Princess and the Wolf

BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ

There goes my alarm again. I had already snoozed it 5 times this morning. The relentless jerk kept buzzing over and over again. I groaned and rolled over with my pillow on top of my head hoping it would turn off on its own.

It didn’t.

After moping for about 3 minutes I decided I should probably get out of bed.

...or should I?...

Yes, I should, I can’t afford to get another late start.

I reached my arm out and grabbed my phone to turn off my alarm and check the time. It was already 7:30. I then proceeded to throw the blanket off me so they were a heaping mess at the end of my bed. The cold air quickly assaulted me, making me curl up in a ball to savor the remaining heat my body held. I soon got up, unplugged my phone, and grabbed my earphones on my night table to the left of my bed. My room was pretty big even though it didn’t need to be. I didn’t get to spend much time in it since my schedule was constantly packed with meaningless interviews and constant meetings with my country’s government officials and prestigious world leaders.

I walked over to my closet and noticed my grey sweatpants and black sports bra were already sitting on the table in the middle of my walk-in closet.

“Alice” I mumbled as I grabbed the clothes and walked over to the bathroom. I got changed out of my PJs and into my workout clothes then brushed my teeth, put my hair into a ponytail, and did my business. I grabbed my deodorant and quickly applied it while I went to look out my window. It is a beautiful day with barely any clouds in the sky.

“I think I will go for a run outside,” I say to myself

Before I left my room I slipped on my red and black Nike running shoes and turned out my light. I went down a huge flight of stairs and through the grand hallway making some right and left-hand turns until I reached the kitchen. My house, or should I say castle, is really big and has numerous twists and turns. Only the people who have lived here their whole life can navigate around it properly. I’m 17 and I still have no idea what half of the rooms hold. I can make my way to all the essential rooms such as the kitchen and my bedroom but I still get lost when trying to get through more of the unused portions of the house.

This castle has been in my family since the first kings and queens who ruled over the country of Bolsia located near a vast ocean and surrounded in large forests. Our country specializes in lumber and seafood which makes us very popular with inland civilizations who don’t have as much access to these vital resources. We have acquired lots of treaties with other kingdoms based on our trade goods so we easily became one of the most powerful kingdoms in our portion of the world. My father is the king of Bolsia but when he isn’t leading as our fearless king, he is with me acting as a great father figure. He spends lots of time preparing me to eventually take over the kingdom when he is ready to retire.

He’s getting old and you can see his powerful position is taking a toll on him. His eyes have larger bags then they used to a few years ago and gray hairs have begun to appear in his chestnut brown hair. His once light brown eyes have become many shades darker to the point where they have turned almost black. These changes started becoming evident 5 years ago...when my mom passed away.

She was beautiful and too pure for this world. She sadly passed away from breast cancer after strongly fighting it for 3 years. Her death was upsetting but I knew she was in a better place away from the pain cancer caused her. I looked nothing like her. I resemble my dad much more. She had bright blond hair and captivating ocean blue eyes that could stop anybody in their tracks. Her smile could light up a room with her perfectly shaped lips and straight white teeth. She has a cute button nose and pale white skin. She was a natural beauty and her personality was one to be strived for. She was a bold woman who spoke her mind but was kind and gentle as well. The people adored her and so did my dad. Her death took a toll on him and our kingdom and we still haven’t been able to fully bounce back from the losses we took after her death. I knew after she passed it wouldn’t be long before my father retired from his position so I began working extra hard to prepare for my inevitable role as queen. Saying I was nervous about my future role would be an understatement but I try not to think about it.

I walk into the kitchen and open the large silver fridge. I grab out my morning vegetable juice and gulp it down quickly while heading to the back door of the castle that leads out to the gardens. We have a work out room in the castle but I prefer to exercise outside. I love the feel of fresh air and the scenery it provides. Every morning without fail I exercise whether it’s outside or inside. It’s the only thing that keeps my sane and my mind off of all the responsibilities I have to handle during the day.

