heard what the priest unfortunately let slip. Did he want to keep up some sort of mask that wouldn't let her know his true feelings or intentions?

Why would he hide something? Would it not be easier to tell me what he thinks of me?

"Yes, your grace. They should be in the library." The priest answered humbly. William nodded and left Jade with the priest. 

She watched him as he walked off to the large doors leading into the castle. Guards on duty quickly opened them for him and then he was gone.

"Is he always this cheerful?" Jade asked the priest quietly when William was no longer in her vicinity. His old eyes got a shocked expression in them and he made the sign of the cross in front of him and then her.

"Child!" He exclaimed in offense. "You are not to speak about his grace in that manner!" It sounded like the priest was upset that she had even asked him a question. "Prince William told me that you were of low birth but you should be careful of what comes out of that mouth of yours!" He scolded her. "Come along! You cannot meet the King and Queen in those rags." He said and pulled Jade by her arm against a door different to the one than William had entered.

They were heading to the left side of the castle and were passing a lot of people. All of them were eyeing her from top to toe. What Jade couldn't understand was why so many of the girls and women gave her nasty looks. They were either frowning or looking at her like she was something lesser than them.

"How could he choose someone so dirty?" She heard a a girl hiss close by. "We are the same she and I, but at least I am cleaner." The girl continued. Jade looked at her and found that it was indeed a girl speaking of her. Judging by her clothes, Jade figured she was a servant or at least a worker on the grounds. 

"I know! Look at her. She's got a cut in her face as well! It is definitely going to leave a scar! Imagine that, a scar!" Another girl, standing by the first one, said. "We'll see how much he wants her then."

The priest payed the girls no notice. He just kept pulling Jade towards a door. Jade on the other hand, felt accused of something that she didn't even want to be a part of. If the girls wanted to be angry at someone, they could tell William how they felt about him and not direct their venomous stares and sharp words at her. They could throw themselves at him, Jade wouldn't care. She did not want him.

It appeared to her that William seemed to be very popular among the women and girls around here. Everywhere she looked, there was a pair of dark eyes looking back at her as soon as they realized who she was. 

That William would be popular among the girls was not a surprise to Jade. Due to his good looks she thought it was logical that girls swooned over him in every which way he went. Just not herself. For all she cared, they could just take her place. However, if they knew how awful he could be, then maybe they wouldn't be pining so after him.

"If that is the type of girl he wants, he could have just walked outside and called out for any one of us. He didn't have to leave the kingdom to find someone like her." Another one said. Jade gave her an hurt look and really didn't like this type of attention. She just wanted to disappear and not be examined like some sort of object.

"I don't want to be here." She answered the woman. A hiss was her reply but Jade didn't hear most of it. She was more concerned with keeping her tears at bay, but she felt herself lose this battle with every step she took. More and more harsh words were thrown her way along the way and she had no protection against them. 

As they finally reached the door, Jade had tears in her eyes. Why did everyone say such horrible things about her? The girls and the women didn't seem to care that Jade heard them perfectly.

"I didn't choose this." She whispered to herself as the priest opened the door and pushed her through it. He wasn't being rough, but he wasn't gentle either. 

They walked through some more doors before entering something that looked like a cellar and then into a kitchen. Cooks and servant girls were running around preparing food. The cooks glanced her way but then continued working while girls stopped in their steps until someone shouted at them to not dawdle. To Jade's surprise, three girls smiled timidly at her. The rest of the girls gave her malicious looks, which also surprised her despite the greeting she had just received in the courtyard. Did everyone already know who she was?

Have I been expected? Jade wondered. Does every single human here know who I am?

"Here we are." The priest said as they stopped in front of a wooden door. It looked solid enough to contain the wildest of creatures, but in this case; it was just Jade. "In there a bath awaits you and in a few minutes, servants will come to help you... undress from these pieces." He said and gesticulated towards her clothes. It was clear that he thought that her clothes were something of the worst he had ever seen. Jade could almost read the word 'rags' in his eyes.

Can someone help me? 

"What are you waiting for? Go inside, child. Go!" He urged her when she didn't move. He waved his hands quickly at her to hurry. Jade put her hand on the handle and then hesitated.

"Are you going to lock it?" She asked silently.

"Lock it?" He asked surprised. "No, why would I?"

"He did." She replied and felt relieved from his answer.

"Who did, my child?" He asked and actually looked worried.

"William." She answered.

