Blue frowned, frustrated. Sabina, the princess, was refusing to try and play the dulcimer, the easiest instrument the Queen wanted her to play.
"Sabina, really?"
"What?" she demanded.
"You are not learning. Is that a good trait for a princess, and second heir, to possess?"
Blue knew that challenging the little princess was the only way of teaching her anything. Just then, Lucian, the Princess' fiancé, stormed in.
" I'm sorry to interrupt your lesson, Music Mistress, but Sabina needs to explain something to me." he said quietly.
"Lucian, this is Blue. Surely I've told you lots about her."
"This is the legendary Blue?" he said, turning his attention to her, momentarily distracted.
"Yes, go on, talk to her. She has many things to say."
"Distract him." she whispered.
Wondering what she'd done, Blue whispered, "Okay."
About twenty minutes later, Lucian was speaking animatedly about a guardsman. Complete with gestures, this went from ranting about disrespect and vanity to a grim respect for the man's straightforwardness. Midway through, Blue started playing a soothing tune on the long-abandoned dulcimer.
"You know, that's really calming."
"That's really the point."
"You've just made me see this problem in a different light!"
"That's the point of all music, Prince."
"Please, call me Lucian. Prince is a title I didn't earn."
"You do realize what she's done, right?"
"About ten minutes ago. Why?"
"Just wondering why you aren't chasing her down."
"Maybe I want to walk a beautiful Music Mistress home after a stressful day with my dear fiancée."
"Oh. Alright... I live around Trafalgar Plaza..."
"Okay. Let's go!"
"Lead on, gentleman."
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
As they were crossing the town plaza, Lucian asked about her mother.
"She must have been gifted, Blue?"
"Yeah."
Blue hated personal questions. Lucian, oblivious to her growing discomfort, kept asking and asking.
She blurted out,"What's it like to be a bastard?"
She knew where to hit him to hurt his indestructible cheer. A pained expression flashed across his face, but he continued walking, no longer talking. He turned and said, when they'd reached her door, "Goodbye, Music Mistress."
Those words hurt her worse than anything. She went from friend to barely a face in four little syllables.
VOCÊ ESTÁ LENDO
Shades of Blue
Ficção AdolescenteBlue is a musician, artist, and orphan, living in a world torn by humans, and fought for by a new, mutant species. She's no perfect princess. But will she find her happily ever after anyway?
