Prince Charming

Veronica

"A maid?" I exclaimed as I made my way out of the room, trying my best to staunch the tears that would not stop pouring. Indrik was really going to replace me with a maid? I, the heiress of the Light Crest Claws Pack was really going to be replaced by a maid. I chuckled. Of course not. There had to be a mistake of sorts. He was probably just teasing me. Trying to make me want him more by showing that he had other options. That had to be it. I straightened my shoulders already starting to feel better.

Outside, I ran into Blaire who turned up her nose making me want to smash it in.

"I'm guessing you've seen him? How was your meeting?" She asked, a mocking sneer on her face. The temptation to hit her hard enough to send her sinking straight down to Hades grew stronger.

"It went very well, thank you." I muttered, forcing a smile to my hurting cheeks. I hoped that my eyes had cleared enough as to not let her see any evidence that I had been crying. That, would be very humiliating.

My anonymousity with Blaire went back a long way. She had hated me from the very first time we had met which was several years ago. Long before I even met Indrik. It probably had to do with me being more pretty than she was. Being the pride of her pack, she had kinda worked it into her head that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. Then she had met me, the actual most beautiful woman in the world and could not learn to come to terms with reality. Since then, we had hated each other, and then, I had met Indrik who I had no doubt that she loved as well. Of course, I had won Indrik which made her hate me even more. I figured I could let her live with her loser's malice after all, that was what she would always be.

"You sure?" She asked, her eyes gleaming with poorly concealed amusement. "Because I saw him and he didn't look like he was coming to give you a hug."

"I am not you, you bedraggled, attention seeking wench. The sooner you know that, the better for you." I snapped, heaving with anger and pain. Her words had brought back to mind how Indrik had ignored me and gone to welcome that maid. He had smiled at her when he had never had anything more than frowns, scowls and more frowns for me. Heck! He had even given her a pet name. "Tulip!" The word tasted sour on my tongue. Oh, how overjoyed I would have been if he ever called me by a pet name. Even wench would do just fine if he used the tone he had used with that maid. And yet, the maid had the gall to refuse it. I bubbled with anger which I directed toward the pig-brood that stood before me right now.

Rather than explode with anger, the bitch merely smiled. "Of course, you are not me. I am not loathed by him. I could go to him right now and get him to hug me. Could you do the same in your wildest dreams?"

Anger exploded within me as a low growl escaped my lips. "He will never love you. At least, I am engaged to him. We still have a chance, but you? You will never be more than a friend to him." I felt a twinge of satisfaction as a look of pain crossed her features. She quickly hid it under a smile but I had seen it already. So what if Indrik did not push her away, we were still the same in that he did not love us. Correction, he did not love her. He was going to love me, and very soon too. I just needed to find out who that maid was to him. If I found out that she had anything to do with Indrik's coldness toward me then there was going to be hell to pay.

"What am I doing bantering words with a deluded fool like you? I'm done here."

That was the last straw as the last vestige of restraint in me vanished and I lunged for her. She was not expecting me so the slap that I gave her hit her hard sending her reeling. She held her cheek as she stared at me in a mixture of pain and shock.

"What did you just do?" She whispered, removing her hand from her cheek and staring at it. Sadly, my slap had not caused a bleed but even in the fading daylight, I could see the imprint of my fingers on her cheek. That soothed my anger to a certain degree.

"What I just did was show you your place, you wench." I explained, throwing my hair over my back. "Now, if you would excuse me." I can't say I didn't expect her to attack me. As a matter of fact, I was prepared for her to attack but it was not enough to save me as she roared and pushed me over. I landed painfully on my back. Before I could even get the chance to say, "ow!" She had climbed over me and started to rain down punches and slaps all over my face. Any attempt to counter attack was swiftly curbed by her as she slapped off my arms leaving me with no choice than to try to save my face from her onslaught.

"The nerve of you to hit me. I will make you pay for that." She snarled as she continued to pummel me. Blood dripped from my face into my eyes as I struggled against her.

After what seemed like an eternity, I finally felt her weight lift from my belly but I was too weak to open my eyes not to speak of getting up.

"Get up!" A voice whispered by my ears making my heart soar. My prince charming had come to save me.

"Indrik!" I cried.