The Perfect Nemesis

Chapter 3

The King has requested your presence in the throne room

Those words repeated in my head. What could he possibly want from me after the spectacle I made this morning? Surely, I haven't done anything in the past few days that could get me into trouble. Have I?

There shouldn't be a reason for Father to call me to the throne room unless he found something else to blame me for. It's just something I've gotten used to. There wasn't a point in fighting back even if I wasn't the one who did it because all my arguments fell on deaf ears.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard the guard call out my name. That was when I realized that we had already reached the doors of the throne room. "Your Highness, would you like me to announce your presence?", the guard inquired. "Yes please", I replied hastily.

"Your Majesty, The Princess Calista of Swindell has arrived.", one of the guards declared. "Let her in.", I heard Father say disinterested.

My thoughts started spiraling once again. What if I make a fool of myself in there? Father would eat me alive. He'd go on and on about how I singlehandedly ruined the reputation of the entire kingdom in front of our esteemed ministers. God! I would make such a bad queen.

I enter the room and start walking towards the throne. All that I could think about was how easily I could trip in here and land face-first on the floor. Oh boy! That would look so bad. "Don't trip, don't trip, please don't trip Calista.", I keep telling myself.

"Oh, there comes my beautiful daughter!", Father said in an annoying sweet tone. I knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to put up a facade of a perfect family man to impress the audience in the room. They might believe every word he says but I could see right through his lies.

I look up to see my father and mother sitting on their thrones, looking like the royalty they are. "Father, Mother", I said with a slight bow and a fake warm smile on my face, "I heard that you called for me." If he can play this game, so can I.

"Yes Indeed. I had called for you to let you know that you shall be starting etiquette classes again for a week. Mrs. Dubois shall be conducting your sessions in which she will be teaching you how to behave on the day of the meeting. After today morning, I need to make sure you act regally in front of all our allies and I trust Mrs. Dubois to make sure you do.", Father said.

"Honey, Calista will be losing out on all her self-defense practice and I think that is more important than her learning to be polite. She is a well-mannered girl, I am sure she can handle herself.", Mother intervened.

"At this point of time, I believe her mannerism is more important than self-defense. There is no war coming up any time soon, so she should be fine", Father responded. 'No war?', I thought to myself, 'That's just wishful thinking at this point.'. "Moreover", He added, "Calista doesn't have any objections, do you dear?". Before I could say anything, Father exclaimed, "See! No objections! So, this matter is settled. You shall be attending your classes from tomorrow. Court dismissed."

Mother gave me an apologetic look. We both knew that no matter what we said, Father's decisions were always final. I decided that instead of rebelling against Father I should rather just agree and take my leave. "Thank you, Father, thank you Mother", I say as I exit the room.

"You look lost"

I look up from the window sill where I was sitting to see Ivo sauntering towards me. Ivo, my closeted gay best friend. I've known him my entire life with him being the son of my father's right-hand man. We've been through everything together. From him being there for me when Chris dies all the way to when I was there for him when Ivo's mother ran away with the stable boy.

"Well, I just had the most annoying conversations with Father. He wants me to start classes with Mrs. Dubois again and he's been really angry with me lately.", I reply. "Does he know?", he questioned. "No, he'd kill me!", I shuddered at the thought of Father finding out.

It was hard enough to open up to Ivo about it. I can't imagine doing that again any time soon. This takes me back to when it all happened....

"I did something terrible Ivo. I don't know why I did it. It just happened and I couldn't stop it. I don't even know what to do now. It's killing me. I just need to get it off my chest and tell someone. Oh God! I can't believe this happened. Father is going to-".

"Calista! Calm down! You are freaking me out. Just tell me what happened? We'll fix whatever happened together."

I kept pacing around back and forth in my room while he sat on my bed watching. This can't be happening. What was I thinking? How did this happen? Oh God! I need to talk to Xenia and make sure she doesn't tell anyone what happened.

"I um I.....Well, you know......Like.....So basically.....um-"

"SPIT IT OUT!", he practically yelled at me.

I jumped onto the bed and buried my face into the pillow. I was so embarrassed I couldn't even look at him.

"Ipwifedzediuh!", I screamed into the pillow.

"You do realize that I couldn't hear what you said, right?"

I sit up and stare at him and he looks right back at me not glancing away, as if he was daring me to speak. I took a deep breath and sighed.

"I kissed Xenia", I say breaking eye contact.

"Oh, ok this is totally fixable, all we have to do is WAIT WHAT?!?!?" he practically yelled in my face. "You you kissed what? Oh my god, oh my god.."

I was completely freaked out at this point. Ivo was the one person I thought I could count on who wouldn't react this way. "Look I know this is not what you expected and I know you're probably going to take some time-"

"THIS IS AMAZING!", he said interrupting me. "Wait it is??", I asked him anxiously. "Of course, it is I finally have someone to ship you with!! Oh, I can't wait to tease you with her. How long have you liked her? When did you figure it out? Oh my god, are you in love with her??"

"What no! Ivo calm down I don't think I actually like her like that. I just... I don't know it was weird I just had to know..."

"Know what?", he asked me gently.

"If I was attracted to girls," I say quietly.

"And do you know now?", he questioned.

"Yes." I tell him "I know that I am attracted to girls but at the same time I've always been attracted to guys too. I mean you do remember when we'd go through those magazines and fangirl over all those men. I don't know I mean I'm so confused."

"You don't have to label yourself Cali, be whoever you want to be."

And that's exactly what I did.