aurora | 1952

10

November 16th, 1952

I jolt awake, startled by a loud bang. I look around the foreign room as my vision returns hazily, and glare at a smirking Oscar, proudly standing at the end of a study table, obviously happy that he woke me up by dropping a book on the wood surface. I rub my eyes, and the magnificent library from last night comes back into view. I must've fallen asleep and missed dinner.

"So she does wake up!" Oscar proclaims.

"I don't like you, jerk." I groggily add, lazily flipping my hand up at him. Trust me, I would've said far worse if I was back at the apartments.

He just laughs. "You missed breakfast, too." Not that Florence would've even noticed. "A few people have been looking for you. This was, like, the last place they'd check." I roll my eyes at him and support myself out of the chair, hunger instantly hitting me.

"And why is that?" I insist, not breaking my scowl.

"We all figured you'd hate books, what, given the fact you're kind of.." He trails off when I hold my pointer finger up to stop him. He's quite ballsy for someone who's scared of his own sister. I'm not complaining, though, that'll only give me leverage. I stretch my neck, wincing at the crack, as I start towards the door, pausing midway. "Hey Oscar?" I turn, remembering what I saw yesterday.

"Hm?" He looks up from the paper he took from a shelf. Dweeb.

"How are your institutions?" I try not to grin. It might be my first few days here, but that doesn't mean I can't have some fun.

He hesitates, crimson spreading over his cheeks before speaking up. "They're good. And.. How's the secret going for you?" A dead giveaway, my eyes shoot up to meet his. I bite my tongue.

"Kidding! Go get a snack, kid."

I blink, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm older than you."

"Still sleep like a baby, though, don't you?"

I glower, but I can't help the smirk meeting my lips. I walk off the whole 'secret' thing. I guess I deserved it.

꧁꧂

I search, each step dragging on, for a place to find a snack. I could probably just ask a butler, but something about that, even in the movies, seems so off to me.

A pale white door swings open and shut, releasing a smell or fresh pastries with every swoosh of the hinge. I sigh, and my eyes follow a waiter, walking out to the courtyard. I straighten my back, and pick up my chin as I hastily trail behind the worker. The large glass doors open once again to the familiar garden, and the table once sitting empty now seats a group of giggling women in their fancy dresses and hats. I gulp as the waiter slides the platter onto the table, and the ladies gape at a cute garden keeper. As they're staring, I quickly shuffle up to the table, adrenaline coursing through my veins as my shoes quietly tap off of the cobblestone. I practically fall onto the table as I reach for a danish, catching the women's attention. I stand back straight, not letting my embarrassment show. "Ladies." I nod, and suppress a giggle until I've jogged away from the courtyard, the danish practically melting in my mouth. It's the best thing I've ever eaten, possibly. Plus, the adrenaline only adds to it.

I wipe my mouth with my wrist, glancing around and grinning at the guard's stares. I wave them off, my face red, but my heart hammering. I don't know what's gotten into me, but hey, it might be my last day here. You never know. I proceed to wander around the halls even more, some parts empty while the others filter in and out with workers. Just as I'm about to find my way into my room, celebrating my walk with no run-ins, I'm jinxed.

I reach for my handle, but instead, get harshly turned around by the Queen, with an impatient look on her face. I back into my door, freaked out by her sudden reappearance. Reassembling myself, I look her up and down cooly. "Morning." I say, with what even I can tell, is a bitchy smile. She waits a moment before diving into venomous spits. "Where exactly were you both last night and this morning's meal? You've been completely out of control the entire week! Just completely reckless, with all these little stunts. I can't believe how.." She continues to list off all of the things I've supposedly done wrong until I confidently hold up a finger. Anything to stop this rambling, please.

"I have an answer to one of those things." I say with a flat voice, quite frankly not wanting her to snap once again. After a bit of thinking this morning, I actually do have a resolution. Without waiting for her reaction, I continue. "I have someone for the maid position." I wasn't expecting it, especially after her outburst, but her face lights up. Even at the littlest thing, she still has an exaggeration. "Well that's just spectacular! Would you like any assistance?" She seems so chipper that I can't even imagine letting her down. I smile and nod, continuing the legacy. As I turn back to my room, she interrupts once again, and I bite my tongue to hold in my temper.

"Walk with me?" She almost demands, and I shrug to myself, figuring it's probably best to just follow her lead throughout this whole thing. I nod once, and she walks down the hall, knowing I'll follow.

"So, I need some information from shops in.. town," I hesitate, not really wanting to reveal that I'm planning on hiring a peasant. She nods along, but in a way that almost makes me wonder if she's listening at all.

"And from where?" I bite the inside of my cheek. "There's someone from a shop in Willowview, it's a small place in Uptown with a very.. posh collection. The employees are all kind and, um- elegant." I choose my words as carefully as possible, but cringe at my rushed affirmation. I just didn't want her to interrupt.

"Well, I'll get that for you by sometime tomorrow, Aurora. That shouldn't be a problem at all." The Queen holds herself tall, and I look up at her, exhaling a quick, relieved breath of air.

"I suppose we should talk about the upcoming Selection, as well!" She once again brightens up, obviously resisting jumping up and down like a schoolgirl. I smirk. "I suppose so."

If I'm being honest, I'm dreading the Selection. I haven't had a relationship of any sorts in my life, and I think part of that comes from watching my parents marriage destruct. So, really, you can imagine why I'd probably shy away at the sight of a Prince. Or I'll scare them all away. Either way, I can tell from here that it's not going to be fun. Maybe a bit more fun than being where I would be without this stupid life swap, but still, I follow the Queen like a puppy.