Sleeping Beauty [WMMAP Fanfiction]

Chapter Fourteen: Kings of High Society

Her hair is straight, like mother's.

Alice did not want to think about her like that. It wasn't right. No one should have to be her mother's replacement. She shouldn't think of her whenever anything barely reminiscent of her appeared.

Chasing after an image that she knew could not do anything to bring someone back; she didn't want it. The idea of Athanasia being her mother's replacement, or Felix, or anyone else; kill her instead, she wouldn't bear the idea that she could not see them for themselves, clinging to the ghost of someone from over twenty years ago.

"Ah, pardon my rudeness. I was too forward." Jennette bowed, pinching her skirt. "Blessings and glory upon the Obelian Empire."

"Thank you." Athanasia rushed forward to take the sash. "I just realized I lost it."

"It's my pleasure. Ah, my name's Jennette Margarita." She smiled cutely, and whatever it was about her, could be her name, Claude responded in recognition.

"Margarita. So you're the child Alpheus is housing."

At his acknowledgement, she suddenly let out a gleeful, golden aura that had Athanasia and Felix gawk in confusion. "Have you heard of me before?"

"You're bold. Is that because you were raised by Alpheus?"

"My apologies."

A moment of silence passed, tense for Athanasia and Felix, who both recognized the girl for different reasons, and more 'eh, whatever' for Alice. "I see." There was a little smirk on the emperor's lips. He turned around before it could really be registered. "We're leaving." He started walking down the steps of the open door, into the cold night wind.

Felix followed, while Alice stayed behind when Athanasia did.

"Young miss, let's go."

"Ah, sorry." They started going down the steps. There was faint conversation that Jennette could hear.

"The princess seems tired, so should I-"

"Felix, ten steps back."

Alice waited for him to extend that order to her, but he didn't. There was a "Phew".

Jennette rushed ahead to stop at the door, watching them below her, going down the stairs to a waiting carriage. The wind blew at her as, what she wanted her whole life was presented right in front of her. To be a princess, loved by the emperor, guarded by knights, and to have Athanasia as her sister. Yet, it was not her life. She had no place in there, because she could tell they were too tightly-knit. What she wished for was granted to Athanasia instead, and none of them knew of her existence til then.

If they felt her longing gaze was unknown, because they never gave her a second glance. Then they reached the carriage, and disappeared into the distance.

Later,

"Don't talk to me," Alice hissed, already pulling on the curtain separator.

But Felix knew she wasn't mad, just naturally mean-sounding and socially drained, so he didn't even wish her goodnight. Still slept in the same bed, though. She had a nightmare about her dad that she didn't want to elaborate on, so he just hugged her and they went back to sleep like that.

. . .

No one talked to Alice, which was good. She was still drained from last night, and, fueled by her irritating dream last night, looked ready to bite someone's head off. Well, she usually did, but this was definitely worse, considering she was actually glaring at anything and everything, with an aura that said 'I can, and will kill you'.