The priest exhaled in panic and once again did the sign of the cross while he mumbled something about her upbringing. Afterwards, he walked away from her and the sound of his shoes once again reminded her of Pete playing. Before the priest disappeared she heard him utter some words:

"Calling the prince... my lord...by his first name? Only the queen... no one... She would have been absolutely..."

Jade followed him with her eyes and wondered what she had done wrong. Was it because she called William by his first name? What was she supposed to call him? Was she supposed to address him as 'Prince William' or 'your grace'? Her mind was racing. She couldn't fathom that she was actually inside a castle. 

Carefully, Jade pushed the door open. It was quite heavy but she just managed. She looked around if someone was looking, or waiting for her as she entered. No one in sight... She concluded when no one else but her was in the room. She put her hands against the door and closed it behind her. 

As she took the room in she saw a large circular tub. It was by far the largest one she had ever seen! It was not made of wood like the one back home either. This one was made out of white marble and there were darker veins in it. Jade walked up to it slowly and touched the edge. She drummed her fingers against it's smooth surface and saw water in it. It was so hot that steam rose from it. It looked so heavenly that she slid her hand into the water; it felt wonderful and she bit her lower lip when her toes reminded her how numb they were from being cold for so long.

"Miss?" A voice called to her and Jade shrieked in fright. A woman rushed towards her with a soft smile and kind eyes. Her face was as kind as her eyes. "My apologies!" She exclaimed when she saw Jade's reaction. "I didn't mean to startle you, dear."

The woman was a bit round but not so much that you would call her fat or heavily set. She just had a rounder body... The hair was walnut colored and her eyes were pale green. Somehow, this woman radiated kindness and Jade felt calm from moment she laid her eyes on her. She has to be a mother... Jade thought. There was something about her that exuded a mother's softness and her voice was soothing enough to calm even a panicked soul such as Jade. 

Jade exhaled and placed her hand against her chest to calm herself down. The woman studied her for a moment and a warm expression found its way onto her face.

"Look at you..." She sighed in a smile, the pale green eyes glistened. "What a lovely little creature." Jade frowned, confused by the description. "You really look like someone he would..." The woman became quiet when it seemed like she wasn't allowed to say more. Had she also  heard of Jade before meeting her?

"Come, please. You look tired..." She said, took Jade's hands in hers and placed her next to the tub. "Let me help you out of these..." She said and pinched Jade's skirt between her fingers.

"Thank you, but I can undress myself..." Jade mumbled and stopped the woman from untying her blouse by removing her hands from herself. The woman looked offended and Jade quickly changed her answer. "I prefer to do it by myself, thank you."

The woman's face softened a bit and held up her hands against Jade, signing that she would let her do it herself.

"My apologies miss." She replied. "Get into the bath. I will fetch the girls and your clothes. We will have to take your measurements so we can decide which dresses you can wear." She said as she was reminding herself and not in fact telling Jade.

"You have clothes for me?" Jade asked suspiciously. The woman chuckled and clasped her hands in front of herself.

"But of course!" She answered joyfully. "The prince had dresses made for you long before you arrived! We can't have you walking around in your bare skin!" She laughed and Jade immediately felt a bit safe from the sound of it. 

The woman's laughter was the sweetest thing Jade had heard in days. It brought forth a timid smile on her lips. However, the woman mistook it for the news about William preparing things for Jade. 

"Look at you! You will be so good for him!" She added and her whole body jiggled in excitement as she took the sight of Jade in. She then left the room and left Jade alone with her thoughts.

Did she just say that he had the dresses made long before I arrived? How long has he prepared... When did he decide that I was going to be his wife?" Jade thought while undressing.

She dropped her skirt, blouse and underwear to the floor. Slowly, she climbed into the tub; the hot water burned her skin but she strangely enjoyed it. Her stiff and cold body sunk deeper into the burning hot water, but it was worth it. She endured the pain because at least it was better than not being able to feel her toes. 

Jade lowered herself even more into the water until it reached her lips and ignored the tingling sensation as her skin screamed for help. Her hair got a life of its own and billowed in the water. While her body became warmer, she relaxed and reveled in knowing that feel the dirt on her body dissolved with every second. The hot water cleansed her of the journey here and how awful it had been. 

Without any warning, the woman returned with four girls. Jade instantly sat up, crossed her legs and covered her breasts with her arms in the tub. However, no one seemed to care that she was naked. They only looked at her face. 