Before I step outside, I press shuffle on my Spotify playlist and slip my phone into a side pocket on my leggings while securely fastening my earbuds into my ears. Break my Heart by Dua Lipa comes on and I smile. Its one of my newer additions to my playlist since it had just recently come out. I begin my jog starting on the trail that leads through the flower garden. The garden stretches as far as the eye can see, consisting of beautifully trimmed hedges, nicely manicured lawns, and various plants.

My jogs usually only last 45 minutes then I have to go take care of my daily meetings and tasks.

Today is different though.

Instead of having a jammed pack schedule with no breathing room, I get the afternoon/ evening off. These kinds of events don’t happen often but once every 1-3 months my boyfriend stays for a week at the castle so I get the afternoons off to hang out with him.

Caden Reeve, the current prince of the neighboring country of Alora. He’s the third oldest with 5 other siblings. He visits as often as he is able since my schedule isn’t very open unlike his. I envy him in that aspect. Unlike him, I have no siblings to share the burden of running a whole kingdom. His oldest brother Henry takes on the most complicated responsibilities of the kingdom and his other sibling’s help where they are able. His schedule is almost always free so he can do as he pleases. We’ve been friends since we were super young. He’s 19 currently which leaves a 2-year gap between us. Ever since I can remember I’ve always had a crush on him.

Compared to his older brothers people consider him to be the uglier sibling but I highly disagree. His brothers all have dirty blonde hair which they always keep tamed with hair products. They have strong jawlines and very muscular builds. You can tell they spend half their days lifting weights. They are also very tall reaching 6 feet and taller.

Unlike them, Caden has a mop of golden brown hair which is almost always sitting as a floppy mop above his head. It has a slight curl to it making him look even cuter. His jawline isn’t as defined as his brothers since his head is more narrow than wide. His body isn’t very muscular compared to his siblings but when he stretches you can see a hint of muscle lying beneath his perfectly smooth skin. He’s roughly five foot nine which I absolutely love. Something he does share in common with his brothers are his stunning hazel eyes. They have a beautiful green outer layer with a hint of brown in the center. His thick eyelashes help accentuate his stunning eyes which stand out among all his features. He isn’t what you call hot but more like cute. He’s super dorky which adds to his boyish charm. He isn’t the most romantic person you would ever meet though. Although he tries, he is super awkward when it comes to dating. We’ve been dating over a year now so we have both become super comfortable with each other but sometimes I still catch him getting nervous to hold my hand or kiss me which I find really funny.

I think when I started noticing how awkward he was when he first told me he loves me. We had been dating for 6 months and I was going to the kitchen to grab a snack for us. All a sudden he ran up behind me and began panting. I proceeded to ask what was wrong and after a second he looked at me and said “Emberly I love you”

Before I could respond, he ran out of the kitchen and I couldn’t find him for an hour. After searching for what seemed like forever, I located him in a broom closet. I pulled him out and told him I loved him too which made him relax a lot more. I still tease him about it to this day.

*In case you were wondering, I didn’t make this scenario up. This is how my dad told my mom he loved her but instead of hiding he left her apartment and she had to call him to get him to come back*

I quickly snap out of my thoughts when I run into somebody on the path.

“OOF” I grunt as I fall backward.

I look up and see a tall man wearing a black button-up shirt and dark blue jeans. Although the shirt is meant to be loose you can see it fitting around his arm muscles tightly. It looks as if he’s hiding fruits in his shirt which makes me giggle quietly. On his head, he has on a pair of black sunglasses and an earpiece. He looked to be in his late 20s or possibly early 30s. All in all, he was a very intimidating guy.

“Sorry!” I wheeze while trying to prop myself back up. I’m guessing he’s one of the outdoor patrol guards but I don’t recognize him. Maybe he’s new?

He doesn’t respond to me and tries to keep walking. “Wait what’s your name? I don’t recognize you from the regular shift” I shout while trying to catch up with him.

“I just transferred from the night shift,” He says. His voice is so deep and scary he could easily make a puppy pee with it.

“Now if you will excuse me I will get back to work” and with that, he leaves.

