MARRY ME, ADELAIDE

Chapter 27: REASSURANCE

Adelaide takes a deep breath holding her chest as she gets her breathing under control. This whole situation and the thought of the queen having her head makes the poor girl nauseous.

It is a habit for her to begin imagining anything gruesome or disgusting once she's told about it. At this moment, the blood and gore clouding her mind and thoughts makes her hurry down the stairs and outside where the maids ease themselves, throwing up the entire contents of this morning. She stays there, bent over, looking at her puke before throwing up again, and coughing. Curse these images in her head, for making her feel sick.

When the young woman feels a little better, she stands up, heading to one of the basins of water, scooping with her hand and rinsing her mouth, before heading back inside the castle.

Grace chuckles looking at Charlotte, adjusting her dress as she stands up. "Little girl, just because you're a princess does not mean you can barge into my chambers."

"Old woman, you're here because my father and mother have allowed it. Don't get too comfortable or I will throw you out myself."

Grace lets out a loud laugh covering her mouth. "You really think they will listen to you when they want the prince to be married to me by the end of this year?"

Charlotte smirks, taking a step forward, "You seem to forget that I am not just this castle's princess, I am my father's princess, the one he still wants to crown as ruler instead of my brother. Don't for a second think that I cannot get him to banish you from this place."

"And why have you not done it then? Has my brother gotten to you? Please, he will never stop sleeping around and you are just his plaything. Once he's done, he will toss you to the side, or keep you around to have a higher status."

"Don't flatter yourself, Grace. I can banish you without banishing your brother. It is funny because at least I can get a man to beg for me, unlike you. Do you even know why I have kept you around?"

The Lady does not answer, furrowing her eyebrows at Charlotte, her breathing, getting uneven due to discomfort and anger.

"Well, Grace, you have become the laughing stock of this castle. Both maids, slaves, and guards are amused by how you are literally begging my brother to marry you. See whenever I feel like I'll have a bad day, I always laugh, because there is a reason to, and that is you. Poor Grace has no idea how foolish she looks in the eyes of everyone. Stop believing that my mother will stick with you to the end. She's known to use people just like your brother. Now, if I ever see your barren wretched self or your maids close to any of my brother's maids or mine, I will not hesitate to embarrass you in ways you can't even imagine."

Charlotte takes a deep breath smiling at her before turning and heading for the door.

"You seem to be close to that maid for you to know her name," Grace comments, stopping Charlotte in her tracks. She turns her head a bit, "Madeline is the name of the maid in this room, the one you trust so much. Shirley, Camille, and Martha are the names of my maids. Maria, Agnes, Joan, Hilda, and Adelaide are the names of my brother's maids. Muriel and Nesta are the names of your brother's maids. Madeline's coworker and another of your maid is Constance. Don't think you can toil with me Grace, I know the names and faces of all these women I mentioned, so when you call either of them, I have an eye that will see and tell me. Watch yourself pest," she walks out, banging the door on Grace who is red with anger, her fists showing her green and purple veins.

Adelaide walks back into the castle, and straight to the kitchen. Everyone's eyes are on her, making her nervous. She heads to her friends who are working with the vegetables today.

"Adelaide are you okay?" Hazel asks, a hand around her shoulder, concern filling her face.

"Did she threaten you about something? You don't look so well," Cheese adds. The ladies stop what they're doing, looking at her.