Royal Obligations

Chapter 29: Enough Is Never Enough

Today was the day of an another elimination. There were eight girls left, including me. Who knows, Forrest may have already told Harlan, and I was going home today. For some reason this thought hasn't fully set in. It's like I was numb for now, but then again, I've always have been.

Elise brushes my hair, leaving it down today. Athena does my makeup and Daily is in the back making my bed. It seemed like an old routine that hasn't been present in a while.

"You look beautiful, Miss." Athena says as Elise fluffs out my blond hair over my shoulders.

"Please, Athena. Cordelia always looks good."

Athena cuts her a harsh look. "Lady Cordelia." she then walks into my closet to get out my dress.

Elise rolls her eyes and repeats in a mocking tone, "Lady Cordelia."

Athena walks out with a pale pink dress and sets it on my bed. "I know you like to dress yourself, Miss."

"Yes, thank you." I say.

"Let's go ladies." Athena says stiffly as she exits with Daisy. Elise isn't far behind, but when both of the maids are out of sight Elise turns around and waves dramatically. "Good luck, Lady Cordelia."

I laugh as she exits the room with a salute. I slip on the pink dress and slip on a necklace. Before I even finished clasping the necklace, there is a knock on my door. I had an irrational fear that it would be Forrest, but when I opened the door it was someone almost as worse.

"Felicity..." I say, my voice fading away when I see the tears coating her cheeks.

It was too much. Now that I knew she was my sister, I couldn't help but search for features that mirrored my own. When I saw her high cheekbones, her nose and her eyes, I feel almost stupid that I didn't realize it sooner. But I mean, how could I? If I was looking for a long lost twin sister maybe I would have noticed, but I wasn't even aware my family was still around here.

"Can I talk to you?" She asks, fiercely wiping at her eyes. "You're the only friend I have here, and also happen to be the only person I trust."

"The Report starts in an hour-" I begin but couldn't find myself able to finish the sentence. "Sure, come in."

Felicity shuffles inside and sits down on my bed, trying to hold her tears back in. "Taylor is cruel."

I warily walk over to the bed and take a seat beside her. "How so?"

"Yesterday evening, we were all in the woman's room." Felicity sniffles. "And Harlan came in looking for you. He asked me where you were and I didn't know, so he kissed me on the cheek and went on his way. I didn't think it was that big of a deal." Felicity looks down and twiddles with her fingers.

Something I used to do

"I guess Taylor got jealous and said that my dad died and how it was no real loss because he was a drunk. I didn't think much about it, I tried to ignore her. I thought she was just trying to hurt me, and I've seen how you've handled her and tried to imitate that."

"She said that to you?!" I exclaim, almost jumping off the bed. This intense feeling of anger swarmed inside me and I had no idea where it came from. Maybe I would have felt that way for anyone, but the way Taylor treats Felicity is beyond anything Felicity deserves, all because of jealousy.

Felicity nods. "I-I can't do this anymore. I can't deal with her anymore."

My dad was dead before I even got to meet him.

I pushed the emotions of that fact deep down within me. I was an expert at that anyhow.

"I'm sorry, Felicity." I say with sympathy.