The Unexpected Princess (Completed)

Chapter 12

Naledi stared at the ceiling as the sun’s rays lit up the sky. She sat up, feeling groggy and out of sorts. She remembered not being able to sleep. Every time she tried to close her eyes all she could see was a replay of last night’s events. She couldn’t understand what had happened. Yes, she was there, but how…

And then her grandmother came and gave her a cup of her special tea.

Naledi shook her head. She couldn’t figure it out. Everything felt like a dream, except she could still feel the prince’s gentle touch on her cheek and the firmness of his lips against her lips.

Clearly that had been part of a dream. Her body still burned at the thought of him. Heat bloomed on her skin, awakening her inner desires. Desires she has ignored for a long time until last night. Naledi’s fingers fisted her sheets as heat pooled between her thighs. An image of the prince leaning over her, gliding his lips on her skin, his weight and warmth blanketing her as she lay down on her bed, filled her mind.

Her nose twitched from an elusive masculine scent. It was potent and very familiar. Naledi brought the duvet to her nose as she had a sense of déjà vu. More images of her laying down and Anthony kissing her slowly, touching her softly and her arms wrapping around him to pull him close filled her mind.

Naledi moaned, as the ache between her thighs intensified. Her breasts became heavy, and her whole body filled with need. Naledi lay down and slowly spread her thighs. She sent her hands to cup her aching breasts. Her n*****s became hard and sensitive. She pinched them arching her back as heat rippled down her spine. She moaned and bit her lip as she pinched them over and over imagining it was Anthony’s hands on her.

Her hand smoothed down her stomach to the elastic band of her panties. Naledi hissed as her finger came in contact with her swollen folds. They felt so wet and hot to the touch. She was so aroused and needy, she knew she’ll come with just one flick of a finger. Naledi imagined Anthony teasing her folds with his thick fingers, opening her wide and…

The alarm next to the bed let out a shrill sound startling her. Naledi breathed hard as the sound filled the room loud and clear like the wake up call she needed. She snatched her hand from her panties and reached out to silence the alarm.

She stared at the ceiling feeling stupid. Her body still buzzed with her desire for Anthony.

No, she couldn’t desire a man like him. Naledi’s heart hammered in her chest. What was she thinking?

She knew where she belonged. And fantasizing about a man she couldn’t have, even rejected wasn’t going to help her.

Naledi threw the covers off her in a huff. She rushed through her morning routine to get ready. She wore her uniform, not listening to her inner voice that said she didn’t like it. She will like it, like everything about her life, because wanting more wasn’t in the cards for her. Last night had been a disaster.

How was she going to face everyone? She hadn’t thought of that. Or the prince for that matter, if he was still there in the house.

The best course was to pretend like nothing happened. And if he was there she’ll ignore him. That decided, Naledi went to the kitchen and quickly made her grandmother her breakfast.

Afterwards she left the house and rushed to work. The road to work felt long that morning as Naledi was subjected to strange stares from everyone she met. She tried to smile at them, but felt awkward and snubbed. They either stared at her their faces pulled in a mask of disdain or they sidestepped her as if she had the plague.

Forgetting what happened last night wasn’t going to be easy, Naledi thought as an old man spit right at her feet missing her by an inch.

She plastered a weak smile on her face and trudged on. She came to Joyce’s pottery store. Joyce was inside, but for once in a long time she didn’t call out her name. Naledi waved at her from the road. Joyce turned away pretending she didn’t see her.

Something akin to fear slammed in her chest. She hadn’t expected such a reaction from everyone. Her heart sped up as she looked around her, realizing how alone she was in the road surrounded by people who were suddenly rejecting her.

Naledi pulled in a deep breath to calm her heart. She let her hand fall to her side as pain radiated from her chest to the rest of her body. She felt naked, and very small. Joyce’s rejection hurt the most.

She bit her lip and stared down at her feet. Was it because she refused to marry the prince that she was being treated this way? She asked herself lacking an answer.

Naledi kept her head down until she reached the royal house. She went through the back of the house as usually.

As she came to the door she hesitated. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought of seeing the prince again. She blushed as she thought of what she’d done to herself while thinking of him that morning.

I won’t be able to look at him, not after that, Naledi thought closing her eyes. Her body tingled and felt hot all over again. She bit her lip trying to think of what she might say to him when they eventually saw each other.

Naledi shook her head hoping he wasn’t there. She didn’t think she was ready for that. She stilled her spine and put her game face on. Whatever happens she was going to ignore him. Even though she wasn’t sure that was possible.

Naledi opened the door and walked into the kitchen.

She was surprised to find it empty. The maids were usually there waiting for her to start work.

Maybe they haven’t arrived yet. Everyone was probably tired after the dance, Naledi reasoned walking to check the menu on the fridge.

She couldn’t wait to immerse herself in her work. There was a lot of it this morning after the dance. She’ll give the maids their chores and then she’ll hide in the kitchen, perform her duties and then go home.

The hammering of her heart and the squeezing of her stomach at the thought of seeing the prince will eventually go away. And the people will forget – that a maid almost became their princess.

Naledi started on breakfast. An hour later she wondered where the maids were. The remaining guests will be up soon and they haven’t even laid out the breakfast she had prepared. Naledi went in search for them in the house.

She dusted and straightened the rooms as she went, grateful that most of the festivities had been outside. The house was still somewhat clean. Still Naledi wished the maids had come early so they guest wouldn’t have to see anything out of place.

She didn’t find them anywhere. Naledi returned to the kitchen. She’ll have to arrange the food in a buffet. She couldn’t serve breakfast by herself.

As she entered the kitchen she heard voices in the staff room. Naledi rushed there, ready to commit murder.

She came to a stop when she heard her name.

“Shhh, she’ll hear you,” Tina said in a not so quiet whisper. Naledi knew their voices. She could identify them with her eyes closed.

“I don’t care if she hears me. What is she going to do?” May said screaming at the top of her lungs for all to hear. “Oh, I forgot…she’s a princess now, she might banish me.”

May laughed and the others joined her.

“The princess of where? The kitchen?” Tina added, more laughter sounded accompanied by the stomping of feet.

“Oh, you guys are just…” Mira giggled. She sounded like she was trying very hard not to laugh.

Naledi stood rooted to the floor listening to them ridicule her, even though she didn’t deserve their hate.

“You guys are what? It’s the truth. She’s the great-great-great granddaughter of a slave. In what universe was she ever going to be a princess?”

“Tina, you’re taking it too far,” Mira said sounding upset.

Naledi blinked back the tears that gathered in her eyes at their words. She felt her heart break in her chest. Of all the things that could have happened she never dreamed that this day will turn out like this.

“I heard the prince was seen leaving at dawn. At dawn. Why?” May asked hiking the anticipation in the room. “My guess is he realized who she was and wanted nothing to do with her.”

A whimper escaped Naledi’s lips. She turned and rushed out of the kitchen. The tears she’d held back spilled over and ran down her cheeks. Humiliation and hurt mixed in the pit of her stomach making her nauseous. She ran to the bathroom and locked herself in one of the cubicles. She sat on the toilet and covered her mouth with her right hand to stifle the sobs that raked her whole body.