“rude jerk” I mumble under my breath while wiping of my pants. I check the time and notice its already 8:45. Oh, crud I was way lost in thought. I start to jog back to the back door and run up to my room. I slip off my shoes and place them on the shoe rack near my closet then grab my towels from the hanger attached to my door. I look at my bed and notice my maid Alice has tucked in all the blankets to their original placement like she does every morning. Neatly lying on the bed was a white sundress speckled with blue and pink flowers with a pair of 3-inch strappy white heels sitting on the ground beneath it. I let out a little giggle. Alice always lays out outfits for me but I almost never wear them. Today I should probably make an exception though. A sundress with heels doesn’t seem appropriate for my date with Caden so I decide to gather an outfit for later when I’m back from my meeting.

Before walking into the bathroom, I grab an oversized navy blue t-shirt that goes down past my mid-thighs and a pair of black spandex. I also grab a black lace bra and the matching underwear. Caden and I have never had sex before and he never gets to see my bra or underwear so there really isn’t a point in me wearing them but it makes my casual outfit feel fancy to me. A matching bra and underwear set can give any woman confidence. I also grab some white socks because my feet are gross and I don’t want him to see them.

After laying out my afternoon outfit I head into my bathroom and turn on the water until its burning hot. I undress and hop in. After washing my hair, skin, and shaving I hop out and get dried off. Walking into my room again I grab a strapless nude bra from Nordstrom and some nude underwear I got in a value pack at Target. I get into the dress laid out and slip the heels on. The dress fits me perfectly hugging my curves and falling loose to my mid-thigh. The heels are ok but they aren’t my favorite. Although they fit my feet perfectly, you should never put a clumsy person in heels. I don’t care how small the heel is. I just can’t seem to stand properly in them. I do enjoy wearing heels to get extra height on me though. Unlike my parents, I was born much shorter than them. I stand at approximately 5 feet 4 inches which is strange since my mom was so tall and my dad is easily over 6 feet tall.

I wobble back into the bathroom to blowdry my hair. It’s naturally a Chestnut brown with a slight curl to it just like my dad’s. It helps bring out the pink that is naturally in my cheeks. My small button nose comes from my mom but my thin upper lip is thanks to my dad. Although my lips aren’t small they aren’t big either. They are just happily average. I try to brush my hair out but the stubborn frizz just keeps sticking up. I could straighten it but I’ve been trying to keep away from that due to the heat damage my hair has obtained. Instead, I pull it back into 2 french braids then pull out some side whispies to give it a more natural look. After I’m satisfied with how my hair looks I put on a little mascara to my eyelashes. I always use mascara due to my short stubby lashes. I also apply some chapstick to my lips so they won’t get dry during the meeting and rub some lotion on my arms and legs. Next, I grab my deodorant and apply it for the second time today so I don’t stink when I get to the meeting. Lastly, I apply a little perfume that smells like peaches to my wrists then walk out the door.

I look down at my phone and realize it’s already 9:20. I pick up my pace walking as fast as I can, constantly checking my phone for the time. I’m supposed to be at the meeting at 9:30. The clip-clopping of my heels echo through the large hallways. I pull out my phone again.

9:21

9:22

9:23

My breathing quickens at the passing minutes as I scramble to make it to the meeting hall in time.

9:24

9:25

9:26

I run past the grand hall located in the front middle of the castle. It has 2 grand staircases leading to the upper level. This room is very pretty with large marble columns leading up to the tall ceiling. A grand crystal chandelier hangs from the dome top making it seem even more open. Beautiful paintings of past kings and queens line the halls. I rush past into a large hallway connecting to the grand one and pass by many useless rooms.

9:27

9:28

9:29

I finally reach the meeting hall which is marked by its exquisite dark oak doors. I stop in front of them and smooth out my hair and dress attempting to compose myself before I walk in. I open the doors to see many heads of guard staff and important generals of defense sitting at the large oval table. They all stand when I enter and I make my way to my seat at the head of the table placed directly beside my father’s seat. He gives me a *you’re late* look as I take my seat. Once I am seated everybody else takes their seats as well. My other leans over to me and whispers “you’re late again”

“Actually I’m right on time” I smirk and he checks his watch with an annoyed look.

“Next time try and get here before the meeting is supposed to begin” he huffs and turns his attention to General Duvall, the head of the country’s defense.

