Royal [E.Pevensie]

chapter one

She stood in front of the slim mirror. She ran her fingers carefully over her waist, then down her thighs. Meanwhile, her mother tightened her corset.

"Too tight." The girl grunted. Her face contorted into a distasteful grimace.

"You are expected to look your very best, Adela." Said Queen Prunaprismia. She pulled the corset tighter one final time.

"I don't understand as to why." Adela sighed. She brushed her hand carefully over her long chestnut hair, which was tied behind her back in a loose braid.

"Your new baby brother was born last night. This is an exciting day." Said her mother sternly. Prunaprismia raised a red velvet dress over Adela's head and pulled it down. The sleeves were long, and ended with a white cotton fabric. The neckline was fairly low, but modest. The skirt was not one of the large ones that Adela disliked. It was a fairly regular dress.

"Then you should be in resting, not here." Adela rebuked in a monotone voice. Her mother did not bother responding, and only rolled her eyes, visible to Adela through the mirror.

"I have yet to see Caspian." Adela stated in a questioning tone. She properly adjusted the sleeves on her dress.

"He's run away." Prunaprismia informed hesitantly. The woman took out the ribbon in Adela's hair.

"What?" The young princess turned around with a saddened expression. She was having difficulty believing that her cousin, Prince Caspian would leave without reason.

"It's true. He was not in his bedroom this morning. They've searched the entire castle." Her mother explained. "I'm sorry, Adela. Maybe Caspian was not fit for—"

"Don't start, Mother." Adela spoke before the woman had the chance to finish her sentence. "I hope they're searching for him outside the castle. He's the only one who actually cares about what I think." Adela returned back to facing the mirror whilst her mother put her hair into a tighter braid.

"How are we ever going to find you a husband with that attitude of yours." Prunaprismia muttered in frustration. The woman shook her head. She pulled on her daughter's hair, though Adela did not flinch.

"I don't want to be married to any man. I'm perfectly fine on my own." Adela said confidently.

"Back straight." Her mother pushed on Adela's lower back. Adela sighed, and pulled back her shoulders.

"One day, your father and I are going to be gone, and you will have to look after your brother. You can't expect yourself to do it all by yourself." Prunaprismia continued in response to Adela.

"If I will ever want to marry, it will not be for power, or for protection. I don't want to be some- some queen that just sits on her throne all day—" Adela stammered, but was quickly cut short.

"Is that what you think of me?" Her mother asked with raised eyebrows.

"Let me finish, Mother." Adela spoke sternly.

"Very well." Whispered the woman. She finished tying Adela's hair, then backed away from her daughter.

With no need to continue looking into the mirror, Adela turned to face her mother. "If I marry, it will be because I truly love that person, and he will not protect me, we will protect each other. He will not treat me just as a mother to his children, he will treat me like he would any one of his greatest friends." She concluded.

Prunaprismia looked to her daughter with an amused expression. "Adela, it is normal to have expectations, but yours, are far too high." She chuckled to herself.

"Just because your marriage was arranged and now you live an unfortunate life, doesn't mean mine has to be." Adela snapped.

Soon after, Adela was met with a harsh slap from her mother across her right cheek. The young princess, who was only 14, set her palm atop of the stinging sensation.