Eighteen-year-old Camilla Valentino is having a hard time adjusting to the many expectations people have of her, specifically marriage. She admired her brother's love story and was happy for him and Flora. However, she knew finding such a love was h...
"Hmph," Camilla felt all the air inside her being squeezed out as she struggled to breathe. "Too, tight."
Alarmed by the breathless mumble, her lady-in-waiting loosened the corset. The short raven-haired servant was relieved when she heard Camilla take in a deep breathe. The Queen Mother rolled her eyes as she walked over to her daughter, tightening the corset just enough for her daughter to breathe, but to still have a tiny-looking waist.
"I should have started training you to wear corsets earlier," Rebecca mumbled as she tied the corset and helped Camilla step into the red gown prepared for her.
Camilla turned to her Mother with a pout. "Do I really have to do this?"
Her Mother frowned. "You already agreed to do it," Rebecca said gently as she tucked a strand of curly blonde hair behind Camilla's ear. "Your brother and Flora have had a good reign thus far, but we need a foreign alliance just in case anything were to occur. We do not want another invasion."
The princess turned away upon the reminder of what had happened ten years ago. Her eyes swelled with tears, but Camilla managed to push them back. "I will try my best," Camilla sighed.
Rebecca cupped her daughter's face in her hands and smiled down at her, proud at the young woman she had grown up to be. "Thank you," she whispered before turning to the lady-in-waiting. "Straighten her hair and place it into a low chignon with the bejeweled headband."
"Yes, your majesty."
Rebecca gave her daughter one last smile before exiting her room. Sierra, the young lady-in-waiting, cautiously straightened Camilla's wild locks. While Camilla sat in the vanity chair, she stared at herself with dull eyes. She knew that as a princess she would one day have to marry to assure a political alliance, but she never imagined that day would arrive so soon.
"You will be the prettiest maiden at the first ball of Cupido Primaverile, your royal highness." Sierra gushed and Camilla gave her a small smile.
The Cupido Primaverile was a series of balls hosted so marriage-minded ladies of the high society can mingle with the available bachelors, from Italy and foreign countries. It was similar to the Winter Ball, but in the Cupido Primaverile the bachelors and bachelorettes had more time to get to know one another. Seeing that Camilla had turned of-age for this event, many hoped she would partake in it and with great pressure from her Mother and the court, the princess agreed to participate.
"Finished!" Sierra chirped as she stared at her master piece. Camilla examined herself through the mirror. Her usually messy curls were slicked back into a neat chignon, not a hair out of place. An embroidered headband with authentic jewels was placed over her blonde locks. She was the picture-perfect princess.
"Thank you, Sierra." Camilla smiled at her lady-in-waiting and stood up from her chair, walking over to the double-doors. She stepped outside, her head up and shoulders back, walking with confidence like her Mother had taught her.
Camilla's family gathered around the lounge awaiting for her arrival. She broke into a bright smile upon finding her brother and sister-in-law, but frowned when she realized her nephew and niece were nowhere in sight. As Camilla reached the final step, Matias and Estella emerged. The two blazed by their aunt, Matias in his red bicycle and Estella right behind her brother in her tricycle. Their royal nanny chasing after them.
"Your Royal highnesses, please! You may get hurt!" The poor woman pleaded as she attempted to catch up with the two royal children.
"Ugh, not again." Hayden grumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
Camilla chuckled. "He's just like you, you know."
"I know," Hayden sighed. His son had turned out to be the same trouble-maker Hayden once was in his youth.
Flora smiled up at her husband. "I'll go make sure they are alright," she said as she gave her husband's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Camilla you look as lovely as ever."
"Thank you," Camilla smiled at Flora gratefully before the brunette left the room, in search for her two children of mischief.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Hayden asked, hoping his sister would answer 'no'. He knew Camilla was only doing it for their Mother and he would not allow her to be pressured into such a decision. He wanted his sister to have a good, happy marriage full of love, like his and Flora's.
Camilla forced a smile. "No matter how many times you ask me, the answer will still be yes."
"Camilla," Hayden grabbed both of her shoulders, looking her straight in the eye. "This event—you will have to marry or face humiliation."
"It is my duty as Princess of Italy," said Camilla. "All I have done thus far is sit around and look pretty. Now, I have the chance to secure a political alliance through marriage."
"But—"
"—I will try my best for it to be a marriage of love." Camilla assured and Hayden sighed in defeat.
"If this is what you want, I will respect your decision." Hayden smiled down at his sister, who returned the gesture. "Let us get going, then. We wouldn't want to keep your suitors waiting."
Camilla giggled as she interlocked her arm with her brother's arm. Hayden would be her escort to the first dance and later on become a chaperone throughout Camilla's dates.
"Let the dating begin."
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Author's Note: Hola my lovelies! So, Princess and the Fraud was the winner. I had my boyfriend be the tie-breaker between this book and Beautifully Terrible, but fret not as the other two books will be published next year. For the remained of this year, I will focus on Princess and the Fraud and my teenfic novel, Boyfriend for Rent. The first official chapter will premiere on October 1st. See you then my lovelies! Xoxo 💋💋💋
