Scarlet - Chapter One

Running into the forest is what I always do to keep my mind off things, such as princess meetings, charity works, and maybe, because of my mother, the Queen of the Eternal Castle. Why, you ask? Well, she forces me to behave like a lady, always being neat, polite and stuff. I can't do it. I'm a tomboy by nature, I like gobbling down my food quickly, I'm also sporty, someone who likes jumping around, playing sports, a hyper person. Anyways, back to the point. The forest is the most calming place around here. Nice sceneries, friendly wild animals. It's the most relaxing place that could make me feel safe and secure. It also helps me to brainstorm ideas for my story. Yes, I do love to write.

"Alice." A familiar voice echoed, sending chills down my spine. It was Destin.
"The meeting's in thirty minutes time." Destin's don't-give-a-damn voice got louder. I'll have to get ready? Hell. Getting ready means being dressed in a grand, full piece dress. I can't even stand in it, let alone walk. Its so uncomfortable! I would rather be in my t-shirt and shorts. Grabbing my notebook and pen, I pulled my slingbag forward behind my back, carefully placing them into my slingbag. It was a short slingbag, I made it that way, because I love it. Pushing my slingbag behind after zipping it up, I climbed up to the tree that I was sitting underneath, to hide from Destin, my personal butler. He was only 18, while I'm 16. Destin is rather cold to people. I steadied myself on a branch. Luckily, I'm light enough, if not the branch would break.

"I know you are here." Destin became irritated as he stood beside the tree I'm hiding in. I tried pulling myself to a higher branch, but it was too high, or rather I was too short. I tip-toed and finally I could reach it. Pulling myself up- ... The higher tree branch that I was grabbing, broke.
"AHHH!" I screamed as I slipped, falling backwards.
"Come on Alice. Stop playing. We've got to go." I felt Destin's hot breath on my skin as he swiftly and quickly caught me in an instant. We made eye contact as soon as I looked at him. His black fringe falling naturally to the left, covering half of his left eye. His red eyes are so memorizing that it made my heart skipped a beat. Yeah I know, Destin has a rare eye colour.
"Argh! Let go!" I tried to free myself by struggling, but to no avail, Destin's grip was just too strong.

Destin's a serious person, that's what I think at least, he shows no interest in anything, and he never smiles. The girls who always visits us didn't seemed to like him at all.
"Princess!" One of my mother's bodyguard's voice came out of nowhere. After Destin let me down, the bodyguard pulled me away, saying that the meeting's in fifteen minutes. I staggered while he pulled me hard. My leg hurts... I might have sprained it. I tried walking as naturallly as I could to prevent my mother from seeing it later. But before I even know it, I was already pulled back to the castle.
"ALICE!" My mother's voice boomed across the room, startling me as soon as I stepped in, making the floors all muddy and wet.
"Sorry, Mother. I'll change now." Quickly, I excused myself, half running half staggering. I quickly took a shower, combed my hair and dressed up myself, zipping up the side of my white and silky dress. Putting on my high-heels and accesories. The dress wasn't very long, but it did reach and covered my ankle.

"Alice." There was a soft knock on my room door. It was Destin.
"Coming!" I shouted as I walked over to the door, wincing as a sharp pain was sent through my ankle. I turned the door knob, revealing Destin in his black tuxedo with a black bowtie. He bent down, taking out a tube of... cream? Slowly, he unscrewed the tube's cap and pushed up my the bottom of my dress, squeezing some cream out of the tube and rubbing it on my sprained ankle. It wasn't painful, he was actually gentle. The cream was a bit hot though.
"H-hey!" I stammered.
"The cream is odorless, don't worry. Now get going." Destin screwed back the cap of the tube, gently pushing me out of the room.
"Ermm.. Thanks... I guess." I simply replied, not knowing what else to say. How does he even know that I sprained my leg? Not only that, why did he even cared?
I'm not complaining, since that cream did lessen the pain on my ankle. Slowly and steadily, not wanting to let the guest see me walking weirdly, and my mother staring at, I proceeded to the meeting room.
"ALICE!" A familiar voice said as soon as I opened the door to the meeting room.

My heart literally stopped.

"Aidan...?"

A/N : I couldn't have finished the first chapters without the help of my friends ;u; x3 thanks guys. I kept getting stuck, every paragraph QuQ;;. Thanks Hannah for some help on finalizing Destin's personality. Thanks Jodi for proof-reading x3 ;u;. Hope you all liked this chapter. Anyways, if you guys want the next chapter, do review. Thanks x3 ~

Rei