1 The First Chapter

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I wake up. Cold and breathless. I feel up the silk of my bed and every imported fabric I lay on, just to make sure I'm still alive on the outside. I slip out of bed, my flowing nightgown following me from behind.

I look and sit on my cushioned seat in front of the only mirror in my room. I look lifeless, dead. I'm pale as glittering snow, my blue grey eyes drooping from a small amount of sleep every night, my red lips pouting and my cheeks sunken deep into my face. What's so special about me? The not so rare combination of dark brown hair and blue eyes? My hair is as lifeless as my face, cascading down my back in knots and uncared for. Anybody could see my crooked nose from miles away.

What happened to me?

My father died a year ago and my kingdom went to shit. Mother sent me to a boarding school where all they teach is how to kill your own character. I loved painting, horseback riding, picking apples in our now dead orchard; everything my Dad loved doing.

I stare at the embellished journal made from leather that father gave me on my 13th birthday. Laying in front of my mirror, untouched for 2 years. I flip through it, flowers from the garden stiff and stuck in the pages from memories of walks with Dad.

I leave the vanity, walking towards my dark velvet curtains to let some light in. I twiddle with the curtains and open them with one swift movement as they glide across the gold plated rods gracefully. I stare out the wet window as I watch the world outside cry with rain. I see my horrid reflection in the window and wash away every memory of father dying, and wish it were my mother dead.

Everything would be happy. Glowing. Dad would make sure every window were open in this damned castle, just so there would be no dark corners giving negative notes to our happiness.

"Your Highness," Margaret, one of the kitchen staff, says. "May I ask if you're okay?"

Margaret was the true one that raised me, alongside my Dad. She's also one of my favourite people in this awful palace. She's just plump with care and love.

"Yes, I am. Why are you in my chambers?" I already knew. Mother wants something of me. Margaret is partially used as a messenger for "mummy" because mother knows of our deep relationship.

"Your Majesty would like to see you in the chambers. She'd like to discuss something very important with you."

"Okay," I gently smile, "May you help me dress to see mother?" I ask. I already know Margaret will say yes, but there's nothing wrong with manners.

"Of course, your Highness" Margaret says, "Any dress you have in mind for today?" She inquires.

"No, just my ivory dress, Margaret." I smile,

"Are you ever going to wear any other dress? Aldwin's sick of cleaning it everyday. Especially when you go to the gardens." She laughs.

"Well, then I'll make sure to visit Dad today. Just for Aldwin." I chuckle back.

"My, that boy does nothing but do laundry. I have to teach him at least one other chore. Would you mind helping me put away dishes after lunch, your Highness? I'll say nothing about it, so your mom won't find out. Aldwin misses you."

She says, pulling out my ivory chiffon dress with bishop sleeves. Father went out to France just to purchase this dress for me. 'Anything for his little girl', he'd always say.

"Of course," I answer,

"Perfect, any jewelry today?" Margaret says, tightening the dress to fit my shape.

"I'll put on my pearl earrings and my crown, nothing else." I say.

"Okay, your Highness. I'll see you in the kitchens after lunch." She pats my shoulders and kisses my cheek and leaves.

I slip my dangling pearls into my pointed ears and place my dainty, white gold crown gently onto my head. I look in my mirror, hoping to look better than when I woke up to slightly lift my mood. Something seemed off. So, I put my hair into a plait bun and left my chambers.

I quietly walk to my mothers bed chambers on the maroon velvet carpet and towards the silver doors that haunt me every time I visit. Never fails to make my back shiver. Her guards open the doors as the first thing I smell is her peppermint tea from across the room. I hear the doors close behind me as I see my mom, steaming teacup in her hand. It's dark, but light enough that we find each other. Mother catches me in her view and gestures me to sit.

I glide across the room, my dainty crown balanced perfectly on my head, and my posture painfully straight. 'As it always should be' mother would say.

"You're late, honey." She says, sipping her tea and placing it back on the matching china plate without making a sound.

"You didn't give a time, your Majesty." I say, knowing it annoys her. Especially when it comes to her youngest daughter.

"You know I don't like that name, given what I am to you, dear." Her eyes cold as ice. Matches her eye colour.

"Now, a special event is coming up in a month. Have you picked anything you'd like prepared at that event?" She says. I look around the room looking for ideas, but everything fails me.

"What is it we are celebrating next month?" I inquire,

"My goodness, it's your 18th birthday!" She answers, clenching her hands together harder.

"You're just like your father, no track of time or date. Pathetic." I look at her face, examining it. Her lipstick plum, veins about to pop out of her head and her crown double the size of her forehead. It's as if I'm looking into a mirror, if that mirror were cursed and distorted my face into this horrible human sitting in front of me.

Mother sighs,

"Did you pick any colours you'd have displayed?" No, I did not.

"I-I-" I stutter, "No, I do not. But, if you're the Queen, why don't you control my birthday like you control everything else?" I snap.

I can see her frustration radiating off of her.

"Fine, Harold?" She says, Harold lurking out the dark corner nearest us. Everything about this woman is mad.

"Make sure those awful peasants in the town know I want Cream and Cerulean. And don't forget to put down that special guest I have for my girl," she smirks. Something's up.

"Thank you, Harold. We'll talk guests later." She waves him off as he goes back into his hiding spot.

"Now, dear, you're excused. I need to talk to your sisters about their arranged marriages."

I leave the dark chambers and feel those silver doors leaving my sight.

My sisters, Evangeling and Beatrice. Eve, the eldest, she's 24. She looks like mother and I, but you can guess who's favored over me when it comes to 'mum'. Beatrice, who's 20, absolutely won the genes jackpot. She's as if Dad and a literal angel had a miracle child; honey blonde hair and golden brown eyes. Definitely Dads work. The only thing we all have in common that's d

Dads are his crooked nose. Though, they never had the same bond Dad and I had.