He is an older man in his late 60s. He has a very square face and tanned skin. He naturally has a mean look to him as his mouth is always in a constant frown and his brows are always furrowed. They are super bushy and gray. I’m surprised he can even see through them. His hair curls around the back of his head and reaches to where his ears are. The top of his head is completely bald so he tries to hide it by using a cheap toupe that looks like it’s ready to just off his head and run away. He has dark menacing eyes and thin lips. His nose is wide and sticks out far off his face looking almost like a weird triangle. His shoulders are broad and his whole body is very muscular. He looks as if he could snap you in half with one hand. His voice is also deep and he constantly sounds like he’s yelling to somebody across a large ballroom.

“There was an attack on the border between the unclaimed woods and our land” He begins making everybody jump. I swear this man is so loud for no reason.

He continues, “50 of my men died and many others were critically injured. I propose we raise funding for kingdom troops so we can allow more people to fight on our borders to lower the casualties”

“Are you kidding me!? You have enough funding as it is. What about our poverty and homeless problems? They have been all but increasing! If we keep paying attention to outside battles and ignoring our inside issues we will have a civil war. We should try and make peace, not war!” Our Secretary of the people protests.

“That’s why we should increase funding! With an even more powerful army, we can control any major uprisings keeping us and other citizens safe” The general protests.

“Keeping people safe means keeping them alive and well. We can’t do that if we shove all our money to more violence. Increasing our army will just cause rebels to continue to attack us. If our numbers increase so will theirs” The secretary says while giving the general a death glare.

At this point in the argument, other leaders start joining in and taking sides. The room is filled with shouts and demands for both sides. I personally don’t know who I agree with. Although I agree violence shouldn’t be the answer, we can’t just lay low and wait for the rebel’s attacks. We can’t have any uprisings if all our people are dead. But the S.O.S is right, we have given the general billions in funding each year. It makes you wonder where all the money really goes.

“Enough!” My father booms. For a gentle guy, he has a very powerful voice that stops everybody mid-sentence. Nobody talks over the king. “General, I just gave you 20 million dollars of funding last month. Where did that all go?”

The general is silent for a few moments before he speaks. “I spent it on newer uniforms and weapons” He finally says, his voice becoming a little more timid but still very powerful and loud.

“Let me get this straight, you spend 20 million dollars, that you said was meant for new training and recruitment, on fancier uniforms and guns?”

“Yes sir”

“do you have the receipts to prove it?”

“Umm...well I’m not sure if I do or not sir”

My father gives him a disapproving look then continues “I’m not going to authorize any more money until October when we can divide up our budget. It seems you are blowing through billions of dollars like toilet paper”

“yes sir,” he general says. I smirk a little knowing he got put in his place. The meeting continues as more people drone on about security risks and additional funding. For some reason, I couldn’t pay attention to the meeting so I let my mind wander thinking about Caden and our movie date later in the day. He always manages to relieve my stress even if he isn’t with me. I take a look at my phone beneath the table. It’s already 1:30. Only 30 more minutes.

The 30 minutes seem to drone on for hours and I’m getting really frustrated. I engaged myself in some of the debates but for the most part, I continued to stare off into space. Theses meetings never seem to accomplish everything. I honestly think my dad just sets them up so he can watch everybody argue. There really is no point in us being here other than to approve their ideas and projects. I looked up at the clock and noticed its 2:03. I stood up and excused myself from the table while everybody said their goodbyes. They couldn't care less if I left or not. Only my dad pushed for me to be at those meetings.

As soon as I got outside the meeting room and shut the doors I slipped off my shoes and went into a full sprint. I whizzed past a few maids and other staff from the castle and they all called to me asking where I was going. I didn’t answer them. I was more focused on getting to my room so I could get changed. I don’t want to waste one second of my precious free time.

*Sorry if this was kind of boring I'm just trying to establish the characters and their looks as well as the layout of Emberlys situation*

Check out my story on Wattpad to see what the characters look like :) The story is called "Princess and the Wolf" if you can't find it like that look up my username emberlynelson. (the pictures of the characters are located at the bottom of chapter 1)