The woman walked first and delegated the girls' tasks. They got in line and Jade noticed how they were all holding a dress each which were all so beautiful. All of them was decorated with intricate patterns and impressive needlework. They were in different colors as well. Jade studied them as though they had hexed her. The dresses were green, blue, red and the last one was black.

"You look like a fish in water." The woman laughed and smiled at Jade.

"Do you want me to get up?" She asked and felt puzzled, and bothered, that the girls were just standing next to the tub. They looked like they waited for her and it stressed her, immensely.

"No! Absolutely not!" The woman objected. "Take your time! Dinner won't be served in hours. The rest needs to get ready as well..."

"The rest?" Jade asked as the woman took the liberty and started cleaning her hair. Something streamed down her face and it smelled heavenly. "What is this?" She wondered out loud and touched the substance and smelled it on her fingers. The girls giggled at her when she didn't know what it was.

"The prince and his parents. It is like soap for your hair, dear." She answered all of Jade's questions calmly. 

"Oh..." Jade mumbled curiously. 

The woman rinsed her hair, then picked up a yellowish cake of soap which she lathered a cloth with before scrubbing her back. Even though Jade was more than capable of doing it on her own.

She politely dared to ask to scrub herself and was once again met by confused and surprised looks. Does no one do things themselves around here? She thought and wondered if William had servants bathe him. How odd that must be... to have others bathe you? 

"Why do I need to attend this... dinner?" Jade asked. The girls couldn't hide their reactions and she heard little gasps slip out of them. The woman hushed them sharply and with equally sharp eyes.

"You are going to meet the King and Queen for the first time." She answered. Jade swallowed nervously and sunk a little bit deeper in the tub. Her stomach churned in anxiousness and it spread throughout her body of the thought of meeting William's parents.

- William -

Finally she was here! Finally he had gotten her to where he needed her to be. Here, with him. With a huge feeling of relief, he went to inform his father that he and Jade had arrived... almost unharmed.

His lip ached slightly but not as much as his knuckles. They were sore from punching the bandits bloody to get to Jade. As he walked through the castle, he relived echoes of Jade's terrified screams for help. The panic he had felt when she was crying out his name was indescribable. He had dropped his sword in a frenzy to get to her. He was thankful that she had not witnessed what he had done to the ones he had been fighting as she screamed. He had grabbed the first one with his bare hands and started beating him until he was unrecognizable. Over and over again he beat him. Afterwards, he could with great ease kill the other one. He had been so terrified of William that he hadn't even put up a fight. William grimaced at the memory. Not because of what he had done, but because what could have happened if she'd seen him in that state. 

If Jade had seen me like that... she would have been even more afraid of me than she already is... He thought and let out a heavy sigh. It upset him immensely that she seemed to be so scared of him. What was even worse was that she seemed to loath him somewhat. He suspected that she felt this way of him because of his demeanor and how he spoke to her... but... It was so hard to speak to her. He didn't know how to act around her... Everything he said she took as an insult, and it was almost all his fault. He just couldn't keep calm when he spoke to her, looked at her or just stood close to her. He panicked every time, and words that were meant to come out as a compliment, often sounded a like a rude remark as they left him. 

When William reached the door to the library he could hear his mother's shrill voice from inside. She was yelling at his father, about something stupid he was sure. He opened the door and they became quiet.

"Father." He said but only nodded at his mother. He didn't feel like talking to her.

"My son!" His father greeted him with a broad smile. "Finally, you are home! Did you bring her?"

"Yes. She is getting a bath and new clothes." William answered and did not even look at his mother. He already knew that she thought of this whole thing was outrageous. She had been infuriated when he had told them that he was planning on marrying a farmer's daughter. His father did not really mind what social class Jade came from, but his mother went into a pure fire spitting rage when she found out.

"Splendid." His mother said sarcastically.

"Behave." His father told her sternly. "What happened to you?" He asked, looking William up and down. "You look like something the cat dragged in."

"We got ambushed by bandits." William answered. "The driver was killed, we need to send someone after his body so his family can bury him."

His parents had very different reactions to his words; his mother didn't care... She didn't care about the staff at all. They were just shadows to her. His father, on the other hand, looked upset for a second. Then his face turned hard, as it did when he buried his feelings. The driver was a good man and had worked for them during many years. William couldn't remember when he had joined the staff... but he had been around since he was a child. It was a real shame that he had died such a useless death. 

"I will make the arrangements for his family." William's father sighed.

---------------------------------------------

I hope you liked this chapter!

Updated: 20th of September 2020

Love, Jenny