Destined Love by Marline (i can read book club txt) 📕

needed, and asked for a map of Kipter. It arrived a few seconds later. I spread it out on the table and observed it. There was a river flowing practically straight through the middle. I decided that that was a good separation.
“Fine. This is the middle.” I pointed at the map. He observed it and nodded.
“What about the island right in the middle of the river?” He asked. We couldn’t split that in half too. I reasoned. And we couldn’t say it belonged to neither of us because that would cause trouble in the future.
“I suggest it belongs to us both.” Durwald suddenly said. “Our families can spend the holiday there; I have heard it’s beautiful.”
“I am not spending my holiday on an island with you.” I said. The moment I said it I was sorry I did. His facial expression changed immediately, he now looked a mixture between annoyed and angry. I did not like it. What was I supposed to do now, say sorry? Actually, I was supposed to say sorry but I couldn’t bring up the courage. I declared myself a coward.
“Why are you so mean to me?” He asked.
“I don’t know. You just have this weird effect on me. Whenever I’m around you I want to say something that will hurt you.” I stood up and turned around, away from him. I was annoyed, at myself, at him. Why did he have so much power over me? It wasn’t positive power, that was for sure, but power nevertheless. I suddenly felt him stand very close to me. I turned around and faced him. He didn’t say anything, just ran a finger over my cheek.
“You know Cleo; you’re the first girl who hasn’t tried anything with me. And I like that.” I couldn’t breathe, just stood there. He leaned forwards to kiss me. Suddenly I realized what I was doing. I immediately took a few steps away from him.
“Don’t you dare

do that again!” I screamed at him. He had seduced so many girls already and now he was going to add me to the list. But I was not going to let that happen. And I was also not going to change my mind about our deal. I forced myself to calm down, my breath to become even. Then I walked to the table and started writing. When I was finished I handed the paper to him.
“Here, the contract. Sign it and let’s get this peace talk over with.” He read it through carefully while pacing around the room. He then laid the paper on the table, signed it and gave it back to me. We walked out of the room. Our fathers were waiting. They looked expectantly at the piece of paper I was holding. I gave it to my father. He read it, from his facial expression I could read exactly what he approved of and what he disapproved of. My father then handed it to Durwald’s father. He read it too. A servant came in with a tray of glasses, filled with wine. I had never like wine but knew I would have to learn to drink it someday. “To peace.” My father toasted. “To peace.” King Luperd agreed. I finished my glass of wine with a sour face. My father shook hands with King Luperd and I knew what I had to do now but did not feel like it. I did it anyways. I shook Durwald’s hand. I had a sarcastic expression on my face but did not care. He absolutely deserved it.

