Clover

chapter 3: dreadful morning

the sun shone through the cracks of the curtains in Clovers room, giving a golden glow to everything it touched, warming the surfaces.

Clover lazily opened her eyes, immediately squinting them as the sun hit her face making her face glow.

rolling over to avoid the suns glare Clover sat up rubbing the sleepiness away from her face, looking at her pillows she realized she had forgotten to remove yesterday's makeup as her pillows and sheets were covered in smudged lipstick stains and gray eyeshadow.

groaning Clover stood up throwing her pillows and sheets onto the floor for the maids to take care of.

Clover walked into her bathroom shutting the door behind her, she removed her sleeping gown wearing only a corset and undergarments.

Clover turned the knobs of her bathtub and soon hot water spewed from the faucet.

removing the last of her clothing Clover sat down in the tub relaxing as the fervent water engulfed her.

sighing in pleasure Clover closed her eyes enjoying the bath as the bubbly water reached her collarbone, finally shutting the water off.

after Clover's bath she dressed herself in another gray dress, similar to the one she wore the day before but, this one didn't have teal on the ends of it, instead there was teal on the sleeves and neck of the dress. She placed a teal cap with pheasant feathers onto her head.

once Clover was done dressing herself and applying a small amount of makeup, she headed out for the day walking to the dining hall.

Clover entered the dining hall, there sat Princeton, Amber, Clover's mother Addy, and Queen Frankie.

General Mae never ate with them as being the General was extremely time consuming and never had time to sit down and eat a proper meal. Usually, it would be the Queen that was the busiest, but Frankie always demanded to always sit at the table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Clover walked to the dining table, nobody acknowledged her but Princeton and Amber. Clover sat down next to Princeton across from Amber.

"Good morning, everyone" Clover greeted with a fake smile. Amber and Princeton didn't notice her fake expression but her mother and Frankie both scrunched their faces seeing her face, but they chose to stay quiet.

"Good morning, Sissy!" Princeton said happily. Clover smiled down at him as the maids served her a dish filled with biscuits and gravy, with a side of fresh fruits and vegetables, and a glass of water.

Clover happily excepted the plate of food. She began to eat but not even two biscuits in her mother had to comment "don't eat some much Clover, you don't want fat cheeks, do you?" Clover looked up at her with a numb expression, nobody looked up from their own dishes.

 realizing Clover was in this alone she kept her mouth shut as to not stir any unnecessary drama. instead, she ignored her and started eating slower as to make the illusion she wasn't eating as much just to shut her mother up.

 "Everyone, I have amazing news!" Frankie happily clapped her hands together. everyone turned their heads to Frankie as she only gets this happy about one thing. it was obvious everyone already knew what she was going to announce as their faces turned with joy. "I'm planning a royal ball!".

every year Queen always planed two royal balls a year, one in the beginning of fall and the other in the beginning of spring.

as soon as Frankie had announced this the whole table exploded in joyful conversations destroying the awkward tension.

"Oh, I cannot wait!" Clover's mother bursted with joy "Wait!" her mother turned to Clover "clover this is the perfect opportunity to look for a suiter for you".

clover felt as if her soul was sucked from her body when she heard her mother.

"Oh, yes!" Frankie started "that is an amazing plan Addy!". Frankie was so happy her faced had turned red.

Clover already felt her blood start to boil as she clenched her fists. 

"No" Frankie and Addy had turned to her confused "what?" her mother said. "I said no, I am not getting married" Clover turned to her mother her eyes seared into her mother, so cold and sharp it could cut metal in one go.

refusing to hear what her mother had to say clover immediately stood up before her mother had a chance to get a word out and rushed to the doors.

clover pushed the doors open and ran out slamming the doors behind her just as hear her mother yell her name "Clover!".

not wanting her mother to catch up to her she ran, she didn't care that she was in heels, but ultimately that was a bad choice as she ended up tripping twisting her ankle along with her.

clover fell to the floor tears staining her cheeks, she wasn't crying from the pain she didn't even feel it but instead she felt like something was breaking inside of her. the pain of hatred and betrayal swallowed her, feeling as if her heart was shattering, she let out a weep.

Clover never cried but when she did it was always silent as she had learned over the years that no matter how much or how loud you cried no one would ever help you.

Clover pushed herself off of the ground, grabbing at her face like she wanted to rip it off, smearing all of her make up.

she dragged herself to the garden doors near the big hall. pushing them open limping over to the giant oak tree in the middle of the garden.

she let herself slide down the trunk of the tree letting the rough bark scratch and stain her dress, she didn't care.

she breathed calmly giving the illusion she was fine but her tears and smeared make up give it away that she was far from calm.

Clover just let the tears flow, at this point she didn't care, she felt numb on the inside but on the outside, she was starting the feel the pain from her ankle. 

Clover just curled up into a ball wanting to deal with it later.

Clover had sat outside for about two hours just thinking and fixing herself, she wasn't ready to face her family, and she especially didn't want her little brother to see her so weak and helpless. to her if he saw her like this, she was worried he would focus on her instead of himself and think she wasn't strong enough when he needed her.

so, she sat there waiting for this wave of emotions to pass and continue her day as usual, after all that's what she always did.