1 Dragged to the palace

Frankie gave a disdainful look at the black fancy Lamborghini that awaited her at the bottom of the church steps with the chauffeur who opened the door to her. Angrily she picked up her gown and quickly trotted down the steps, she spared no look at the chauffeur who closed the back door after her and got on his seat driving her away. She watched as the city buildings raced against her and her eyes pooled.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back on the car seat losing conscious of time. The car got to the airport where her door was open, she walked out and followed her chauffeur to a section where a tiny jet awaited her. Black uniformed men stood on each side of the stairs as if they were afraid, she would try to escape.

Foolish men!

Still holding her gown, she went up the stairs and met an air hostess who spoke a lot while she sat on the nearest seat she could find. When the air hostess finished saying whatever she was saying, she fastened the seat belt for her and the jet took off. Her eyes remained glued on the window, a silent farewell to the country she had grown up in, the country she had known all her life. Tears pooled on her eyes but she shut them to keep them in.

She wouldn't shed a tear in the hands of her adversary no matter what. All she heard several hours later was the jet touching the ground softly. Her heartbeat accelerated; this was it, her new life? The air hostess announced landing and she didn't bother to listen to anything else. When the door finally opened, she sprung up and walked out. The chilly atmosphere that greeted her was expected, without a pullover or a sweater or jacket, she descended the stairs, caught a glimpse of men in black surrounding the area where the jet had landed without caring to see how far they went.

A few feet in front of her were a convoy of black sleek cars, when she noticed one opening, she went towards it and got in and heard the door shut softly behind her. The damn royal family didn't even bother to come get her, what a way to welcome their daughter-in-law. The convoy went and when it stopped, she looked out of her window to see a great and magnificent palace, she didn't even bother looking at it much not wanting to get caught in its beauty. Her throat tightened when she noticed people at the entrance. The chauffeur in her car alighted, and opened the door for her. A marbled path with great tall, straight trees on the side led way to the palace's great entrance.

She lifted her gown, a little conscious of how she looked in white all alone without a groom. She covered the few distance to the palace as she guessed was expected of her. As she had expected, the king, queen, the prince and princess were present. She blinked a bit, were there not supposed to be two princes. She only hoped that the one in front of her was her husband. She could at least wish he had come to meet her at the entrance. Only luck wasn't hers.

"Oh, my dear, you must be so cold, you look pale," the queen ranted about much to Frankie's surprise, she expected a cold royal family as they were known as. "My bad, I am Queen Elizabeth honey, you must be Frankie, oh forgive us, dear we wished to have come to you…"

The king interrupted his wife politely. "Frankie, my wife is so anxious to meet you, please come in, it's a bit warm inside."

Frankie didn't say anything but followed them inside. The building was large as expected of a palace, she didn't even let her eyes wander at all. "Ohm, honey, have a seat." She sat and so did the royal family where an uncomfortable silence reigned after. "I," the queen made an attempt to break the silence. "I am so sorry for my son's behavior; I assure you he has no excuse to behave the way he did." She stopped and took a breath. "But I assure you he will be here soon." her eyes went to the door as if she was also waiting for him.

So, the prince in front of her was not him? As they 'waited' for her husband for hours, the royal family introduced themselves and made her do the same. She only said her name, which she was sure they were aware of and what city she came from, what was there else to add? Over a cup of tea, she heard them speak about this and that and their thoughts on certain things to which she didn't even bother listening to. The only person who broke her from her world a while later was the princess, Arielle.