I walk into the dining room where I find Beatrice and Evangeline talking with mother and uncle Edward. It's lunch, and this is almost the only time we see each other in one room. I sit next to uncle Edward as he kisses both of my cheeks. He's about the only person in our Royal family that enjoys my company without it being forceful.

"Hello, dear." He says, "Guess what we're having?" Edward smiles excitedly.

"Hmmm, what?" I smile back gently.

"Soup!" He grabs my arm, "For the fifth day in a row!" He leans into my ear as I'm giggling.

"Get your mom to pick something ELSE or I'm sending you off into the woods!" He whispers,

"You know I've hated her ever since she sent me off to that boarding school, Uncle Ed." I whisper back.

"Fine, but you know I'm too scared of that thing beside me to ask myself." He smiles and lays back into his chair, mother glaring at us.

I see Eve massaging her temples and ask her what's wrong.

"Evangeline, keep your elbows off the table, please." Mother says,

"I'm sorry, mum. It's just Charles can't seem to stop bombarding me about a child. Doesn't he know I'd like to do my studies like I have told him before multiple times?" She says,

"It's as if he sees me as some sort of baby popper just so he can teach his sons archery and have an heir. I just want to have a life when I have many years ahead of me!" Eve complains.

"Well," Mother drags, "Maybe it's good that he wants children so soon. I had you at about your age, are you sure your studies are even beneficial?"

Ouch, mum. Eve stares at her for a second and fixes her posture. She knows if she were to argue, mother would give her hell and more.

"They're good enough for my children, mother. But you haven't even heard about Beatrice's situation with the husband you assigned her." Betrayal. Rest in Peace, Beatrice. Beatrice glares at Eve, mid-eating.

"What is it, dear?" Mother prys.

Beatrice clears her throat and smiles,

"Henri wants-" she swallows. "Henri wants sex before marriage." Everything froze.

The situation is that Beatrice isn't officially married yet and Eve is already married.

"Henri said what?" Mother glares,

"And, I agreed, mother. I'm done with our Catholic beliefs." Jaws dropped. Really, Rest in Peace, Beatrice.

Mother stood up and slammed her hands on the table, glaring at Beatrice. Beatrice hanging her head low, guilty. Mother then stormed off, in obvious anger. Beatrice glared at Eve and stormed off to her chambers as well. Just the three of us sitting alone.

"Well I hope it was at least good." Uncle Edward said, sipping on his wine.

"Edward!" Eve and I gasp and say softly, laughing under our breaths.

I walk into the kitchens to help Margaret and her son, Aldwin, with dishes. I spot them in the corner and set up next to Aldwin.

"My, it's her Royal Highness!" He mocks, I roll my eyes and scoff.

"You know I don't like that name, Aldwin." I complain, it was his turn to scoff.

"Then why do you do the same thing to your mum?" He asks,

"You know I despise her. And, if you were to despise me, we wouldn't be friends right now. You're so childish." I smirk.

"I'm 16, no such thing." He snickers back.

"Barely," I laugh. "Mother is apparently preparing a special guest for my 18th. Can you believe that?" I see Aldwin's eyes slightly widen; he knows something.

"You know who they are? Tell me!" I smack his arm with my dish towel,

"L-Look," he winces. "You know how gossipy the maids here are! I don't even know if it's true!"

I look away. If Aldwin doesn't even know if it's true, I won't pry.

I place the china plates and cups back into the mahogany cupboards.

"Well," I start, "what if mother announces her marriage between her and Harold? They're oddly the same amount of creepy." I laugh.

"Nah," Aldwin replies. "Her Majesty is too old for Harold." He finishes, making us laugh and light up the room with the little joy left in this palace.

I walk out to the palace gardens, Dads favourite place in the entire world. And is also where his grave is. I walk up to it, umbrella in hand and holding onto my lace sun hat in the other. Dads grave was decorated with dead flowers. I guess nobody has changed them yet.

I place a tablecloth I snatched from the kitchens onto the wet grass right next to his grave and sat on it.

"Hey Dad," I say, "Lunch today was a shitshow." I laugh.

"Mother wants Eve to have kids early, can you believe that? You're the one that wanted her to do what she loved." I sigh.

"She's been so stressed out lately and she's been pressuring going to the church almost every day, its exhausting, really." I chuckle, teary eyed.

"I miss you a lot, I wish you were here." I start wiping my eyes, now crying. I sat there for a good hour crying before blowing Dad a kiss goodbye and going back into the castle.

I undress myself this time and slip into bed. I've already asked Margaret to bring dinner up for me later when it's ready. I get her to start the fireplace and the oil lamp next to my bed. She gives me a kiss goodnight on the forehead and leaves. I open the book I'm currently reading. Thumbelina it was called. It's meant for children, but Hans Christian Andersen will forever be my favourite author. It's about a tiny girl that goes on a big adventure with marriage-minded toads, moles, and cockchafers. And then she meets her Prince Charming who is just her size.

What a world.

'After spending many joyful weeks together in the sunshine, the King placed his brilliant crown upon Thumbelina's head and smiled heartily at her. He asked her to be his queen of the fairy kingdom.

Thumbelina pondered it for a bit. The fairy King was the first man to ask her. He was kinder to her than both the toad and the mole put together. She agreed to be his queen.'

I finished the book and smiled. I placed it on my nightstands and twisted my oil lamp until it went out. My sheets shined in the moonlight through my curtains as I slowly fell into rem.

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Hi, reader! This is the first chapter of this love story and I would love some feedback if I've made mistakes! You can hit me up on this app any time you'd like and I'll guaranteed answer! Thank you so much for reading my story ♡ More will come soon.

Yours Truly ~ Author