His Royal Highness Prince Durwald Nathan Rowter and Her Royal Highness Princess Cleopatra Anne Muntington. I was to walk in the door at one side of the room and Durwald would come in through the opposite door. This was too embarrassing. The doors opened and I walked through. Everyone was looking at me and Durwald. I was used to that and didn’t mind it. But I did mind that I would now have to walk up to Durwald and dance with him! I thought our countries were enemies! I pasted a fake smile on my face, walked towards him and curtsied. He bowed. He then put his arms around my waist and I put mine on his shoulder. With my other hand I had to hold his hand. Suddenly I was furious at myself. I actually enjoyed that he was holding me. I felt his strength in every step we took together. He was a fantastic dancer. I wondered if he had something which he wasn’t good at. I looked at him and was again amazed by the brightness of his brown eyes. I was surprised to find that I was disappointed when the dance ended. I curtsied, he bowed and we walked off the dance floor. I nearly tripped on my dark blue dress because I was not thinking about where I was going. Other couples were dancing now but I had no interest in dancing again whatsoever. A few boys asked me if I wanted to dance but I said I was tired. I decided to get a breath of fresh air outside. In the forest I felt free, away from annoying people who were busy stealing my heart.
“Cleo, don’t move.” I suddenly heard Durwald behind me. Due to the authority and alarm in his voice, I stopped dead in my tracks.
I tried listening if I could hear anything suspicious but it was absolutely quiet. Too quiet. Suddenly Durwald pushed me out of the way and I landed on the floor. I heard a muffled gunshot and from what I had been taught, I knew I had to lie still even though I desperately wanted to know what had just happened. Was Durwald wounded? Was I wounded? Even if I had wanted to move, I couldn’t have because I was frozen with terror. My eyes were closed as I lay there on the floor. Then I heard quick footsteps running away from us. I relaxed a bit and mentally examined myself if anything hurt. Who had that person been? Why had he wanted to shoot me? I was still too afraid to move, what if he came back or there was another person in the forest waiting for a sign of life so he could shoot at me again? I suddenly realized that Durwald was lying next to me on the ground. I slowly opened my eyes but could see nothing more than his back turned towards me. The smell of rotten leaves suddenly penetrated deeply into my nose and I thought I could hear an insect next to me. After lying still for another 10 seconds, which seemed more like forever, I slowly got up. I looked around me quickly and then observed Nathan. I gasped when I saw him. His shirt was ripped at his arm and there was a big red stain on it. His face was transformed with agony and he had to try extremely hard to keep from squirming in pain.
“Durwald!” I gasped. “You’re shot!” I didn’t know what to do, I knew I couldn’t leave him here but at the same time he desperately needed help. I panicked and started saying a whole bunch of things at the same time. I knew I sounded incoherent but I didn’t care. “Ok, I think the best idea is if I leave you here and go get somebody. But I can’t leave you lying on the floor so you better sit up. But what if the murderer comes back? You might get shot again. And then it will be my fault. But I have to take that chance-“ I looked at Durwald and saw an agonized smile playing on his lips.
“What, do you have a better idea?” I snapped at him, before realizing what I was doing. “I’m sorry!” I added immediately. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to be mean!” I decided that before I hurt him even more, I had better get some help.

“You saved my life.” I whispered softly, still not able to believe it. Durwald was lying in the palace hospital. The sheets he was lying under were snow white and so was the rest of the room. I had always found it a boring room and had begged my parents more than once to paint it some nice color but they had refused. Durwald’s arm was bandaged and was draped loosely over his body. Even the bandage was completely white and I longed to write something on it. I knew this would hurt him too much so instead I looked up into his perfect brown eyes.
“Why?”
“If that shooter had shot without me interfering, you would have been dead. I reckoned that I would rather have my arm hurting than you dead.” He answered airily.
“Thanks.” I didn’t know what to say to him but secretly wished it had been someone else because now I was more or less in debt. And I hated the thought that I had been dependent on him. This completely took away my license to be mean to him and I knew I would have to try really hard not to.
“Why weren’t you at the dance?” He suddenly asked.
“I needed some fresh air.” I answered unwillingly. I didn’t feel like talking to him but it was the least I could do after he saved my life. At the same time I felt attracted to him which annoyed me more than anything.
“So, are you content with the peace talks?”
“Yes. They were..” I searched for the word. “Interesting.” I finally said. Why did he ask me this, what did he want? To test how much I knew? To see if I felt like I had made the right decisions so that he could make fun of me later if I hadn’t? Well, I wasn’t going to give him any information whatsoever. I was sitting awkwardly on the chair.
“Where did you get the idea that I was stuck up?” I suddenly asked him, pretending not to sound annoyed.
“Apparently they spread rumors about me here. They do the same in Tokito about you.” He said grinning.
“And you just blindly believed them?” I asked.
“You blindly believed the rumors about me too!” I knew he was right and this irritated me even further.
“Well, what was said about you is probably right.” I couldn’t think of anything better to say but somehow I desperately wanted to hurt him. I could not believe what I was doing. What was my problem? Ever since he had come I had been in a bad mood and the only thing I wanted to do was hurt him. And now even after he had saved my life, I still couldn’t hold my tongue.
“I’m starting to believe that what they say about you is right too. You are stuck up!” With that Durwald looked angrily out the window. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to say that.” I said softly.
“You’re just saying that because you feel like you owe me. I already know your true nature so don’t even bother pretending.” I stared at him, shocked. Who did he think I was? But I couldn’t help him for blaming me, my behavior had been despicable the last few days, since he had been here. I slowly stood up and then walked to the door. All I wanted right now was to curl up and cry. But I couldn’t, I had to sit up straight, be polite, talk to everyone and act like nothing was wrong. I had had enough. I had a headache and thought that was a good enough excuse to go to sleep. In my room